On this day
Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.
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Eisenhower reptd gratified by vote; State Dept silent; officials reptd again weighing reappraisal of French role in Western defense; tension around Eisenhower continues; London trip plan rumored
Lt Col Stapp hits record ground speed of 632 mph and stops in 1 1/2 seconds in rocket sled test to discover effects of bailing out at supersonic speeds, Holloman Development Center, NM; USAF repts he withstood pressure at 35 times own wt in stop; says tests will be made at speeds up to 800 mph; sled, built by Northrop, developed 40,000-lb thrust; he endured avg of 27 G's from top speed to stop; comments; illus
Engineers and Scientists of Amer files friend-of-ct brief on Peters case, Sup Ct; urges Ct protect due process of law under security program; says Peters was denied fair hearing; asks Ct determine whether a loyalty or security hearing is required to accord with due process and whether hearing so accords if accused is not given opportunity to cross-examine accusers and decision is made on data not given to him
newly organized NYS Repub Policy Com decides on positive program as alternative to Harriman's Dem-Liberal program
Hatoyama urges closer ties with Communist China and USSR, int; holds move would curb Japanese unfriendliness toward US; denies implying recognition of China; says Japanese policy should seek to bar World War III
1954Tony Ables, American serial killer[†]
Tony Alvin Ables is an American serial killer convicted of multiple homicides in the Tampa Bay area. Officially convicted of two murders, he was linked through DNA evidence in 2006 to two additional cases: the 1983 killing of 84-year-old Adeline McLaughlin and the 1987 death of his 31-year-old girlfriend, Deborah Kisor. Despite their romantic involvement, Ables was not charged with killing Kisor, nor has he been tried for McLaughlin's murder. He is currently serving a life sentence for the 1990 murder of another girlfriend, 48-year-old Marlene Burns.
1954Gayle King, American television journalist[†]
Gayle King is an American television personality, author and broadcast journalist for CBS News, co-hosting its flagship morning program, CBS Mornings, and before that its predecessor CBS This Morning. She is also an editor-at-large for Oprah Daily. King was named one of Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People of 2019".
1954Denzel Washington, American actor, director, and producer[†]
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, Pentecostal minister, producer, and director. Known for his dramatic roles on stage and screen, he has received numerous accolades including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and one Tony Award as well as nominations for a Grammy Award and two Emmy Awards. In 2020, The New York Times named Washington the greatest actor of the 21st century. He has also been honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2016, AFI Life Achievement Award in 2019, the Honorary Palme d'Or in 2025, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025. Films in which he has appeared have grossed over $4.9 billion worldwide.
In 1954, the world population was approximately 2,685,894,860 people[†]