Week of Events
On this day, the first-ever photo of Earth from outer space was taken from the V-2 No. 13 rocket
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 miles above Earth, where the photo was snapped with a 35mm camera. The camera, smashed beyond repair during descent, was survived by its film. An […]
On October 24, 1901, Annie Edson Taylor was the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel
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 hard times, Taylor hoped to raise her notoriety (and money) with the stunt. Despite her post-fall recommendation against it, several others have since made […]
On this day in 1881, the shootout at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona occurred
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 gang, “the Cowboys.” The two groups had been vying for control of the Tombstone area when tensions finally broke, leaving three outlaws dead within 30 […]
On October 26, 1825, the Erie Canal opened as the first major manmade waterway in the United States
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 longest artificial waterway in North America and connected the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River. Did you know? The canal was […]
On this day in 1858, 26th president Theodore Roosevelt was born in New York, New York
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 and “trust-busting”, active hand in foreign policy, and “rough and ready” image. He was the youngest president ever. Did you know? While on the campaign […]
On October 27, 1787, the first of the Federalist Papers (Federalist 1) was published in The Independent Journal and The New York Packet
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 pseudonym Publius, it was the first of a series of seventy-seven articles written along with James Madison and John Jay to address concerns about the […]
On October 29, 1929, the stock market crashed, marking the beginning of the Great Depression
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, the Depression would last a decade and cause mass unemployment, poverty, and hardship. Did you know? Despite the hardships of the 1930s, Americans still found […]
Villanova: W.B. Allen on The State of Black America
Villanova: W.B. Allen on The State of Black America
On October 25, 2022, the Matthew J. Ryan Center at Villanova University will host W.B. Allen for a discussion of his recent edited volume, The State of Black America: Progress, Pitfalls, and the Promise of the Republic. The event is part of the Ryan Center's 2022-23 lecture series on "The Constitution: The Meaning of Equality." […]