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Today is Tuesday, Feb. 12, the 43rd day of 2002. There are 322 days left in the year. 

Today’s Highlight in History: 

On Feb. 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, was born in present-day Larue County, Ky. 

On this date: 

In 1733, English colonists led by James Oglethorpe founded Savannah, Ga. 

In 1870, women in the Utah Territory gained the right to vote. 

In 1892, President Lincoln’s birthday was declared a national holiday. 

In 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was founded. 

In 1915, the cornerstone for the Lincoln Memorial was laid in Washington, D.C. 

In 1924, George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” premiered in New York. 

In 1940, the radio play “The Adventures of Superman” debuted on the Mutual network with Bud Collyer as the Man of Steel. 

In 1942, painter Grant Wood, creator of “American Gothic,” died in Iowa City, Iowa, a day before his 51st birthday. 

In 1973, the first release of American prisoners of war from the Vietnam conflict took place. 

In 1999, the Senate voted to acquit President Clinton of perjury and obstruction of justice. 

Ten years ago: Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton released a letter he’d written as a student in 1969 in which he said he had decided to give up a draft deferment in order to “maintain my political viability.” President Bush formally announced his bid for re-election. 

Five years ago: The highest-ranking official to flee communist North Korea, Hwang Jang Yop, asked for political asylum at South Korea’s consulate in Beijing. The Clinton administration gave permission to 10 U.S. news organizations to open bureaus in Cuba. 

One year ago: The NEAR spacecraft touched down on Eros, completing the first landing on an asteroid. Scientists published their first examinations of nearly all the human genetic code. A federal appeals court ruled the Internet service Napster had to prevent users from swapping copyrighted music without charge. A computer virus pretending to be a digital photo of tennis star Anna Kournikova overwhelmed e-mail servers in Europe and North America. 

Today’s Birthdays: Movie director Franco Zeffirelli is 79. Baseball Hall-of-Fame sportscaster Joe Garagiola is 76. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., is 72. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell is 68. Actor Joe Don Baker is 66. Rock musician Ray Manzarek (The Doors) is 63. Author Judy Blume is 64. Country singer Moe Bandy is 58. Actress Maud Adams is 57. Actor Cliff DeYoung is 57. Actor Michael Ironside is 52. Rock musician Steve Hackett is 52. Rock singer Michael McDonald is 50. Actress Joanna Kerns is 49. Actor-former talk show host Arsenio Hall is 47. Actress Christine Elise is 37. Actor Josh Brolin is 34. Singer Chynna Phillips is 34. Rock musician Jim Creeggan (Barenaked Ladies) is 32. Rhythm-and-blues musician Keri Lewis (Mint Condition) is 31. Actress Christina Ricci is 22.