Martin Luther King Jr. Day
On Jan. 20, 1986, after 18 years of effort, the U.S. celebrated the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., and his leadership in the American civil rights movement.
Undergarments Make the Man
On Jan. 19, 1935, Coopers, Inc. introduced new fangled undergarments for men at the downtown Chicago store of Marshall Field’s, and the “boxers or briefs” arguments began.
The First Successful Open-Heart Surgery
On Jan. 18, 1856, Daniel Hale Williams was born Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. The open-heart surgery he performed on July 9, 1893, is considered the second in the U.S.
The Architect of Smooth Skating
On Jan. 16, 1901, Frank Zamboni was born in Eureka, Utah; in 1949, he patented a machine to keep ice rink surfaces smooth.
Turn On, Tune In...Just Be-In
On Jan. 14, 1967, the counter culture gathered in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park to “turn on, tune in, and drop out;” the gathering presaged what was to be called the “summer of love.”
America's First Museum
On Jan. 12, 1773, members of the Charleston Library Society chartered the first museum in America, and began building its collection in Charleston, S.C.
London Underground Celebrates 150th
The first underground railway opened 150 years ago in London, the Metropolitan Railway ran from Paddington Station in Central London to Farringdon Street north of the city via King’s Cross.
Building a Golden Gate
There are few more noticeable and dramatic bridges that the Golden Gate Bridge that spans the opening from the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco Bay.
The First Note of Modern Violin Play
Three hundred years ago, on Jan. 8, 1713, Italian violinist and Baroque composer Arcangelo Corelli died in Rome; he was considered the founder of modern violin technique, and was Thomas Jefferson’s favored composer.
The Clinton Impeachment
On Jan. 7, 1999, the Senate began impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton on two charges; Chief Justice William Rehnquist presided.
1914: Ford Institutes Minimum Wage
On Jan. 5, 1914, Henry Ford announced the adoption of a minimum wage of $5 a day for Ford Motor Company workers.
A Trillion Here, a Trillion There...
On Jan. 4, 1896, Everett Dirksen was born in Pekin, Illinois. He was elected to Congress in 1932, and, except for two years of medical recovery, he served until his death in 1969.
Pushing Change Along a Patient Path
On Jan. 3, 1855, Hubert Bland was born in Woolwich, in southeast London. He was a socialist, co-founder of the Fabian Society, and a columnist for the Manchester Sunday Chronicle.
A Foundation in the Habits of Hard Work
Isaak Yudovich Ozimov was born in Petrovichi, USSR. He became one of the most prolific and famous authors of the 20th century as Isaac Asimov. Unsure of his exact birthdate, he celebrated Jan. 2, 1920.
Reign of the 'Little Queen'
On Dec. 29, 1721, Jeanne Antoinette Poisson was born in Paris. A beautiful young woman, she attracted the attention of King Louis XV and became his official mistress.
The Mathematics of Heads or Tails
On Dec. 27, 1654, Jacob Bernoulli was born in Basel, Switzerland. The Bernoulli family had a remarkable influence on mathematics.
Boxing Day Beginnings
Boxing Day, December 26, is, like the American Black Friday, now a day for shopping, sales, and an extension of the Christmas holiday; it has a much more heartening beginning.
A Founding Father of American Medicine
On Dec. 24, 1745, Benjamin Rush was born outside of Philadelphia; he became America’s eminent physician and “the father of American psychiatry.”
The Value of Penmanship
On Dec. 22, 1860, Austin Norman Palmer was born in St. Lawrence County, New York; he built a business based on his method of penmanship.
His Independence Formed a Foundation for Liberty
On Dec. 21, 1603, Roger Williams was born London. His independent spirit and attitude was too much for Puritan Massachusetts, and he established Providence Plantation (Rhode Island) as a place of religious freedom.
