Birth of John Bardeen
Physicist John Bardeen was born on May 23, 1908, in Madison, Wisconsin. Bardeen helped develop the transistor, which made possible the invention of almost every modern electronic device.
This Day in History
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Opening of AMERIPEX ‘86
America’s eighth International Philatelic Exhibition opened to the public on May 22, 1986, in Chicago, Illinois. It was also the first to be held in the Mid-West.
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Birth of American Red Cross
On May 21, 1881, Clara Barton established the American Red Cross. With locations in every US state and territory, it’s grown to become one of the most recognizable crisis response organizations in the country.
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Happy World Bee Day
On May 20, 2018, the United Nations declared the first World Bee Day, to bring attention to the importance of bees and the plights they face. This date was chosen because it is considered the birthday of Slovenian beekeeping pioneer Anton Janša.
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Death of Nathaniel Hawthorne
American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864, while on a trip with former president Franklin Pierce to the White Mountains in New Hampshire.
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First USPS ATM Stamp
On May 18, 1990, the USPS issued an experimental plastic stamp to test the popularity of selling stamps through Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs). While the plastic stamp proved unpopular, especially with environmentalists, the ATM format proved to be a success.
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The International Telecommunication Union
On May 17, 1865, the International Telegraph Union (ITU), which later became the International Telecommunication Union, was founded. The first international standards organization, it established basic principles for international telegraphy. It later became an agency of the United Nations.
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Happy Birthday Henry Fonda
Henry Jaynes Fonda was born on May 16, 1905, in Grand Island, Nebraska. Known for his roles in The Grapes of Wrath, 12 Angry Men, and On Golden Pond, among many others, Fonda was one of the most successful actors of his era. He was named the sixth greatest male screen legend of the Classic Hollywood era.
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Birth of Katherine Anne Porter
Katherine Anne Porter was born Callie Russell Porter on May 15, 1890, in Indian Creek, Texas. Porter was best known for her long short stories written in flawless prose, which have a texture and complexity usually found only in novels.
