Today in History

[MisterCairo]

1982 Falklands War: Argentinian forces land on South Georgia Island, precipitating war with the U.K.

One of the first major historic events, and the first war, I followed in real time. 37 years ago. Wow. Seems like yesterday, but it's like looking back at the Second World War from 1976.

 

[MisterCairo]

19th of March 1953 - The Oscars are broadcast on television for the first time, thus introducing the pain-inducing agony of lengthy acceptance speeches.

1962 - Bob Dylan releases his first album

1941 - Tuskegee airmen squadron 99 is formed

 

[Harp]

One of the first major historic events, and the first war, I followed in real time. 37 years ago. Wow. Seems like yesterday, but it's like looking back at the Second World War from 1976.

I attended a NATO briefing once that dealt extensively with the Falklands War and the use of Argentine exocets
against the British fleet. Had either Intrepid or Hermes been sunk by an enemy missile, an historic occasion would have
occurred similar to the Monitor/Merrimack Hampton Roads duel after which all wooden hulled navies were rendered obsolescent. The senior officer there, a RAF Group Captain I recall as a singularly impressive professional.

 

[MisterCairo]

I attended a NATO briefing once that dealt extensively with the Falklands War and the use of Argentine exocets
against the British fleet. Had either Intrepid or Hermes been sunk by an enemy missile, an historic occasion would have
occurred similar to the Monitor/Merrimack Hampton Roads duel after which all wooden hulled navies were rendered obsolescent. The senior officer there, a RAF Group Captain I recall as a singularly impressive professional.

I for one am heartily glad such history was not made!

 

[LizzieMaine]

On this date in 1929, newly-inaugurated President Herbert Hoover became the first Chief Executive to have a telephone on his office desk, fifty three years after the invention of the technology -- a move which led many in Washington establishment circles to brand Hoover a frivolous tech-obsessed whippersnapper. Had you desired scintillating conversation with Mr. H, his number was NATional 1414.

Advisors had repeatedly tried to get Hoover's predecessor, Mr. Coolidge, to install a phone, but Coolidge had nothing to say. Earlier, President Harding had considered installing telephone service, but his mistress warned him that someone might be listening.

 

[Fading Fast]

...but his mistress warned him that someone might be listening.

Credit her with having her antenna properly alerted to the risks of her profession.

 

[3fingers]

A U.S. naval task for began bombarding a little place called Okinawa today in preparation for the invasion on April 1st, 1945.

 

[scotrace]

In a move far ahead of its former New World colonies, The British Empire abolished the slave trade in 1807. 212 years later, trafficking in the sale of other humans is still a global problem.

In 1957, weenies at US Customs seized copies of Allen Ginsberg's poem, "Howl!"

 

[LizzieMaine]

If there is one single work that debunks the myth of postwar America, "Howl" would be it. "What sphinx of cement and aluminum bashed open their skulls and ate up their brains and imagination?"

 

[LizzieMaine]

On this date in 1911, these workers, mostly Jewish and Italian immigrant women in their teens or early twenties, were murdered in the name of profit when a fire raged thru the sweatshop factory of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company in Greenwich Village, Manhattan.
https://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/victimsWitnesses/victimsList.html?victimid=1
Lizzie Adler
Ann Altman
Annina Ardito
Rose Bassino
Vincenza Benanti
Yetta Bergerhttps://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/victimsWitnesses/victimsList.html?victimid=7
Essie Bernsteinhttps://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/victimsWitnesses/victimsList.html?victimid=8
Jacob Bernstein https://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/victimsWitnesses/victimsList.html?victimid=9
Morris Bernstein https://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/victimsWitnesses/victimsList.html?victimid=11
Vincenza Billota
Abraham Binowitz https://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/victimsWitnesses/victimsList.html?victimid=10
Gussie Birman https://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/victimsWitnesses/victimsList.html?victimid=13
Rosie Brenman
Sarah Brenman
Ida Brodsky
Sarah Brodsky
Ada Brucks
Laura Brunetti
Josephine Cammarata
Francesca Caputo
Josephine Carlisi
Albina Caruso
Annie Ciminello
Rosina Cirrito
Anna Cohen
Annie Colletti
Sarah Cooper
Michelina Cordiano
Bessie Dashefsky
Josie Del Castillo
Clara Dockman
Kalman Donick
Nettie Driansky
Celia Eisenberg
Dora Evans
Rebecca Feibisch
Yetta Fichtenholtz
Daisy Lopez Fitze
Mary Floresta
Max Florin
Jenne Franco
Rose Friedman
Diana Gerjuoy
Molly Gerstein
Catherine Giannattasio
Celia Gitlin
Esther Goldstein
Lena Goldstein
Mary Goldstein
Yetta Goldstein
Rose Grasso
Bertha Greb
Rachel Grossman
Mary Herman
Esther Hochfeld
Fannie Hollander
Pauline Horowitz
Ida Jukofsky
Ida Kanowitz
Tessie Kaplan
Beckie Kessler
Jacob Klein
Beckie Koppelman
Bertha Kula
Tillie Kupferschmidt
Benjamin Kurtz
Annie L'Abbate
Fannie Lansner
Maria Giuseppa Lauletta
Jennie Lederman
Max Lehrer
Sam Lehrer
Kate Leone
Mary Leventhal
Jennie Levin
Paulie Levine
Nettie Liebowitz
Rose Liermark

(to be continued.)

