Almanac - Tuesday March 19, 2024

Margaret Foley, a labor organizer, suffragist, and social worker, was born today in 1875. As a passionate suffrage activist, she would loudly confront anti-suffrage speakers at events and even made a solo balloon flight where she tossed suffrage literature from the basket.

Known as "The Funniest Woman in the World" Loretta Mary Aiken (better known as Moms Mabley) was born today in 1894. She was one of the most successful entertainers of the black vaudeville stage, also known as the Chitlin' Circuit.

1906 – Clara Breed, American librarian and activist (d. 1994) Breed kept in communication with many of Japanese American children who were sent to the camps, sending reading materials and visiting them regularly. She worked for the San Diego Public Library system for more than 40 years.

1880 – Ernestine Rose, librarian for the 135^th street branch of the New York Public Library and advocate for African-American culture (d. 1961)

Also on this day in history….

1649 – The House of Commons of England passes an act abolishing the House of Lords, declaring it "useless and dangerous to the people of England".

1831 – First documented bank heist in U.S. history, when burglars stole $245,000 (1831 values) from the City Bank (now Citibank) on Wall Street. Most of the money was recovered.

1895 – Auguste and Louis Lumière record their first footage using their newly patented cinematograph.

1918 – The US Congress establishes time zones and approves daylight saving time.

1920 – The United States Senate rejects the Treaty of Versailles for the second time (the first time was on November 19, 1919).

1931 – Governor Fred B. Balzar signs a bill legalizing gambling in Nevada.

1932 – The Sydney Harbour Bridge is opened.

1962 – The Algerian War of Independence ends.

1979 – The United States House of Representatives begins broadcasting its day-to-day business via the cable television network C-SPAN.

1982 – Falklands War: Argentinian forces land on South Georgia Island, precipitating war with the United Kingdom.

1989 – The Egyptian flag is raised at Taba, marking the end of Israeli occupation since the Six Days War in 1967 and the Egypt–Israel peace treaty in 1979.

Today’s birthdays include

1742 – Túpac Amaru II, Peruvian rebel leader (d. 1781)

1844 – Minna Canth, Finnish journalist, playwright, and activist (d. 1897)

1848 – Wyatt Earp, American police officer (d. 1929)

1860 – William Jennings Bryan, American lawyer and politician, 41st United States Secretary of State (d. 1925)

1868 – Senda Berenson Abbott, Lithuanian-American basketball player and educator (d. 1954)

1872 – Anna Held, Polish singer (d. 1918)

1873 – Max Reger, German pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 1916)

1881 – Edith Nourse Rogers, American social worker and politician (d. 1960)

1891 – Earl Warren, American lieutenant, jurist, and politician, 14th Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1974)

1893 – Gertrud Dorka, German archaeologist, prehistorian and museum director (died 1976)

1894 – Moms Mabley, American comedian and singer (d. 1975)

1900 – Carmen Carbonell, Spanish stage and film actress (d. 1988)

1901 – Jo Mielziner, French-American set designer (d. 1976)

1904 – John Sirica, American lawyer and judge (d. 1992)

1909 – Marjorie Linklater, Scottish campaigner for the arts and environment of Orkney (d. 1997)

1915 – Patricia Morison, American actress and singer (d. 2018)

1916 – Irving Wallace, American journalist, author, and screenwriter (d. 1990)

1919 – Lennie Tristano, American pianist, composer, and educator (d. 1978)

1923 – Pamela Britton, American actress (d. 1974)

1928 – Hans Küng, Swiss theologian and author (d. 2021)

1928 – Patrick McGoohan, Irish-American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2009)

1931 – Emma Andijewska, Ukrainian poet, writer and painter

1932 – Gail Kobe, American actress and producer (d. 2013)

1933 – Phyllis Newman, American actress and singer (d. 2019)

1933 – Philip Roth, American novelist (d. 2018)

1933 – Renée Taylor, American actress, producer, and screenwriter

1935 – Nancy Malone, American actress, director, and producer (d. 2014)

1936 – Ursula Andress, Swiss model and actress

1937 – Clarence "Frogman" Henry, American singer-songwriter and pianist

1937 – Egon Krenz, German politician

1942 – Heather Robertson, Canadian journalist and author (d. 2014)

1946 – Ruth Pointer, American musician

1947 – Glenn Close, American actress, singer, and producer

1955 – Bruce Willis, German-American actor and producer

1960 – Eliane Elias, Brazilian singer-songwriter and pianist

1963 – Mary Scheer, American actress and comedian

1967 – Sandra Dombrowski, Swiss ice hockey player and referee

1976 – Rachel Blanchard, Canadian actress

1978 – Cydonie Mothersille, Jamaican-Caymanian sprinter

1978 – Virginia Williams, American actress

1979 – Abby Brammell, American actress

1982 – Hana Kobayashi, Venezuelan singer

1995 – Julia Montes, Filipino actress

1996 – Barbara Haas, Austrian tennis player

Almanac - Tuesday March 19, 2024

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