This Day In History

On November 21, 1789, North Carolina was admitted as the 12th state of the union. It had been the first state to reject the Constitution, but finally ratified after the Bill of Rights was created.

On November 20, 1943, US troops launched the Battle of Tarawa, the first American offensive in the central Pacific region of World War II. A turning point in the Pacific War, it saw effective use of the America’s newly developed island-hopping strategy and provided important lessons for future invasions.

The last of the “log cabin presidents,” James A. Garfield was born November 19, 1831, near Cleveland, Ohio, to impoverished farmers. Rising from those humble beginnings, he forged a remarkable path as a scholar, Civil War general, and eventually the country’s 20th president.

On November 18, 1865, Mark Twain published an early version of “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” in The New York Saturday Press, bringing him his first real taste of national fame. Although he would later become one of America’s most important writers, this humorous frontier tale was the piece that launched his career and revealed his talent for storytelling, satire, and capturing the voices of everyday people.

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on July 28, 1929, in Southampton, New York. As first lady from 1961-63, she worked to restore the White House and historic landmarks, among other projects.

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was born on October 11, 1884, in New York City, New York. She was America’s longest-serving First Day and is credited with redefining the role of the presidential spouse.

America’s first First Lady was born Martha Dandridge on June 2, 1731 (by the Old Style calendar), on her parents’ Chestnut Grove Plantation near Williamsburg, Virginia. After leading several initiatives to involve women in the Revolutionary War, Martha established many of the responsibilities and traditions of the office of first lady.

Our nation’s third First Lady was born Dolley Payne in Piedmont, North Carolina, on May 20, 1768.

Wiley Hardeman Post was born on November 22, 1898, Van Zandt County, Texas. A world-renowned aviator, he pushed the limits of early aviation technology to break the ’round the world record twice!

On November 22, 1935, the China Clipper made its first airmail voyage across the Pacific Ocean. The first-ever transpacific airmail journey, it carried over 110,000 pieces of mail.

Hoagland Howard Carmichael was born on November 22, 1899, in Bloomington, Indiana. A self-taught pianist, composer, singer, and actor, Carmichael composed many of the most popular songs of the Big Band Era.

The Humane Society of the United States was established on November 22, 1954, in Wilmington, Delaware as the National Humane Society. It’s the largest animal protection organization in the world with over seven million members.