On August 19, 1791, the accomplished American mathematician
and astronomer Benjamin Banneker wrote a letter to then-
Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson.

Jefferson corresponded prolifically with luminaries from around
the world, but Banneker is unique among them: the son of a free
Black American woman and a formerly enslaved African man from Guinea, Banneker criticizes Jefferson’s hypocritical stance on
slavery in respectful but unambiguous terms, using Jefferson’s
own words to make his case for the abolition of slavery.

Banneker himself was born free in what is now Ellicott City,
Maryland, and was encouraged in his studies of astronomy
and mathematics by the Ellicotts, a Quaker family who owned
a mill and much of the land in the area.

As the 1992-93 NBA season approached, Larry Bird decided
he could not continue. On Aug. 18, 1992 he announced his
retirement as a player.

After 897 games Bird retired with 21,791 points, 8,974 rebounds
and 5,695 assists. During his career he shot .496 from the floor
and .886 from the free-throw line, retiring as the fifth all-time free-
throw shooter behind Mark Price, Rick Barry, Calvin Murphy and
Scott Skiles.

Bird was named a special assistant in the Celtics’ front office,
with limited duties that included some scouting and player
evaluation. In reality, he spent most of the next five years in
Florida, playing golf and taking it easy.

Larry Joe Bird is 68 years old.

The day of Elvis Presley’s funeral, August 17, 1977, FTD delivered
more than 3,100 floral arrangements, wiping out Memphis-area
florists and setting a record for the most flowers sold in the US
in a single day.

The Double Eagle II completed the first transatlantic balloon
flight when it landed in a barley field near Paris, 137 hours
after lifting off from Presque Isle, Maine.

The helium-filled balloon was piloted by Ben Abruzzo, Maxie
Anderson and Larry Newman and flew 3,233 miles in the six-
day odyssey.         
        
        
        
        
        
            
       

Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson and Larry Newman arrival
in France.

the Gondola of Double Eagle 2 is on display
in Ultralight Aircraft at the Steven F.
Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA.

 
CAMILLE BOHANNON

Madonna in 1976.

Madonna, singer and actress known for her boundary-
pushing, ever-changing persona. Hits include "Like a
Virgin" and "Like a Prayer", is 67 years young today.