This Day In History

On November 12, 1954, Ellis Island’s immigration station closed after more than six decades of operation. At its peak, thousands passed through in a day; in its final years, the island was used largely for detention and deportation.

On November 11, 1873, Daniel Joseph Daly was born in Glen Cove, New York. Over three decades in the Marine Corps, he served in China, Haiti, and France, and became one of 19 people to receive the Medal of Honor twice.

On November 10, 1978, Theodore Roosevelt National Park was established on North Dakota. Roosevelt’s time in the Badlands inspired his conservation efforts as president, establishing over 200 protected areas.

On November 9, 1731, Benjamin Banneker was born on a farm in Baltimore County, Maryland. He later built a wooden clock, made astronomical calculations, published almanacs, and helped survey the boundaries of the new federal district.

On November 7, 1921, President Warren G. Harding ordered 2,200 Marines to guard the mail in the wake of a series of daring mail robberies.

On October 15, 1940, the Pitcairn Islands Post Office opened, issuing the colony’s first stamps. These stamps were very popular with collectors and eventually helped support most of the colony’s budget.

On October 8, 2003, the USPS issued its third Semipostal stamp, which raised funds to help stop family violence.

On October 1, 1851, Hawaiʻi placed its first postage stamps on sale—tiny blue labels that are now among the world’s rarest and most sought-after stamps. Called the Hawaiian Missionaries, they were created to bring dependable postage to islands whose overseas mail had long traveled by chance.

On November 13, 1940, Walt Disney premiered Fantasia—a film unlike anything audiences had ever seen. Combining animation and classical music, Fantasia was a bold experiment in art, sound, and imagination. It pushed the boundaries of animation and transformed film into something that could be felt as much as seen.

Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis was born on November 13, 1856, in Louisville, Kentucky. As a lawyer and supreme court justice, he helped establish new precedents in the right to privacy and the use of expert testimony in court cases – both of which have had lasting effects.

On November 13, 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was officially dedicated in Washington, DC. It stands as a tribute to the thousands of Americans who gave their lives in the conflict.

The Civil Rights Movement took a major step forward on November 13, 1956, when the Supreme Court ruled that the bus segregation in Montgomery, Alabama, was unconstitutional.