Happy Birthday James A. Whistler
James Abbott McNeill Whistler was born on July 10, 1834, in Lowell, Massachusetts. A celebrated American artist, he’s best known for his painting many call “Whistler’s Mother.”
This Day in History
Happy Birthday to Peter Francisco
Pedro Francisco, also known as the “Virginia Giant,” the “Giant of the Revolution,” and the “Virginia Hercules,” was born on July 9, 1760, in Porto Judeu, Terceira, Portugal. A hero of the Revolutionary War, many of his exploits were larger than life.
Acadia National Park
On July 8, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson created Sieur de Monts National Monument, which later became Acadia National Park. The park is located on Maine’s Mount Desert Island, Isle Au Haut, on the Schoodic Peninsula.
World Stamp Expo 2000
World Stamp Expo 2000 opened on July 7, 2000. Several US postal firsts were issued during the show, including the first round, pentagonal, and holographic stamps.
First U.S. All-Star Baseball Game
On July 6, 1933, the first All-Star game was played at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois. It’s become a beloved annual tradition held nearly every since.
The National Labor Relations Act of 1935
On July 5, 1935, Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 into law. The basis of modern US labor law, it guarantees private sector employees the right to organize in trade unions, bargain collectively, and strike.
Bicentenary Statehood Series
On July 4, 1987, the USPS issued the first in a series of stamps honoring America’s first 13 states. The series honored each state’s 200th anniversary of statehood as well as the bicentennial of the ratification of the Constitution.
Emancipation Day in the US Virgin Islands
On July 3, 1848, Governor Peter von Scholten abolished slavery in the Danish West Indies (now the US Virgin Islands). Though it would be several years before slavery was truly ended in the islands, this date is celebrated as Emancipation Day, an official holiday, in the US Virgin Islands.
Rush Lamp Stamp Issued
On July 2, 1979, the USPS issued the $1 Rush stamp, which would lead to one of the most fascinating stamp controversies of the late 20th century.