This Day In History

On April 30, 1789, George Washington was inaugurated as America’s first president. The ceremony in New York City marked the formal beginning of the new federal government created by the Constitution and placed the Revolutionary War hero at the head of a nation still finding its footing.

On April 29, 1947, the United States issued its first aerogram, then called an air letter sheet. It was a simple folded sheet of paper, but it offered Americans a cheaper and faster way to send personal messages overseas in the growing age of air travel.

On April 28, 1971, a major new federal law took effect that changed how workplace safety was enforced in the United States. That date is now observed as Workers’ Memorial Day, a time to remember those lost at work and to renew the effort to prevent future tragedies.

On April 27, 1945, a boy named Frederick August Kittel Jr. was born in a two-room apartment in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. No one in that neighborhood could have guessed he would one day have a Broadway theater named after him. He would grow up to become August Wilson, one of the most celebrated playwrights in American history.

On April 4, 1925, the US Post Office issued the first three stamps in a multi-year series honoring important events and people from the American Revolution. The stamps were issued for the sesquicentennial (150th) anniversary of the Revolution.

The 1933 World’s Fair opened in Chicago, Illinois, on May 27, 1933. The fair was so popular, it ran for two years and was the first international fair to pay for itself.

On April 17, 1958, the Brussels World’s Fair, also known as Expo ’58, opened its doors. It was the first major official world’s fair after WWII.

On February 20, 1915, the Panama-Pacific Exposition opened in San Francisco, California. The expo was a celebration of the city and the Panama Canal.

The Pan-American Exposition opened to the public on May 1, 1901, in Buffalo, New York. That same day the set of six Pan-American stamps went on sale.

On May 1, 1929, the Kansas-Nebraska stamps were officially placed on sale. The stamps were intended to put an end to post office robberies but were heavily criticized and short-lived.

After 13 months of construction, the Empire State Building opened in New York City on May 1, 1931.  It was the tallest building in the world for nearly 40 years.  Despite being surpassed in height by several other buildings, it’s one of America’s most iconic buildings, hosting millions of tourists ever year.

On May 1, 1963, the US observed its first Senior Citizens Months, later renamed Older Americans Month. Since its inception, it has been a time to raise awareness of issues facing older Americans as well as honor their contributions to our nation.