On November 30, 1835, Samuel Clemens (known by his pen name, Mark Twain) was born in Florida, Missouri. Regarded as the father of American literature and the country’s greatest humorist, he also wrote what many consider the Great American Novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Actress, philanthropist, and Princess, Grace Kelly was born on November 12, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After a brief, but successful film career, she retired from acting at age 26 to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco.
American composer and conductor John Philip Sousa was born on November 6, 1854, in Washington, DC. As the composer of several notable marches, including the “Stars and Stripes Forever” and official Marines march, he’s been called “The March King.”
Journalist George Polk was born on October 17, 1913, in Fort Worth, Texas. He served as a Navy pilot during World War II before losing his life reporting on the Greek Civil War in 1948.
On October 13, 1754, one of the women that inspired the nickname, “Molly Pitcher,” was born near Trenton, New Jersey. She took over her husband’s artillery when he was injured and was later made a noncommissioned officer.
Legendary TV personality Ed Sullivan was born on September 28, 1901, in Harlem, New York City. He was called a “star-maker” because many of the guests on his TV show became household names after their appearances.
On September 4, 1833, the first American newspaper boy was hired. Today, this event is celebrated as National Newspaper Carrier Day.
As Black Americans struggled against segregation and mistreatment, Civil Rights leaders organized the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963.
Lee de Forest was born on August 26, 1873, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. His inventions made long-distance telephone service, radio broadcasting, television, and many other technologies possible, making him one of the founders of the “electronic age.”