This Day In History

On August 23, 1784, an American merchant ship unfurled the Stars and Stripes for the first time in China. The Chinese dubbed it the “Flower Flag,” and its passengers, “flower flag countrymen,” a name that endures today.

On August 22, 1970, the US Post Office issued the first stamp in the American Poet Series. The series honored seven prolific American poets.

On August 21, 1770, James Cook landed on the eastern coast of Australia and named the land New South Wales.

On August 20, 2005, the USPS issued the first stamps in a nostalgic series honoring classic American cars. Over the next 17 years, America on the Move would celebrate four distinct groups of vehicles, from sleek 1950s sports cars to the pony cars that became symbols of youthful performance.

On July 16, 1941, Joe DiMaggio extended his record-setting hitting streak to 56 straight games, a Major League mark that still stands. For more than two months, the New York Yankees center fielder had turned each trip to the plate into a national sports story.

On July 13, 1930, the inaugural FIFA World Cup began in Montevideo, Uruguay. Thirteen national teams gathered for a new competition designed to determine soccer’s world champion outside the Olympic Games.

On June 9, 1973, Secretariat won the Belmont Stakes race, becoming the first US Triple Crown winner in 25 years.

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 August 24, 1814, as British troops approached the American capital, First Lady Dolley Madison insisted on saving important historical relics, including a portrait of our first president.

On August 24, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Potato Control Law, which led to the creation of short-lived Potato stamps.

On August 24, 2000, the USPS issued the first stamp in the Distinguished Americans Series. Over the course of more than two decades, the series has honored 20 Americans from all walks of life.

On August 24, 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty came into force, officially establishing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The purpose of NATO was to maintain a unified military force to defend against Soviet invasion.