Challenger Carries Covers to Space
On August 30, 1983, the space shuttle Challenger blasted off on its third mission to space. The shuttle carried special cargo – commemorative covers bearing the new Express Mail Next Day Service stamp.
This Day in History
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Birth of Dinah Washington
Singer Dinah Washington was born Ruth Lee Jones on August 29, 1924, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Known as the “Queen of Blues”, she was one of the best-known and most popular female rhythm & blues singers during the 1950’s.
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Start of Railway Mail Service
On August 28, 1864, the US Post Office Department created the Railway Mail Service. It revolutionized mail delivery for a century.
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Battle of Brooklyn
The Continental and British Armies engaged in their first fight of the Revolutionary War on August 27, 1776. The Battle of Brooklyn (also known as the Battle of Long Island or the Battle of Brooklyn Heights) was the largest battle of the war.
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Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
The Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park was established in Vermont on August 26, 1992. It’s the first national park in the country created to honor the history of conservation.
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Birth of Althea Gibson
Althea Neale Gibson was born on August 25, 1927, in Silver, South Carolina. Gibson made history by becoming the first African American to win a Wimbledon title. She’s been called the “female Jackie Robinson” for her role in breaking the color barrier in professional tennis.
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Happy Birthday, Duke Kahanamoku
Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku (also known as “The Duke” and “The Big Kahuna”) was born on August 24, 1890, in Haleʻākala, Honolulu, Kingdom of Hawaii. Duke was a record-setting Olympic swimmer who helped popularize surfing outside of Hawaii.
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The Flower Flag
On August 23, 1784, an American merchant ship unfurled the Stars and Stripes for the first time in China. The Chinese dubbed it the “Flower Flag,” and its passengers, “flower flag countrymen,” a name that endures today.
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The American Poet Series
On August 22, 1970, the US Post Office issued the first stamp in the American Poet Series. The series honored seven prolific American poets.
