The Little Rock Nine is the name given to the nine students who integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957. September 25 was the day the Little Rock Nine attended their first classes. What happened in Little Rock was one of the first big showdowns between segregationists and the US government following […]
Month: September 2019
The Soviet Union Acquires the Atomic Bomb
September 23 is the 60th anniversary of US president Harry Truman’s announcement that the Soviet Union acquires the atomic bomb. This event ratcheted up tensions in the Cold War considerably. Now, both opponents possessed nuclear weapons. The military consequences were important. Both primary Cold War contenders now raced to beef up their nuclear arsenals. Soon, […]
The Emancipation Proclamation Issued by Lincoln
On September 22, 1862, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Although long overdue, it began the chain of events that ended slavery in the United States. Today, I’d like to explain some things about the Emancipation Proclamation and, hopefully, clear away some misconceptions people might have about it and its author. As I wrote a […]
Nikita Khrushchev Turned Away by Disneyland
Disneyland claims it is the “Happiest Place on Earth,” but it wasn’t very welcoming to Nikita Khrushchev on September 19, 1959. Khrushchev, the leader of the Soviet Union, was in the United States for a summit with US president Dwight Eisenhower. He wanted to see Hollywood during his visit, so US authorities arranged for the […]
Anne Hutchinson Arrives in Colonial Massachusetts
Today’s historical anniversary commemorates the arrival of Anne Hutchinson in colonial Massachusetts in 1634. Within a short time, she became one of the most controversial figures in early American history. Just four years later, the colonial authorities banished Anne to Rhode Island. There, she joined the community of fellow religious dissenter Roger Williams. The story […]
Miguel Hidalgo Costilla & Mexican Independence
On this date in history in 1810, Miguel Hidalgo Costilla, a Catholic priest, launches Mexico’s War for Independence in the town of Dolores. His proclamation, aptly called the “Cry of Dolores,” called for independence from Spain. It also declared in favor of land reform for greater equality and legal equality for all Mexicans. He picked […]