It’s National Stretching Day and also International Mountain Day. Go explore mountains, but be sure to stretch first.
It’s also National Noodle Ring Day, or Spaghetti-Os Day for short.
Now let’s get onto today’s history…
In Government…
Fleeing religious persecution, in 1620 the Mayflower Pilgrims came ashore in Plymouth Bay on this day. This was traditionally thought to have occurred at Plymouth Rock, and the rock is synonymous with their arrival, despite being historically inaccurate.
It’s George Mason’s birthday. Born in 1725 on this day in Virginia, Mason is best known for his contributions to the US Constitution, particularly his advocacy for individual rights.
He played a key role in the creation of the Bill of Rights, and he refused to sign the final Constitution because it lacked a Bill of Rights — his efforts influenced its eventual inclusion. The Bill of Rights is the most profoundly beautiful writing ever crafted by men.
In 1816, Indiana became the 19th state of the Union, though the territory has a long history. The French were among the first Europeans to explore the region in the 17th century. The area then became part of the Northwest Territory, and in the early 19th century, settlers moved in. It’s name, derived from "Land of the Indians," reflects its Native American heritage.
Indiana developed as an agricultural state with fertile soil, and rich natural resources, such as coal and limestone. In the 20th century, Indiana experienced economic shifts with the decline of traditional industries and the rise of manufacturing and services.
Also,Pence is from Indiana. Can’t forget Pence.
Leadership in the US is a contentious topic, but did you know that the first African American governor in the US was in a southern state? Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback assumed the Louisiana Governorship in 1872.
The son of a Georgia plantation owner and a former slave, as Lieutenant Governor, Pinchback assumed the state executive position during the, ultimately unsuccessful, impeachment proceedings against Henry C. Warmoth. Pinchback was governor for 35 days.
In 1928, there was an unsuccessful assassination attempt on President-elect Herbert Hoover. Buenos Aires police prevented so-called anarchists from bombing his train.
It’s John Kerry’s 80th Birthday (1943), and he is celebrating in Dubai at the COP28 climate conference, which he took a private jet to attend. There are a lot of climate cult historic moments today. Charles Fabry, the French physicist that discovered the ozone layer died in 1945.
In 1980, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (known as either CERCLA or Superfund) was signed into law by Jimmy Carter after being passed by the Congress on December 3 of that year. The act was intended to streamline the cleanup of hazardous waste in the US.
More recently, in 1997 the Kyoto Protocol was adopted by 150 industrial nations at a UN Climate Conference in Japan. While the majority of countries signed the agreement, many did not ratify it, including the US. It was signed by the Clinton Administration, but President George W. Bush refused to take it further, citing concerns about potential harm to the US economy and the lack of binding emissions reduction commitments for developing countries.
In 2019, Time magazine named autistic climate activist Greta Thunberg as Person of the Year, and, in 2020, European Union leaders agreed to cut net carbon emissions by 55% by 2030. National suicide favors global government. RIP, Europe.
Also in 2020, the Supreme Court rejected Texas’ election lawsuit against four battleground states – which was brought by Texas but endorsed by the attorneys general in 17 other states. I was in DC when the decision came down. It was a gut punch, and the second million MAGA march the following day was marked by the decision.
In World Governance History
1918: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn born
1931: Japan moves off Gold Standard
1936: Edward VIII abdicated the British throne to marry Wallis Simpson
1946: UN International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) established
1964: Che Guevara speaks at the UN; building attacked during the speech
2001: The PRC joined the WTO
2016: Kyrgyzstan allegedly voted to give the government more power
2017: Saudi Arabia ended 35 year ban on movie theaters
2019: India passed Citizenship Amendment Bill – citizenship for everyone but muslims
In Culture…
Trust the Science
In 1719, the first display of Aurora Borealis in the American colonies was recorded in New England. According to The Science, Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights,” is a phenomenon caused by the interaction between charged particles from the solar wind and the Earth's magnetosphere and atmosphere. A similar phenomenon occurs in the south: The Southern Lights, or Aurora Australis.
Robert Koch, the German bacteriologist and 1905 Nobel awardee was born on this day in 1843. Koch is known for his work with in infectious diseases. He practically invented weaponized anthrax (1876), tuberculosis (1882), and Germ Theory (1884).
The first use of nitrous oxide in a dental procedure occurred on this day in 1844 in Hartford, Connecticut.
This science was furthered on March 26, 2018 when surgeons at Johns Hopkins performed the world’s first total penis and scrotum transplant.
All the World’s a Stage
The Bijou Theatre in Boston opened in 1882. The theater holds the distinction of being the first American playhouse to be exclusively lit by electric lights – its entire illumination system.
