This Day In History

Bandleader Benjamin David Goodman was born on May 30, 1909, in Chicago, Illinois. Also a renowned clarinetist, he’s considered the “King of Swing.”

On May 29, 1790, Rhode Island became the last of the original 13 colonies to ratify the US Constitution. The vote was close, but it brought the smallest state into the new nation as the 13th state.

On May 28, 1892, John Muir and a small group of California conservationists founded the Sierra Club in San Francisco. Their goal was practical as well as poetic: bring people into the mountains, then organize them to protect the wild places they had come to love.

On May 27, 2006, the USPS issued a colorful stamp sheet honoring 40 American natural and man-made superlatives. Called Wonders of America: Land of Superlatives, the pane celebrated record-setting places, plants, animals, and structures from across the country.

On May 29, 1790, Rhode Island became the last of the original 13 colonies to ratify the US Constitution. The vote was close, but it brought the smallest state into the new nation as the 13th state.

On May 12, 1820, nurse and social reformer Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. Her work during the Crimean War made her famous – but she’s best remembered today for her efforts to make health care safer. Her birthday later became a lasting day of recognition for health care, inspiring observances such as International Nurses Day and the original National Hospital Day.

On May 3, 1861, General-in-Chief Winfield Scott presented a strategy to defeat the Confederacy with limited bloodshed. Later nicknamed the “Anaconda Plan,” it aimed to squeeze the South through blockade and control of its rivers rather than by one dramatic battle.

On April 12, 1862, a group of Union sympathizers stole a Confederate train, setting off a high-speed pursuit that lasted nearly eight hours. The event, later known as the Great Locomotive Chase, unfolded along a single rail line but revealed just how critical transportation had become in the Civil War.

Acclaimed poet Walter Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, in Huntington, Long Island, New York. Considered one of the most influential American poets, he’s also been called the father of free verse.

On May 31, 2002, the USPS issued the first stamp in the American Design Series. The low-denomination stamps feature beautiful objects created by American designers showcasing the country’s various regions, cultures, and history. 

On May 31, 1926, the Sesquicentennial International Exposition opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  It was planned to mark the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the 50th anniversary of the 1876 Centennial Exposition.

Emily Perkins Bissell was born on May 31, 1861, in Wilmington, Delaware. Bissell was a noted social worker and activist, best known as the creator of America’s Christmas Seals program that raised money to fight tuberculosis.