The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, prohibiting the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors for
beverage purposes,” was ratified by the requisite number of
states on January 16, 1919.

The movement for the prohibition of alcohol began in the early
19th century, when Americans concerned about the adverse
effects of drinking began forming temperance societies. By the
late 19th century, these groups had become a powerful political
force, campaigning on the state level and calling for total national abstinence. In December 1917, the 18th Amendment, also known
as the Prohibition Amendment, was passed by Congress and
sent to the states for ratification.

The Orange County (California) Sheriff dumping bootleg alcohol,
circa 1925.

No Tags

 
ED DONAHUE
    
    
    

Space Shuttle Columbia’s last Launch.     
     
 

The Columbia’s 28th space mission, designated STS-107, was originally
scheduled to launch on January 11, 2001, but was delayed numerous
times for a variety of reasons over nearly two years. Columbia finally
launched on January 16, 2003, with a crew of seven.

Eighty seconds into the launch, a piece of foam insulation broke off
from the shuttle’s propellant tank and hit the edge of the shuttle’s
left wing.

When Columbia re-entered the earth’s atmosphere on the morning of
February 1, 2003, the damage allowed hot atmospheric gases to
penetrate the heat shield and destroy the internal wing structure,
which caused the spacecraft to become unstable and break apart.

The first debris began falling to the ground in West Texas near Lubbock
at 8:58 a.m. One minute later, the last communication from the crew of
five men and two women was heard, and at 9 a.m. the space shuttle
disintegrated over northeast Texas, near Dallas.  
     
     
    

      
        
                      
     
    
   
       
 
Crewmember helmet found in a field after the space shuttle Columbia 
disaster.

No Tags

ED DANAHUE

Carol Elaine Channing (January 31, 1921 – January 15, 2019)

The White House announced the start of Operation Desert Storm on
this day in 1991. The operation was designed to drive Iraqi forces
out of Kuwait. Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf is shown above at ease
with his tank troops in Saudi Arabia in January 12, 1991 before the
U.S. executed the operation. 

On the evening of January 16,1991, President George H. W. Bush addressed the nation to discuss the launch of Operation Desert
Storm.

Coalition troops from Egypt, Syria, Oman, France and Kuwait
during Operation Desert Storm.

The launch of Space Shuttle Columbia was planned to begin on
January 11, 2001, but the mission was delayed 18 times and
eventually launched on January 16, 2003 (above).  

Remains of a helmet found in a field after the space shuttle Columbia disaster.

No Tags

CARLATA BRADLEY

Prohibition came to an end when Utah became the 36th state to ratify
the 21st Amendment to the U.S.Constitution on this day in 1933.

Walt Disney with cartoon character Mickey Mouse.

Walter Elias Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966)

Animator, voice actor, producer, and entertainer Walt Disney founded The
Walt Disney Company and created the iconic character Mickey Mouse. He
produced such classic films as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937),
and Cinderella (1950).

1967

No Tags

ED DONAHUE

From the White House, President George H.W. Bush announced the
start of Operation Desert Storm on this day in 1991. The operation
was designed to drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait.

Space Shuttle Columbia was launched on this day in 2003. It was
destroyed during re-entry on February 1 and all seven astronauts
on board were killed.

Prohibition went into effect in the United States on this day in 1920.

The Shah of Iran and his family fled Iran for Egypt on this day in 1979.

On this day in 1964, the musical "Hello Dolly!" opened at the St.
James Theatre in New York City.

No Tags