On this day in 1851, Uncle Tom’s Cabin was first published in serial form in The National Era. Despite the novel’s perpetuation of many racial stereotypes, it was absolutely pivotal in revealing […]
On this day in 1851, Uncle Tom’s Cabin was first published in serial form in The National Era. Despite the novel’s perpetuation of many racial stereotypes, it was absolutely pivotal […]
On June 6, 1933, the first drive-in movie theater, Camden Drive-In, opened in Pennsauken, New Jersey. 🎬🎟🚗 Richard Hollingshead, an auto products manager, came up with the idea after witnessing […]
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 […]
On June 8, 1847, First Lady Ida McKinley was born in Canton, Ohio. McKinley suffered from many tragedies in her life – aside from her husband’s assassination in 1901, she […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 wasn’t officially established as […]
On this day in 1884, the first American roller coaster opened on Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. This early roller coaster, called the “switchback railway”, used gravity to its […]
Father’s 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 Mother’s Day, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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) […]
On this day in 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg began in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In the bloodiest engagement of the Civil War, tens of thousands of men were killed in battle. […]
Happy Independence Day! On this day in 1776, our nation was born as the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. Independence Day has only been a federal holiday […]
On this day in 1872, 30th president Calvin Coolidge was born in Plymouth, Vermont. He is the only U.S. president to share a birthday with the country he served. 🎂 […]
On this day in 1851, Uncle Tom’s Cabin was first published in serial form in The National Era. Despite the novel’s perpetuation of many racial stereotypes, it was absolutely pivotal in revealing […]
On this day in 1747, Revolutionary War naval captain John Paul Jones was born in Arbigland, Scotland. He is remembered as the “Father of the United States Navy” for his […]
On this day in 1930, construction began on the Hoover Dam on the state border of Arizona and Nevada. For its time, it was the tallest dam in the world […]
On this day in 1767, 6th president John Quincy Adams was born in Braintree, Massachusetts. He was the first U.S. president to be the son of another U.S. president. The […]
On this day in 1787, Congress adopted the Northwest Ordinance, which established formal procedures for transitioning American territories into states, encouraged public education, and, perhaps most importantly, banned slavery in […]
On this day in 1913, 38th president Gerald Ford was born in Omaha, Nebraska. During his administration, the United States exited the Vietnam War and faced a domestic energy crisis. […]
On this day in 1862, civil rights and women’s rights activist Ida B. Wells was born in Holly Springs, Missouri. An investigative journalist, she reported on and exposed the violence […]
On this day in 1902, the first air conditioner was created. Willis Carrier, a young mechanical engineer in Buffalo, New York, invented modern A/C while seeking ways to reduce humidity’s […]
On this day in 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention began in Seneca Falls, New York. The two-day convention for women’s rights is traditionally considered the beginning of the organized women’s […]
On this day in 1969, Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11) became the first men to walk on the moon. In this first successful moon landing, the men […]
On this day in 1861, the first major battle of the Civil War, the First Battle of Bull Run, took place just north of Manassas, Virginia. Though the Civil War […]
On this day in 1893, English professor and social activist Katharine Lee Bates penned “America the Beautiful,” a poem that would soon be turned into the beloved song we still […]
On this day in 1897, American aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas. She’s credited with many records and notable accomplishments, including being the first female aviator to […]
General Colin Powell, speaking on the 50th anniversary of the executive order, remarked on the measure: “The military was the only institution in all of America—because of Harry Truman—where a […]
On this day in 1866, Lavinia (“Vinnie”) Ream became the first female artist to receive a commission from the U.S. government. Her project? A full-body statue of the recently deceased […]
On this day in 1805, Alexis de Tocqueville was born in Paris, France. So, why are we noting a Frenchman’s birth on an American history page? Tocqueville’s writings, most notably […]
On this day in 1790, the first U.S. patent was issued to Samuel Hopkins for an apparatus used to make pearlash and potash (types of ash used for soap, leavening, […]
On this day in 1819, American novelist Herman Melville was born in New York, New York. He’s best-known for his feat of American literature, Moby-Dick. Melville had a colorful life. […]
On this day in 1790, the first United States Census began, fulfilling the Constitution’s requirement of a population count. The census was (and still is) important in determining representation. The […]
