This Day In History

On July 18, 1899, “rags to riches” author Horatio Alger died. He’s best known for his story Ragged Dick, about a boot shiner who rose to middle-class success.

On July 17, 1955, Walt Disney realized one of his long-time dreams when he opened his Disneyland amusement park in Anaheim, California. For decades, it was the most-visited park in the world.

On July 16, 1769, Franciscan friar Junipero Serra founded California’s first Catholic mission. This marked the beginning of the Spanish mission system in California, which would go on to shape the culture, history, and landscape of the region for centuries.

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was born on July 15, 1606, in Leiden, the Dutch Republic (present-day Netherlands).

On May 9, 1936, the Third International Philatelic Exhibition (TIPEX) opened at Grand Central Palace in New York City. The exhibition included the issue of a four-stamp souvenir sheet, a visit from he Hindenburg, and more. 

On June 13, 1987, the North American Wildlife sheet became the third US 50-stamp se-tenant.  It was also the third stamp issue with a First Day ceremony outside of the US, in Canada.   

On May 29, 1976, the Seventh US International Philatelic Exhibition (INTERPHIL) opened to the public. Celebrating the American Bicentennial, the show had more than 75,000 visitors.

On May 28, 2016, the doors opened on America’s 11th International Stamp Exhibition, World Stamp Show 2016. It marked the show’s return to New York after 60 years.

On July 19, 1980, the Summer Olympic Games opened in Moscow, Soviet Union.  They were the first Olympics to be held in Eastern Europe. The US was among 65 countries that boycotted the games, and the numerous stamps issued to commemorate the games were removed from sale until after the Olympics were finished.

Animator, inventor, and film director Max Fleischer was born in Kraków, Poland, on July 19, 1883. Fleischer patented several animation innovations and was behind popular cartoons such as Betty Boop, Popeye, and Superman, earning the nickname “The Dean of Animated Cartoons.”

On July 19, 1848, the Women’s Rights Convention, also known as the Seneca Falls Convention, opened in New York. The convention’s attendants issued a declaration calling for equal rights, including the right to vote.

On July 19, 1941, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill officially established the “V” for Victory campaign. The letter “V” became a rallying cry for people in occupied nations as well as Germans who opposed the Nazis.