This Day in History Class

On this day in 1865, P. T. Barnum’s American Museum in New York City was destroyed in a mysterious fire. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1979, a promotional event at a Major League Baseball game devolved into a dangerous riot. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1985, Dr. Harry Harlan Stone announced the successful use of zippers to open and close surgical incisions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1994, Communist dictator and founder of North Korea Kim Il-Sung died of a heart attack.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1981, President Ronald Reagan nominated court of appeals judge Sandra Day O’Connor to be the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1699, Captain William Kidd was arrested and jailed in Boston on charges of piracy.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1946, French designer Louis Réard introduced the world to the bikini. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1881, the Tuskegee State Normal School, now Tuskegee University, opened its doors to students for the first time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1963, the ZIP Code was introduced as part of a nationwide effort to improve the speed of mail delivery in the United States. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1859, French daredevil Charles Blondin became the first person to walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1995, the American space shuttle Atlantis docked in orbit with the Russian space station Mir. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1846, Belgian musician and inventor Adolphe Sax secured the patent for a brand new instrument: the saxophone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1922, the Newbery Medal was awarded for the first time as a way to recognize excellence in children’s literature. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1901, Spanish painter Pablo Picasso held the first major exhibition of his artwork at a gallery in Paris. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1979, The Charlie Daniels Band released a hit single called “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1611, English navigator Henry Hudson was cast adrift with eight others after his mutinuous crew seized control of his ship. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1989, in a narrow decision, the United States Supreme Court upheld the rights of protesters to burn the American flag.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1756, dozens of British prisoners were forced to spend the night in an airless cell known colloquially as the Black Hole of Calcutta. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1901, the newly-formed College Board administered its first standardized admissions exams, the precursor to the SAT. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1883, at Victoria Hall in Sunderland, the rush to receive free toys left 183 children dead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1219, according to Danish legend, the country’s familiar red and white flag fell from the sky as a sign of God’s favor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill to add the words “under God” to the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated Judge Thurgood Marshall to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1845, President Andrew Jackson’s funeral was rudely interrupted when his pet parrot began squawking profanities during the service. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1856, nearly 500 members of the Latter-Day Saints set out for Salt Lake City, carrying everything they owned in two-wheeled handcarts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.