Today in HistoryToday is Thursday, May 10, the 130th day of 2007. There are 235 days left in the year.

ON THIS DATE<$>

In 1940, Winston Churchill took over as British prime minister following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain. Germany invaded Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium.

In 1941, Hitler’s deputy, Rudolf Hess, flew from Augsburg and parachuted down near Glasgow, Scotland, in an apparent attempt to negotiate a peace deal. He was arrested and imprisoned.

In 1968, preliminary Vietnam peace talks began in Paris.

In 1977, actress Joan Crawford died in New York.

In 1994, Nelson Mandela took the oath of office to become South Africa’s first black president.

In 1994, the state of Illinois executed serial killer John Wayne Gacy for the murders of 33 young men and boys.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

“A man who works with his hands is a labourer; a man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman; but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist.” — Louis Nizer, American lawyer (1902-1994).