May 28 is National Hamburger Day! đđđ While hamburgers are enjoyed all over the world, they are considered a culinary icon of the United States. Though we donât know their exact origin (several locales are disputed as the origin place, including Athens, Texas; New Haven, Connecticut; Seymour, Wisconsin; and, of course, Hamburg, Germany) it is […]
On May 28, 1754, the first engagement of the French and Indian War occurred as a Virginia militia led by 22-year-old George Washington launched a surprise attack on a party of French in southwestern Pennsylvania. đŹđ§đ«đ· The skirmish had international implications. Though fighting began in 1754, war wasnât officially declared between Great Britain and France […]
Happy Memorial Day from the JMC! While many of us are enjoying a long weekend, let us not forget the purpose of this national holiday â remembering and honoring our military that have fallen while in service to our country. đșđžđȘŠđșđžđȘŠđșđž Memorial Day has origins in the aftermath of the Civil War â "Decoration Day" was […]
On this day in 1917, 35th President John F. Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts. His presidency was marked by Cold War tensions, the civil rights movement, and developments in the space race. â â Tragically, Kennedyâs term was cut short by assassination when he was fatally shot while on a presidential visit to Dallas, […]
On May 29, 1790, our 13th state, Rhode Island, was ratified into the United States. Though it was the first colony to renounce allegiance to Great Britain, it was the last of the Thirteen Colonies to ratify the Constitution, and the only state to boycott the Constitutional Convention. Though it is tiny (the smallest state […]
On May 30, 1934, Everglades National Park was established in southern Florida. Roughly 1.5Â million acres of wilderness (!), the park encompasses one of the largest wetlands in the world and is known for its beautiful, wild landscapes and wildlife (especially alligators). đđđ In fact, many of the animals protected by the park are unique to […]
On this day in 1922, the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C. The structure honors our 16th president and his actions to end slavery and preserve the Union. â â The 1922 dedication ceremony was attended by such prominent figures as Robert Lincoln (Lincolnâs only surviving son), past president William Howard Taft, and keynote […]
On May 31, 1819, American poet journalist, and essayist Walt Whitman was born in West Hills, New York. Whitman is considered one of our nationâs most important poets, producing enduring works on such topics as love, democracy, nature, and life and death. His best-known volumes are Leaves of Grass and Drum Taps, which drew heavily […]
On June 1, 1796, Tennessee was admitted to the Union as our 16th state. The state is home to the Country Music Capital of the World (Nashville), as well as the second most visited home in the United States: Elvisâ Graceland (numbers vary each year, but typically only the White House is visited more). đ€đȘđž Did […]
On June 2, 1861, First Lady Helen âNellieâ Taft was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Taft was enthusiastic about music and travel. She had a degree in music from the Cincinnati College of Music and founded the cityâs orchestra association. đŒđșđ» Even before her time as First Lady, she had close presidential ties. Taftâs parents were […]
On this day in 1886, President Grover Cleveland wed Frances Folsom at the White House. Although President Cleveland wasnât the only president to marry while in office, he remains the only president to be married in the White House. đ đ«đïž đâ â Did you know? The marriage was controversial not only because of a […]
On June 4, 1738, King George III was born in London, England. George III may be the most famous royal in American history, serving as the British king before, during, and after the American Revolution. Because they were not represented in Parliament, many American colonists felt that the king had shirked his duties by not protecting […]
On this day in 1851, Uncle Tomâs Cabin was first published in serial form in The National Era. Despite the novelâs perpetuation of many racial stereotypes, it was absolutely pivotal in revealing the cruelties of slavery to white northerners, many of whom were not directly exposed to them. The book was immensely popular, selling 10,000 copies in […]
On this day in 1851, Uncle Tomâs Cabin was first published in serial form in The National Era. Despite the novelâs perpetuation of many racial stereotypes, it was absolutely pivotal in revealing the cruelties of slavery to white northerners, many of whom were not directly exposed to them. The book was immensely popular, selling 10,000 […]
