Michigan Minute

On this day in 1921, Michigan sports official Lloyd W. Olds introduced the striped referee shirt to avoid confusion during games. The idea came after a mix-up in a 1920 football game. Olds' innovation debuted at the 1921 Michigan State High School basketball championships, and stripes became a referee tradition.

On this day in 1966, Michigan's first kidney transplant was performed at the University of Michigan, saving 15-year-old Janice Ottenbacher with an organ from her twin sister Joan. Both twins lived long, healthy lives. Since then, U-M's Transplant Center has performed over 10,000 transplants, becoming one of the largest programs in the country.

On this day in 1815, Detroiters and Canadians celebrated the end of the War of 1812 with the Pacification Ball, mending fences and hoping to leave the previous year's famine behind. In 2017, Michigan mourned the loss of Robert Daniel Mahoney, the first blind person elected to the Michigan House of Representatives, who showed the world what differently abled people could achieve.

On this day in 1979, MSU Superfan Duane Vernon and broadcaster Tim Staudt planned a parade with coach Jud Heathcote. Instead of celebrating a Final Four appearance, they celebrated the Spartans' victory over Indiana State and their NCAA Championship win with a Parade of Champions in downtown Lansing.

On this day in 1871, Amanda Sanford and Sarah Killgore became the first women to graduate from the University of Michigan. Additionally, in 1912, the Michigan Senate voted to support the 19th amendment, advancing women's suffrage.

On this day in 1944, Diana Ross was born in Detroit. She rose to fame as the leader of The Supremes, one of Motown's most successful groups. Ross launched a successful solo career in 1970 and was named Billboard's Female Entertainer of the Century in 1976. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

On this day in 1942, Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, was born in Memphis. She moved to Detroit, began singing at New Bethel Baptist Church, and later recorded hits like "Respect" and "Think." In 1987, she became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After her passing in 2018, she received a posthumous Pulitzer Prize special citation for her contributions to American mus...

On this day in 2016, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha was nominated for Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people for exposing the Flint Water Crisis. She tested Flint children's blood for lead, founded the Flint Child Health and Development Fund, and directs the MSU and Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative.

On this day in 1710, Detroit held its first Nain Rouge parade to banish the mythical Red Dwarf and his curse. According to legend, Detroit's founder Antoine Cadillac encountered the Nain Rouge, leading to a string of bad luck. The parade became an annual tradition to drive away misfortune from the city.

On this day in 1971, actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key was born in Southfield, Michigan. He later co-created the influential sketch comedy series "Key & Peele" with Jordan Peele, and famously appeared at the White House Correspondents Dinner as President Obama's Anger Translator, Luther.

On this day in 1933, Diego Rivera's Detroit Industry Murals were unveiled at the Detroit Institute of Arts. In 1953, the S.S. Badger ferry began its voyages across Lake Michigan, connecting Wisconsin to Michigan.

On this day in 1971, Lake Superior State University held its first annual Snowman Burning. In 1919, women were allowed to serve on jury duty in Wayne County. In 1970, Burton I. Gordon, head of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, was assassinated.

On this day in 1925, Michigan required fishermen to purchase licenses. In 1897, Hazen Pingree resigned as Detroit mayor to serve as governor. In 1991, John Voelker, author of "Anatomy of a Murder," passed away.

On this day in 1972, a co-ed housing experiment at the University of Michigan was disbanded amid media attention. In 1911, Alma mail carriers received over 2,400 Easter eggs from appreciative customers before Easter.

On this day in 1808, Detroit held its first St. Patrick’s Day celebration, one of the oldest in the U.S. In 2014, Michigan State University broke ground on the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), a major nuclear science facility.

On this day in 2013, a bill was passed prohibiting school districts from deducting union dues from paychecks. In 1846, Lansing became the capital of Michigan, overcoming its reputation as a "mud hole" to beat out more established cities.

On this day in 1867, Mary Chase Perry Stratton, founder of Pewabic Pottery and a Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame member, was born. In 1982, Zingerman’s Deli was founded in Ann Arbor.

On this day in 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his speech "The Other America" in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, facing interruptions from protesters but receiving strong support. Three weeks later, he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.

On this day in 1872, Governor Henry P. Baldwin called for a new Capitol Building for Michigan. The first Capitol was built in Detroit in 1832, and Lansing was chosen as the new seat of government in 1847. Architect Elijah E. Myers was commissioned in 1872 to design the new Capitol, named Tuebor.

On this day in 1974, the First Annual Ann Arbor Streak-In took place, drawing thousands of spectators. Later, the First Annual Lucky Streak attracted 10,000 people to watch 70 streakers.

On this day in 1912, Gov. Chase Osborn sought to outlaw brewery-owned saloons in Michigan. In 1836, Gov. Stevens T. Mason signed the Township Act, organizing land into political units and setting an example for other states.

On this day in 1914, Michigan took steps to improve handwriting in schools. In 2016, The Bay City Democrat published its final edition. In 1919, Marion Hutton, a singer with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, was born.

On this day in 1901, R. E. Olds moved his automobile factory to Lansing after a fire in Detroit. In 1976, Governor Milliken legalized manned hot-air balloon flights in Michigan, ending a ban in place since 1931.

On this day in 1887, pioneering pilot Philip Parmelee was born. He trained with the Wright Brothers and achieved several aviation firsts, including the first commercial flight and military reconnaissance flight. Parmelee tragically died at 25, but his legacy is honored at Lansing Capital Regional International Airport.

On this day in 1976, Sheila Young won three medals in speed skating at the Innsbruck Winter Olympics. In 2019, Representative John Dingell Jr., a key figure in passing significant legislation, passed away at 92.