Today is Thursday, Sept. 9, the 252nd day of 2010. There are 113 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

On Sept. 9, 1850, California became the 31st state of the union.

ON THIS DATE

In 1776, the second Continental Congress made the term “United States” official, replacing “United Colonies.”

In 1830, Charles Durant flew a balloon from New York City across the Hudson River to Perth Amboy, N.J.

In 1919, some 1,100 members of Boston’s 1,500-man police force went on strike. (The strike was broken by Massachusetts Gov. Calvin Coolidge, who brought in replacement officers.)

In 1926, the National Broadcasting Co. (NBC) was incorporated by the Radio Corp. of America.

In 1948, the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea (North Korea) was declared.

In 1957, President Dwight Eisenhower signed into law the first civil rights bill to pass Congress since Reconstruction.

In 1960, in the first regular-season American Football League game, the Denver Broncos defeated the Boston Patriots, 13-10. Opera singer Jussi Bjoerling died near Stockholm, Sweden.

In 1971, prisoners seized control of the maximum-security Attica Correctional Facility near Buffalo, N.Y., beginning a siege that ended up claiming 43 lives.

In 1976, Communist Chinese leader Mao Zedong died in Beijing at age 82.

In 1990, Liberian President Samuel Doe was killed after being captured by rebels.

In 2000, President Bill Clinton proposed spending about $1.6 billion to help communities recover from recent Western wildfires. Venus Williams beat Lindsay Davenport 6-4, 7-5 for the U.S. Open women’s singles championship.

Associated Press