The last episode of the hit television sitcom”I Love Lucy” aired on this day in history, May 6, 1957. William Asher, iconic producer, director and screenwriter, directed the episode, which was titled “The Ricardos Dedicate a Statue.” “Lucy organizes a Revolutionary Day Celebration, including a statue dedication,” the episode’s page on IMDB notes. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, MAY 5, …
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Cy Young, pitching for the recently established Boston Americans, threw the first perfect game of the World Series era on this day in history, May 5, 1904. Young mowed down 27 straight batters in front of 10,267 fans at the former Huntington Avenue Grounds in Boston as the Americans — later renamed the Red Sox — beat the Philadelphia Athletics …
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On this day in history, May 4, 1979, Margaret Thatcher — who led the United Kingdom‘s Conservative Party and ultimately came to be called the “Iron Lady” for her politics and leadership style — became the first female prime minister of the U.K. An Oxford-educated lawyer and chemist, Thatcher took office the day after the Conservatives won the 44-seat majority …
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Gifted but enigmatic Atlanta magazine writer Margaret Mitchell earned the Pulitzer Prize in Novels for her breathtaking work of historical fiction, “Gone with the Wind,” on this day in history, May 3, 1937. “Mitchell received news of the prize by phone, along with multiple requests for interviews,” reports PBS American Masters. “Hating publicity, she fled to a gospel concert at …
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The King James Bible, the most famous version of the world’s most influential book, was published on this day in history, May 2, 1611. “The King James, or Authorized, Version of the Bible remains the most widely published text in the English language,” claims the British Library. Commissioned by King James I of England in 1604, it is famed for …
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The majestic Empire State Building, now the Grand Old Lady of the New York City skyline, opened amid great civic fanfare just 14 months after construction on it began on this day in history, May 1, 1931. The skyscraper “must long remain one of the outstanding glories of a great city,” President Herbert Hoover said, flipping a ceremonial switch in …
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President George Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the United States on this day in history, April 30, 1789. In his address, which he delivered at New York City’s Federal Hall, Washington expressed his anxiety over the prospect of leading a new nation. At the time, New York City’s Federal Hall served as the U.S. Capitol, according to …
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The World War II Memorial opened on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on this day in history, April 29, 2004. The memorial’s purpose to “honor the service of the 16 million members of the Armed Forces of the United States of America, the support of countless millions on the home front, and the ultimate sacrifice of 405,399 Americans,” says …
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Muhammad Ali, the reigning world heavyweight boxing champion, entered the combative ring of politics and culture by refusing to serve in the United States military at the height of the Vietnam War on this day in history, April 28, 1967. “I ain’t got no quarrel with those Vietcong,” Ali famously said the year before, the exact quote the source of …
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The fledgling United States Marine Corps proved its dauntless courage with a “miracle” victory in the Battle of Derna on the shores of Tripoli in North Africa on this day in history, April 27, 1805. The successful attack against overwhelming numbers on the port city in present-day Libya, a stronghold of pirates who spent years attacking United States ships at …
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