The theater gained additional historical significance when it adapted for motion pictures in the early 20th century and became one of the first theaters in the US to regularly screen films. Unfortunately, the building was completely destroyed in 1951, signaling the end of its historical presence.
The Arts
On this day in 1913, "Mona Lisa" was recovered two years after it was stolen from the Louvre Museum. There is a Mandela Effect about Mona Lisa. I’ve always written that one off, but with a two year gap in her chain of custody, maybe her expression changed?
The Mona Lisa effect: is 'our' Lisa fame or fake?, Published in Perception 2006
In response to her essay "Notes on Camp," Time magazine named Susan Sontag one of Manhattan's brightest intellectuals in 1964. Sontag was a prolific writer and filmmaker, and she opined on a diverse array of subjects, including photography ("On Photography"), illness and metaphor ("Illness as Metaphor"), and the relationship between high and popular culture.
Sontag died on December 28, 2004 due to complications related to her long battle with acute myeloid leukemia.
In 2015, "Playboy" published its “last” nude issue, featuring Pamela Anderson on the cover. The decision to stop publishing explicit nudity was part of an effort to rebrand Playboy and attract a wider readership in the digital age, but they reversed course in 2017.
The final issue came on the 7th anniversary of the death of Bettie Page (1923-2008), the “Queen of Pinups.”
“Interview with a Vampire” author Anne Rice also died on this day in 2021. She was 80 years old.
Big Screen, Small Screen & Between Screen
Colored moving pictures were demonstrated at Madison Square Garden in New York on this day in 1909. They took off, of course, and on this day in 1967, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" starring Sidney Poitier and Katharine Hepburn, premiered. Hepburn won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Joanna Drayton, in 1968.
Other premieres on the silver screen included “Wall Street” in 1987, and “Hook” in 1991. Rufio!
On the idiot box, Magnum P.I. premiered on CBS.
It’s also Rita Moreno’s 92nd birthday (1931), and Terri Garr’s 79th (1944). And in 1992 on this day, George H.W. Bush awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to actress and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn. She died the following month in 2023.
On the small screen, Angry Birds was released internationally in 2009. Did you know that Angry Birds is Finnish? It’s also National App Day.
Teach the World to Sing
Giving Missy another reason to mourn, in 1902 German harmonica manufacturer Matthias Hohner died.
In 1926, Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton, was born. Big Mama is known for Hound Dog, among other classics. She shares a birthday with Hailee Steinfeld (1996, 27). Speaking of Hound Dogs, in 1961, Elvis Presley's "Blue Hawaii" went #1 stayed there for 20 weeks.
Sadly, in 1964, Sam Cooke ("You Send Me") was shot to death at 33.
Physical Fitness
Muhammad Ali's 61st and final fight took place on this day in 1981. He lost to Trevor Berbick by unanimous decision in 10 rounds.
In 2009, Tiger Woods announced he was leaving professional golf to focus on his marriage — after it was revealed he was a hound dog. They got divorced in 2010.
In Death & Destruction…
In 1978, a heist at the Lufthansa cargo area at Kennedy Airport took place, where six masked men bound ten employees and stole $5.8 million in cash and jewelry. Unfortunately, all participants and some associates were later killed, and the loot was never recovered.
In 2020, Boko Haram stormed a school in northern Nigeria and kidnapped over 300 students. In other D&D today:
1893: 22 killed when 11 fishing ships washed up at Wadden Sea
1967: 177 killed, 2,000 injured in 6.6 earthquake in India
1981: 900 killed in El Mozote massacre
1990: 13 killed in 83 vehicle accident in TN due to fog
2013: 20 killed by the bubonic plague in a Madagascar
2015: 87 killed in Burundi unrest
2019: 71 killed by Militants in Niger; Islamic State claim responsibility
Holy bombs!
1985: Computer store owner in Sacramento California killed by package bomb
2007: 45 killed in two car bombs Constitutional Court building in Algiers and the United Nations office
2010: 1 killed, two injured in two bombs in Stockholm, Sweden
2012: 125 killed, 200 injured by bombings in Syria
2016: 25 killed, 45 wounded in Cairo chapel bombing
2017: 3 injured in failed suicide bombing in NY; bomb fails to fully detonate
2022: Pan Am Flight 103 bomber Abu Agila Mas’ud reported to be in US custody
On This Day is published Monday through Friday. Watch the Today’s History podcast weekdays at 12PM ET! Don’t forget to visit bootlegproducts.com and use coupon code MYAMERICA!