This Day in History – November 1, 2011

79 Pompei buried by Mt Vesuvius 1210 King John of England begins imprisoning Jews 1512 The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo, is exhibited to the public for the first time. 1520 The Strait of Magellan is discovered, the passage immediately south of mainland South America, connecting the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans, is first navigated by Ferdinand Magellan during the first global circumnavigation voyage. 1604 William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello is presented for the first time, at Whitehall Palace in London. 1611 William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy The Tempest is presented for the first time, at Whitehall Palace in London. 1683 The British crown colony of New York is subdivided into 12 counties. 1765 The British Parliament enacts the Stamp Act on the 13 colonies in order to help pay for British military operations in North America. 1784 Maryland grants citizenship to Lafayette & his descendants 1787 1st free school in NYC (African Free School) opens 1800 US President John Adams becomes the first President of the United States to live in the Executive Mansion (later renamed the White House). 1834 1st published reference to poker (as Mississippi riverboat game) 1848 In Boston, Massachusetts, the first medical school for women, The Boston Female Medical School (which later merged with the Boston University School of Medicine), opens. 1859 The current Cape Lookout, North Carolina, lighthouse is lit for the first time. Its first-order Fresnel lens can be seen for about 19 miles (30 kilometers), in good conditions. 1861 American Civil War: US President Abraham Lincoln appoints George B. McClellan as the commander of the Union Army, replacing General Winfield Scott. 1870 In the United States, the Weather Bureau (later renamed the National Weather Service) makes its first official meteorological forecast. 1894 Vaccine for diphtheria announced by Dr Roux of Paris 1896 A picture showing the unclad (bare) breasts of a woman appears in National Geographic magazine for the first time. 1897 The first Library of Congress building opened its doors to the public. The Library had been housed in the Congressional Reading Room in the U.S. Capitol. 1901 Sigma Phi Epsilon, the largest national male collegiate fraternity is established at Richmond College, in Richmond, VA. 1910 1st issue of “The Crisis” published by editor W E B Du Bois 1911 The first dropping of a bomb from an airplane in combat, during the Italo-Turkish War. 1913 Notre Dame upsets Army 35-13, 1st to use forward pass effectively 1915 Parris Island is officially designated a US Marine Corps Recruit Depot. 1918 Malbone Street Wreck: the worst rapid transit accident in US history occurs under the intersection of Malbone Street and Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, New York City, with at least 93 deaths. 1924 Forest Peters of Montana State U hits 17 of 22 attempted field goals 1928 1st celebration of Author’s Day 1928 Graf Zeppelin sets airship distance record of 6384 km 1936 Mussolini describes alliance between Italy & Germany as an “axis” 1936 Rodeo Cowboy’s Association founded 1938 Seabiscuit defeats War Admiral in an upset victory during a match race deemed “the match of the century” in horse racing. 1939 The first rabbit born after artificial insemination is exhibited to the world. 1940 1st US air raid shelter, Fleetwood, Pa 1941 American photographer Ansel Adams takes a picture of a moonrise over the town of Hernandez, New Mexico that would become one of the most famous images in the history of photography. 1942 John H Johnson publishes 1st issue of Negro Digest 1943 World War II: Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, United States Marines, the 3rd Marine Division, land on Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. 1943 World War II: In support of the landings on Bougainville, U.S. aircraft carrier forces attack the huge Japanese base at Rabaul. 1945 Australia joins the United Nations. 1945 1st issue of Ebony magazine published by John H Johnson 1947 1st Aloha Week Parade held in Hawaii 1950 1st African American player in NBA, (Celtic’s Charles Cooper) Fort Wayne IN 1950 Puerto Rican nationalists Griselio Torresola and Oscar Collazo attempt to assassinate US President Harry S. Truman at Blair House. 1950 Pope Pius XII claims Papal Infallibility when he formally defines the dogma of the Assumption of Mary. 1951 Jet magazine founded by John H Johnson 1952 Operation Ivy The United States successfully detonates the first large hydrogen bomb, codenamed “Mike” [“M” for megaton], in the Eniwetok atoll, located in the Marshall Islands in the central Pacific Ocean. The explosion had a yield of 10 megatons. 1952 Fusion occurred for the 1st time on Earth 1955 The bombing of United Airlines Flight 629 occurs near Longmont, Colorado, killing all 39 passengers and five crew members aboard the Douglas DC-6B airliner. 1959 Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacques Plante wears a protective mask for the first time in an NHL game. 1960 While campaigning for President of the United States, John F. Kennedy announces his idea of the Peace Corps. 1961 50,000 women in 60 cities participate in the inaugural Women Strike for Peace (WSP) against nuclear proliferation. 1963 The Arecibo Observatory in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, with the largest radio telescope ever constructed, officially opens. 1964 Kansas City Chief Len Dawson passes for 6 touchdowns vs Denver (49-39) 1965 1st concert at Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco 1966 NFL awards New Orleans its 16th franchise (All Saints Day) 1968 US pro soccer 14 teams merged into 1 all star team 1968 The Motion Picture Association of America’s film rating system is officially introduced, originating with the ratings G, M, R, and X. 1969 Beatles’ “Abbey Road,” album goes #1 & stays #1 for 11 weeks 1970 1st regular season Giants-Jets game, Giants win 22-10 at Shea 1970 Discotheque in Grenoble France burns, all exits padlocked & 142 die 1971 Eisenhower dollar put into circulation 1973 Watergate Scandal: Leon Jaworski is appointed as the new Watergate Special Prosecutor. 1979 Federal government made $1.5 billion loan to Chrysler 1979 Tanker Burmah Agate off Galveston Bay, Texas, spills 10.7 m gallons of oil, in US’s worst oil spill disaster 1982 Honda becomes the first Asian automobile company to produce cars in the United States with the opening of their factory in Marysville, Ohio. The Honda Accord is the first car produced there. 1987 NY Jets retire Don Maynards #13 1990 Last of Margaret Thatcher’s original cabinet resigns, Deputy PM Sir Geoffrey Howe 1990 Rhetoric escalates as Bush likens Saddam to Hitler 1990 Sandra Miller awarded $100 for Mike Tyson fondling her breasts 1993 European Union comes into existence 2000 Serbia joins the United Nations.]]]]> ]]>