Michigan Minute

On this day in 1875, George DeBaptiste, a key figure in the Underground Railroad, passed away in Detroit. Born in 1814, DeBaptiste was never enslaved and served as valet to President William Henry Harrison. He later moved to Indiana and then Detroit, where he continued his Underground Railroad activities, helping many escape to Canada. Detroit now honors his legacy with a historic site marker in B...

On this day in 1849, the Detroit city council called for the election of a City Physician to combat smallpox outbreaks. In 1865, Michigan African American troops helped liberate Charleston, South Carolina, with four Ypsilantians participating. And in 1965, Malcolm X, who spent much of his youth in Lansing, Michigan, was assassinated.

On this day in 1909, eight businessmen in Detroit founded the Hudson Motor Car Company, aiming to produce a car for under $1,000. Their first car rolled out in July of the same year. And in 1962, a crowd at MSU's Kellogg Center watched as John Glenn became the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth, marking a historic moment in space exploration.

On this day in 1976, President Gerald Ford signed the proclamation “An American Promise,” formally ending Executive Order 9066, which had led to the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII. And in 1940, Smokey Robinson was born in Detroit. He led the Motown group Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, and later had a successful solo career, being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 198...

On this day in 1842, the Michigan legislature approved the organization of a public school system in Detroit. In 1977, Karl Thomas from Troy ended a record 18-day solo hot-air balloon voyage across the U.S. And in 2014, Elana Meyers and Lauryn Williams, who spent part of her childhood in Detroit, won a silver medal in the two-person bobsled at the Winter Olympics.

On this day in 2018, Michigan held its 49th Spartan Stampede rodeo and selected its first African-American Rodeo Queen, Khalilah Smith, a Michigan State sophomore. The MSU Rodeo Club, founded in 1969, hosts this three-day event featuring bronco riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, calf roping, team roping, and barrel racing.

On this day in 1974, Joe Maka speared Michigan's largest recorded fish, a 7-foot, 193-pound sturgeon, at Mullett Lake. Also, in 1819, William Woodbridge was elected as Michigan's first member of the US House of Representatives, though he was a non-voting member since Michigan wasn't yet a state.

On this day in 1859, Lansing, Michigan, was incorporated as a city after being sold as a non-existent "Biddle City." Also, celebrating the birthday of Brian Holland, a key Motown songwriter born in 1941.

On this day in 1914, Nancy Harkness Love, a pioneer in women's military aviation, was born in Houghton, Michigan. In 1933, Governor William Comstock declared a two-week banking holiday to prevent a rush on Michigan’s banks. In 1967, Aretha Franklin recorded "Respect," which became one of the greatest songs of all time.

On this day in 1855, the Michigan Legislature moved to protect escaped enslaved people by prohibiting the use of county jails for their detention. In 1938, Lansing experienced its worst flood in two decades, with streets turning into rivers and significant damage across the city.

On this day in 1781, a Spanish force captured Fort St. Joseph, raising Spain’s flag over Michigan. In 1855, Governor Kinsley S. Bingham established The Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, later MSU, which became the prototype for land-grant institutions.

On this day in 1847, inventor Thomas Edison was born. He acquired 1,093 patents and innovated the phonograph, light bulb, and motion picture camera. In 1936, actor Burt Reynolds was born in Lansing, Michigan. In 1937, GM recognized the UAW as the sole bargaining unit for its workers.

On this day in 1763, the Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War, transferring Michigan from French to British rule. In 1922, the Detroit Symphony became the first orchestra to broadcast a concert on the radio. In 2014, Belle Isle became Michigan’s 102nd state park.

On this day in 1934, Vanderbilt, Michigan, recorded the state's coldest temperature at -51°F. In 1942, Detroit's auto manufacturers halted civilian car production to support the war effort, earning the city the nickname "Arsenal of Democracy."

On this day in 1997, Detroit Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman won his 1,000th regular season game. Also, in 1906, chess master Gisela Kahn Gresser was born in Detroit. She became the first American woman to achieve Master standing and be inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame.

On this day in 1976, Detroiter Sheila Young became the first American to win three medals in one Winter Olympics. In 1994, satellite images showed Lake Superior completely frozen over. In 2017, Betsy DeVos was confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Education by a historic tie-breaking vote.

On this day in 1844, the Grand Rapids vs. Kent dispute was settled, officially naming it Grand Rapids. In 1905, Merze Tate was born in Blanchard, Michigan. She became the first African American woman to achieve numerous academic milestones and joined Howard University's History Department.

On this day in 1959, Governor Jennifer Granholm was born. She made history as Michigan's first woman Attorney General and Governor, and later served as US Secretary of Energy. In 1991, Dr. Jack Kevorkian was barred from assisting in suicides. In 1988, the Brook trout was designated as Michigan’s state fish.

On this day in 1902, Charles Lindbergh was born in Detroit. He became the first person to fly nonstop across the Atlantic in 1927. In 1948, Vincent Furnier, known as Alice Cooper, was born in Detroit, famous for his elaborate stage props and dark performances.

On this day in 1838, passengers rode the Michigan Central Railroad from Detroit to Ypsilanti for the first time. In 1944, Detroit Red Wing’s Sydney Howe scored a double hat trick. In 1865, Michigan ratified the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery.

On this day in 1870, Elizabeth Madelon Stockwell became the first woman admitted to the University of Michigan. In 1936, the Baseball Hall of Fame inducted its first five players, including Detroit Tiger Ty Cobb.

On this day in 1967, Michigan completed I-94, becoming the first state with an interstate highway stretching border-to-border. In 1942, the Blue Star Mothers of America was founded in Flint to support children serving in WWII, and continues its mission today.

On this day in 1800, Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, the first known Indigenous literary writer and poet, was born in Ste. Saint Marie. Known as Bamewawagezhikaquay in Ojibwe, she left behind writings in both English and Ojibwe, offering insights into early 1800s life.

On this day in 1919, future Detroiter Fred Korematsu was born. He resisted Japanese American internment during WWII and was later awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1955, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo was born, leading the team to numerous Big Ten titles.

On this day in 1919, Michigan ratified the 18th Amendment, leading to Prohibition. In 1945, actor Tom Selleck was born in Detroit. In 1971, Michigan launched its first rocket into space from Keweenaw.