On September 14, 1908, the University of Missouri School of Journalism became the first such school in the US, and only the second in the world. The school adopted a hands-on approach, known as the “Missouri Method.”
On August 12, 1960, Echo I, the world’s first passive communications satellite, was placed in orbit around the Earth. The goal was to send radio signals into space from one location, bounce them off the satellite, and receive them at another location.
On June 12, 1957, the US hosted an International Naval Review that coincided with the 350th anniversary of the founding of the Jamestown colony.
American actress, singer, and dancer Judy Garland was born on June 10, 1922, in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Best known as Dorothy from Wizard of Oz, she received many awards during her life and was the first woman to win the Grammy for Album of the Year.
On June 2, 1953, the coronation ceremony for Queen Elizabeth II attracted worldwide attention. Though she never expected to become queen, she went on to become Britain’s longest reigning monarch.
Lon Chaney Jr. was born Creighton Tull Chaney on February 10, 1906, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Territory. He gained fame for portraying horror characters such as the Wolfman, Frankenstein, and the Mummy, but he broke out of that mold later in his career to explore other genres.
Acclaimed author Laura Ingalls Wilder was born on February 7, 1867, in Pepin County, Wisconsin. She retold stories from her childhood in the wildly popular Little House on the Prairie series, which went on to become a popular TV series as well.
Performer and philanthropist Danny Thomas was born Amos Muzyad Yaqoob Kairouz on January 6, 1912, in Deerfield, Michigan. In addition to his successful performing career, Thomas was the founder of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
On December 9, 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired on television. It marked a number of firsts, won multiple awards, and became a holiday tradition for millions of Americans.