The following historically-significant events have occurred during the month of September:
9/1/1939 – The Germans invaded Poland marking the beginning of WWII. 9/1/1983 – A Russian fighter jet shot down a Korean civilian airliner that had supposedly strayed off course during a scheduled flight from NY to Seoul. 9/2/1666 – The Great Fire of London began. It destroyed over 13,000 houses, although it is believed that only six lives were lost. 9/2/1789 – Congress established the Department of the Treasury as the third cabinet department. 9/2/1864 – General Sherman captured Atlanta. 9/2/1945 – President Truman declared VJ Day. 9/2/1963 – Alabama Governor George Wallace dispatched state troopers to prevent the integration of Tuskegee High School. 9/3/1783 – Representatives of England and the American colonies signed the Treaty of Paris bringing a formal ending to the Revolutionary War. 9/3/1833 – The “New York Sun” debuted, as the first newspaper to be “hawked” by boys on the sidewalk. 9/4/1609 – Henry Hudson discovered the island of Manhattan. (Do you know the derivation of the name, “Manhattan”)? See below. 9/4/1781 – Felipe de Neve founded El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles (in English, The Town of the Queen of the Angels), or as it is more commonly known, the City of Los Angeles. 9/4/1886 – Geronimo, the last and, perhaps, the most famous, Indian chief, was captured. 9/5/1774 – The First Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia. 9/5-6/1972 – Terrorists belonging to the Black September faction of the PLA murdered eleven members of the Israeli Olympic Team in Munich. 9/5/1997 – “Mother Teresa” died at age 87. 9/8/1565 – Spain founded the first settlement in America in St. Augustine, FL. 9/9/1776 – The Continental Congress officially changed the name of the “United Colonies” to the “United States.” 9/9/1976 – Chairman Mao Zedong, Communist China’s longtime leader, died. 9/11/2001 – The worst terrorist attack in US history ushered in the War on Terror, which is ongoing. Terrorists hijacked four jumbo jets. Two were flown into the WTC, causing both towers to collapse; one crashed into the Pentagon; and the 4th missed its target (the White House or the Capitol) due to the heroism of some of the passengers on board. Nearly 2,800, mostly civilians, were killed and thousands of first responders have since died or suffered health problems directly related to the attack. 9/12/1953 – Future US President John F. Kennedy married Jacqueline Bouvier in Newport, RI. 9/13/1788 – The US Congress chose NY as the capital. 9/13/1814 – Francis Scott Key wrote the Star-Spangled Banner while observing the Battle of Fort McHenry from a British prisoner ship in Baltimore harbor. 9/14/1901 – President William McKinley died from gunshot wounds suffered during an assassination attempt eight days previously. 9/15/1935 – The Nazi Germany government enacted the Nuremburg Laws, which deprived German Jews of their citizenship. 9/16/1620 – The Mayflower, with only 102 passengers and a few crew members, departed England for its famous voyage to the New World. 9/16/1908 – William Durant founded General Motors in Flint, MI. 9/17/1789 – The Constitutional Convention approved the US constitution. 9/17/1862 – The Union Army defeated the Confederate Army at Antietam in the bloodiest battle in US military history as approximately 26,000 soldiers died on both sides. 9/18/1947 – The air force was established as a separate branch of the military. 9/19/1893 – New Zealand became the first country to approve women’s suffrage. 9/20/1873 – The NYSE closed for the first time due to the Panic of 1873. 9/20/1973 – Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in the much-ballyhooed “Battle of the Sexes.” 9/22/1776 – The British executed Nathan Hale as a spy for the colonials who famously intoned “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” 9/22/1862 – President Abraham Lincoln issued the famous Emancipation Proclamation. 9/23/1952 – Vice Presidential candidate Richard Nixon delivered the famous “Checkers” Speech before a national tv and radio audience. 9/24/1957 – President Eisenhower deployed the National Guard to enforce racial integration in Little Rock, AK. 9/25/1513 – Spanish explorer Vasco de Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean. 9/25/1789 – Congress proposed 12 amendments to the US constitution of which ten were eventually ratified as the Bill of Rights. 9/26/1960 – Senator Kennedy and Vice President Nixon participated in the first televised presidential election debate. 9/27/1964 – The Warren commission issued its report that concluded a lone gunman had assassinated President Kennedy. 9/28/1542 – Portuguese explorer Juan Cabrillo discovered California. 9/28/1995 – Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO chief Yasser Arafat signed an agreement granting Palestinian self-rule of the West Bank. 9/29/1789 – Congress created the US Army, which consisted of 1,000 soldiers. 9/29/1829 – Britain’s Parliament authorized London’s Metropolitan Police Force. They were nicknamed “Bobbies” after Home Secretary Robert Peel, who was the driving force behind the idea. 9/29-30/1941 – Nazi soldiers perpetrated the infamous Babi Yar massacre at which in excess of 33,000 Jews were murdered. 9/30/1938 – British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain returned to England brandishing an agreement with Nazi Germany that he asserted guaranteed “peace in our time.” 9/30/1949 – The Berlin airlift concluded after it had successfully thwarted Soviet attempts to blockade West Berlin.
BIRTHDAYS – Rocky Marciano, undefeated heavyweight boxing champion, 9/1/1923; Christa McAuliffe (the first “ordinary” citizen in space), 9/2/1948; Jesse James, celebrated outlaw, 9/5/1847; Darryl Zanuck, movie mogul, 9/5/1902; Marquis de Lafayette, Revolutionary War hero, 9/6/1757; Queen Elizabeth I, 9/7/1533; Ferdinand Marcos, 9/11/1917; James Cleveland (“Jesse”) Owens, winner of four gold medals in 1936 Olympics, 9/12/1913; Walter Reed, 9/13/1851; General John J. Pershing, WWI commanding general, 9/13/1860; James Fenimore Cooper, authored “Last of the Mohicans,” 9/15/1789; William Howard Taft (27th US President), 9/15/1857; Agatha Christie, renowned mystery writer, 9/15/1890; John Marshall, first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, 9/24/1755; F. Scott Fitzgerald, author, 9/24/1896; George Gershwin, composer, 9/26/1898; Samuel Adams, Revolutionary War leader, 9/27/1722; Enrico Fermi, nuclear physicist, 9/29/1901; Truman Capote, authored “In Cold Blood,” 9/30/1924.
Quiz answer – It is derived from the Indian name, “Mannahatta,” which translates to “the hilly island.”
