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Japanese Internment During World War II
On February 19, 1942, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which would lead to the internment of more than 100,000 people of Japanese heritage living in the western United States. Here are some things you may not have known about the forced relocation. The United States became involved in World War II following…
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Postage: Making the Appointed Rounds
25 years ago today, first-class postage in the United States was increased from 25 cents to 29 cents. Here are a few facts about the postal service, stamps and stamp collecting. The earliest postal system in North America wasn’t much of a system at all. Ships would carry mail into port and advertise in the…
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Dr. Strangelove: A Nuclear War Comedy
Today is the 52nd anniversary of the release of Stanley Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb.” Here are a few things you may not have known about the film. It was loosely based on the novel “Red Alert” by Peter George. The film is about an insane…
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David Bowie: A Legend Passes
Rock icon David Bowie died earlier today at the age of 69, according to his family Here are some facts you may not have known about the musical innovator. Bowie was born David Jones in Brixton, South London on January 8, 1947. His mother worked as a waitress and his father worked for a charity.…
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Topsy: The Electrocution of an Elephant
On this date in 1903, Topsy, an Asian elephant was euthanized by electrocution at Coney Island, New York. Here are some things you may not have known about the incident. Topsy was brought to the United States and performed in the Forepaugh Circus, where she gained a reputation as a bad elephant after killing a…
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Times Square: A New Year’s Tradition
Today is New Year’s Day, which is marked in New York City by the ball drop in Times Square. Here are some things you may not have known about the Times Square Ball. The first ball drop was held on New Year’s Eve 1907. It was organized by Adolph Ochs, the owner of the New…
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Soviet Union: The Rapid Collapse
Today is the 24th anniversary of the final winding down of the USSR. Here are some things you may not have known about the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The collapse of the Soviet Union began in earnest in 1985 with the election of Mikhail Gorbachev as general secretary of the Communist Party. He…
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Thomas Becket: The Turbulent Priest
On this day in the year 1170, Thomas Becket was killed by supporters of King Henry II of England during a conflict over the rights of the Catholic Church in England. Here are some things you may not have known about Thomas Becket. He was born around the year 1120 in London. His father was…
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Stan Lee: A 93-Year-Old Marvel
Today is the 93rd birthday of comic book legend Stan Lee. Here are a few things you may not have known about him. He was born Stanley Martin Lieber in his parents’ apartment in New York. As a child he enjoyed writing and found work writing obituaries and press releases. He also worked as a…
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Christmas: Why Is It Celebrated on December 25?
Here are some things you may not have known about the history of Christmas. Christmas is, of course, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. In addition to being a religious holiday, it’s also a public holiday in many parts of the world and is celebrated by many non-Christians. There is not much agreement…