Annual

 1952 History, Fun Facts, and TriviaIn 1952, the United States detonated the first hydrogen bomb at Enewetak Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, destroying an entire island and demonstrating a weapon of a magnitude that made atomic bombs seem small. I Love Lucy was the most-watched show on television. Eisenhower was elected president. Queen Elizabeth II […]

 1951 History, Fun Facts, and TriviaIn 1951, I Love Lucy premiered on October 15 and was immediately the third most-watched show on television. Ike Turner recorded Rocket 88 in March, which many music historians consider the first rock and roll record. A Streetcar Named Desire reached movie screens. The Catcher in the Rye was published.

1949 History, Fun Facts, and TriviaIn 1949, the Soviet Union detonated its first nuclear device, and the Doomsday Clock moved to three minutes to midnight. NATO was founded. The Berlin Airlift, which had been supplying West Berlin since June 1948, was still ongoing. George Orwell published 1984. The 45 RPM record was introduced. Death of

1948 History, Fun Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1948In 1948, three engineers at Bell Labs demonstrated a small device called a transistor, changing the course of human technology. Harry Truman won an election that everyone said he would lose and held up the newspaper that said he hadn’t. Citation won the Triple Crown. Gandhi was

1947 History, Fun Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1947In 1947, Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier over the Mojave Desert in a plane called Glamorous Glennis. Jackie Robinson walked onto Ebbets Field and changed baseball, and through baseball, America. The Roswell incident occurred and has since generated speculation. The Marshall Plan was taking shape. The

1946 Trivia, Information, History and Fun FactsQuick Facts from 1946 Influential Songs: “The Christmas Song” by Nat “King” Cole and “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” by various artistsMost Famous American: Bing CrosbyU.S. Life Expectancy: Males — 64.4 years | Females — 69.4 yearsThe Funny Trio: Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Dorothy LamourSong of the SouthDuel in the SunThe Razor’s

1940 History, Facts and Trivia Quick Facts from 1940 Influential Songs: When You Wish Upon a Star, Down Argentine Way, and Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the BarMost Famous Person in America: Probably Franklin D. Roosevelt, winning an unprecedented third term; or Winston Churchill, who dominated every front pageThe 40-hour work week became federal law in

1939 History, Facts, and TriviaIn 1939, the world got The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Batman, and the opening act of the deadliest war in human history. Hollywood delivered its most celebrated single year on record. Europe descended into a conflict that would kill somewhere between 70 and 85 million people. Franklin Roosevelt

1938 History, Facts, and TriviaIn 1938, a man in a red cape changed everything. Superman debuted in Action Comics #1, and pop culture has never fully recovered. On the radio, Orson Welles convinced a sizable portion of America that Martians had landed in New Jersey. At the movies, Errol Flynn swung through Sherwood Forest and

1937 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1937World-Changing Event: The Golden Gate Bridge opened May 28, 1937, connecting San Francisco to Marin County across one of the most difficult stretches of open water in the world — a Depression-era engineering achievement that became one of the most recognized structures on EarthDisaster: The Hindenburg airship exploded

1936 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1936 Influential Songs: He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, Summertime, and It Ain’t Necessarily So (both from Porgy and Bess)Most Famous American: Jesse OwensMonopoly board game: $1.98Median family income: approximately $1,160 per yearThe Conversation: King Edward VIII of Great Britain abdicated the throne on December 11

1935 History, Facts and TriviaQuick Facts from 1935 Top Songs: Cheek to Cheek by Fred Astaire, Isle of Capri by Ray Noble, and Red Sails in the Sunset by Guy LombardoThe Most Famous Person in America: Shirley TemplePhiladelphia brand cream cheese (3 oz.): 10 cents; 1 oz. gold: $35.00Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Pig, associated

1934 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1934 Top Songs: The Good Ship Lollipop by Shirley Temple and You’re the Top by Cole PorterThe Most Famous Person in America: Will RogersWilson baseball: 33 centsChinese Zodiac: Year of the Dog, associated with loyalty, honesty, and a strong sense of justice — three qualities in short supply

1933 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1933World-Changing Event: Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933, and consolidated absolute power within months — eliminating the Weimar Republic, suspending civil liberties, establishing one-party rule, and beginning the persecution of Jews and political opponents that led to the Holocaust and World War IIPop

1932 History, Facts and TriviaQuick Facts from 1932Crime of the Century: The kidnapping of 20-month-old Charles Lindbergh Jr. from his crib in Hopewell, New Jersey, on the night of March 1, 1932, gripped the entire nation and led to the passage of the federal kidnapping law still known as the Lindbergh LawTop Songs: Brother, Can

1930 History, Facts and TriviaQuick Facts from 1930 Influential Songs: Happy Days Are Here Again by Benny Meroff and His Orchestra, and Puttin’ on the RitzMost Famous American: Henry Ford — whose $5-a-day wage had defined prosperity and whose empire now defined what prosperity’s collapse looked likeWomen’s silk stockings: 89 cents; The New York Times:

1929 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1929World-Changing Event: The Wall Street Crash began on October 24, 1929 — “Black Thursday” — and peaked on October 29, “Black Tuesday,” when the Dow Jones lost 12% of its value in a single day. Over the following weeks, more than $30 billion in market value evaporated —

1928 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1928World-Changing Event: Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin on September 28, 1928, when he returned to his London laboratory after vacation and noticed that a mold had contaminated one of his bacterial cultures — and killed the bacteria around it. The antibiotic derived from that mold went on to save

1927 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1927World-Changing Event: Charles Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field on Long Island at 7:52 a.m. on May 20, 1927, and landed at Le Bourget Field outside Paris at 10:22 p.m. on May 21 — 33 hours and 30 minutes later. He was the first person to fly solo

1926 History, Facts, and TriviaQuick Facts from 1926 Influential Songs: When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along) by Al Jolson, and Always by George Olson and His OrchestraMost Famous American: Charlie ChaplinBayer Aspirin (100 tablets): 72 centsThe Male Sex Symbol: Rudolph Valentino — who died this year at age 31U.S. Life Expectancy: