Ritchie Valens (Richard Steven Valenzuela)
(May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959)

Valens was a pioneer in the Chicano rock movement who released the records
"La Bamba" and “Donna” in 1958. He learned to play the guitar right-handed
even though he was naturally left-handed.

On February 3, 1959, on what has become known as "The Day the Music Died",
Valens died in a plane crash in Iowa, along with fellow musicians Buddy Holly
and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, as well as pilot Roger Peterson.

Valens was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

1959

William Rogers (left) and Lawrence Walsh witness signing the Civil Rights
Bill by President Eisenhower.

The Civil Rights Act of 1960 served to eliminate certain loopholes left by the Civil
Rights Act of 1957. It established federal inspection of local voter registration polls
and introduced penalties for anyone who obstructed someone’s attempt to register
to vote. It was also designed to deal with discriminatory laws and practices in the segregated South.

"Inside Pop – The Rock Revolution” was a CBS News special hosted by Leonard Bernstein. It was one of the first examples of pop music being examined as a
‘serious’ art form. The show featured many scenes shot in Los Angeles in late
1966, including interviews with Frank Zappa and Graham Nash, as well as a now legendary Brian Wilson solo performance of "Surf’s Up."

The most deadly tornado to ever strike within the borders of the state of Oklahoma 
occurred on Wednesday afternoon, April 9, 1947 in the city of Woodward. The Woodward tornado storm began in the Texas Panhandle and produced at least
six tornadoes along a 220 mile path that stretched from White Deer, TX (northeast
of Amarillo) to St. Leo, KS (west of Wichita).

The Battle of Iwo Jima began on February 19, 1945 and was officially declared
ended with the securing of the island on March 26. The five week battle to
capture the island from the Japanese Imperial Army comprised some of the
fiercest and bloodiest fighting of the War in the Pacific during World War II.

1945 issue, commemorative stamp