June 6 is National Higher Education Day! đđ©âđđ§âđđšâđđ Higher education (in particular, that of American politics and history) is near and dear to the Jack Miller Center. We are a nationwide network of scholars and teachers advancing the core texts and ideas of the American political tradition. Did you know? The oldest (and first) institution […]
On June 6, 1933, the first drive-in movie theater, Camden Drive-In, opened in Pennsauken, New Jersey. đŹđđ Richard Hollingshead, an auto products manager, came up with the idea after witnessing his motherâs discomfort while sitting in the standard movie theater seat. Striking on the comfort of the roomy car seat, he tested the idea in […]
On June 8, 1847, First Lady Ida McKinley was born in Canton, Ohio. McKinley suffered from many tragedies in her life â aside from her husbandâs assassination in 1901, she had previously lost both of her children and suffered from a serious illness that caused debilitating headaches, fainting, and seizures. Before marrying and while healthy, […]
On this day in 1867, American architect Frank Lloyd Wright was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin. Wright is considered one of the greatest American architects of all time, famously designing his structures with an eye toward harmony with the surrounding environment: â â âNo house should ever be on any hill or on anything. It […]
On this day in 1692, the first execution of the Salem Witch Trials took place as Bridget Bishop was hanged in Salem, Massachusetts. She was the first of 19 people (5 men and 14 women) to be executed during this dark chapter of American history. â â Did you know? Bridget Bishop was not the […]
On June 11, 1741, American patriot and physician Joseph Warren was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts. A significant figure in the early days of the Revolutionary War, Dr. Warren led up several patriot organizations in Boston, and was the person that enlisted Paul Revere for his famous midnight ride. Sadly, Warren would never see the fruits […]
On June 12, 1967, the Supreme Court ruled in Loving v. Virginia that the prohibition of interracial marriage was unconstitutional. The case came to the Court after Mildred Jeter (a black woman) and Richard Loving (a white man) were married in Washington, D.C. and returned to Virginia, where they were charged with violating state […]
â Happy Flag Day! Today marks the  anniversary of the adoption of the American flag. First celebrated locally in northern states during the Civil War, June 14th wasnât officially established as Flag Day until President Woodrow Wilson made a proclamation in 1916. Although not an official federal holiday, Flag Day is an official state holiday in […]
On this day in 1884, the first American roller coaster opened on Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. This early roller coaster, called the âswitchback railwayâ, used gravity to its advantage, taking riders downwards from an elevated tower at the exhilarating speed of 6 mph. đą đą đą The one-minute ride was wildly popular and […]
Fatherâs Day was not, as one may imagine, founded by a father, but by a loving daughter, Sonora Smart Dodd. While sitting in at a church service for Motherâs Day, Dodd was inspired to start a day for dads. Her own father, William Smart, was a Civil War veteran who single-handedly raised Dodd and her […]
On this day in 1865, the final slaves residing in the former Confederacy were informed of their freedom as granted under the Emancipation Proclamation. The day became a holiday for former slaves in Texas (the final state to be informed of the Proclamation) and is now celebrated across the nation to commemorate American emancipation from […]
On this day in 1611, explorer Henry Hudson, his teenage son, and seven others were abandoned in Hudson Bay by mutineers. Hudson's company had sailed to the Americas in search of a northwestern passage to Asia. The mutiny was triggered by the crewâs terrible experiences over the past year â the expedition had been ill-equipped […]
On this day in 1876, the Battle of Little Bighorn took place in what is now Montana. Combined Native American forces consisting of Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors soundly defeated General George Armstrong Custer and his men, none of whom survived.â â The battle, also known as âCusterâs Last Stand,â was one of […]
On this day in 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act, officially creating the U.S. Interstate Highway System. The new system of highways (41,000 miles in total) greatly improved infrastructure and increased the efficiency of nationwide travel.â â The project is considered one of the most important achievements of Eisenhowerâs presidency. â […]