Birth of Ralph Bunche
Ralph Johnson Bunche was born on August 7, 1904, in Detroit, Michigan.
This Day in History
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American Victory at Oriskany
On August 6, 1777, American troops under General Nicholas Herkimer claimed victory at the Battle of Oriskany. The battle sparked a war between the British’s Native American allies and prevented them from reaching Albany.
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First Electric Traffic Light
On August 5, 1914, the first electric traffic light was installed in Cleveland, Ohio. It was considered revolutionary at the time, and was soon followed by similar systems in cities around the country.
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The Saturday Evening Post
On August 4, 1821, The Saturday Evening Post published its first issue. Once one of the most widely circulated magazines, it is still in publication today.
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the American Dental Association
On August 3, 1859, twenty-six dentists met in Niagara Falls, New York at the first meeting of the American Dental Association (ADA).
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Birth of Frédéric A. Bartholdi
Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the designer of the Statue of Liberty, was born on August 2, 1834, in Colmar, France.
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First Phosphorescent U.S. Stamps
On August 1, 1963, the U.S. Post Office experimented with luminescent stamps for the first time, in an effort to speed up mail sorting and cancellation.
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Death of Robert A. Taft
Senator Robert A. Taft, son of America’s 27th president, died on July 31, 1953, in New York City. He was considered one of the five greatest US Senators.
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National Postal Museum Opens
On July 30, 1993, the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum opened in Washington, DC. It’s home to the National Philatelic Collection, one of the world’s largest and most valuable stamp collections.
