Founding of the American Turners
On November 21, 1848, the first American Turners gymnastic union was established in Cincinnati, Ohio. Still in existence today, the Turners were honored with a stamp marking their 100th anniversary in 1948.
Civil War
Lincoln Delivers Famed Gettysburg Address
On November 19, 1863, Abraham Lincoln delivered his eloquent Gettysburg Address. Delivered at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery, it went on to become one of the most famous speeches in US history.
The Trent Affair
On November 8, 1861, the Trent Affair began an international incident that nearly sparked a war between the US and Great Britain during the Civil War.
Fort Bliss
On November 7, 1848, the War Department established a post on the Rio Grande that would later come to be known as Fort Bliss. Still in use today, it’s the second-largest US Army installation in the world.
US Naval Academy Opened
Decades after America’s first ships took to the oceans to defend its interests, the US Naval Academy was opened on October 10, 1845. USNA graduates have participated in every major US conflict since the Mexican-American War.
Proprietary Stamps
On September 2, 1871, the first Proprietary stamps with their own Scott designation (RB) were issued. These stamps paid the taxes on consumer goods, such as medicines, matches, perfumes, playing cards, canned foods, and more.
Beer Stamps
On September 1, 1866, the first US Beer stamps were issued. The first stamps issued for use on alcoholic beverages, they remained in use until 1951.
Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries
On August 29, 1861, the first combined Union Army and Navy battle of the Civil War concluded at the Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries. A Union victory a month after the defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run, it boosted morale in the North.
Executive Order 9981
On July 26, 1948, President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981, calling for the end of racial discrimination in the US armed forces.