On September 1 we will celebrate Labor Day (“LD”). As we all know, the holiday has traditionally been celebrated on the first Monday of September. It is a federal holiday to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the US economy. It is celebrated in various forms and at various dates in approximately 80 countries.
To most Americans LD merely symbolizes the unofficial end of summer and the impending beginning of the school year. They enjoy the three-day weekend off from work. They spend the day with family and/or friends. They enjoy picnics, parades, vacations, shopping, baseball games and other sports activities, and barbecues. They lament, but grudgingly accept, holiday traffic and long lines at airports.
Wikipedia predicts that LD travel will be exceptionally heavy with respect to all modes of travel particularly flying and driving. Generally, the worst times to drive are the afternoons and early evenings on Thursday and Friday, with peak congestion expected on Monday. To avoid the heaviest traffic, drive before the afternoon rush on Thursday and Friday, and on Saturday. Usually, early morning or evening travel is the best bet. As always, adverse weather and/or accidents could easily cause further complications, disruptions, and delays.
On a positive note, gasoline prices are expected to be the lowest since 2020 and considerably lower than just last year. Currently, the average price at the pump is approximately $3.15 per gallon. The primary reason for this is increased supply, which in my opinion, is because of President Trump’s “drill baby, drill” policy.
According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) 2025 will feature the busiest Labor Day travel period on record. Normally airports are the most congested on the Friday before LD, but every day of the weekend will likely be problematic. Whichever day you fly expect long lines, flight delays and cancellations. Weather is the big “X” factor. One never knows what could crop up to complicate matters.
The TSA predicts that in excess of 17 million people are expected to fly through next Wednesday. Plan for massive flight delays especially passing through security. On a typical day, approximately 2.5 million passengers pass through security checkpoints, but this number is expected to rise to nearly three million per day during the LD weekend.
Why does the summer season appear to be so short? Every year it seems like summer has just begun and here comes LD. I believe it is because in our minds, we transfer the approximately three post-Labor Day weeks of the season to Autumn.
What is the meaning and purpose of LD? Why do we celebrate it? How did it come about? Good questions. Read on for the answers.
As I said above, the purpose of LD is to celebrate the accomplishments of the American Labor movement. Whatever one’s political views and affiliations, I think it is important and appropriate to understand Labor’s contributions to the growth and development of the US. For one thing, cheap labor was an integral component of the Industrial Revolution. When all was said and done, someone had to build all the roads, railroads, and cars, and operate all the factories and steel mills. In addition, the labor activism of the late 1800s and early 1900s was largely responsible for the relatively high wages and extensive benefits that are enjoyed by today’s US labor force (compared to that of other countries).
It should be noted that union membership has been declining sharply and steadily. For example, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 1950 approximately 40% of American workers were members of a union compared to a record low of just 9.9% in 2024. Moreover, the flood of illegal immigrants in recent years has served to depress wages of both union and non-union workers.
The history of LD began in the 1870s in Canada. Labor Unions were illegal in Canada, and 26 members of the Toronto Typographical Union had been imprisoned for striking for a nine-hour work day. That action led to demonstrations and rallies and raising the profile of labor unrest in both Canada and the US. Two of the most outspoken leaders were Peter McGuire, founder of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and an official of the American Federation of Labor, and Matthew Maguire, Secretary of the Central Labor Union in NY.
Historical accounts differ, but one or both of these men are credited with being the first to propose a holiday to celebrate labor. In any event, the CLU planned and organized the first LD celebration in NYC on September 5, 1885. Approximately, 20,000 workers and their families participated. The concept spread. In 1887 Oregon became the first state to sanction the holiday.
The Pullman Labor Strike in 1893 provided the final impetus for a national labor holiday. The Pullman Company had been founded and was run by George Pullman. Pullman, IL, where the company operated, was a classic company town. All the workers lived there and paid rent to the company, which was automatically deducted from their paychecks. Workers’ housing was segregated according to their jobs; everyone shopped at the Company Store.
Many viewed such an arrangement as a form of slavery, because workers were, in actuality, trapped due to their omnipresent debt to the Company. (Think of the song “Sixteen Tons.”) In 1893 the country was in the midst of a recession. The company laid off hundreds of workers and reduced the wages of many others. Of course, living expenses remained constant. These actions led to a strike. President Cleveland declared the strike to be illegal and “broke” it with Federal troops. Some striking workers were killed in the ensuing violence.
This incensed many Americans, and 1894 was an election year. So, Congress expeditiously passed a bill establishing LD as a national holiday, and the President promptly signed it into law. This entire process took only six days, so you can imagine the extent of the public outcry. Incidentally, this action failed to save President Cleveland’s political career; he was defeated anyway.
Eventually, the government settled on the first Monday in September as the official date. Many countries celebrate it on May 1 in conjunction with International Workers’ Day, but the Federal government did not want the association with that date for obvious reasons.
One of the supreme ironies of LD is that because it is such a big shopping day, many workers, especially retailers, are required to work. LD is considered to be one of the biggest retail sales days of the year. Some people use the day as a benchmark to change over their summer clothes to fall clothes. Fashion-minded people claim it the latest day when one should wear white clothes (although “winter white,” whatever that is, is still permissible.)
Like other holidays, LD should be a time for all of us to come together and reflect on what makes America, despite its flaws, the greatest country in the world. Disaffected residents as well as some people in other countries may like to criticize us for our real and perceived flaws, yet foreigners still want to come here, in some cases, desperately. In essence, many of them are “voting with their feet.”
Despite what you may see on tv or read in newspapers or on social media, most Americans are decent, hard-working, caring persons. Whenever disaster or tragedy strikes we unite to help those in distress. Many have donated their time and/or money without being asked and without expecting any payback or even recognition. If you doubt me, just look at the outpouring of kindness and empathy shown by “average” Americans toward the victims of the catastrophic events in recent years, such as superstorm Sandy, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and mass shootings. Those people, not the destructive thugs and professional agitators one sees on the tv news destroying property, attacking the police, and beating up those with whom they disagree, are the “real” Americans. It is the proverbial “silver lining” in a very dark cloud.
CONCLUSION
I hope you all enjoy your LD holiday however you choose to spend it. Feel free to tell me how you celebrated.
Historically, July has been a very active month. Below please find a list of significant historical events that have occurred during the month. Read on, and be edified.
July 1 – Canada Day is celebrated commemorating the union of Upper and Lower Canada and certain of the Maritime Provinces to form the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867.
