This Day In History: October 2, 1967 Thurgood Marshall was born on July 2, 1908, in Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated with honors from Lincoln University and, with his mother, Norma, pawning her engagement and wedding rings to help pay for his entrance fees, went on to finish first in his class at the Howard University School of Law. His first […]

Today in History: October 1, 1935 Singer and actress Julie Andrews has been enchanting audiences for over half a century with her charm, elegance, and perfect-pitch voice. There are few artists alive today that can rival her impressive body of work across the stage, screen (both big and small), and as a recording artist. Born on October 1, 1935 at […]

This Day In History September 30, 1888 On September 30, 1888, Jack the Ripper emerged once again from the shadows of London’s East End to prey on his favorite target – female prostitutes. He out-did himself this time – two women, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes were brutally attacked and murdered within an hour in what became known as the […]

This Day In History: September 28, 48 BCE On September 28, 48 BCE, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey the Great, was assassinated on the order of King Ptolemy XIII of Egypt, who in turn was trying to earn Brownie points with Caesar. Pompey was born in northern Italy in 106 BCE. He began his career in the Roman […]

This Day In History: September 24, 1971 September 24, 1971 was Neil LaFave’s 32nd birthday. When he didn’t return home from work at the Sensiba Wildlife Area in Brown County, Wisconsin, his wife was understandably worried. She called the police, and they initiated a search for the missing game warden. It was soon revealed that Neil was last seen posting […]

This Day In History: September 23, 1938 TIME CAPSULE OF CUPALOY, DEPOSITED ON THE SITE OF THE NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR ON SEPTEMBER 23,1938, BY THE WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY. IF ANYONE SHOULD COME UPON THIS CAPSULE BEFORE THE YEAR A. D. 6939 LET HIM NOT WANTONLY DISTURB IT, FOR TO DO SO WOULD BE TO DEPRIVE THE PEOPLE […]

This Day In History: September 22, 1761 “Born and educated in this country, I glory in the name of Britain” – George III George III, one of England’s most illustrious monarchs, was crowned King at the age of 22 on September 22, 1761. He ascended the throne almost a year earlier when his grandfather, George II, died (on the toilet […]

This Day In History: September 21, 1897 Arguably one of the most famous editorials ever written (still the record holder for the most reprinted English newspaper editorial of all time) was published on September 21, 1897 in the New York Sun. It didn’t address matters of importance in the city, in the country, or even in the world at large. […]

This Day In History: September 18, 1970 Although he was only prominently in the public eye for four years, Jimi Hendrix is hailed by many as the greatest rock guitarist of all time. He was a cultural icon for the Woodstock generation, a psychedelic, sexy voodoo child who fused the blues, R&B and rock into a heady mix that no-one […]

This Day In History: September 17, 1967 “I have severe hearing damage. It’s manifested itself as tinnitus, ringing in the ears at frequencies that I play guitar. It hurts, it’s painful, and it’s frustrating.” – Pete Townsend A defining moment in television and rock and roll history occurred on September 17, 1967, when the Who appeared on The Smothers Brothers […]

This Day In History: September 16, 1498 During Tomas de Torquemada’s watch as Spain’s Grand Inquisitor, he was responsible for the deaths of at least 2,000 suspected nonbelievers. As such, it’s pretty safe to say there wasn’t a lot of weeping among certain segments of the Spanish community when Torquemada died on September 16, 1498. Born in 1420, Tomas de Torquemada […]

This Day In History: September 15, 1853 “Women are needed in the pulpit as imperatively and for the same reason that they are needed in the world—because they are women.” – Antoinette Blackwell Antoinette Brown Blackwell, reformer, author, and women’s rights activist was ordained as a Congregationalist minister on September 15, 1853. Blackwell is recognized as the first woman to […]

This Day In History: September 14, 1982 “I would like to be remembered as a decent human being, and a caring one”- Princess Grace Before Princess Diana came along, the world’s favorite princess was Princess Grace of Monaco, the beautiful movie actress who married the handsome Prince Rainier III of Monaco. She left Hollywood for his picturesque principality on the […]

This Day In History: September 11, 1599 “There is a fixed and pale composure upon the features; she seems sad and stricken down in spirit, yet the despair thus expressed is lightened by the patience of gentleness … The lips have that permanent meaning of imagination and sensibility which her suffering has not repressed … Her eyes, which we are […]

This Day In History: September 10, 1940 “I am glad we have been bombed. It makes me feel I can look the East End in the face” – Queen Elizabeth In September of 1940, Londoners were in the midst of a Nazi bombardment that became forever known as the Blitz. On September 10, an air raid completely destroyed the Royal […]

This Day In History: September 9, 1776 “Monday September 9, 1776. Resolved, that in all Continental Commissions, and other Instruments where heretofore the Words, ‘United Colonies,’ have been used, the Stile be altered for the future to the United States.” If you want to get all technical about it, today is the birthday of the “United States.” The country may […]

This Day In History: September 8, 1560 When Amy Robsart and Robert Dudley married in 1550, it was a love match, or “a carnal marriage, begun for pleasure” as Baron William Cecil described it. But there had always been another woman in his life, Queen Elizabeth I, who he’d known since childhood. They were both imprisoned in the Tower at […]