Years Ago

Today is Monday, Dec. 26, the 360th day of 2011. There are five days left in the year. The seven-day African-American holiday Kwanzaa begins today. This is Boxing Day.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

On this date in:

1799: Former President George Washington is eulogized by Col. Henry Lee as “first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen.”

1908: Jack Johnson becomes the first African-American boxer to win the world heavyweight championship as he defeats Canadian Tommy Burns in Sydney, Australia.

1941: During World War II, Winston Churchill becomes the first British prime minister to address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress.

1966: Kwanzaa is first celebrated.

1980: Iranian television footage is broadcast in the United States, showing a dozen of the American hostages sending messages to their families.

VINDICATOR FILES

1986: About 7,000 Columbiana County residents are unemployed and on “active” rosters, seeking jobs through the two state employment bureaus in the county.

The Western Reserve Care System has acquired the Patient Care Center, a Youngstown medical supply and equipment dealership from John Gillespie.

1971: A special policeman working security at Reed’s Arena is charged with second degree murder in the shooting death of Seaman George Lightfoot,22, who was shot during a dispute over identification at an over-21 floor show.

The Baltimore Colts crush the Cleveland Browns 20-3 in Cleveland and move one step closer to a return to the Super Bowl.

1961: Mahoning County commissioners expect as many as 50 bids on the $14 million West Branch Reservoir.

The Youngstown Main Post Office and its branches are back to normal after a Christmas season that saw two daily records broken when more than 2 million pieces were handled each day.

Two Ohio teams top the college basketball ratings, Ohio State at No. 1, followed by Cincinnati.

1936: Fire destroys the home of Mr. and Mrs. Patsy Cappello and their five children on W. Washington Street, New Castle, and claims the lives of the youngest children, Patsy, 1, and Genevieve, 3.

A daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Perry Santangelo at 4:20 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Hospital was the first of seven babies born on Christmas Day.

Four people died and more than 20 were injured in Youngstown area traffic accidents over the Christmas holiday.