The First American Computer For many Americans nowadays, it’s hard to conceive of life without computers. But such a life is within the living memory of America’s seniors. The first electronic computer was publicly demonstrated on Valentine’s Day […]
VALENTINES AND WEDDINGS Profile America — Sunday, February 14 — While today may not be an official holiday, Valentine’s Day is one of the most popular in the year’s calendar. Its origins are a mix of legends involving two […]
FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL Saturday, February 13 — This date marks the anniversary in 1635 of the idea of America’s first public school — the Boston Latin School — long before there was a United States. Established in April that […]
NAACP FOUNDED One of the nation’s major civil rights organizations is 107 years old today — the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Founded to combat lynching and segregation, the NAACP continues to work toward greater opportunities […]
AMERICA’S FIRST HOSPITAL Profile America — Among his very many achievements, Benjamin Franklin played a leading role in the founding of America’s first hospital, decades before the Declaration of Independence. Together with Dr. Thomas Bond, he obtained a charter for a hospital to serve […]
FIRST WOMAN D.D.S. Profile America — This month 150 years ago, Lucy Hobbs Taylor received a doctorate in dentistry from the Ohio College of Dental Surgery. She was the first American woman so credentialed, and it’s believed she was also […]
On this date in 1825, our most unusual presidential election was held; with the winner receiving just 13 votes to the runner-up’s seven, and four to the third-place finisher.
Today is Chinese New Year, marking the beginning of 4714, the year of the monkey in the Chinese Zodiac.
GAS LIGHTING Profile America — It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. Nearly 200 years ago, it was even better to light a gas lamp. On this date in 1817, America’s first gas streetlamp was lit […]
UNITED STATES OVERSEAS TERRITORIES On this date in 1899, the Senate ratified the Treaty of Paris, concluding the Spanish-American War of 1898. The treaty, negotiated in Paris the previous December, was opposed by 27 senators — not opposed to […]
SNACK FOOD MONTH Profile America — February is American Heart Month, dedicated to the serious matter of monitoring and taking care of our beating hearts. This is important because while heart disease has claimed fewer lives in recent years, […]
ROSA PARKS Profile America — Adding poignancy to Black History Month, today marks the birthday in 1913 of Rosa Parks, a community activist who became a symbol of the fight for civil equality. Parks was arrested for refusing to […]
FEDERAL INCOME TAX Profile America — It may be hard to credit, but there used to be a time when the public sphere wasn’t filled with squabbling about income tax rates. The familiar noise began 103 years ago today, when […]
On this date in 1848, the United States and a defeated Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ending the controversial Mexican American war, which began in May 1846.
Richard Drew, 3M Company, was working on another problem when he invented one of the world’s most practical items, masking tape and later, Scotch tape.
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