Thursday, November 29th. A key part of daily telecommunications is 67 years old this month, as direct-dial telephone area codes for transcontinental calling were introduced in 1951. The mayor of Englewood, New Jersey, made the first official call, picking up […]
Mickey Mouse appeared for the first time in “Steamboat Willie” (1928), the first cartoon with synchronized music and sound effects.
Friday, November 23rd. The menu for the day after Thanksgiving often involves leftover turkey. Household dinner options are nothing like that facing the Swanson Company this month 65 years ago. Overestimating the need for Thanksgiving turkeys in 1953, the firm […]
Thursday, November 22nd. Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day. One of the most traditional of American holidays, it’s thought to have begun in 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The holiday became national in 1863, and the fourth Thursday of the month has been […]
Thursday, November 15th. It’s a time to celebrate one of life’s simple, viscous pleasures — it’s Peanut Butter Lovers Month. The stuff of one of America’s favorite sandwiches, peanut butter was first offered to the public at the St. Louis […]
Tuesday, November 13th. The first automatic tolls collection station went into service this month in 1954. It was installed at the Union Toll Plaza on New Jersey’s Garden State Parkway. Motorists dropped coins into a wire mesh hopper, triggering a […]
Sunday, November 11th/Monday 12th. One century ago today, history’s bloodiest war to date ended after more than four years of slaughter. The Veterans Day holiday was conceived as Armistice Day to honor the 4.7 million Americans who served — and […]
Wednesday, November 7th. November is designated every year as National Diabetes Month. The goal is to make the public more aware of the serious nature of the disease, and how to detect and control it. When our bodies are unable […]
Sunday, November 4th. Tomorrow marks the birthday in 1893 of a man who significantly influenced the look of the ensuing 125 years. Raymond Loewy was known as “the father of industrial design.” His designs are part of American life — […]
Saturday, November 3rd. This is American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month, conceived almost a century ago but made official by a congressional resolution signed by President George H.W. Bush in 1990. The American Community Survey finds about 5.6 million […]
On this date in 1848, the first medical school for women opened in Boston. By 1873, the school had graduated almost 100 doctors. That year, the Boston Female Medical School merged with the Boston University School of Medicine to form […]
Friday, November 2nd. Even with all of our electronic diversions, many of us listen to radio at some point every day. The wide variety of formats means we can choose our favorite type of music, and radio keeps us up […]
Wednesday, October 31st. There’s an excellent chance that today is an occasion deeply revered by young children and the nation’s candy makers. According to ancient Celtic tradition, Halloween — the evening before All Saints Day — is a time of […]
Tuesday, October 30th. A technological breakthrough that has led to remarkable changes in American and global society occurred 49 years ago today … or yesterday, depending on your point of reference. While Americans in the Eastern and Central time zones […]
Wednesday, September 12th. One of the great technical leaps in progress towards our digital age occurred on this date 60 years ago. It was in September 1958 that Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments demonstrated his invention of a miniaturized electronic […]
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