Birth of Henry Luce
Magazine magnate Henry Robinson Luce was born on April 3, 1898, in Tengchow, Shandong, China.
Franklin Roosevelt
First Female Cabinet Member
On February 28, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Frances Perkins as head of the Department of Labor, making her the first woman to serve on a presidential cabinet.
Washington & Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Celebrations
On November 26, 1789, the nation celebrated Thanksgiving for the first time under a presidential proclamation. Decades later, President Lincoln issued a similar proclamation that made the holiday permanent.
Passage of the Presidential Libraries Act
On August 12, 1955, the Presidential Libraries Act was passed, providing for the organized transfer of presidential papers and other items to the federal government.
Birth of President Franklin Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882, in Hyde Park, New York. Roosevelt’s four terms in office coincided with two of the most turbulent eras in American history – the Great Depression and the Second World War.
Social Security Act of 1935
On August 14, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law.
Happy Birthday, George Cohan!
The father of American musical comedy, George Michael Cohan was born on July 3, 1878, in Providence, Rhode Island. The son of traveling Vaudeville performers, Cohan joined his parents on stage when he was just a baby. Cohan learned to dance and sing shortly after learning to walk and talk. Along with his parents and sister, the family toured under the name The Four Cohans, with George writing skits and songs in his teens.
Death of former President Harry Truman
On December 26, 1972, America’s 33rd president, Harry S. Truman, died.
Commodore Perry Opens Trade with Japan
On March 31, 1854, Commodore Matthew Perry signed a peace and trade agreement with Japan. On March 31, 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to decrease unemployment in America.