This Day In History

On May 16, 1960, Theodore Maiman fired up a device that turned a flash of light into something sharper, brighter, and far more useful. His first working laser later gave May 16 its place as the International Day of Light, a yearly reminder of how light-based science changed medicine, communications, industry, and daily life.

Lyman Frank Baum was born on May 15, 1856, in Chittenango, New York, about 30 miles from Mystic’s home in Camden. Long before he created Dorothy, Toto, and the Yellow Brick Road, Baum followed a winding path through printing, stamps, poultry, theater, newspapers, sales work, and children’s books.

On May 14, 1897, John Philip Sousa’s band officially debuted his march “Stars and Stripes Forever” in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It quickly became a hit, with calls for it to replace the “Star Spangled Banner” as the national anthem. Instead, it was made the national march in 1987.

On May 13, 1914, Joe Louis Barrow was born near Lafayette, Alabama. He would become Joe Louis, the “Brown Bomber,” a heavyweight champion whose calm power in the ring carried meaning far beyond boxing.

On May 1, 1893, the World’s Columbian Exposition opened in Chicago, Illinois. For six months, it transformed the city into a global showcase of architecture, invention, culture, and ambition, drawing millions of visitors to one of the largest fairs ever held.

On April 23, 1976, the USPS issued the first regular postage stamp to include a service indicator. While most Americans would never use it or notice it, the 7.9-cent Drum coil stamp quietly solved a problem that had complicated bulk mailing for decades.

On March 20, 1865, John Wilkes Booth set in motion a plan to kidnap President Abraham Lincoln. The attempt never happened—but its failure helped push Booth toward a far more deadly decision just weeks later.

On February 3, 1990, the US Postal Service issued a small, colorful stamp that marked a quiet shift in how everyday American mail could look. That Beach Umbrella stamp became the first release in the short-lived but distinctive Mini-Scapes Series.

On May 17, 1954, the US Supreme Court ordered the desegregation of schools as a result of the case of Brown v. Board of Education.

On May 17, 1792, the Buttonwood Agreement was signed, laying the groundwork for the New York Stock Exchange. Today, it’s the world’s largest stock exchange.

On May 17, 1947, doors opened on the Centenary International Philatelic Exhibition in New York City. It celebrated the 100th anniversary of America’s first postage stamps with reproductions of America’s first two stamps.

On May 17, 1865, the International Telegraph Union (ITU), which later became the International Telecommunication Union, was founded. The first international standards organization, it established basic principles for international telegraphy.  It later became an agency of the United Nations.