 

[LizzieMaine]

Bettina Maiale
Frances Maiale
Catherine Maltese
Lucia Maltese
Rosaria Maltese
Maria Manaria
Rose Mankofsky
Rose Mehl
Yetta Meyers
Gaetana Midolo
Annie Miller
Beckie Neubauer
Annie Nicholas
Michelina Nicolosi
Sadie Nussbaum
Julia Oberstein
Rose Oringer
Beckie Ostrovsky
Annie Pack
Provindenza Panno
Antonietta Pasqualicchio
Ida Pearl
Jennie Pildescu
Vincenza Pinelli
Emilia Prato
Concetta Prestifilippo
Beckie Reines https://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/victimsWitnesses/victimsList.html?victimid=108
Louis Rosen (Loeb) https://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/victimsWitnesses/victimsList.html?victimid=283
Fannie Rosen
Israel Rosen
Julia Rosen
Yetta Rosenbaum
Jennie Rosenberg
Gussie Rosenfeld
Emma Rothstein
Theodore Rotner
Sarah Sabasowitz https://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/victimsWitnesses/victimsList.html?victimid=116
Santina Santina https://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/victimsWitnesses/victimsList.html?victimid=117
Sarafina Saracino
Teresina Saracino
Gussie Schiffman
Theresa Schmidt
Ethel Schneider
Violet Schochet
Golda Schpunt
Margaret Schwartz
Jacob Seltzer
Rosie Shapiro
Ben Sklover
Rose Sorkin
Annie Starr
Jennie Stein
Jennie Stellino
Jennie Stiglitz
Sam Taback
Clotilde Terranova
Isabella Tortorelli
Meyer Utal
Catherine Uzzo https://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/victimsWitnesses/victimsList.html?victimid=138
Frieda Velakofsky
Bessie Viviano
Rosie Weiner
Sarah Weintraub
Tessie Weisner
Dora Welfowitz
Bertha Wendroff
Joseph Wilson https://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/victimsWitnesses/victimsList.html?victimid=146
Sonia Wisotsky

Eight victims remain unidentified.

 

[ChiTownScion]

If there is one single work that debunks the myth of postwar America, "Howl" would be it. "What sphinx of cement and aluminum bashed open their skulls and ate up their brains and imagination?"

Bix (Phoebe and the Pigeon People) captured the essence of Beat poetry.

 

[Peacoat]

Heard on NPR this morning that Diana Ross was born today's date in 1944. She, Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson were the top "Girl Group" in the 60s. Florence was never happy with not being selected as the lead singer (she had a beautiful voice that could have carried lead duties). She, in fact, sang lead on several songs in the early years. Florence had problems with alcohol and became unreliable. She was dropped from the group in 1967 and left to pursue a solo career. That didn't go well, and she died from a heart attack at age 32, I think it was. Her death is one of the great tragedies of rock history.

Florence was replaced by Cindy Birdsong who, along with Mary Wilson, remained as back up singers until Diana Ross left for her solo career in 1970. I never understood that as she had top billing with all of the lead vocals; she, in essence, had a solo career while she was "with" the Supremes. I think the reason went deeper than that, and there may have been some problems within the group, but I don't know this for sure.

So, Happy Birthday, Diana Ross.

 

[scotrace]

Seeing the list of names of the victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire is probably the firs time I've fully understood the scope of it.

 

[Fading Fast]

I've gone and looked at the building (it's still standing and in use) where the Triangle Shirtwaist fire occurred. There's a plaque or two noting the event as, today, I'm 99% sure, it's part of NYU. It's certainly a somber moment. But what is even more jarring - and has happened to me a few times in my 20+ years of living in NYC - is when you walk by the building as just a part of your day and don't think about it until you see the plaque or something else reminds you.

 

[Peacoat]

I've gone and looked at the building (it's still standing and in use) where the Triangle Shirtwaist fire occurred. There's a plaque or two noting the event as, today, I'm 99% sure, it's part of NYU. It's certainly a somber moment. But what is even more jarring - and has happened to me a few times in my 20+ years of living in NYC - is when you walk by the building as just a part of your day and don't think about it until you see the plaque or something else reminds you.

Yes, it is part of NYU and has been for decades. It is now known as the Brown Building, named for the philanthropist who donated the building to NYU. The owners were tried on manslaughter charges, but were acquitted. The fire and subsequent acquittals were dark days in our history.

 

[vitanola]

Yes, it is part of NYU and has been for decades. It is now known as the Brown Building, named for the philanthropist who donated the building to NYU. The owners were tried on manslaughter charges, but were acquitted. The fire and subsequent acquittals were dark days in our history.

Blanck and Harris ended up having to pay $75 to the family of each victim. Their insurance policy paid them $400 for each dead worker. Murder (well, manslaughter) can be quite profitable, it seems.

 

[scotrace]

March 28, 1979, Middletown, PA. The worst nuclear power plant disaster in the USA happens as the Three Mile Island reactor has a serious problem. Nuclear power in the United States will never really recover and few plants have been built since.

Madrid fell to Franco in 1939, ending the Spanish Civil War in time to attend the WWII party.

 

[Woodtroll]

Seeing the list of names of the victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire is probably the firs time I've fully understood the scope of it.

The loss of life and the reasons for it are still a part of the education of rookie firefighters. Certainly, not everyone has forgotten, but the tragedy is still somewhat hard to fathom.

A similar loss of life, for similar reasons, occurred at Our Lady of Angels school in Chicago in the 50s. This fire was even more tragic, if that is possible, because all but a few of the victims were children.

 

[Doctor Strange]

March 30, 1939 - Batman debuts in Detective Comics #27, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger.