CAMILLE BOHANNON

The Soviet Union launched Sputnik I into orbit around the Earth on
this day in 1957. Sputnik was the first manmade satellite to enter
space. It fell out of orbit on January 4, 1958.

The rocket that carried Sputnik 1, is shown on the launch pad.

The ‘Great Stone Face’ in 1925.

Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966)

Buster Keaton was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark
was physical comedy with a consistent deadpan expression, earning him
the nickname "The Great Stone Face".  Critic Roger Ebert wrote of Keaton’s "extraordinary period from 1920 to 1929, [when] he worked on a series of
films that make him, arguably, the greatest actor–director in the history of
the movies". His career declined with a loss of his artistic independence
when hired by MGM studios, a divorce and alcoholism. He recovered in 
the 1940s, remarried, and revived his career to a degree as an honored
comic performer for the rest of his life, earning an Academy Honorary 
Award.

1924

1926

1928

CAMILLE BOHANNON

On this day in 1934, Adolf Hitler purged the Nazi Party by destroying
the SA and bringing to power the SS in the "Night of the Long
Knives."

America’s food and drug safety took a big step forward with the
Pure Food and Drug Act on this day in 1906.

The Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 11 returned to Earth on this day in
1971. The three cosmonauts (left) were found dead inside.

Margaret Mitchell (above) with her book, "Gone with the Wind,"
that was published on this day 1936.

The 1939 epic historical romance film, adapted from the Margaret
Mitchell novel.

On this day in 1994, The U.S. Figure Skating Association stripped
Tonya Harding (left) of the 1994 national championship and banned
her from the organization for life for an attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan (right).

Nancy Kerrigan just after the attack.

Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010)

Twentieth-century African-American singer and actress Lena Horne
famously sang "Stormy Weather," won a Grammy Award for a 1981
album entitled Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music, and appeared
in film versions of The Wiz, Broadway Rhythm, and Ziegfeld Follies.

Horne continued recording and performing sporadically into the
1990s, disappearing from the public eye in 2000. Horne died of
congestive heart failure on May 9, 2010, at the age of 92.

CAMILLE BOHANNON

It was on this day in 1953.

Police photos of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.

This is a view of the death chamber and electric chair in Sing Sing
prison in Ossining where the Rosenbergs were executed.

The first Father’s Day was celebrated in Spokane, Washington on
this day in 1910. According to the Library of Congress, a woman
who was raised by her father heard a sermon about Mother’s Day
and decided fathers should be recognized as well.

The emancipation of slaves was proclaimed in Texas
on this day in 1865.

British Indian novelist and essayist Sir Ahmed Salman
Rushdie is 71 years old today.

Paula Julie Abdul is a dancer, choreographer, singer,
songwriter, actress, and television personality. She is
56 years young today.

Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, Ryan Seacrest on
TV’s American Idol.

TIM MAGUIRE

An exchange between Sen. Joseph McCarthy (right) and Joseph
Welch (left) took place on this day in 1954. Sen. McCarthy was
confronted by Welch over his anti-communist stance. Welch
represented the Army during the Army-McCarthy hearings.   

.

Charles John Huffam Dickens
(February 7, 1812 – June 9, 1870) 

Charles Dickens was an English writer and social
critic. He created some of the world’s best-known
fictional characters and is regarded by many as
the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works
enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime,
and by the 20th century critics and scholars had
recognized him as a literary genius. His novels and
short stories enjoy lasting popularity. Dickens
suffered stroke at his home after a full day’s work
on his final novel Edwin Drood and never regained
consciousness. His ending for the unfinished book
remains unknown.

Comedian/actor Richard Pryor was severely burned by a "free-base" mixture that exploded in his home on this day in 1980. He was hospitalized more than two months.

On this day in 1973, Secretariat won the 105th Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths and ran the fastest 1 1/2 miles on dirt at 2:24.

Les Paul (Lester William Polsfuss) (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009)

Les Paul  was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar. He
taught himself how to play guitar, and while he is mainly known for jazz
and popular music, he had an early career in country music. Paul is
credited with many recording innovations. Although he was not the first
to use the technique, his early experiments with overdubbing (also known
as sound on sound), delay effects such as tape delay phasing effects and multitrack recording were among the first to attract widespread attention

Les Paul is the only person to be included in both the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

 

He recorded with his wife Mary Ford in the 1950s, and together 
they sold millions of records.

ED DANAHUE

On this day in 1954, the U.S. Senate voted to condemn Sen. Joseph
R. McCarthy for what it called "conduct that tends to bring the
Senate into dishonor and disrepute." The censure  was related to McCarthy’s controversial investigation of suspected communists
in the U.S. government, military and civilian society.

A self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction was demonstrated by Dr.
Enrico Fermi (below) and his staff at the University of Chicago on
this day in 1942.

On this day in 2001, Enron Corp. filed for Chapter 11 reorganization
five days after Dynegy walked away from a $8.4 billion buyout. It was
the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history.

On this day in 1993.

On the day in 1982, Doctors at the University of Utah implanted a permanent artificial heart in the chest of retired dentist Barney
Clark (below). He lived 112 days with the device. The operation
was the first of its kind.

Seattle dentist Barney Clark and Dr. William C. DeVries.