On this day in 1901, musician Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. A stupendous trumpeter and vocalist, he is considered one of the most influential figures in the […]
On this day in 1735, newspaper publisher John Peter Zenger was acquitted of seditious libel for publishing critical pieces on the royal governor of New York. The ruling laid the […]
On this day in 1851, Uncle Tom’s Cabin was first published in serial form in The National Era. Despite the novel’s perpetuation of many racial stereotypes, it was absolutely pivotal in revealing […]
On this day in 1755, American patriot and spy Nathan Hale was born in Coventry, Connecticut. He is famous for being executed by the British while on a spy mission […]
Today is National Purple Heart Day! On this day in 1782, George Washington ordered the creation of the Badge of Military Merit, the direct predecessor to the Purple Heart. It […]
Happy Birthday, Smokey Bear! On this day in 1944, Smokey Bear’s creation was authorized by the U.S. Forest Service as a public educator in preventing wildfires. Since then, Smokey has […]
On this day in 1874, 31st president Herbert Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa. His presidency, running from 1929-to 1933, is best-remembered for taking place during the start of […]
On this day in 1860, American sharpshooter and showwoman Annie Oakley were born in Darke County, Ohio. She began her shooting career at the age of 8 in order to […]
On this day in 1937, the Appalachian Trail was formally completed. The hiking trail, covering over 2,000 miles and passing through 14 states, was conceived as a way to enjoy […]
On this day in 1786, American frontiersman and folk legend Davy Crockett was born in Greene County, Tennessee. A colorful figure, Crockett fought in the War of 1812, as well […]
On this day in 1590, John White, the governor of the Roanoke Colony, returned from a supply trip to England to find that all of the colony’s 100+ inhabitants had […]
On this day in 1833, 23rd president Benjamin Harrison was born in North Bend, Ohio. He is the only president to have been the grandson of another president (William Henry […]
On this day in 1814, the British began burning Washington, D.C. during the War of 1812. The event was arguably the most devastating blow to American morale during the war, […]
On this day in 1916, the United States National Park Service was created to preserve the nation’s important “natural and cultural resources” for its citizens and all future generations of […]
On this day in 1908, 36th president Lyndon Baines Johnson was born near Stonewall, Texas. The successor to John F. Kennedy, President Johnson faced American involvement in the Vietnam War […]
On this day in 1963, the March on Washington and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech took place on the National Mall in Washington D.C. The gathering […]
On this day in 1632, English philosopher John Locke was born in Wrington, England. His ideas of liberalism, natural law, and positive government were influential on the American founders and […]
On this day in 1752, the Liberty Bell arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At first, the Liberty Bell had little to do with American independence. The Pennsylvania Assembly commissioned the bell […]
On this day in 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed, formally ending the Revolutionary War. 🇺🇸 🇬🇧 🇫🇷 Though we often remember the Battle of Yorktown (1781) as the […]
On this day in 1888, George Eastman received a patent for the first roll-film camera – the Kodak. The camera made photography more accessible and was designed with the amateur […]
On this day in 1774, the First Continental Congress assembled in Carpenter’s Hall in Philadelphia to address growing tensions between the American colonies and Great Britain. The Congress, consisting of […]
On this day in 1851, Uncle Tom’s Cabin was first published in serial form in The National Era. Despite the novel’s perpetuation of many racial stereotypes, it was absolutely pivotal in revealing […]
On this day in 1791, Washington, D.C., was named after President George Washington by the city’s federal commissioners. The president himself chose the site of the future city, settling on […]
On this day in 2001, 9/11, the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history, took place as terrorists hijacked four planes. Two of these planes were crashed into the twin towers […]
On this day in 1913, American Olympic athlete Jesse Owens was born in Oakville, Alabama. He is best known for his victories at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where he won […]
On this day in 1814, the Battle of Fort McHenry occurred during the War of 1812. The American victory at the battle inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled […]
On this day in 1857, 27th president William Howard Taft was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. His presidency was marked by the rise of progressivism in both the Democratic and Republican […]
On this day in 1870, the Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park was observed by the Washburn-Doane-Langford expedition and received its name. The geyser particularly stood out for its […]
