Today in History–August 23–the Library of Congress features the capture of Fort Morgan, Alabama by the Union navy on this day in 1864. Earlier in the month (August 5), when Admiral David Farragut was warned of mines (referred to as torpedoes) in Mobile Bay, he reportedly replied, “Damn the torpedoes!” and ordered the ship to continue its course. Although the…
Today in History–August 21–the Library of Congress features the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts of America. On this day in 1912 Arthur R. Eldred of Oceanside, New York, became an Eagle Scout, the highest rank awarded to a Boy Scout. The Boy Scouts were founded in 1908 and the Girl Scouts, four years later in 1912…
Today in History–August 20–the Library of Congress features the eight-hour work day, which the National Labor Union advocated Congress for on this day in 1866. Although the National Labor Union congressional efforts failed, they were able to heighten public awareness of labor issues and increase support for labor reform in the subsequent decades. Learn more by visiting…
Today in History–August 14–the Library of Congress features Oregon, which Congress named a territory on this day in 1848. The territory was massive, encompassing present-day Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and parts of western Montana and Wyoming. The smaller state of Oregon joined the union in 1859. Learn more about Oregon by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to access more primary sources. Oregon stories from…
Today in History–August 13–the Library of Congress features a memo from Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, written on this day in 1942. Stalin drafted the memorandum to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt opposing their decision not to invade Western Europe. Find out more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access resources…
Today in History–August 7–the Library of Congress features Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene, born on this day in 1742. A West Point commander, Green replaced the disgraced Benedict Arnold and played a significant part in the defeat of British General Lord Cornwallis at Cowpens, South Carolina. Find out more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access…
Today in History–August 6–the Library of Congress features Cy Young, who pitched in his first professional baseball game on this day in 1890, helping the Cleveland Spiders to beat the Chicago Colts. Young’s real name was Denton but Cy, after cyclone, is how he is best known. Young earned a place in the baseball Hall of Fame in…
Today in History–August 3–the Library of Congress features Christopher Columbus, who set sail for what would later be known as the new world on this day in 1492. Columbus had the most modern maritime tools on his ship, including a mariner’s compass, an astrolabe, a cross-staff, and a quadrant and, quite possibly, the popular mariner map Ptolemy’s Geography or Cosmography. A little…
Today in History–July 31–the Library of Congress features Georgetown University, which inaugurated Patrick Francis Healy as President on this day in 1874. Healy was the son of an Irish-immigrant planter and a mulatto slave and is credited with transforming Georgetown from a small school into a modern university. Find out more about Healy and the university founded by John Carroll in…
Today in History–July 30–the Library of Congress features the Olympic Games, which opened on this day in 1932 in Los Angeles, California. It was the tenth Olympiad of the modern era and the first to have an Olympic Village where athletes were housed and fed. Learn more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more primary…
Today in History–July 27–the Library of Congress features avant-garde writer Gertrude Stein, who died on this day in 1947. Stein was also an astute collector of fine art and well known for entertaining the artists she favored. Find out more by visiting the Today in History. For more insight into her character, take a look at the resources below Gertrude Stein portraits…
Today in History–July 26–the Library of Congress features Liberia, declared an independent republic on this day in 1847. Formerly a colony of the American Colonization Society—organized in 1817 to resettle free black Americans in West Africa—Joseph Jenkins Roberts was elected the first president of the republic in 1848. Find out more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to…