A quick look at Today in History, check out some Celebrity Birthdays, and find out what Days of the Year to celebrate.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
1800 – The U.S. Congress held its first session in Washington, DC, in the partially completed Capitol building.
1820 – Captain Nathaniel Palmer became the first American to see Antarctica. The Palmer Peninsula was later named after him.
1869 – The Suez Canal opened in Egypt, linking the Mediterranean and the Red seas.
1871 – The National Rifle Association was granted a charter by the state of New York.
1904 – The first underwater submarine journey was taken, from Southampton, England, to the Isle of Wight.
1933 – The Marx Brothers comedy film, “Duck Soup”, premiered.
1947 – American scientists John Bardeen and Walter Houser Brattain observed the basic principles of the transistor, a key element for the electronics revolution of the 20th century.
1954 – The United States Senate had used the same gavel since 1789. On this date, Vice President Richard Nixon cracked it while using it during a heated debate on nuclear energy,.
1958 – The Lake Michigan Freighter “Carl D. Bradley” split during a terrible storm and sank.
1962 – President John F. Kennedy dedicated Washington’s Dulles International Airport.
1968 – NBC cut away from the final minutes of a New York Jets-Oakland Raiders game to begin a TV special, “Heidi,” on schedule. The Raiders came from behind to beat the Jets 43-32. Football fans flood the network switchboard with complaints, which led to a network sports policy of pushing back the start of prime time programming if need be.
1970 – The Soviet Union landed an unmanned, remote-controlled vehicle on the moon, the Lunokhod 1.
1973 – In Orlando, FL, President Richard Nixon remarked at an Associated Press managing editors meeting “people have got to know whether or not their President is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook”.
1973 – The educational “School House Rock!” video “Conjunction Junction” first aired on ABC TV.
1980 – Meteorologist George Lessens made his debut on WZZM TV-13 in Grand Rapids, MI.
1982 – The Empire State Building was added to the National Register of Historical Places.
1989 – The Disney animated movie “The Little Mermaid” premiered in theaters.
1991 – The Blue Man Group performed its first show at the Astor Place Theatre in New York, NY.
1993 – The U.S. House of Representatives passed resolutions to establish the North American Free Trade Agreement after greater authority in trade negotiations were granted to President George Bush in 1991.
1997 – Mario Lemieux was voted into the NHL Hall of Fame.
2001 – In New York, NY, “Toys ‘R’ Us Times Square – The Center of the Toy Universe” opened.
2003 – John A. Muhammad was convicted in the 2002 Washington, DC, area shootings which killed 10 people.
2003 – Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn in as Governor of California.
2003 – Britney Spears (at 21 years old) became the youngest singer to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2004 – Kmart announced it would buy Sears.
2006 – Michael Richards, who played “Kramer” on Seinfeld, exploded in a burst of racist profanity unleashing a half dozen “N” words after being heckled at an Los Angeles, CA, comedy club.
2006 – Sony’s PlayStation 3 went on sale in the United States.
2008 – The movie “Twilight” debuted in theaters.
2010 – Researchers trapped 38 antihydrogen atoms. It was the first time humans had trapped antimatter.
2013 – A late-season tornado outbreak struck the Midwest. Illinois and Indiana were most affected with tornado reports as far north as lower Michigan. Six dozen tornadoes touched down in an 11 hour time period, including seven EF3 and two EF4 tornadoes.
2019 – The first known case of COVID-19 was traced to a 55-year-old man who had visited a market in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
BIRTHDAYS:
Orlando Peña – 92 years old (1933) – Cuban-American baseball player and scout
Bobby Joe Conrad – 90 years old (1935) – Football player
Bob Gaudio – 83 years old (1942) – Singer-songwriter, keyboard player, and producer
Martin Scorsese – 83 years old (1942) – Director, producer, screenwriter, and actor
Lauren Hutton – 82 years old (1943) – Model and actress
Jim Boeheim – 81 years old (1944) – Basketball player and coach
Danny DeVito – 81 years old (1944) – Actor, director, and producer
Lorne Michaels – 81 years old (1944) – Canadian-American screenwriter and producer, created Saturday Night Live
Elvin Hayes – 80 years old (1945) – Basketball player and sportscaster
Terry Branstad – 79 years old (1946) – Soldier, lawyer, and politician, 39th Governor of Iowa and U.S. Ambassador to China (2017-2020)
Howard Dean – 77 years old (1948) – Physician and politician, 79th Governor of Vermont
East Bay Ray – 77 years old (1948) – Guitarist
John Boehner – 76 years old (1949) – Businessman and politician, 53rd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Butch Davis – 74 years old (1951) – Football player and coach
Stephen Root – 74 years old (1951) – Actor
Jim Babjak – 68 years old (1957) – Guitarist and songwriter
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio – 67 years old (1958) – Actress and singer
William R. Moses – 66 years old (1959) – Actor and producer
RuPaul – 65 years old (1960) – Drag queen performer, actor, and singer
Steve Stipanovich – 65 years old (1960) – Basketball player
Pat Toomey – 64 years old (1961) – Businessman and politician
Adrian Branch – 62 years old (1963) – Basketball player and sportscaster
Daniel Scott – 62 years old (1963) – Novelist and short story writer
Dylan Walsh – 62 years old (1963) – Actor
Susan Rice – 61 years old (1964) – Academic and politician, 24th United States National Security Advisor
Mitch Williams – 61 years old (1964) – Baseball player and sportscaster
Pam Bondi – 60 years old (1965) – Politician and attorney, 87th U.S. Attorney General
Ben Allison – 59 years old (1966) – Bassist and composer
Richard Fortus – 59 years old (1966) – Guitarist, songwriter, and producer
Daisy Fuentes – 59 years old (1966) – Cuban-American model and actress
