Fannie Lou Hamer was born on October 6, 1917, in Montgomery County, Mississippi. The youngest of 20 children in a family of sharecroppers, Hamer grew up in poverty but would later rise to become one of the most important voices of the civil rights movement. With her powerful speeches, unshakable courage, and belief in equality, she helped transform the struggle for voting rights in the United States.
On September 26, 1820, famed American pioneer and explorer Daniel Boone died in St. Charles County, Missouri. Boone was a legendary American frontiersman and explorer whose daring adventures helped open the wilderness of Kentucky to early settlers.
The Battle of Harlem Heights, fought on September 16, 1776, was one of the most important early morale-boosting victories for the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. It came at a time when General George Washington and his troops were reeling from several defeats and desperately needed a reason to believe they could stand against the powerful British Army. Though the battle was relatively small compared to others in the war, it played an important role in lifting the spirits of the American troops and proving that they could go toe-to-toe with the British on the battlefield.
Social worker Jane Addams was born on September 6, 1860, in Cedarville, Illinois. She was the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize and is often considered the founder of the profession of social work in America.
On August 27, 1959, the third Pan-American Games officially opened in Chicago, Illinois. These were the first Pan-Am Games held in the United States.
Stepping up to bat in the first inning with the bases loaded, Lou Gehrig hit the 23rd grand slam of his career on August 20, 1938. The Yankees’ “Iron Horse,” his record went unbroken for 75 years.
On August 15, 1824, Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, returned to the United States for the first time in nearly forty years. Now sixty-seven years old, Lafayette was the last surviving major general of the Revolutionary War.
Hitting the first pitch he saw, Babe Ruth made history on August 11, 1929, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit 500 home runs.
Andy Warhol was born August 6, 1928, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A leading figure in the pop art movement, he’s considered one of America’s most notable artists of the second half of the 20th century.