Ellis Island Closes
On November 12, 1954, Ellis Island closed, after serving as America’s busiest immigration inspection station for over 60 years.
This Day in History
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Birth of Benjamin Banneker
Benjamin Banneker was born on November 9, 1731, in Baltimore County, Maryland.
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First Televised White House Address
On October 5, 1947, US President Harry Truman delivered the first televised White House address.
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Launch of Sputnik I
On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, the first man-made object in space, which sparked the start of the Space Race with the United States.
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Opening of National Museum of African American History and Culture
On September 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture opened in Washington, DC.
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EUROPA Stamps
On September 15, 1956, six nations came together to issue the first EUROPA stamps, a tradition that continues to this day.
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Birth of Edgar Lee Masters
Poet Edgar Lee Masters was born on August 23, 1868, in Garnett, Kansas. Decades later, memories of the Illinois towns where he grew up would supply the people, places, and tensions behind his best-known work, Spoon River Anthology.
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Playing Card Stamps
On August 1, 1894, a tax was imposed on playing cards as part of the Wilson Bill.
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Opening of the Arc de Triomphe
arc during WWII.
On July 29, 1836, the Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile (Triumphal Arch of the Star) officially opened to the public. Before the plans were made for the Arc de Triomphe, there was a proposal for a different structure in that location. Architect Charles Ribart wanted to build a three-level elephant-shaped building with a spiral staircase and furniture that folded into the walls. However, the French government denied his request.
