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. Tragically, Kennedy’s 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 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. The 1922 dedication ceremony was attended by such prominent figures as Robert Lincoln (Lincoln’s only surviving son), past president William Howard Taft, and keynote […]
Happy Memorial Day from the JMC! While many of us are enjoying a long weekend, let us remember the purpose of this national holiday – to remember and honor those that have fallen while in service to our country. The holiday has origins in the aftermath of the Civil War – "Decoration Day" was celebrated […]
On May 31, 1819, American poet journalist, and essayist Walt Whitman was born in West Hills, New York. Whitman is considered one of our nation’s 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 this day in 1886, President Grover Cleveland wed Frances Folsom at the White House. Although President Cleveland wasn’t the only president to marry while in office, he remains the only president to be married in the White House. 💕 👫🏛️ 💕 Did you know? The marriage was controversial not only because of a […]
On June 2, 1861, First Lady Helen “Nellie” 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 city’s orchestra association. 🎼🎺🎻 Even before her time as First Lady, she had close presidential ties. Taft’s parents were […]
On June 4-10, 2022, the Cincinnatus Center at Coastal Carolina University will host a week-long summer seminar on the American Political Tradition in June of 2022. This seminar is geared toward middle- and high-school teachers in Horry and surrounding counties, in order to offer content-based professional development to equip teachers with the history and pedagogy […]
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 the cruelties of slavery to white northerners, many of whom were not directly exposed to them. The book was immensely popular, selling 10,000 […]
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 during the Revolutionary War, uttering the last words, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” There […]
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 his mother’s 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 – aside from her husband’s 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: “No 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. 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 […]
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 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 June 15, 1836, Arkansas was admitted into the Union as our 25th state. Did you know? Arkansas is the only state with an operating diamond mine. The three largest diamonds found in the United States are from Arkansas. 💎💎💎 Arkansas’s hot springs have long been a destination for people seeking rest and recovery. 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 “switchback railway”, used gravity to its advantage, taking riders downwards from an elevated tower at the exhilarating speed of 6 mph. 🎢 🎢 🎢 The one-minute ride was wildly popular and […]
On June 18, 1812, the War of 1812 began as James Madison signed a declaration of war against Great Britain. The declaration came after British ships attempted to restrict American trade and impressed American sailors into the British Navy. The war was relatively brief, ending in 1815, but had impact as a boost to national […]
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 […]
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, 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 June 20, 1975, Jaws was released in the United States, ushering in the trend of “summer blockbusters.” The famous movie, focused on the hunt for a killer great white shark off the coast of Massachusetts, grossed $7 million in its first weekend (that’s roughly $35 million today!) At the time, it was the highest-grossing […]
Today marks the first day of summer and is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. ☀️☀️☀️ Did you know? In the United States, several Native American tribes observed (and still observe) the summer solstice with traditions including dance, prayer, and sun salutation. There are several Native American stone arrangements in the […]
Summer Institutes are instrumental to building a nationwide community of scholars committed to expanding student access to courses in America’s founding principles. We began in 2007 with 125 faculty partners and today have developed a network of 1,000+ JMC Fellows on over 300 college campuses across the country. Led by renowned scholars, Summer Institutes are […]
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 crew’s terrible experiences over the past year – 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. The battle, also known as “Custer’s Last Stand,” was one of […]
On June 25, 1788, Virginia entered the Union as our tenth state. As home to the oldest English settlement in America (Jamestown) as well as several magnanimous founding fathers, Virginia may be counted as one of our most historic states. 🇺🇸🏛⛲️ Eight U.S. presidents have hailed from Virginia, including four of the first five: George […]
Pearl S. Buck On June 26, 1892, American author Pearl S. Buck was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. She spent much of her life in China and her fiction often focused on Chinese families wrestling with love, adversity, and loss. Her best-selling work, The Good Earth, won the 1938 Nobel Prize in Literature. 📖📚🏅 Did […]
On this day in 1859, Mildred J. Hill, the composer of “Happy Birthday to You” was born in Louisville, Kentucky. An innovator in education, she wrote: “Good Morning to All” with her sister, Patty. Published in the 1890s, the song was intended for use by teachers to greet their pupils at the beginning of the […]
On June 28, 1870, Congress established the first federal holidays. There were only four initially - New Year’s Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. 🎉🇺🇸🦃🎄Today, there are eleven federal holidays - the most recently established is Juneteenth. The “federal” holiday designation is quite literal – though many businesses follow the federal calendar for days off, […]
On June 29, 1906, Mesa Verde National Park was established in southwestern Colorado to protect a large grouping of ancient cliff dwellings. The dwellings, built by the Ancestral Pueblo, are estimated to be over 700 years old! Aside from being a national park, Mesa Verde is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is 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. The project is considered one of the most important achievements of Eisenhower’s presidency. […]
On June 30, 1768, First Lady Elizabeth Monroe was born in New York, New York. While her husband served as minister to France during the French Revolution, Monroe played a critical role in saving the Marquis de Lafayette’s wife from imprisonment. The couple was very popular in France, where Elizabeth was affectionately referred to as […]
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. The battle, won by Union forces, marked a turning point in the war as the Confederacy was prevented from invading farther north. The victory also […]