Today in History for Dec. 8, 2014

Dean Lodge No. 112 at Brooklyn, Ala. 

Dec. 8, 1818 – Patrick W. Hayes became the second postmaster at Burnt Corn Spring, Ala., replacing the first postmaster, William James, who took the job on Oct. 27, 1817.

Dec. 8, 1821 – Sparta Academy in Conecuh County, Ala. was incorporated by state legislature, making it the second chartered private academy in the state.

Dec. 8-9, 1824 – During his tour of the United States, the Marquis de Lafayette made official visits to the Senate and addressed the U.S. Congress at the House of Representatives.

Dec. 8, 1850 – The organizational charter was issued to Dean Lodge No. 112 at Brooklyn, Ala.

Dec. 8, 1950 - The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, in Mobile, was dedicated. The cornerstone for the cathedral was laid and blessed in November 1835. The foundations were in place by 1837, but the economic crisis known as the Panic of 1837 and a yellow fever epidemic in 1839 delayed progress. By the mid-1840s, the economy had improved and construction resumed, supported in part by generous contributions from the people of Mobile.

Dec. 8, 1863 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln announced his plan for the Reconstruction of the South.

Dec. 8, 1864 – The organizational charter was issued to Norris Lodge No. 301 in Brewton, Ala.

Dec. 8, 1881 – Jeremiah Austill, a hero of the Canoe Fight of 1813, died in Clarke County, Ala.

Dec. 8, 1897 – The organizational charter was issued to Carney Lodge No. 549 in Atmore, Ala.

Dec. 8, 1909 – The organizational charter was issued to McKenzie Lodge No. 701 in McKenzie, Ala. (Butler County) and K.A. Mayer Lodge No. 703 in Pine Hill, Ala. (Wilcox County).

Dec. 8, 1921 – First issue of The Thomasville Times in Thomasville, Ala. was published.

Dec. 8, 1940 - The Chicago Bears trounced the Washington Redskins in the National Football League (NFL) Championship by a score of 73-0, the largest margin of defeat in NFL history.

Dec. 8, 1941 - The United States entered World War II when it declared war against Japan. The act came one day after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Britain and Canada also declared war on Japan.

Dec. 8, 1943 - Jim Morrison of The Doors was born in Melbourne, Fla.

Dec. 8, 1959 – Orville Mack brought a mystifying item by The Courant office described as a “chunk of black stuff” that was unearthed by a construction crew working on the new interstate highway between Chapman Road and Owassa, about three miles from Evergreen. A grader making a cut turned up the chunk 45 to 50 below the surface of the earth. It was black, shiny and “very brittle.” When heat was applied to it, it gave off “an odor smelling strongly of oil.” Examiners said it wasn’t coal, but others said that it might have been oil which seeped into a pocket and solidified. The chunk was put on display at The Courant for public viewing.

Dec. 8, 1962 - Workers of the International Typographical Union began striking and closed nine New York City newspapers. The strike lasted 114 days and ended April 1, 1963.

Dec. 8, 1980 - In New York City, Mark David Chapman shot John Lennon to death in front of The Dakota Earlier in the day, Lennon had autographed an album for Chapman.

Dec. 8, 1982 - Norman D. Mayer held the Washington Monument hostage, demanding an end to nuclear war. He threatened to blow it up with explosives he claimed were in his van. After a 10 hour stand-off, he was shot to death by police; no explosives were found in the van.

Dec. 8, 1993 - U.S. President Bill Clinton signed into law the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Dec. 8, 1995 - Courtney Love was interviewed by Barbara Walters for ABC's "10 Most Fascinating People of 1995." During the interview Love told Walters that she wished she had done "eight thousand million things" differently to prevent husband Kurt Cobain's death.

Dec. 8, 1999 - In Memphis, Tenn., a jury found that Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. had been the victim of a vast murder conspiracy, not a lone assassin.