July 1, 1862 – President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill authorizing the first income tax levy (3%).
July 1, 1863 – The decisive Civil War Battle of Gettysburg commenced.
July 1, 1963 – The US Postal Service commenced using zip codes.
July 2, 1776 – The Continental Congress adopted a resolution declaring that “these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states.”
July 2, 1788 – Congress announced that the US Constitution had been ratified by the requisite nine states.
July 2, 1881– President James Garfield was shot and mortally wounded. He died on September 19.
July 2, 1937 – Pilot Amelia Earhart went missing.
July 2, 1964 – President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
July 3, 1775 – George Washington took command of the Continental Army at Cambridge, MA.
July 3, 1976 – Israeli commandos rescued 103 hostages being held by pro-Palestinian guerrillas on a hijacked airliner at Entebbe airport in Uganda.
July 4, 1776 – The Continental Congress formally approved the Declaration of Independence, making this date the US’s official Independence Day, even though many of the 56 signatories signed the document later. (The exact dates are in dispute to this day.)
July 4, 1863 – The city of Vicksburg, MS surrendered to General Grant giving the Union control of the vital Mississippi River.
July 4, 1959 – A 49th star, representing Alaska, was added to the flag.
July 4, 1960 – A 50th star, representing Hawaii, was added to the flag.
July 5, 1946 – The bikini, named by creator Louis Reard for the Bikini Atoll where the atomic bomb was tested, was introduced in Paris.
July 6, 1885 – Louis Pasteur administered the first successful rabies shot (to a boy who had been bitten by a rabid dog).
July 6, 1942 – Holocaust victim, Anne Frank, and her family began hiding in a sealed-off room in Amsterdam in an ultimately futile attempt to avoid being captured by the Nazis.
July 7, 1898 – President McKinley signed a resolution annexing Hawaii.
July 8, 1889 – The Wall Street Journal began publication.
July 10, 1940 – The German Luftwaffe commenced bombing raids against Great Britain.
July 10, 1943 – The Allies commenced their invasion of Europe by landing in Sicily.
July 10, 1973 – The Bahamas gained its independence after 250 years of British rule.
July 13, 1977 – Two lightening strikes caused a 25-hour blackout in the NYC area. (Did the local birth rate spike in April, 1978?)
July 14, 1789 – A mob of protesters successfully stormed the Bastille Saint-Antoine in Paris, a fortress, a prison and a hated symbol of aristocratic repression. The Bastille’s fall shocked the aristocratic world and signaled the beginning of the French Revolution.
July 16, 1769 – Father Junipero Serra founded the mission of San Diego de Alcala (present-day San Diego), one of many he founded throughout current-day California.
July 16, 1969 – The Apollo 11 mission took off for the moon.
July 17, 1918 – Bolshevik rebels murdered Czar Nicholas II and his family in Ekaterinburg, Siberia.
July 17, 1955 – Disneyland, in Anaheim, CA, opened to the public.
July 17, 1996 – TWA Flight 800 blew up shortly after takeoff off the coast of Long Island.
July 18, 1936 – The Spanish civil war began as a revolt by right wing army officers stationed in Morocco.
July 18, 1947 – President Truman, who had succeeded to the presidency following FDR’s death, signed an Executive Order that laid out the order of succession in the event a president were to die or become incapacitated (vp, speaker of the house, etc.). This order became the basis for the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified on February 10, 1967. July 18, 1969 – Senator Ted Kennedy drove his car off a wooden bridge on Chappaquiddick Island killing aide Mary Jo Kopechne and ending his chances for the presidency.
July 20, 1969 – Billions of people watched live on tv as Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. (Famous quote – “One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”)
July 27, 1953 – The US and Korea signed an armistice ending the Korean Conflict, which had raged on for three years.
July 27, 1974 – The House of Representatives charged President Nixon with the first of three articles of impeachment for obstruction of justice, eventually culminating in his resignation.
July 29, 1976 – David Berkowitz, aka “Son of Sam,” began his murderous reign of terror in NYC, which lasted until August 10, 1977.
July 29, 1981 – England’s Prince Charles and Lady Diana were married at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
July 30, 1965 – President Lyndon Johnson signed the Social Security Act of 1965, which established the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
July 31, 1798 – The US Patent Office opened and issued its first patent (for a new method of making potash and pearl ash).
Birthdays – Thurgood Marshall – 7/2/1908; Stephen Foster (wrote some 200 songs, (including Oh Susanna, Camptown Races and Swanee River) – 7/4/1826; Calvin Coolidge (30th President) – 7/4/1872; David Farragut (Civil War admiral, famous quote: “Damn the torpedoes; full speed ahead.”) – 7/5/1801; PT Barnum (promoter, showman and co-founder of the circus) – 7/5/1810; Cecil Rhodes (his will established Rhodes Scholarship) – 7/5/1863; John Paul Jones (father of US Navy, famous quote: “I have not yet begun to fight!”) – 7/6/1747; Leroy “Satchel” Page (AA Hall of Fame pitcher) – 7/7/1906; Nelson Rockefeller – 7/8/1908; John Calvin (founded Presbyterianism) – 7/10/1509; Arthur Ashe (tennis champion) – 7/10/1943; John Quincy Adams (6th president and son of #2, John Adams) – 7/11/1767; Gerald Ford ( 38th president) – 7/14/1913; Rembrandt van Rijn (famous Dutch painter) – 7/15/1606; Nelson Mandela – 7/18/1918; Edmund Hillary (first to ascend Mt. Everest) – 7/20/1919; Ernest Hemingway (Nobel Prize-winning author) – 7/21/1899; Simon Bolivar (aka “The Liberator” or “The George Washington of South America” for his successful efforts to liberate the nations of Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Venezuela from Spain) – 7/24/1783; Amelia Earhart (pioneer female pilot) – 7/24/1898; George Bernard Shaw (playwright) – 7/26/1856; Jacqueline Bouvier (JFK widow) – 7/28/1929; Benito Mussolini – 7/29/1883; Henry Ford – 7/30/1863.
Tomorrow, July 4th, we will celebrate our nation’s independence. Many of you will celebrate by gathering with family and friends at barbecues, going to the beach or pool club, attending a baseball game, or simply relaxing and enjoying a day off from work.
Many of you have requested a quiz, so In honor of the holiday I have prepared one to test your knowledge, or lack thereof. As usual, no peeking at the internet and do not consult Siri or Alexa.
