Today in History–May 28–the Library of Congress features athlete Jim Thorpe, born on this day in 1888 in Indian Territory which is now Oklahoma. A double gold medalist (decathlon and pentathlon) at the 1912 Olympics and played baseball and football professionally. Learn more about the ups and downs of the man dubbed the “athlete of the century”…
Today in History–May 23–the Library of Congress features Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. On this day in 1865 the Army of the Potomac paraded down Pennsylvania Avenue in celebration of the end of the Civil War. Just weeks before, mourners had watched Abraham Lincoln‘s funeral cortege pass by the same route. A march down Pennsylvania Avenue has been featured in every…
Today in History–May 20–the Library of Congress features the Homestead Act, signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on this day in 1862. Designed to spur Western migration, the Homestead Act allowed U.S. citizens 21 years and older to earn 160 acres of land by paying a $10 filing fee and living on and farming…
Today in History–May 17–the Library of Congress features Norwegian Constitution Day, celebrated on this date in commemoration of the 1814 adoption of Norway’s constitution. Learn more about this Northern European country and Norwegian Americans by visiting the Today in History section and clicking the links below to access related primary sources. Glad Syttonde Mai! Celebration of…
Today in History–May 16–the Library of Congress features presidential impeachments. On this day in 1868, the U.S. Senate failed by one vote to convict President Andrew Johnson of “high crimes and misdemeanors,” under the eleventh article of impeachment. The second trial of a U.S. president—President Bill Clinton—on articles of impeachment occurred in January and February of 1999….
Today in History–May 13–the Library of Congress features Arlington National Cemetery. On this day in 1864 a Confederate prisoner of war was buried on the grounds of Arlington House in Virginia, on the Potomac River opposite Washington, D.C. Today, the cemetery is the final resting place for soldiers from every war in which the United States has participated,…
Today in History–May 9–the Library of Congress features the siege of Fort Meigs by Shawnee military leader Tecumseh and British general Henry A. Proctor on this day in 1813. But the invaders were unsuccessful as General William Henry Harrison held onto the fort that he had ordered built on the Maumee River above Toledo, Ohio. Learn more by visiting the Today in History section, then click…
Today in History–May 8–the Library of Congress features the soft drink Coca-cola, first sold on this day in 1886 at Jacob’s Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia. This carbonated beverage soon became a favorite in the United States; the company sales were around 100 million by the late 1890s. Learn more about the history of this iconic soda by visiting…
Today in History–May 7–the Library of Congress features the British ocean liner Lusitania, sunk by a German submarine on this day in 1915. Public outrage at the sinking of the civilian ship—though it was also carrying ammunition manufactured in the U.S.—was tremendous and helped to hasten U.S. entry into World War I. Learn more about this tragic day…
Today in History–May 6–the Library of Congress features explorer Robert E. Peary, born on this date in 1856. Trained as a civil engineer, Peary first traveled to Nicaragua in 1884 to survey a route for a canal. In 1886, Peary ventured north and began his polar expeditions in Greenland, where he and his assistant Matt Henson learned arctic…
Today in History–May 2–the Library of Congress features politician James F. Byrnes, born on this date in 1882. Byrnes represented South Carolina in the House (1911-25) and Senate (1931-41) and was only defeated once, in 1924, for refusing endorsement by the Ku Klux Klan. Byrnes also served as a Supreme Court justice, U.S. secretary of state and Governor of South…
Today in History–May 1–the Library of Congress features New York’s Empire State Building, opened on this day in 1931. President Herbert Hoover participated in the event by pressing a ceremonial button in Washington, D.C., thus, “turning on” the lights. The Empire State Building held the record for tallest building in the world until 1972. Still a New York…