Today is Friday, April 21, the 111th day of 2017. There are 254 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History

On April 21, 1967, army officers in Greece staged a coup, seizing power and creating a military dictatorship that ruled the country for the next seven years.

On this date

In 1649, the Maryland Toleration Act, providing for freedom of worship for all Christians, was passed by the Maryland assembly.

In 1789, John Adams was sworn in as the first vice president of the United States.

In 1836, an army of Texans led by Sam Houston defeated the Mexicans at San Jacinto, assuring Texas independence.

In 1910, author Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, died in Redding, Connecticut, at age 74.

In 1930, fire broke out inside the overcrowded Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus, killing 332 inmates.

In 1942, the first edition of “The Stranger,” Albert Camus’ highly influential absurdist novel, was published in Nazi-occupied Paris by Gallimard.

In 1955, the Jerome Lawrence-Robert Lee play “Inherit the Wind,” inspired by the Scopes trial of 1925, opened at the National Theatre in New York.

In 1960, Brazil inaugurated its new capital, Brasilia, transferring the seat of national government from Rio de Janeiro.

In 1962, the Century 21 Exposition, also known as the Seattle World’s Fair, began a six-month run.

In 1977, the musical play “Annie,” based on the “Little Orphan Annie” comic strip, opened on Broadway, beginning a run of 2,377 performances.

The Associated Press