First State Fair in America
On September 29, 1841, New York held the first state fair in the US. Today it’s the oldest and one of the most highly attended of all US state fairs.
Entertainment
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Birth of George Gershwin
George Gershwin was born Jacob Gershwine on September 26, 1898, in Brooklyn, New York. A successful composer and pianist, he created beloved orchestral compositions, popular jazz standards, as well as Broadway and Hollywood hits.
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The First Printing Press in America
On September 25, 1639, the first printing press in America was set up in Cambridge, Massachusetts Bay Colony. The press remained in continuous use for 150 years, printing some of the first books in the New World.
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Birth of Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr., was born on September 9, 1941, in Dawson, Georgia. Despite his brief career, it’s been said that his marriage of traditional R&B with folk music in the 1960s took soul to a new level.
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Happy Birthday, Jimmie Rodgers
James Charles Rodgers was born on September 8, 1897, in Meridian, Mississippi. He was known for his distinctive yodel and has been called the “Father of Country Music.”
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Birth of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Author Edgar Rice Burroughs was born on September 1, 1875, in Chicago, Illinois. Burroughs wrote about 70 novels during his lifetime, including several about his most famous character, Tarzan.
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Birth of Dorothy Fields
Lyricist Dorothy Fields was born on July 15, 1904, in Allenhurst, New Jersey. She wrote more than 400 songs for Broadway and film, including “The Way You Look Tonight” and “On the Sunny Side of the Street.”
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Birth of Woody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson Guthrie was born on July 14, 1912, in Okemah, Oklahoma. He was a major figure in American folk music, writing over 1,000 songs, including his most famous, “This Land is Your Land.”
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Birth of Bernard Herrmann
Composer Bernard Herrmann was born Maximillian Herman on June 29, 1911, in New York City, New York. He famously worked with Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, and Martin Scorsese, and is often considered one of the most influential and pioneering composers in cinema history.
