1892 The “Pledge of Allegiance” of the United States of America was written by former Baptist preacher Francis Bellamy. It only took Bellamy three hours to write the original 23 words in honor of the 400th anniversary of Columbus discovering America.
1930 The comic strip “Blondie,” created by Chic Young, was first published.
1943 U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower announced the Allied armistice with Italy.
1945 In Washington, D.C., a bus equipped with a two-way radio was put into service for the first time.
1950 Congress passed the Defense Production Act, which called for various economic measures, including wage and price controls.
1952 Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea” was published.
1971 the john F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts opened in Washington, D.C.
1974 President Ford granted an unconditional pardon to former President Nixon.
1994 The Smithsonian Institution’s Office of Telecommunications film “Dream Windows: Reflections on the Japanese Garden” won an Emmy Award for cinematography at the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awards ceremony.
Today’s Birthdays:
Ann Beattie is 61
The American short story writer and novelist is considered one of the nation’s most important fiction writers and has received numerous awards, including an award for excellence from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters.
Alan Feinstein is 77
a prominent Rhode Island philanthropist known for his humanitarian and hunger relief work, as well as his promotion of education. Feinstein started a newspaper column and founded the Feinstein foundation, a charitable foundation that promotes the values of community service. Feinstein has received such prestigious awards as the Distinguished Services Award from the american history society and the Longfellow Humanitarian Award from the red cross.
Lyndon LaRouche is 86
Activist, former Presidential candidate, economist, philosopher