On this day in 1973, tennis players Billie Jean King (29) and Bobby Riggs (55) faced off in the “Battle of the Sexes.” Riggs had claimed that he could trounce […]
On this day in 1896, American author F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. He’s particularly associated with the Roaring ‘20s and his best-known work, The Great Gatsby […]
On this day in 1690, the first American newspaper was published in Boston, Massachusetts, Publick Occurences Both Foreign and Domestick. Prior to this, only single-paged newspapers (called broadsides) had been […]
On this day in 1722, revolutionary patriot Samuel Adams was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Adams was a particularly vocal supporter of American independence, boycotting British goods and serving as an […]
On this day in 1908, Ford’s Model T went on sale for the first time. One of the first mass-production vehicles, the Model T is generally considered the first affordable […]
October is National Seafood Month! The American seafood industry has been honored by Congress with this distinction for the past 30 years. It has operated for much longer of course, with […]
On October 2, 1968, Redwood National and State Parks were established in California. Coast redwoods are the tallest trees on earth, reaching heights of over 350 feet! These protected areas […]
On this day in 1822, 19th president Rutherford B. Hayes was born in Delaware, Ohio. The Hayes presidency was marked by the 1876 election (one of the most controversial in […]
On this day in 1830, 21st president Chester A. Arthur was born in Fairfield, Vermont. An oft-overlooked president, his term was distinguished by reduced tariffs and civil service reform (something […]
On this day in 1851, Uncle Tom’s Cabin was first published in serial form in The National Era. Despite the novel’s perpetuation of many racial stereotypes, it was absolutely pivotal in revealing […]
On this day in 1871, the Great Chicago Fire began, destroying thousands of buildings and claiming roughly 300 lives over the course of three days. A dangerously dry summer and […]
On October 11, 1884, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was born in New York City. The wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eleanor was a very popular and outspoken first lady. She […]
On this day in 1901, the White House officially became “the White House”. Prior to Theodore Roosevelt’s order, the White House was officially called “the Executive Mansion.” Did you know? […]
October 12 is National Farmer’s Day! On this day, we honor all the hard work done by America’s farmers to bring food to our tables. 🍞🌽🍎🥚 According to the American […]
On this day in 1754, Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley (an inspiration for legendary Revolutionary War hero Molly Pitcher) was born near Trenton, New Jersey. Like many soldiers’ wives during the […]
Happy Birthday to the U.S. Navy! On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress voted to send two armed sailing vessels out to intercept ships carrying munitions and supplies to the […]
On this day in 1890, 34th president Dwight D. Eisenhower was born in Denison, Texas. The Eisenhower administration was defined by Cold War relations, the beginning of desegregation in schools, […]
On this day in 1859, abolitionist John Brown and his supporters began their raid on the Federal Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia. The group planned to seize the arsenal […]
On October 16, 1758, American lexicographer Noah Webster was born in West Hartford, Connecticut. Though it was not the first American English language dictionary, Webster’s dictionary, completed in 1828, is […]
On this day in 1777, the British under General John Burgoyne surrendered at the Battle of Saratoga. The American victory was a turning point in the Revolution and helped convince […]
It’s National No Beard Day! 🪒🪒🪒 Did you know? Nearly every U.S. president could celebrate this day – only 5 of our 46 presidents have worn beards, the first being […]
On October 19, 1781, the British, led by General Lord Charles Cornwallis, surrendered to George Washington’s army at Yorktown, Virginia, effectually ending the Revolutionary War. The surrender marked an end […]
On this day in 1797, the USS Constitution (“Old Ironsides”) was launched in Boston Harbor. Still afloat in Boston today, the USS Constitution is the oldest ship commissioned in the […]
75 years ago today, the first-ever photo of Earth from outer space was taken from the V-2 No. 13 rocket. Launched from White Sands, New Mexico, the rocket traveled 65 […]
On October 24, 1901, American school teacher Annie Edson Taylor, was the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. 🛢️🛢️🛢️ Why did she do it? Having fallen […]
On this day in 1881, the shootout at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona occurred as law enforcement consisting of the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday faced down the outlaw […]
On October 26, 1825, the Erie Canal opened as the first major manmade waterway in the United States. Running 363 miles from Albany to Buffalo, New York it was the […]
On this day in 1858, 26th president Theodore Roosevelt was born in New York, New York. Roosevelt (or Teddy as many still call him) is remembered for his progressive reforms […]
