ROSS SIMPSON
Actor Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is 63 years old today.
Denzel Washington won an Academy Award for Best Actor for
his role in the 2001 film Training Day. He has starred in several
films based on true events such as Remember the Titans (2000),
Cry Freedom (1987), American Gangster (2007), Flight (2012),
and Malcolm X (1992).
2004
2012
ROSS SIMPSON
On this day in 1831, Charles Darwin (above) set out on a
voyage to the Pacific aboard the HMS Beagle. Darwin’s
discoveries during the voyage helped him form the basis
of his theories on evolution.
The British naval vessel HMS Beagle.
James Barrie’s play "Peter Pan" premiered in London
on this day in 1904.
Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet (May 9, 1860 – June 19, 1937)
Historical newspaper report on “Peter Pan”.
Peter Pan statue by Sir George Frampton in Kensington
Gardens, London.
SANDY KOZEL
On this day in 1776, Gen. George Washington and his troops crossed
the Delaware River for a surprise attack against Hessian forces at
Trenton, NJ.
At The Battle of Trenton, after a brief struggle, nearly the entire
Hessian force was captured, with negligible losses to American
forces.
The above historical marker is near the very spot the Continental
Army soldiers under George Washington’s command would have disembarked from their boats to begin their march to Trenton.
"Silent Night" was performed for the first time, at the Church of St. Nikolaus (above) in Oberndorff, Austria on this day in 1818.
Shown above is the only surviving autograph of the song by Joseph Mohr (below).
Josephus Franciscus Mohr
(December 11, 1792 – December 4, 1848)
Josephus Mohr was an Austrian Roman Catholic
priest and lyricist. He wrote the lyrics of the
Christmas carol (English: ‘Silent Night’).
CARLATA BRADLEY
Jefferson Davis died in New Orleans on this day in 1889. He was
the first and only president of the Confederate States of America
and the highest ranking confederate leader of the South.
On this day in 1957, America’s first attempt at putting a satellite into
orbit failed when the Vanguard TV-3 launch vehicle lost thrust after
lift-off and exploded on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, FL. The
launch was in response to the Soviet Union’s orbiting of Sputnik l.
ED DANAHUE
On this day in 1955, Rosa Parks, a black seamstress in Montgomery,
AL, refused to give up her seat to a white man. Mrs. Parks was
arrested marking a milestone in the civil rights movement in the U.S.
The bus, restored to the 1955 condition of Ms. Parks’ historic ride, is
located in the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005)
Heywood "Woody" Allen (Allan Stewart Konigsberg) is 83 today.
Iconic writer and director Woody Allen is known for his unique blend of
comedy and style. His most celebrated films include Annie Hall (1977),
Manhattan (1979), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), Deconstructing Harry
(1997), and Midnight in Paris (2011). He performed card and magic tricks
in his youth and underwent the legal process of changing his name to
Heywood Allen when he was 17.
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