The primary author of the Declaration of Independence was a. George Washington b. Henry Lee c. Benjamin Franklyn d. Thomas Jefferson
2. The oldest continuous Independence Day celebration is in what city? a. Bristol, RI b. New York, NY c. Waterbury, CT d. Philadelphia, PA
3. The origin of the song, “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” was a. American troops during the Revolutionary War b. French troops during the RW c. British military before the RW d. Hessians at the battle of Trenton, NJ
4. The movie, “Independence Day” starred a. Tom Cruise b. Will Smith c. Morgan Freeman d. Daniel Day-Lewis
5. The Statue of Liberty was donated by which country? a. France
b. Spain
c. Canada
d. England
6. Each of the following was a member of the Committee of Five (assigned to draft the Declaration), except: a. George Washington b. Roger Sherman c. John Adams d. Benjamin Franklyn
7. Who was the only President to have been born on the 4th of July? a. John Adams b. Grover Cleveland c. Calvin Coolidge d. James Polk
8. Each of the following Presidents died on July 4th, except: a. John Adams b. Thomas Jefferson c. James Monroe d. James Madison
9. Each of the following is considered to be a “Founding Father,” EXCEPT: a. John Adams b. Andrew Jackson c. Alexander Hamilton d. James Madison
10. The “Star Spangled banner” was written by Francis Scott Key during which war? a. French and Indian War b. American Revolution c. Civil War d. War of 1812
11. The origin of the nick-name “Uncle Sam” is purportedly: a. The Continental Congress b. The Sons of Liberty c. Meat packer who supplied meat to the US Army d. British troops during the RW
12. Who, along with John Adams, is responsible for designating the bald eagle as the US’s National Bird? a. George Washington b. Thomas Jefferson c. Benjamin Franklyn d. Patrick Henry
13. Which battle was the turning point of the Revolutionary War? a. Brooklyn Heights b. Charleston c. Baltimore d. Saratoga
14. How many persons signed the Declaration of Independence? a. 13 b. 26 c. 40 d. 56
15. Which was the first state to ratify the Constitution? a. Virginia b. New York c. Delaware d. Massachusetts
16. Purportedly, the Independence Day Nathans Hot Dog Eating Contest was first held in a. 1876 b. 1930 c. 1945 d. 1916
17. Who was one of only two signers of the Declaration of Independence to be elected President? a. John Adams b. Andrew Jackson c. Alexander Hamilton d. Aaron Burr
18. Although July 4 is recognized as Independence Day, the Continental Congress approved a “resolution of independence” on this date. a. June 15 b. July 1 c. July 2 d. July 3
19. The first capital of the US following ratification of the Constitution was a. Washington DC b. New York c. Philadelphia d. Boston
20. The 14th state of the union was: a. Maine b. Georgia c. Florida d. Vermont
21. Independence Day became a federal holiday in:
a. 1776
b. 1783
c. 1870
d. 1916
22. In 1778 George Washington celebrated Independence Day with his troops by:
a. Giving everyone a raise
b. A 21-gun salute
c. Giving a rousing speech
d. giving everyone a double ration of rum
23. Each of the following presidents’ faces is sculpted on Mt. Rushmore, EXCEPT:
a. Franklin Roosevelt
b. Theodore Roosevelt
c. Thomas Jefferson
e. George Washington
24. George Washington crossed the Delaware River on December 25-26, 1776 to defeat the Hessians at which city.
a. Philadelphia
b. New York
c. Monmouth
d. Trenton
25. Which English general surrendered at Yorktown, VA effectively ending the Revolutionary War?
a. Howe
b. Cornwallis
c. Burgoyne
d. Kensington
26. Who was the king of England during the RW?
a. George I
b. George II
c. George III
d. Edward I
27. Each of the following famous personalities was born on July 4 EXCEPT:
“Father time” is undefeated. That is a well-known expression often applied to sports careers, but it is also applicable to other aspects of life, such as Holocaust survivors.
It has been 80 years since the end of WWII and the resultant worldwide revelation of the Holocaust that the Nazis visited upon Jews, Gypsies, and others they deemed to be “enemies of the state, inferior” and even “subhuman,” from the early 1930s through 1945. It is estimated that the Nazis and their often-eager collaborators murdered some six million Jews during this period. (Yes, there are credible records of many who risked their lives to save Jews, but in my opinion, they were in the minority.) The overall total, including, non-Jews, is unknown due to the many mass executions whose victims were buried in hidden and unrecorded mass graves, but according to Wikipedia, research by historians places the number of Holocaust victims murdered at “not less than twelve million and probably more.”
The contrast between the estimated Jewish populations of some European countries prewar versus postwar is shocking but not surprising: Germany – 560,000 vs. 15,000, Poland – 3.3 million vs. 300,000, and Austria – 191,000 vs fewer than 4,000. Jews had been living in those countries for hundreds of years. They had become ingrained into the economic, political, social and cultural life of those countries. They were always welcome, until they were not.
It has often been said that the surviving victims’ best revenge on Hitler and the Nazis was to live a long, productive life. As the Tom Hanks character counseled the Matt Damon character in the iconic WWII movie Saving Private Ryan: “earn it.”
Inevitably, with the passage of time the number of Holocaust survivors has dwindled down to a precious few. According to a recent article published in the Associated Press only some 200,000 Jewish Holocaust survivors are still alive, roughly one-half of whom live in Israel. (By comparison, Israel is home to merely .12% of the world’s total population.)
The Claims Conference, which monitors Holocaust survivors, estimates their median age to be 87 with about 1,500 of them in excess of 100 years old. As one might expect a goodly number of them are in poor general health, not only the result of age but also the physical, mental and emotional abuse and stress of the Holocaust, itself. According to research provided by Vanishing Witnesses sadly, but inevitably, due to normal mortality rates approximately 50% of them will likely pass away in the next six years, and virtually all of them within the next 15.
One survivor who has fulfilled the aforementioned advice to “live long and well” is Albrecht W. As profiled in the aforementioned AP article AW is 100. He survived Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen, Mittel Brau-Dora and three “death” marches. Virtually his entire extended family was murdered in the Holocaust. To this day, he is still haunted by “horrendous memories” of what he endured. “I sleep with it; I sweat; I have nightmares; that is my [remembrance].” He dedicated his working career to teaching high school students and others about what he and others endured. Nevertheless, he is one of those who worries who will keep the memories alive after he is gone.
