This Day In History: August 18, 1634 On August 18, 1634, Urbain Grandier, a parish priest from St.-Pierre-du-Marché of Loudun, France, was executed for the crime of sorcery, when all he was really guilty of was ignoring that pesky vow of celibacy (like most clerics before him, including Pope Alexander VI who had seven known children) and provoking the anger […]

This Day In History: August 15, 1969 The Woodstock Music and Art Fair was held at Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in upstate New York over a period of four days beginning on August 15, 1969. It was rainy, chaotic, and proclaimed a disaster area by the U.S. government. Most of those in attendance say it was the most magical and […]

This Day In History: August 14, 1976 On an August morning in Belfast, Ireland during the mid-‘70s, a member of the I.R.A. named Danny Lennon was speeding down Finaghy Road North and was shot dead by British soldiers chasing him in hot pursuit. His car careened into a young mother named Anne Maguire who was walking down the road with […]

This Day In History: August 13, 1997 Once upon a time, way back in 1992, there were two young students at the University of Colorado named Trey Parker and Matt Stone. They collaborated on a crudely done short film called “Jesus vs. Frosty” which caught the eye of FOX exec Brian Graden in 1995. He hired the two lads to […]

Today in History: August 12, 1938 On August 12, 1938, Adolph Hitler introduced the Mother’s Cross as an incentive for German women to produce as many children for the Third Reich as possible. The date was chosen to honor his mother Klara every year on her birthday. A gold medal was presented to mothers with seven children, a silver to […]

Today in History: August 11, 1492 Rodrigo Borgia was elected to (or bought) the papacy on August 11, 1492 and became Pope Alexander VI. He was arguably the most controversial pope in the history of the Catholic Church, and certainly one of the most fascinating figures of his time. Though the Borgias are strongly associated with Italy, the family originated […]

This Day In History: August 8, 1775 “They are remarkably stout and hardy men; many of them exceeding six feet in height. They are dressed in white frocks, or rifle-shirts, and round hats. These men are remarkable for the accuracy of their aim; striking a mark with great certainty at two hundred yards distance. At a review, a company of […]

This Day In History: August 7, 1782 The Purple Heart was created by George Washington to honor merit, especially in the case of enlisted solders, as the Continental Congress rejected his request to grant commissions and promotions in ranks based on merit. Yet Washington firmly believed meritorious action should be acknowledged, and on August 7, 1782, he issued an order […]

This Day In History: August 6, 1890 “I would rather see ten hangings than one such execution as this. In fact I never care to witness such a scene again. It was fearful. No humane man could witness it without the keenest agony.” – Deputy Coroner Jenkins of New York On August 6, 1890, murderer William Kemmler became the first […]

This Day In History: August 5, 1962 In the early morning hours of August 5, 1962, legendary screen goddess Marilyn Monroe was found dead in the bedroom of her Los Angeles home at the age of 36. From the moment her body was discovered, her death became as much of a media circus as most of her life had been, […]

This Day In History: August 4, 1892 Lizzie Borden took an axe, And gave her mother forty whacks; When she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one. Most people know this rhyme about Lizzie Borden, but far fewer know the fact that she was acquitted of any crime. (The “whack” count is also over-stated, but we’ll get […]

This Day In History: August 1, 1981 “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll.” These were among the first words spoken when MTV, or Music Television, debuted on the airwaves at 12:01 a.m. on August 1, 1981. The first video played by the fledgling channel described the effect MTV would have on the music industry accurately and succinctly – “Video Killed […]

This Day In History: July 31, 1975 Controversial Teamster leader Jimmy Hoffa was reported missing on July 31, 1975 after vanishing from a restaurant parking lot in Detroit, Michigan the previous day. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance still remain a mystery and have made Hoffa a permanent fixture of American folklore. Jimmy Hoffa showed exceptional leadership skills from a very […]

This Day In History: July 29, 1981 On July 29, 1981, the Fairytale Wedding of the Century took place at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. The handsome prince stood at the altar awaiting his young and beautiful blushing bride who had won his heart over all the other girls in the kingdom. The Lady arrived at the church a mere […]

This Day In History: July 28, 1794 On July 28, 1794, the man who was once the hero of the French Revolution suffered an astounding fall from grace. His zealousness and tireless devotion to “The Cause” made him the obvious choice to lead the Revolution during its most radical phase known as the Reign of Terror. Ironically, the very qualities […]

This Day In History: July 25, 306 Constantine the Great is probably best remembered for being the first Christian Roman emperor, but he was a ruler of historical significance for other reasons as well. When Constantius was appointed as one of the two caesares, or junior emperors, of the Tetrarchy in 293, his son Constantine went to Nicomedia to serve […]