This Day In History

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 9, 1994, Nelson Mandela was elected South Africa’s first black president. After decades of apartheid, prison, protest, and negotiation, the vote marked a turning point few South Africans had believed they would live to see.

The first-ever Boson Marathon was run on April 19, 1897. It’s the world’s oldest annual marathon and is one of the six World Marathon Majors. While the first race included 15 runners, recent races have seen over 30,000 participants.

On April 6, 1896, the first Olympic Games in 1,500 years began in Athens, Greece. Revived from ancient tradition, the modern Olympics brought nations together in a new era of international competition and athletic pride.

On February 13, 1988, the Winter Olympics opened in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They were the first Winter Olympics held in Canada and a record number of nations participated for the time.

US General Omar Nelson Bradley was born on February 12, 1893, in the small town of Clark, Missouri—far from the battlefields where he would one day command millions. Known as the “GI’s General,” Bradley rose from humble beginnings to become one of America’s most trusted military leaders of World War II.

Inventor and businessman Cyrus McCormick died on May 13, 1884, in Chicago, Illinois. He’s best known for his mechanical reaper, which increased productivity, and advanced the industrialization of agriculture in dozens of nations.

On May 13, 1897, Guglielmo Marconi sent the world’s first wireless communication over open sea. For his pioneering work, Marconi later received the Nobel Prize in Physics.

On May 13, 1918, the United States issued its first airmail stamp – US #C3. It carried America’s first airmail two days later, and sparked one of the world’s most famous stamp rarities.

Richard Steven Valenzuela, known as Richie Valens, was born on May 13, 1941, in Pacoima, Los Angeles, California. Valens was a pioneer of Chicano rock and Latin rock, often considered the first Latino performer to successfully crossover to mainstream rock ‘n’ roll.