This Day In History

On August 22, 1970, the US Post Office issued the first stamp in the American Poet Series. The series honored seven prolific American poets.

On August 21, 1770, James Cook landed on the eastern coast of Australia and named the land New South Wales.

On August 20, 2005, the USPS issued the first stamps in a nostalgic series honoring classic American cars. Over the next 17 years, America on the Move would celebrate four distinct groups of vehicles, from sleek 1950s sports cars to the pony cars that became symbols of youthful performance.

Ogden Nash was born on August 19, 1902, in Rye, New York.  Having written over 500 poems during his life, Nash is considered America’s best-known humorous poet.  

On June 25, 1876, Civil War veteran George A. Custer died at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The battle became one of the most famous defeats in US Army history, but its deeper story was about land, broken promises, and Native nations fighting to protect their way of life.

On June 22, 1942, Congress formally adopted the Pledge of Allegiance. However, the familiar words recited today would not take their final form until more than a decade later.

On June 14, 1846, California settlers staged the Bear Flag Revolt in rebellion against the Mexican government. Their handmade flag, painted with a grizzly bear and a single star, gave the short-lived California Republic its symbol and later inspired the state flag still used today.

On March 3, 1931, the United States officially adopted “The Star-Spangled Banner” as its national anthem. The decision came more than a century after the song was written, ending years of debate and finally giving the nation a single, official anthem.

On August 23, 1969, the US Post Office issued a set of four stamps for the 11th International Botanical Congress (IBC). They were the first US stamps that honored flora from each of the four corners of the United States and the first to include Latin names.

Oliver Hazard Perry was born on August 23, 1785, in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. Serving with distinction during the War of 1812, he was known as the “Hero of Lake Erie.”

On August 23, 1970, the largest farm worker strike in US history began. The strike lasted for nearly seven months, with growers losing about $500,000 a day.

On August 23, 1966, Lunar Orbiter I captured the first images of our planet from the vicinity of the Moon.  Photographing Earth wasn’t the mission.  It wasn’t even considered until the craft was out in space.