Conclusion
The primary takeaway from the foregoing is that very soon there will no longer be any firsthand witnesses to the horrific events that took place. Yes, there are photos, films and secondhand accounts, but they do not have the same impact. “Holocaust deniers” are already asserting that the events of the Holocaust are either exaggerated or never occurred. Ironically, they are simply too horrific and inhuman to be believed. Normal people cannot conceive that a human being could do those things to another human.
As time moves on, these “deniers” will become more numerous and vociferous. They will claim that photos and film records have been photoshopped and “doctored” and any remaining witnesses are unreliable. Eventually, the memories survivors have vowed to ensure people will “never forget” will, in fact, be forgotten, and the world will be inching closer to the next Holocaust. I hope I am wrong about this but based on history I doubt it.
Below please find some of the significant events that have occurred in March.
3/1/1932 – In one of the most notorious kidnappings ever, the 20 month-old son of renowned aviator, Charles Lindbergh, was taken from his home. Tragically, the child was later found dead only a few miles away.
3/1/1961 – President JFK established the Peace Corps, which sent volunteers to developing countries to provide healthcare, education, and other basic human needs.
3/1/1974 – Several senior officials of the Nixon administration were indicted for obstruction related to the infamous Watergate break-in.
3/4/1681 – England’s King Charles, II deeded a huge tract of land in the New World to William Penn in settlement of a debt. Appropriately, the area became known as Pennsylvania.
3/4/1789 – The first meeting of the US Congress occurred in NYC.
3/4/1830 – Former President John Quincy Adams returned to Congress as a member of the House of Representatives, the first, and only, ex-President to do so. [Who was the only ex-President to serve in the US Senate? See answer below?]
3/5/1770 – British soldiers opened fire on a group of demonstrating colonials, killing five, including Crispus Attucks, an African-American, who later became celebrated as being the first American to die in the Revolutionary War.
3/5/1946 – The term, “Iron Curtain,” was first used (in a speech by Winston Churchill) to describe the separation between the free countries of Europe and those that were under the domination of the Soviet Union. 3/6/1836 – The Alamo was overrun by Mexican troops, who slaughtered every last defender, including James Bowie and Davy Crockett. “Remember the Alamo” became the inspirational rallying cry for Texans’ fight for independence from Mexico.
3/10/1862 – The US began distributing paper money in denominations of $5, $10 and $20.
3/10/1880 – The Salvation Army was founded in the US.
3/11/1918 – The “Spanish Flu” first appeared in the US. By the end of 1920 it had been responsible for some 22 million deaths worldwide.
3/12/1609 – The British colonized Bermuda (by accident, as a ship headed for Virginia had been blown off-course).
3/12/1888 – The infamous “Great Blizzard of 1888” wreaked havoc on the northeastern US. In NYC it dropped 40 inches of snow over 36 hours and was responsible for some 400 deaths.
3/12/1912 – Girl Scouts of America founded.
3/12/1938 – In the first of many blatant acts of aggression, Germany invaded, and later annexed, Austria.
3/15/44 B.C. – Julius Caesar was assassinated in the Senate by a group that included his friend, Brutus (“Et tu, Brute?”).
3/16/1968 – American soldiers killed 504 Vietnamese men, women and children in what became known as the “My Lai Massacre.”
3/17 – Celebrated in many countries as St. Patrick’s Day to honor the Patron Saint of Ireland, who is credited with converting the Irish to Catholicism in the 5th century.
3/22/1972 – Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibited discrimination on the basis of gender.
3/23/1775 – In a speech before the Virginia House of Burgesses, Patrick Henry intoned his famous words, “give me liberty, or give me death.”
3/24/1934 – President FDR granted independence to the Philippine Islands, which the US had controlled since the Spanish-American War.
3/24/1989 – The oil tanker, Exxon Valdez, ran aground off the coast of Alaska, spewing forth some 11 million gallons of oil over some 45 miles of natural habitat, creating the one of the largest and most devastating ecological disasters in US history.
3/25/1807 – The British Parliament abolished slavery throughout the Commonwealth.
3/25/1911 – A raging fire in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in NYC killed 123 in just minutes. The tragedy shined a spotlight on the working conditions of immigrant women who were laboring in the garment industry for long hours and low pay.
3/26/1979 – Egypt and Israel signed the Camp David Accord peace treaty, brokered by President Jimmy Carter.
3/28/1930 – Constantinople was renamed Istanbul.
3/28/1979 – An accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant created a controversy over the use of nuclear power that still has not been fully resolved.
3/30/1981- President Ronald Reagan is gravely wounded by a would-be assassin. He recovered shortly to resume his duties and later quipped that he “forgot to duck.”
3/30/1909 – The Queensboro Bridge (aka The 59th Street Bridge) opened.
3/31/1968 – President LBJ, who, for many, had come to symbolize the futility and frustration of the Vietnam War, announced he would not run for re-election.
Birthdays – 3/1/1904 – Glenn Miller, bandleader (“Moonlight Serenade”), in Carilinda, IA; 3/2/1793 – Sam Houston, led the fight for Texas independence, Rockbridge County, VA; 3/3/1831 – George Pullman, invented “Pullman Car,” which improved sleeping accommodations on trains, in Brocton, NY; 3/3/1847 – Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, among others, in Edinburgh, Scotland; 3/4/1747 – Casimir Pulaski, Revolutionary War hero, in Poland; 3/4/1888 – Knute Rockne, football coach, in Voss, Norway; 3/6/1875 – Michelangelo, Renaissance painter, in Caprese, Italy; 3/9/1451 – Amerigo Vespucci, explorer and cartographer for whom America is named; 3/9/1454 – Yuri Gagarin, first cosmonaut in space, in Gzhatsk, Russia; 3/14/1879 – Albert Einstein, physicist who developed the theory of relativity; 3/14/1833 – Lucy Hobbs, first female dentist, in NY; 3/15/1767 – Andrew Jackson, 7th President, war hero in War of 1812, in Waxhaw, SC; 3/16/1751 – James Madison, a Founding Father and 4th US President; 3/18/1837 – Grover Cleveland, 22nd and 24th President (first president to serve two terms non-consecutively), in Caldwell, NJ; 3/19/1813 – David Livingstone, explorer and missionary who famously went missing in Africa. When he was finally found by newsman Henry Stanley, the latter supposedly uttered the famous line, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume,” although that might have been an example of Hollywood hyperbole, in Scotland; 3/19/1848 – Wyatt Earp, Wild West lawman and gunfighter, in Monmouth, IL; 3/19/1860 – William Jennings Bryan, known for “Cross of Gold ” speech and for the dubious honor of being only person to lose three presidential races, in Salem, IL; 3/21/1685 – Johann Sebastian Bach, composer, in Germany; 3/24/1685 – Erik Weisz, aka, Harry Houdini, escape artist, in Hungary; 3/26/1911 – Thomas Lanier “Tennessee” Williams, III, playwright (“A Streetcar Named Desire,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”), in Columbus, MS; 3/29/1911 – John Tyler, became 10th President upon the death of Willi3/31/1878am Henry Harrison, Charles City County, VA; 3/30/1853 – Vincent Van Gogh, Postimpressionist painter, in Groot Zundert, Holland; 3/31/1731 – Franz Joseph Haydn, composer, considered to be father of the symphony and string quartet, in Austria, 1732; – Jack Johnson, first AA boxing champion, in Galveston, TX, 1878.
