UPI Almanac for Friday, Dec. 5, 2008.

WASHINGTON, July 30 (UPI) -- Sen. Ted Stevens, the uncrowned king of Alaska for 40 years, has fallen. The repercussions may transform American politics.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., a 45-year veteran of the chamber, cast his 15,000th vote earlier this month -- but no one noticed until several days later.

LOS ANGELES, March 12 (UPI) -- Relatives of a black woman who revealed in 2003 that her father was late Sen. Strom Thurmond announced the creation of a Los Angeles nonprofit organization.

NEW YORK, March 4 (UPI) -- Moved by revelations about his family history in slavery, the Rev. Al Sharpton is urging families to trace their roots, the New York Daily News reported.

NEW YORK, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Two Florida men from the family that owned Al Sharpton's great-grandfather have agreed to DNA testing to determine if they share more than a last name with him.

Church members get matching tattoos ... British equality group violates own rules ... Court says NYC must pay for sex change ... Sharpton, Thurmond linked through slavery ... Watercooler stories from UPI.

NEW YORK, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton is amused after learning his relatives were once slaves owned by relatives of late Sen. Strom Thurmond, The New York Daily News said Sharpton was in disbelief when he learned that his great-grandfather's fam

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, who lost his leadership post in 2002 because of racially insensitive remarks, was elected as his party's second in command.