Month: March 2016

  • Quiz Show Scandal: The Fix Is In

    On this date in 1957, Charles Van Doren ended his four-month run as champion of the quiz show “Twenty One.” It was later discovered that the show was fixed. Here are some things you may not have known about Van Doren and the quiz-show scandal. The game show “Twenty One” premiered on September 10, 1956…

  • Louisiana Purchase: What a Bargain!

    On this date in 1804, France officially turned over the Louisiana territory to the United States during a ceremony in St. Louis. Here are some things you may not have known about the Louisiana Purchase. The Louisiana Purchase consisted of 828,000 square miles, including parts of 15 current states and parts of two Canadian provinces.…

  • Murrow and McCarthy: A Television Takedown

    On this date in 1954, CBS television broadcast an episode of “See it Now” with Edward R. Murrow called “A Report on Senator Joseph McCarthy.” Here are some things you may not have known about Murrow, McCarthy and “See It Now.” Edward R. Murrow was born in North Carolina in 1908. At the age of…

  • Star-Spangled Banner: Official Since 1931

    On this date in 1931, “The Star-Spangled Banner” was officially made the national anthem of the United States. Here are some things you may not have known about the song and its history. The War of 1812 between the Americans and the British actually lasted until 1815. It was on Sept. 7, 1814, that Francis…

  • Compact Discs: High Quality, Small Space

    On this date in 1983, compact discs and their players were released in the United States. Here are some things you may not have known about CDs. They trace their roots to the LaserDisc player, which was a video format using a disc that looked like a vinyl record-sized CD. It was invented in the…

  • Lindbergh Kidnapping: Crime of the Century

    On this date in 1932, Charles Lindbergh Jr., the 20-month-old son of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh, was kidnapped from the family’s home in East Amwell, New Jersey. Here are some things you may not have known about the kidnapping. Charles Lindbergh became a national hero in 1927 when he was the first person to fly…