Celebrity Chef Edna Lewis was born on April 13, 1916, in Freetown, Virginia. Lewis is credited with reviving the long-lost style of simple Southern cooking. She was the co-owner and only chef at Café Nicholson and wrote four cookbooks that infused classic recipes with personal stories.
Biochemist Melvin Calvin was born on April 8, 1911, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He earned the 1961 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his discover of the Calvin cycle – the conversion of carbon dioxide into organic molecules during photosynthesis.
The “Father of American Football,” Walter Chauncey Camp, was born on April 7, 1859, in New Britain, Connecticut. Camp is credited with developing the rules and techniques that set American football apart from British rugby.
Dorothea Lynde Dix was born on April 4, 1802, in Hampden, Maine. She spent much of her life improving and establishing new mental asylums. Dix also served as the Superintendent of Army Nurses during the Civil War.
On April 3, 1991, the USPS issued its first stamp to printed outside the US. News of the stamp’s printing outside of America set off a firestorm of criticism and debate that made it all the way to Congress.
Painter and illustrator Maxfield Parrish died on March 30, 1966. He made a name for himself illustrating children’s books, murals, and magazine covers. His 1922 work Daybreak is considered the most popular art print of the 20th century.
Denton True “Cy” Young was born on March 29, 1867, in Gilmore, Ohio. Young was one of the best pitchers in history, setting numerous records he still holds today.
Explorer Adolphus Washington Greely was born on March 27, 1844, in Newburyport, Massachusetts. He served with the Union Army during the Civil War and later led a polar expedition. Greely was the second person in history to receive a Medal of Honor for “lifetime achievement.”
Baseball great “Gorgeous George” Harold Sisler died on March 26, 1973. An Agile first baseman, Sisler was one of baseball’s greatest players in all areas – fielding, throwing, hitting, and base-running.