As most of you know February Black History Month. Accordingly, I think that this is an appropriate time to pay homage to some of the people of color who have made outstanding contributions to the history of blacks and to America. Some of them, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Barack Obama, Muhammed Ali, and Jackie Robinson, to name a few, are household names and have been the subject of movies, tv productions and books; others are only known to students of history and the civil rights movement. It is the latter group that I will highlight for this blog. I don’t have the time and space to write about all of them, but below please find brief summaries of some:
Shirley Chisholm – She was the first Black woman to be elected to Congress. She represented NYC’s 12th district in the House of Representatives from 1969 to 1983. In 1972, she became the first woman to run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.
Bayard Rustin – He was a prominent civil rights leader in the 1960s. He is best known for organizing and strategizing the famous March on Washington in August 1963, the one in which Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
Claudette Colvin – Before Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955, there was a brave 15-year-old who also chose not to surrender her seat on a bus to a white person and move to the back. She was arrested for her impudence. Few people know her story. She was fifteen and pregnant at the time. Therefore, civil rights leaders declined to sue preferring to wait for a case with a better fact pattern in order to enhance their chances of winning.
James Baldwin – He was writer and civil rights activist best known for his essays, novels, plays, and poems. Time magazine ranked his 1953 novel Go Tell It on the Mountain as one of the top 100 English-language novels. In addition, he was an influential public figure and orator during the early days of the civil rights movement.
Jesse Owens – He was a track-and-field athlete best known for winning four gold medals in the 1936 Olympic Games, which were held in Nazi Germany. His performance embarrassed Hitler and all those who believed the Nazis were the Master Race and blacks were inferior. In 1976, Owens received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 1990.
Jane Bolin – She was the first Black woman to attend Yale Law School in 1931. In 1939, she became the first black female judge in the United States.
Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. – He was the first Black general in the U.S. Army. His long and distinguished 50-year career included stints as a first lieutenant during the Spanish American War, a professor of military science at Tuskegee and Wilberforce University, commander of the 369th Infantry of the New York National Guard, and Special Assistant to the Commanding General, among many other positions. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and the Distinguished Service Medal and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler – She was the first Black woman to earn a medical degree in the United States. After working as a nurse for eight years she was accepted to the New England Female Medical College (which later merged with Boston University) in 1860.
Gerald Wilson – Before Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and other famous black jazz musicians there was Gerald Wilson. He was a trumpeter, jazz composer, arranger, and bandleader known for “redefin[ing] Big Band.” His band was considered to be one of the greatest in the jazz world, with a sound heavily influenced by the blues mixed with other styles.
Moses Fleetwood Walker – Who was the first black MLB player? No, it was not Jackie Robinson. According to The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) Moses “Fleetwood” Walker is credited with being the first African American baseball player in the major leagues. He was a catcher who played 42 MLB games in 1884. It should be noted that five years’ prior in 1879 William Edward White played one professional baseball game for the Providence Grays of the National League. However, White’s light complexion enabled him to “pass” as white, and he identified as such. Therefore, unlike Walker who was open about his black heritage, he was spared the racial bigotries, indignities and hostilities that were prevalent at the time. Hence SABR credits Walker with being the first.
Thurgood Marshall – He was an American civil rights lawyer and jurist who served as the first black associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1967 until 1991. As an attorney for the NAACP he defended numerous blacks who had been accused of crimes. His most famous case was Brown vs the School Boards of Kansas, South Carolina, Delaware, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. His landmark victory overturned the then-prevalent “separate but equal” Plessey decision, which had stood since 1896 and paved the way for the integration of public schools.
Crispus Attucks – He was a black whaler, sailor, and stevedore who is generally regarded as the first person killed in the American Revolutionary War.
CONCLUSION
The foregoing are just a few of many black Americans who have made significant contributions to black history and American history. I’m sure I omitted some that were equally worthy, but time and space dd not enable me to mention everyone. Besides, the blog would have been so long no one would have read it.
February may be the shortest month, but there has been no shortage of significant historical events during the month. For example:
2/2/1848 – The US-Mexican War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The US paid $15 million for a huge swath of land that encompasses parts of present-day CA, AZ, TX, UT, NV, NM, CO and WY. 2/3/1870 – The 15th amendment to the Constitution was ratified, guaranteeing all citizens the right to vote. 2/3/1913 – The 16th amendment to the Constitution was ratified authorizing Congress to collect income taxes.
2/5/2020 – The Senate voted to acquit President Trump of all Articles of Impeachment.
