-
David Bowie: Gone for a Year
One year ago today, rock icon David Bowie died at the age of 69. 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. At the age of nine, Bowie’s father brought home a collection of American records, including…
-
iPhone: 10 Years of Leading the Way
On this date in 2007, Apple announced the iPhone. Here are some things you may not have known about the smartphone. The iPhone wasn’t Apple’s first foray into the portable communications market. The company introduced the Newton MessagePad in 1993. The Newton was a personal digital assistant, which was an electronic calendar, contact list and…
-
Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan
On this date in 1994, American figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was attacked by a man hired by the husband of her main competitor, Tonya Harding. Here are some things you may not have known about the skaters and the attack. Nancy Kerrigan was born in 1969 in a suburb of Boston. She began skating at…
-
Nellie Tayloe Ross: America’s First Female Governor
On this date in 1925, Nellie Tayloe Ross was sworn in as governor of Wyoming. Here are some things you may not have known about the first woman to serve as governor in the United States. Nellie Tayloe was born in St. Joseph, Missouri in 1876. She graduated from high school in Kansas and became…
-
Electrocution of Topsy the 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…
-
Formation of the Soviet Union
On this date in 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was formed following the Russian Revolution of 1917. Here are some things you may not have known about the formation of the Soviet Union. On December 30, 1922, the leaders of the Russian Republic, Transcaucasian Republic, Ukrainian Republic and Byelorussian Republic met in the…
-
Thomas Becket: The Tale of 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…
-
Westminster Abbey: London’s Iconic Church
On this date in 1065, Westminster Abbey was consecrated. Here are some things you may not have known about the landmark London church. Since the year 1560, the building’s common name has been a misnomer. Before 1560, it did serve as an abbey, which is a facility where monks or nuns work and live, overseen…
-
Lady Bird Johnson: A First Lady of the First Order
Today is the birthday of Lady Bird Johnson, the wife of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson. Here are some things you may not have known about her. She was born Claudia Alta Taylor in Karnack, Texas in 1912. When she was a baby, her nurse said that she was as “purty as a ladybird” and…
-
Crosswords: Puzzling Since 1913
On this date in 1913, the first crossword puzzle was printed in the New York World newspaper. Here are some things you may not have known about crossword puzzles. The first puzzle was actually called a word-cross puzzle. It was created by Arthur Wynne, who was a journalist from Liverpool, England. It was based on…