The Story of Writing

John Cabot gets the charter to explore "lands unknown" in North America, the writing of Nicolaus Copernicus is banned by the Roman Catholic Church, and it is the birthday of Dora Marsden - with a reading from her magazine "The New Freewoman."

The U.S. Constitution goes into effect, Frances Perkins becomes the first woman to serve as a cabinet member for the U.S. President, and the birthday club includes Antonio Vivaldi, Barbara Newhall Follett, and Khaled Hosseini - with a reading from "Kabuliwala" by Rabindranath Tagore.

The Missouri Compromise passes Congress, the world's first national forest was created in Wyoming, "The Star-Spangled Banner" becomes the U.S. national anthem, and it is the birthday of historian Ron Chernow - with a reading from Alice Dunbar Nelson's "A Carnival Jangle."

The U.S. prohibits importation of slaves and the birthday club includes Sholem Aleichem, Kurt Weill, and Theodor Geisel - with a reading from Aleichem's "On the Fiddle."

Yellowstone becomes the world's first national park and the birthday club includes Ralph Ellison and Harry Belafonte - with a reading from Ellison's "Invisible Man."

The birthday club includes Michel de Montaigne, Ben Hecht, Ketti Frings, and Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler) - with a reading from Montaigne's "Essays."

England's House of Commons votes to end combat in the American Revolutionary War, Lincoln speaks at Cooper Union, and it is the birthday of John Steinbeck - with a reading from his "Grapes of Wrath."

The Grand Canyon and Grand Teton NP were established, and the birthday club includes Victor Hugo, Levi Strauss, Fats Domino, and Johnny Cash - with a reading from Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

Samuel Colt gets the patent for his revolver, and the birthday club includes Anthony Burgess, Larry Gelbart, George Harrison, and Chelsea Handler - with a reading from Ambrose Bierce.

The first impeachment of a U.S. President, the Zimmerman Telegram changes U.S. perception of WWI, and it is the birthday of Judith Butler - with a reading from their "Undoing Gender."

The Gutenberg Bible is published, the Heisenberg uncertainty Principle is fleshed out, Joe Rosenthal snaps the iconic photo of Marines on Mt. Surabachi, and it is Rebecca Goldstein's birthday - with a reading from "The Enchanted April" by Elizabeth Von Arnim.

"The Long Telegram" is sent to the U.S. State Department, "Moose Murders" opens - and closes - on Broadway, and it is Arthur Schopenhauer's birthday - with a reading from his "The World as Will and Representation."

"Das Kapital" is published, The New Yorker publishes its first issue, and Erma Bombeck and Nina Simone were born on this day - with a reading from Bombeck's "Family - the Ties that Bind and Gag."

"The Barber of Seville" and "Swan Lake" premier, the Futurist Manifesto, and Hollywood allows U.S. war propagandists censor their movie scripts. Ellen Gilchrist was born on this day - and a reading from Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter."

The Treaty of Westminster is signed, the order allowing internment of Japanese Americans is signed, Betty Friedan publishes "The Feminine Mystique," and Kay Boyle, Carson McCullers, Smokey Robinson, and Amy Tan were born on this day - with a reading from "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman" by Mary Wollstonecraft.

"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is published, the Chicago Seven are found not guilty, and Wallace Stegner and Toni Morrison were born on this day - with a reading from Morrison's "Song of Solomon."

Isabelle Eberhardt, Dorothy Canfield Fisher, and Chaim Potok were born on this day - with a reading from Eberhardt's notebook.

The Anti-Discrimination Law of 1945 is passed - the first of its kind in the U.S., and it is the birthday of Otis Blackwell - with a reading from Elizabeth Peratrovich's testimony to the territorial government of Alaska.

Christopher Columbus writes a wildly misinformed letter describing the places he'd seen in 1492 and 1493 and it is the birthday of Susan B. Anthony - with a reading from Anthony's "On the Campaign for Divorce Law Reform."

"The Pale Blue Dot," QWERTY, and Carl Bernstein's birthday - with a reading from Anne Bronte's "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall."

ASCAP is formed, the fire bombing of Dresden begins, Australia apologizes to the Stolen Generations, and Eleanor Farjeon and Kate Roberts were born on this day - with a reading from Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein."

An observation on what it means to be a reader

Celebrating the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln, Charles Darwin, and Judy Blume - with a reading from Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address.

"Gerrymandering" begins, GM makes UAW a cohesive labor union, the Seabed Arms Control Treaty is signed, and Joy Williams and Mo Willems celebrate their birthdays - with a reading from Willams, "The Quick and the Dead."

The birthday club includes William Allen White and Boris Pasternak - with a reading from White's editorial apologizing for an earlier piece in which he angrily asked "What's the Matter with Kansas?"