2/6/1933 – The 20th amendment to the Constitution was ratified, which changed the presidential inauguration date from March 4 to January 20. 2/6/1952 – Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne of the UK with the death of her father, King George VI. 2/8/1010 – The Boy Scouts of America was founded by William Boyce. 2/9/1943 – In one of the bloodiest battles of WWII the US captured Guadalcanal after six months of intense fighting. The KIA included 2,000 Americans and 9,000 Japanese. 2/10/1967 – The 25th amendment to the Constitution was ratified, which clarified the procedures for presidential succession. 2/11/660 BC – The date of the founding of the Japanese nation. 2/11//1990 – Nelson Mandela was released from a SA prison after 27 years. 2/12/1999 – The impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton concluded with a “not guilty” verdict. 2/13/1635 – Boston Latin, the first taxpayer-supported public school in America, was founded in Boston. 2/14 – Celebrated around the world as St. Valentine’s Day. 2/14/1849 – Photographer Mathew Brady took the first photograph of a US President in office (James K. Polk). 2/14/1929 – The infamous St. Valentine’s Day Massacre occurred in Chicago, as members of Al Capone’s gang, posing as police, gunned down members of the Bugs Moran gang. 2/15/1898 – The USS Battleship Maine blew up under mysterious circumstances while anchored in Havana harbor. Although culpability was not proven, this incident precipitated the War of 1898 with “remember the Maine” as the chief battle cry. 2/15/1933 – A failed assassination attempt on FDR resulted in the death of Chicago mayor Anton Cermak. 2/19/1942 – The US commenced the internment of Japanese Americans. 2/20/1962 – Astronaut John Glenn became the first American to be launched into orbit. 2/21/1965 – Former Black Muslim leader, Malcolm X, was shot and killed in NYC. 2/21/1972 – President Richard Nixon arrived in China for the first State visit with communist China. 2/23/1991 – US ground troops initiated Operation Desert Storm versus Iraq. 2/24/1582 – Pope Gregory XIII replaced the Julian calendar with the Gregorian calendar. The latter has become the standard worldwide.
2/24/2022 – Russia invaded Ukraine. 2/24/1867 – The House of Representatives voted to impeach President Andrew Johnson. The Senate acquitted him by one vote. 2/27/1950 – The 22nd amendment to the Constitution was ratified, which limits the president to a maximum of two terms or ten years in office. 2/27/1991- Operation Desert Storm concluded.
Birthdays – Hattie Caraway, Bakersville, TN – 2/1/1878, first woman elected to US Senate; John Ford – 2/1/1895, Cape Elizabeth, ME, Oscar winning director; Elizabeth Blackwell – 2/3/1821, Bristol, England – first female physician in US; Norman Rockwell – 2/3/1894, NYC – artist and illustrator; Thaddeus Kosciusko – 2/4/1746, Poland, Revolutionary War hero; Charles Lindbergh – 2/4/1902, Detroit, MI, first non-stop solo cross-Atlantic flight; Aaron Burr – 2/6/1756 – killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel; George Herman (“Babe”) Ruth – 2/6/1895, Baltimore, MD, considered, by many, to be the best baseball player ever; Ronald Reagan – 2/6/1911, Tampico, IL, entertainer, 40th President; Charles Dickens – 2/7/1812, in England, British novelist; Sinclair Lewis – 2/7/1885, Sauk Center, MN, novelist and social critic; William Henry Harrison – 2/9/1773, Berkeley, VA, 9th President (died after having served only 32 days); Thomas Edison – 2/11/1847, Milan, OH, inventor; Abraham Lincoln- 2/12/1809, Hardin County, KY, 16th President, preserved the Union, freed the slaves; Charles Darwin – 2/12/1809, England, author; Galileo Galilei – 2/15/1564, astronomer and physicist; Susan B. Anthony – 2/15/1820, Adams, MA, women’s suffrage pioneer; Sonny Bono – 2/16/1935, Detroit, MI, entertainer; Nicolaus Copernicus – 2/19/1473, Poland, first to declare the sun, not earth, was the center of the solar system; George Washington – 2/22/1732, Westmoreland County, VA – “father” of US, 1st President; W.E.B. DuBois – 2/23/1868, Great Barrington, MA, AA educator; William (“Buffalo Bill”) Cody – 2/26/1846, Scott County, IN, reputedly killed 4,000 buffalo; Henry Wadsworth Longfellow – 2/27/1807, Portland, ME, poet (“Paul Revere’s Ride”).
According to Wikipedia, January 1, New Years Day, is the most celebrated holiday worldwide. Many historically-significant events have occurred on this date as well as on other dates during the month. Please see below.
1/1/1502 – Portuguese explorers, led by Pedro Alvarez Cabral, landed in present-day Brazil. They named the location Rio de Janeiro (River of January).
1/1/1660 – Samuel Pepys commenced his famous diary, which was to become a definitive chronicle of life in late 17th century London. Famous events described in it include The Great Plague of 1664-1665, which wiped out roughly one-fourth of London’s population, and the Great Fire of 1666, which destroyed much of the city.
1/1/1776 – George Washington unveiled the first national flag, aka the Grand Union Flag.
1/1/1863 – President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves in the Confederacy.
1/1/1892 – Ellis Island opened. Over 20 million immigrants were processed there between 1892 and 1954 when it closed.
1/1/1901 – The British Commonwealth of Australia was founded.
1/1/1959 – Fidel Castro seized control of Cuba.
1/1/1999 – The currency, the Euro, was born.
1/3/1924 – Howard Carter, British Egyptologist, discovered the burial site of Egyptian King Tut.
1/3/1959 – Alaska became the 49th state of the US.
1/7/1714 – British inventor, Henry Mill, received a patent for the typewriter.
1/8/1815 – The Battle of New Orleans, which many historians consider among the most significant in US history, commenced. The outnumbered and outgunned Americans, under the command of Andrew Jackson, defeated the British.
1/10/1863 – The first underground railroad, appropriately called “The Underground,” commenced operation in London.
1/10/1920 – The League of Nations was born. It was doomed to failure because the US never joined.
1/10/1946 – The first meeting of the United Nations took place in London.
1/11/1964 – The US Surgeon General issued the controversial report stating that smoking cigarettes may be hazardous to one’s health.
1/12/1932 – Hattie Caraway of Arkansas became the first female US Senator, filling the remainder of her late husband’s term.
1/15/1870 – The first use of a donkey to symbolize the Democratic Party appeared as a cartoon in Harpers Weekly.
1/19/1966 – Indira Gandhi became the first female Prime Minister of India. Later, she was assassinated by one of her own bodyguards.
1/19/1983 – Klaus Barbie, aka the “Butcher of Lyon,” was arrested in Bolivia. Eventually, he was extradited to France. He was tried and convicted of war crimes and died in prison.
1/21/1793 – Following the French Revolution King Louis XVI was guillotined.
1/22/1901 – England’s Queen Victoria died after a 64-year reign, the longest in British history at the time.
1/22/1973 – Abortion became legal in the US.
1/24/1965 – Winston Churchill, arguably England’s greatest prime minister ever, died.
1/24/1972 – A WWII Japanese soldier, who had been hiding on Guam not realizing the war was long since over, was discovered.
