Birth of Bret Harte
Writer Francis Bret Harte was born on August 25, 1836, in Albany, New York.
This Day in History
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Postage Currency
On August 21, 1862, Postage Currency was issued to make business transactions easier during the Civil War.
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First Solar Eclipse Over the U.S. in 38 Years
August 21, 2017, marks the first total solar eclipse of the sun to pass over the United States since 1979.
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Introduction of Kansas Winter Wheat
On August 16, 1874, Hard Winter Wheat, also known as Turkey Red, was first introduced in America.
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Premiere of The Wizard of Oz
On August 15, 1939, The Wizard of Oz premiered at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California.
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Social Security Act of 1935
On August 14, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law.
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Death of Jackson Pollock
Jackson Pollock, the artist known as “Jack the Dripper,” died on August 11, 1956, in Springs, New York
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Battle of Wilson’s Creek
On August 10, 1861, the first major battle in the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the Civil War was fought in Missouri.
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Robert E. Lee Attempts to Resign
On August 8, 1863, Confederate General Robert E. Lee penned a letter to Jefferson Davis offering to resign in the wake of his loss at Gettysburg.
