This Day In History

Naval officer John Barry was born on March 25, 1745, in Tacumshane, Ireland. A hero of the Revolutionary War, he’s been called the “Father of the American Navy.”

On March 24, 1663, King Charles II approved the Carolina Charter, granting land in America to a group of eight Englishmen. Establishing the first laws in the Carolina province, it guaranteed religious and political freedom.

Illustrator Joseph Christian Leyendecker was born on March 23, 1874, in Montabaur, Rhine Province, German Empire. He was one of the most popular and recognized illustrators of his day – popularizing the images of Baby New Year, Santa Claus, and more.

On March 22, 1963, the Beatles released their first full-length album, “Please Please Me.”

On March 22, 1963, the Beatles released their first full-length album, “Please Please Me.”

On January 14, 1973, Elvis performed the first live worldwide broadcast concert – Aloha from Hawaii.

Singer, songwriter, and actress Édith Giovanna Gassion, better known as Édith Piaf was born on December 19, 1915, in Belleville, Paris, France. She was France’s most popular singer in the 1940s, earning worldwide acclaim for her signature song “La Vie en Rose.”

On November 23, 1889, the world’s first jukebox was displayed and used at the Palais Royale Saloon in San Francisco, California.

On March 26, 1862, Confederate forces launched the Battle of Glorieta Pass, aimed at breaking Union control of the West along the base of the Rocky Mountains. It has been called the “Gettysburg of the West” because it was a turning point in the Civil War.

Thomas Lanier “Tennessee” Williams III was born on March 26, 1911, in Columbus, Mississippi. One of the most successful playwrights of the 20th century, several of his works were adapted into films.

Robert Frost was born on March 26, 1874, in San Francisco, California.  He’s the only poet to have won four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry and has been called one of America’s “public literary figures, almost an artistic institution.”

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.