It was on 23 July, in 1948, that the Progressive Party opened it’s Presidential nominating Convention in Philadelphia, PA. The Party had been formed in response to what were viewed as the anti-New Deal policies …
Politics
Fear and Loathing in Louisville
18 July marks the birthday of Hunter S. Thompson in 1937. Thompson would be known as a pioneer in what was termed, ‘gonzo journalism’, which in part was typified by colorful anecdotes, often involving the …
Au H20
It was on this day, 13 July, in 1964 that the Republican National Convention opened in San Francisco. The eventual nominee would be Barry Goldwater of Arizona, who would go on to lose in a …
Son of Pravets
7 September marks the birth of Todor Zhivkov, in 1911. He was the Bulgarian Head of State from 1954 to 1989. Born into a poor family, Zhivkov was trained as a printer’s apprentice and soon …
Satchmo
6 July marks that day that Louis Armstrong died in 1971. Armstrong was born into a poor family in New Orleans, Louisiana. His grandfather had been a slave. At age 11, Armstrong dropped out of …
A Prophet In His Own Country
On 4 July, 1865, just a few months after the conclusion of the Civil War, James A. Garfield, the future 20th President of the United States, then serving as a US Congressman, said in a speech …
The Italian Eagle
It was on 30 June, 1933, that Italian aviator Italo Balbo took flight with a squadron of 24 Savoia-Marchetti SM.55X flying boats in a historic transatlantic crossing from Rome to Chicago. He would land on …
Are You Now, Or Have You Ever Been?
On 12 June, in 1956, Entertainer and Activist Paul Robeson appeared before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Ostensibly, he was called to discuss issues surrounding a lawsuit he brought concerning the revocation of his …
The Battle is Joined
In 1920, in West Virginia, tensions were high between coal company operators and organizers of the United Mine Workers labor union. A number of incidents preceded the bloody gun battle of 19 May, including the …
San Antonio Rose
13 May marks the day musician Bob Wills died in 1975. Wills fronted a band called, ‘The Texas Playboys’ that combined traditional hillbilly dance tunes with swing jazz music, developing a style called, ‘Western Swing’. …