This Day In History

On October 27, 1964, Ronald Reagan took a campaign speech for Barry Goldwater to a national television audience. His address introduced many Americans to Reagan as a political speaker and helped bring him wider attention.

On October 26, 1881, the Earp brothers took on the Clanton-McLaury Gang at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. The shootout became one of the most famous events in the Old West.

Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa was established on October 25, 1949. The monument protects and interprets the history behind about 200 mounds built by Native Americans centuries ago.

Born on October 24, 1911, Saunders Terrell became Sonny Terry, a blues harmonica player known for making his instrument sound like trains, hounds, and other voices. After childhood accidents left him blind, he built a career that took him from local churches and dance halls to Carnegie Hall and concert stages around the world.

On May 12, 1820, nurse and social reformer Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. Her work during the Crimean War made her famous – but she’s best remembered today for her efforts to make health care safer. Her birthday later became a lasting day of recognition for health care, inspiring observances such as International Nurses Day and the original National Hospital Day.

On April 8, 1869, Harvey Cushing was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Cushing would transform brain surgery from a desperate last resort into a disciplined medical science. His careful methods and insistence on precision helped turn survival in the operating room from chance into expectation.

Dr. William Boyd Allison Davis, born on October 14, 1902, in Washington, DC, was a scholar who devoted his life to breaking down the barriers of race, class, and inequality in education. At a time when few African Americans were given a platform in the nation’s top universities, Davis used his voice and intellect to challenge the systems that defined how—and for whom—education worked in America. His pioneering research changed the way educators and policymakers viewed learning, fairness, and opportunity.

Doctor Paul Dudley White was born on June 6, 1886, in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Often considered the founder of preventive cardiology, he helped to found the American Heart Association and later served as its president.

On October 28, 1942, construction was completed on one of the most ambitious engineering projects of World War II — the 1,700-mile Alaska Highway. What began as a desperate military necessity became one of the great infrastructure achievements of the 20th century, linking Alaska to the continental United States for the first time by land.

On October 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York harbor. It’s stood as a symbol of the United States ever since and has been featured on dozens of stamps over the years.

Jonas Edward Salk was born on October 28, 1914, in New York, New York. He developed the first effective polio vaccine, helping to save lives around the world.

On October 28, 1776, George Washington led the 14,000–man Continental Army in the Battle of White Plains against British General William Howe’s 20,000 redcoats.