America had Tokyo Rose and Great Britain had Lord Haw Haw. William Joyce was born in Brooklyn. His Irish immigrant family moved back home when he was a child. His family was anti-independence and he joined the British Intelligence agency as a teenager. He participated in the Irish War Read more
He was born on Jan. 12, 1893 to a wealthy diplomat. After six weeks, his mother left him with another woman so she could join her husband in Haiti. He did not see his parents for another three years. His godfather was a Jewish businessman. His family lived in the Read more
Today is the anniversary of the birth of my favorite suffragist. Alice Paul was born on Jan. 11, 1885. Although not as well known as Susan B. Anthony and Carrie Chapman-Catt, she arguably was more important in getting women suffrage. She certainly is a more appealing character for modern women. Read more
One of America’s greatest scientists was born on Jan. 10, 1864. Here are the notes I gave to my American History classes. born a slave raised by ex-slave owner after being orphaned graduated from college became director of agricultural research at Tuskegee University under Booker T. Washington developed many products Read more
Israel Putnam was born on Jan. 7, 1718. He parents opposed the Salem Witch Trials. They signed a petition to exonerate the elderly Rebecca Nurse, but it failed. When he reached adulthood, he bought farmland in Connecticut. He became famous in the area when he crawled into a Read more
One of the most comical events in the Revolutionary War occurred on Jan. 6, 1778. And a famous poem was written about it. That poem called out adultery. (see the *** stanza) The British captured Philadelphia in 1777. It was a low moment in the American Revolution. In the Read more
Hedy Lamarr was born on Nov. 9, 1914 in Austria to Jewish parents. She went on to become “the most beautiful woman in the world.” At age 5, she took apart a music box and reassembled it. Her love of inventing was born. But she became more famous as Read more
One of the toughest men ever to grace planet Earth was born on Jan. 1, 1920. Basil Plumley enlisted in the Army on March 31, 1942 at age 22. He became a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne. He made four combat drops in WWII – Sicily, Salerno, D-Day, and Read more
Today is the anniversary in 1170 of the death of the most famous martyr of the Middle Ages. Once upon a time, there were two bosom buddies who loved to party. Then one day, one of them became King of England. Henry II thought it would be a great Read more