Today in History: First Academy Awards in 1927 93 years ago today, the first ever Academy Awards of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards were handed out at a banquet held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Some 270 people attended,…
Today in History: First Stamp released in 1840 180 years ago today, the world's first postage stamp - the Penny Black - was released. An English teacher named Rowland Hill and was largely responsible for this minor postal revolution. In…
Happy Cinco de Mayo! Originating in the 1860′s with Mexican-American communities in the American West, Southwest and Northwest, the American Cinco de Mayo began as a way to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of…
87 years ago today, James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006), was born in Barnwell, South Carolina. The singer and songwriter was a major musical figure of 20th-century music and dance. Brown is often referred to as…
1931 Empire State Building dedicated in 1931 On this day in 1931, President Herbert Hoover officially dedicates New York City’s Empire State Building, pressing a button from the White House that turns on the building’s lights. Hoover’s gesture, of course,…
Today in History: 1939 New York World’s Fair On April 30, 1939, the New York World’s Fair opened its doors to the public. Using the motto “Building a World for Tomorrow,” the opening ceremony featured a speech by President Franklin…
Today in History: Ukraine Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster in 1986 On this day in 1986, an explosion and fire at the No. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine resulted in a nuclear meltdown sending radioactivity into the…
Today in History: 1st Boeing 747 Passenger Flight by Lufthansa in 1970 50 years ago today, Lufthansa introduces service on the Boeing 747 (Jumbo Jet), the world's largest passenger aircraft at the time. 365 passengers were on board on the…
Today in History: Herbert Matter born in 1907 113 years ago today, The Swiss-born American photographer and graphic designer, Herbert Matter, was born. Matter studied art in Geneva and Paris and worked in France as a designer and photographer for…
Today is National Picnic Day! People have been eating their meals outside in the beauty of nature for centuries. In fact, our modern-day idea of a picnic evolved from Medieval hunting feasts and Victorian garden parties. These were usually quite…