1862 Ulysses S. Grant defeated the Confederates at theBattle of Shiloh in Tennessee. One of the bloodiest battles of the war

1902 The Texas Oil Company (Texaco) forms 

1927 a New York city audience saw an image of Herbert Hoover on the first long distance demonstration of Television. It was accomplished through the use of phone lines from Washington DC to New York NY.

1947 Auto pioneer Henry Ford died at 83. Scroll down to the bottom of this page for a list of controversial Ford quotes. Here’s a sample.

"Study the history of almost any criminal, and you will find an inveterate cigarette smoker."

"When there is something wrong in this country, you'll find the Jews."

1948 the World Health Organization was founded.

1950 the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "South Pacific" opened on Broadway. Here’s more of the events and time capsule from 1950. Sugar pops and silly putty are introduced. There’s a new South Pacific on Broadway.

1966 the US recovered an H bomb lost off the coast of Spain. There were 10 others lost during the cold war

1969 the Supreme Court struck down laws prohibiting private possession of "obscene" material in Stanley v George plus a few more

1977 Toronto Blues Jays 1st game, they beat Chicago 9-5 

1978 Gorbachev announces the withdrawal of Soviet Troops from Afghanistan. From the National Security Archive.

1978 President Jimmy Carter defers production of the neutron bomb. It kills people but leaves property intact. The capitalist bomb

1990 John Poindexter (National Security Advisor) found guilty on Iran-Contra scandal. Most recent incarnation as head of Total information Awareness project which turned into something of a Bush 43 embarrassment in 2003.

1994 the onset of the Genocide in Rwanda. The world stood by for 100 days until nearly a million Tutsi and Hutu moderates were massacred.

1915-1959 It’s also Billy Holidays birthday Listening to Lady Days rendition of Strange Fruit, would be fitting after reading about Rwanda.

Notable Birthdays

1762 Tabitha Gilman Tenney her Female Quixotism (1801) was the most popular novel written in America prior to the publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin in 1852. It’s the only book she wrote.

1860 W K Kellogg some considered him a real health flake from Battle Creek Michigan.

1894 Irene Castle Ballroom dancer who along with her husband popularized dancing. Remember the Turkey trot?

1897 Walter Winchell influential newscaster/columnist (voice of the Untouchables)

1928 Alan J Pakula director (All the President's Men, Klute) killed in a car accident in 1998.

1931 Daniel Ellsberg  whistleblower (Pentagon Papers)/patriot

1938 Eleanor Holmes Norton politician and former head of the EEOC.

1939 Francis Ford Coppola film maker (Godfather, Apocalypse Now, American Graffiti) here’s an article from Salon.

1951 Janis Ian [Janis Eddy Fink] New York NY, folk singer (Society's Child, At 17)

There is no reason to repeat bad history.