This Day In History

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 12, 1820, nurse and social reformer Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. Her work during the Crimean War made her famous – but she’s best remembered today for her efforts to make health care safer. Her birthday later became a lasting day of recognition for health care, inspiring observances such as International Nurses Day and the original National Hospital Day.

On May 11, 1858, Minnesota entered the Union as the 32nd state. Known today as the “North Star State,” Minnesota grew from fur-trade outposts, river forts, farms, forests, and iron mines into one of the Upper Midwest’s most diverse economies.

On May 10, 1888, Max Steiner was born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary, into a family already tied to music and theater. He later helped shape the sound of Hollywood with scores for King Kong, Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, and hundreds of other films.

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 17, 1897, playwright and novelist Thornton Wilder was born in Madison, Wisconsin. Over the next several decades, he would become one of America’s most respected writers, known for works that explored everyday life with unusual clarity and structure.

Eleanora Fagan, better known as Billie Holiday, was born on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A musical pioneer known for her soulful, emotional delivery and improvisation skills, she’s been called “the definitive Jazz singer.”

On March 24, 1958, Elvis Presley stepped away from the spotlight and into a US Army uniform. At the peak of his fame, the nation’s biggest rock and roll star chose to serve like any other draftee.

On May 14, 1935, US and Cuban pilots flew the first international airmail sky train. Inspired by locomotives hauling wagons, this air train consisted of a motored airplane pulling two gliders.

On May 14, 1918, stamp collector William Robey discovered the rare Inverted Jenny error sheet. One of the most famous US stamp errors, he found the only known sheet to reach public hands.

On May 14, 1607, America’s first permanent English settlement was established at Jamestown, Virginia. The settlers struggled for several years but eventually built Jamestown into a thriving and successful community.

On May 14, 1930, Carlsbad Caverns National Park was officially created in New Mexico. The park is home to the largest limestone chamber in North America, known as the Big Room.