On October 27, 1787, the first of the Federalist Papers (Federalist 1) was published in The Independent Journal and The New York Packet. 🗞📰📝 Written by Alexander Hamilton under the […]
On October 29, 1929 (known as Black Tuesday), the stock market crashed, marking the beginning of the Great Depression. The worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world, […]
On this day in 1735, 2nd president and founding father John Adams was born in Braintree, Massachusetts. He served not only as president and founding father, but a lawyer, delegate […]
For roughly a quarter of Americans (particularly in the Northeast and parts of the Midwest), tonight is known as Mischief Night! (Or Cabbage Night, Devil’s Night, or Goosey Night depending […]
Jack o’ lanterns as we know them today have American origins. Pumpkins are native to the Americas (first grown in Central America) so the first jack o’ lanterns carved in […]
On October 31, 1994, Death Valley National Park was established in both California and Nevada. Death Valley earns its name: a place of extremes, it is the hottest place on […]
On November 1, 1938, famed American racehorse Seabiscuit outran Triple Crown winner War Admiral in a “match of the century.” 🐎🐎🐎 Small, scrawny, and uncooperative in training, Seabiscuit was an […]
On this day in 1795, 11th president James Polk was born in Pineville, North Carolina. The last of the Jacksonians, his administration was marked by “Manifest Destiny” expansionist policies and […]
On this day in 1865, 29th president Warren Harding was born in Blooming Grove, Ohio. (He and James Polk are the only two presidents to share a birthday.) Harding’s term […]
On November 2, 1889, North Dakota entered the Union as our 39th state. A beautiful and largely rural state, North Dakota contains both the most wildlife refuges and the largest […]
On this day in 1842, Abraham Lincoln (33) married Mary Todd (23) at her sister’s home in Springfield, Illinois. They remained married for 22 years until Lincoln’s death. Aside from […]
On this day in 1851, Uncle Tom’s Cabin was first published in serial form in The National Era. Despite the novel’s perpetuation of many racial stereotypes, it was absolutely pivotal in revealing […]
On this day in 1913, the Great Lakes Storm of 1913 began. Over the course of 4 days, the blizzard killed over 250 people and sunk 19 ships. Bystanders reported […]
Today is Election Day ! 🗳🗳🗳 Did you know? Election Day always falls on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November. Why this day? For one, farming schedules […]
On this day in 1775, the U.S. Marine Corps was created as the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution to form two battalions of Continental Marines to augment naval operations. […]
On November 10, 1978, Badlands National Park was established in South Dakota. The Badlands (so-called for its uninhabitability) is a swath of striking geological formations including pinnacles, buttes, and gorges […]
On this day in 1620, 41 colonists signed the Mayflower Compact off the coast of present-day Cape Cod, Massachusetts. A religiously divided group of Separatist Pilgrims and pro-Church of England […]
Each year, Veterans Day honors the bravery and sacrifice of American veterans, both past and present. 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 Did you know? For many years, Veterans Day was Armistice Day. […]
Occurring every year on November 11, Veterans Day honors the bravery and sacrifice of American veterans, past and present. 🇺🇸🪖🇺🇸🪖🇺🇸🪖 Did you know? For many years, the occasion was celebrated […]
Letita Tyler, c. 1842 On November 12, 1790, First Lady Letitia Tyler was born in Cedar Grove, New Kent County, Virginia. […]
On the night of November 12-13, 1833, thousands of meteors formed a meteor storm visible over North America east of the Rockies. The impressive sight lasted for hours, entrancing Americans, […]
On this day in 1732, founding father John Dickinson was born in Talbot County, Maryland. With Thomas Jefferson, he co-wrote the Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking Up […]
On November 14, 1896, First Lady Mamie Eisenhower was born in Boone, Iowa. Despite the demands of being a military wife, and then, the wife of a prominent figure, she […]
On this day in 1777, the Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress. The Articles served as a precursor to the Constitution, which was adopted 11 years later. […]
On this day in 1801, the first issue of the New York Post was published. The newspaper was founded by Alexander Hamilton, and, like its founder, supported Federalist policies on […]
On November 16, 1907, Oklahoma entered the Union as our 46th state. Located in Tornado Alley, it is one of the most tornado prone regions of the country. 🌪🌪🌪 Did […]
On this day in 1883, American and Canadian railroads instituted standard time zones (Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific). Prior to this standardization, each town set its own time by when […]
On this day in 1831, 20th president James A. Garfield was born in Orange, Ohio. Though he served in the House of Representatives for nearly two decades, his presidency was […]
On November 19, 1863, Abraham Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address as part of a dedication ceremony for the national cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. 🇺🇸🪦🇺🇸🪦🇺🇸 Despite his remark that “The […]