Birth of Oswald Garrison Villard
Journalist and civil rights activist Oswald Garrison Villard was born on March 13, 1872, in Wiesbaden, Germany. He was an editor of the New York Evening Post and a founding member of the NAACP.
This Day in History
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Gandhi’s Salt March
On March 12, 1930, Gandhi started his 240-mile Salt March as a nonviolent protest against British rule in India. Gandhi’s march helped inspire widespread civil disobedience in India, bringing international attention to their cause.
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Happy Birthday, Samuel Barber
Composer and pianist Samuel Osmond Barber II was born on March 9, 1910, in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He was one of America’s most celebrated composers, enjoying early success that lasted throughout his long career.
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Happy Birthday, Bob Wills
Western swing musician James Robert Wills was born on March 6, 1905, in Kosse, Texas. Wills developed his own brand of country music and was known as the “King of Western Swing.”
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“Happy Birthday to You”
On March 4, 1924, the song and melody of “Happy Birthday to You” were printed in a songbook. One of the world’s most famous songs, it has been the center of controversy over ownership and copyright status for years.
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Postage Due Stamps
On March 3, 1879, an Act of Congress authorized the use of Postage Due stamps. These stamps were unique, since they were the first US stamps that didn’t prepay for the delivery of mail. Instead, they denoted the amount of postage to be collected by the person receiving the mail because it was insufficiently prepaid.
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Happy Birthday, Mel Ott
Melvin Thomas “Master Melvin” Ott was born on March 2, 1909, in Gretna, Louisiana. Playing baseball with the New York Giants for his entire career, Ott was a twelve-time All-Star and six-time National League home run leader.
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National Parks Centennial
On March 1, 1972, the USPS issued the first stamp in a new series honoring the 100th anniversary of the world’s first national park. Exactly 100 years earlier, Congress established Yellowstone as a national park to protect its unusual features and resources.
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American Arts Series
On February 28, 1973, the USPS issued the first of seven stamps in its new American Arts Series. The stamps in the series honored artists from several different genres, including painting, music writing, and filmmaking.
