This Day In History

On April 29, 1947, the United States issued its first aerogram, then called an air letter sheet. It was a simple folded sheet of paper, but it offered Americans a cheaper and faster way to send personal messages overseas in the growing age of air travel.

On April 28, 1971, a major new federal law took effect that changed how workplace safety was enforced in the United States. That date is now observed as Workers’ Memorial Day, a time to remember those lost at work and to renew the effort to prevent future tragedies.

On April 27, 1945, a boy named Frederick August Kittel Jr. was born in a two-room apartment in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. No one in that neighborhood could have guessed he would one day have a Broadway theater named after him. He would grow up to become August Wilson, one of the most celebrated playwrights in American history.

On April 26, 1777, a 16-year-old girl climbed onto her horse and rode 40 miles through a driving rainstorm in the dark, covering twice the distance of Paul Revere’s famous ride two years earlier. Her name was Sybil Ludington — and most Americans have never heard of her.

On April 18, 1783, General George Washington issued a proclamation announcing the end of hostilities in the American Revolutionary War. After eight years of fighting, the Continental Army was finally told to stand down, though the path to peace had already been set in motion months earlier.

On January 3, 1777, General George Washington earned one of the most important victories of the American Revolutionary War at the Battle of Princeton in New Jersey. Although small in size compared to later battles, the victory came at a critical moment when the Continental Army was struggling, and it helped change the course of the war by restoring American confidence and weakening British control in the region.

On December 8, 1831, the man who shaped one of the most iconic buildings in American history—James Hoban—died in Washington, DC. Although his name isn’t as well known as the presidents who lived in his masterpiece, Hoban’s work left a permanent mark on the nation. As the architect of the White House, he helped design not only a home for America’s leaders but also a symbol of the country’s identity. His life story stretches from rural Ireland to the heart of the young United States, where his talent built the setting for generations of American history.

On November 26, 1789, Americans celebrated Thanksgiving for the first time under a presidential proclamation. Although people in the colonies had held harvest celebrations of thanks since the 1600s, the idea of a single, nationwide holiday did not yet exist. For more than two centuries, different communities held their own thanksgiving observances at various times of the year, often tied to local harvests, military victories, or special religious moments. It would take national leadership—and eventually the influence of several presidents—to turn Thanksgiving into the unified holiday we know today.

On April 30, 1904, the Louisiana Purchase Exposition opened to the public. The largest fair up to that time, opening day also marked the issue of a set of five stamps commemorating the exposition and the purchase.

On April 30, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt announced a new series of US Savings Bonds and bought the first one himself the following day. These bonds went on to help raise over $185 billion dollars during WWII.

On April 30, 1983, legendary blues musician Muddy Waters died in Westmont, Illinois. Dubbed the “Father of Modern Chicago Blues,” Waters had dozens of hits over the years and has been a major influence for generations of musicians.

On April 30, 1957, the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee opened its first meeting. The committee receives tens of thousands of stamp proposals every year and passes on their recommendations to the US Postmaster General who makes the final decision.