Tab Benoit – 58 years old (1967) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist
Ronnie DeVoe – 58 years old (1967) – Singer, producer, and actor
Sean Miller – 57 years old (1968) – Basketball player and coach
Rebecca Walker – 56 years old (1969) – Author
David Ramsey – 54 years old (1971) – Actor
Kimya Dawson – 53 years old (1972) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist
Leonard Roberts – 53 years old (1972) – Actor
Leslie Bibb – 51 years old (1974) – Actress and producer
Jerome James – 50 years old (1975) – Basketball player
Brandon Call – 49 years old (1976) – Actor
Diane Neal – 49 years old (1976) – Actress and director
Reggie Wayne – 47 years old (1978) – Football player
Jay Bradley – 45 years old (1980) – Wrestler
Doug Walker – 44 years old (1981) – Actor, comedian, film critic, internet personality, and filmmaker
Katie Feenstra-Mattera – 43 years old (1982) – Basketball player
Ryan Bradley – 42 years old (1983) – Figure skater
Ryan Braun – 42 years old (1983) – Baseball player
Trevor Crowe – 42 years old (1983) – Baseball player
Nick Markakis – 42 years old (1983) – Baseball player
Scott Moore – 42 years old (1983) – Baseball player
Christopher Paolini – 42 years old (1983) – Author
Amanda Evora – 41 years old (1984) – Figure skater
Justin Cooper – 37 years old (1988) – Actor
Ryan Griffin – 36 years old (1989) – Football player
Seth Lugo – 36 years old (1989) – Baseball player
Taylor Gold – 32 years old (1993) – Snowboarder
Raquel Castro – 31 years old (1994) – Actress and singer
Minkah Fitzpatrick – 29 years old (1996) – Football player
TODAY IS:
- International Students’ Day: Take part in student events, talk with other students, and help shape the future of education for the next generation of potential students in the world.
- National Take a Hike Day: National Hiking Day lights up our calendars every November 17, inviting everyone to lace up their boots and hit the trails. This special day is not just about taking a walk; it's a call to connect with nature, step away from the daily grind, and soak in the beauty of...
- National Homemade Bread Day: Invest in a bread maker or source a sourdough starter on Homemade Bread Day and bake delicious dough at home to meet all your flour and yeast “kneads”.
- National Reuben Day: National Reuben Day lights up on November 17th each year. It's a lively time to celebrate everyone named Reuben. This day honors the unique name and its bearers everywhere. It's a perfect moment to appreciate their diverse contributions and achievements. The celebration sheds light on the historical and cultural value of...
- Zinfandel Day: Zinfandel Day is a lively celebration dedicated to one of the most versatile grapes in the wine world. This special day brings wine lovers together to enjoy the rich and diverse flavors of Zinfandel. Known for its adaptability, Zinfandel wines range from light and fruity to bold and spicy, making...
- World Prematurity Day: In the face of adversity, the resilience and hope displayed by the tiniest of souls and their families inspire reverence and admiration.
- National Baklava Day: Crispy layers of pastry, oozing sweetness, and nuts giving a satisfying crunch — a mouthwatering symphony that leaves taste buds dancing.
- International Happy Gose Day: A unique brew that balances zesty tanginess with a hint of salt, making every sip a refreshing journey for your taste buds.
- National Unfriend Day: In the realm of social media, occasionally parting ways with unfamiliar faces can be refreshingly liberating.
- International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day: International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day offers a space for people who have lost someone to suicide to connect with others who understand their grief. It's a time when individuals gather to share stories, find comfort, and support each other through the pain of loss. These gatherings, held worldwide, provide a...
- National Butter Day: Have you ever paused before spreading butter on warm bread and thought, “This stuff really makes everything better”? National Butter Day gives this creamy classic a well-deserved cheer. It adds richness to meals, flavor to pastries, and that cozy finish to a good breakfast. People may not talk about it...
- National Testosterone Awareness Day: National Testosterone Awareness Day helps people understand a key part of men's health. Testosterone does more than affect muscles. It helps with energy, focus, and mood. When levels drop, everyday life can feel harder. This day opens up space to talk about those changes. It gives men a reason to...
- Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day: Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day is a special observance in the Czech Republic that celebrates the enduring fight for human rights and democratic principles. It serves as a reminder of the bravery of those who rebelled against oppressive regimes. It's a time when communities reflect on the victories won in...
- Benjamin Banneker Week: Unleashing his brilliance, this remarkable individual made history with his achievements in science, engineering, and his unwavering dedication to knowledge.
- Book Week Scotland: Book Week Scotland is a vibrant celebration of books and reading that brings together people from all walks of life across the nation. This week is packed with events, activities, and discussions designed to ignite a passion for reading. Whether it's through live readings, author interviews, or community book discussions, the...
- Transgender Awareness Week: Promoting understanding and compassion for diverse identities, bringing forth enlightenment and unity, echoing the spirit of humanity.
- Geography Awareness Week: Geography Awareness Week is a lively celebration that highlights the importance of understanding our world. It's a time to explore how geographical knowledge helps us connect with diverse landscapes and cultures. This week-long event invites everyone to appreciate the Earth's beauty and complexity, sparking curiosity about our surroundings. Celebrated annually, Geography Awareness...
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