1/27/1945 – The Russian Army liberated Auschwitz.
1/27/1973 – Representatives of the US and North Vietnam signed a treaty ending the Vietnam War.
1/28/1935 – Iceland became the first country to legalize abortion.
1/28/1986 – The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded, killing all aboard, including Christa McAuliffe, a teacher, who has been slated to be the first “ordinary” citizen in space.
1/29/1919 – Prohibition was ratified. The unintended consequence of this ill-advised constitutional amendment was the substantial growth of organized crime, which was only too happy to provide illegal alcoholic beverages to a thirsty populace. The amendment was repealed on December 5, 1933.
1/31/1943 – The German Army surrendered at Stalingrad in what was generally considered to be the turning point in the European Theatre of WWII.
Birthdays: Paul Revere, 1/1/1735; Betsy Ross, 1/1/1752; Louis Braille, invented the reading system for blind people, 1/4/1809; Joan of Arc, 1/6/1412; Millard Fillmore, 13th President, 1/7/1800; Elvis Presley, 1/8/1935; Richard Nixon, 37th President, 1/9/1913; Alexander Hamilton, 1/11/1755; John Hancock, 1/12/1737; Benedict Arnold, 1/14/1741; Albert Schweitzer, 1/14/1875; Martin Luther King, 1/15/1929; Andre Michelin, pioneered the use of pneumatic tires on cars, 1/16/1853; Benjamin Franklyn, 1/17/1706; Muhammad Ali, 1/17/1942; Robert E. Lee, 1/19/1807; Edgar Allen Poe,1/19/1809; Ethan Allen, 1/21/1738; Douglas MacArthur, 1/26/1880; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 1/27/1756; William McKinley, 25th President, 1/29/1843; Franklyn Delano Roosevelt, 32nd President, 1/30/1882; Jackie Robinson, 1/31/1919.
He’s baaaack! The country is ecstatic (most of it anyway, the wokers not so much, but who cares?). Our allies are reassured. Our enemies are wary, or perhaps, even fearful.
Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution states that “The executive Power shall be vested in the President of the United States of America,” and it provided an oath of office for the President-elect’s official swearing-in. This 35-word oath has remained unchanged for more than two centuries, in part because it so clearly and simply describes the responsibilities of the Chief Executive. It says:
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” (Washington added the words “so help me God,” which became a permanent part of the oath.)
There is no constitutional requirement that the oath be administered by the chief justice. It has been administered by 15 chief justices (one of whom—William Howard Taft—was also a former president), but due to various exigent circumstances also by one associate justice, four federal judges, two NYS judges and one notary public.
The word inauguration is derived from the Latin augur, which refers to the rituals of ancient Roman priests seeking to interpret if it was the will of the gods for a public official to be deemed worthy to assume office.
Trump’s inauguration took place on Monday at 12:01, yes, the oath of office commenced one minute late, but who cares. There is no requirement that the Bible or any book for that matter, be used to administer the oath, and none is mentioned in the Constitution. John Roberts, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court administered the oath of office to President Donald Trump whereupon Trump officially became the 47th president of the United States of America. Attendees included Trump’s and J. D. Vance’s families, a plethora of other prominent politicians, business leaders, entertainers and other assorted dignitaries, including former politicians Bush, Clinton and Obama and of course Biden, Harris and their spouses.
Biden and Harris, who undoubtedly loath each other, sat side-by-side and listened stone-faced as Trump ripped their failed Administration to shreds. Perhaps, his criticisms were a bit excessive, but I don’t believe he said anything that wasn’t accurate. At the conclusion of the ceremony, they faded away into history. They still have their supporters, but most Americans will breathe a sigh of relief. They depart with one of the lowest approval ratings ever. Prospectively, historians will assess their tenure, and in my view not in a positive way.
For most of us, the resurrection of America has begun. Trump characterized it as the “golden age of America.” The changes will be radical, virtually 180 degrees. For the past four years the country had lost its way. It had morphed from a 250-year democracy into a morass of wokeism, DEI, and divisiveness. The swamp was overflowing and threatening to drown us all. We were unable or unwilling even to defend our borders. The southern border was more akin to a turnstile than a real border. We were wrecking our economy by paying excessively for foreign oil and gas while ignoring a literal ocean of it under our feet. America was being perceived around the world as weak, indecisive, and fatuous. All that changed in an instant at 12:01 yesterday.
There were some unusual facets to Trump’s Inauguration Day. First of all, although Presidential inaugurations have traditionally been held outside and in public, due to the freezing weather it was held indoors. This was to protect the health of the public who wanted to see the festivities. This year’s was not the first one to be moved indoors due to the weather. For example, in 1909, Taft’s inauguration was moved to the Senate Chamber due to a blizzard, and in 1985, harsh weather forced Reagan’s second inauguration to be moved inside. These were wise decisions. History buffs will recall the tragedy that befell William Henry Harrison following his outdoor inauguration. More on that below.
Secondly, over the course of the day Trump delivered three speeches of roughly 33 minutes each, first at the inauguration, itself, then in a separate room to a group of elected officials who had been unable to gain access to the main room, and finally a third speech to a group of supporters. These were followed by a casual impromptu press conference while he was signing some 100 EOs. Unlike Biden, who basically hid from the media, he answered any and all questions. To me, this illustrated the true genius of Trump. It’s not just what he says, which is important; it’s also his style – relaxed, conversational, and transparent.
In his speeches Trump did not say much that was new. Generally, he reiterated what he has been saying for the last four years on the campaign trail, in the debate, and in press conferences. I didn’t object to the repetition. I realize it served a purpose as it was new to some people. Few people doubt that he will follow through. He has demonstrated that he says what he means and means what he says.
As promised, Trump signed a slew of EOs, including, among others:
Reversing 78 EO’s that Biden had signed.
Halt temporarily the Tik Tok ban pending negotiations.
Withdraw from the ill-advised, ill-conceived Paris climate accords.
Declare a “National emergency” at the southern border. This will facilitate the various reforms to our border policy that Trump has been advocating.
Declare a “National emergency” with respect to energy. This will enable us to resume drilling and reopen the Keystone Pipeline.
Designate drug cartels and migrant gangs as terrorist organizations.
Pardon some 1,500 persons who were convicted of crimes related to the January 6 demonstrations at the capitol.
Authorize the creation of DOGE.
Terminate the practice of men competing against women in sports. Prospectively, there will only be two genders – male and female.
Rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, replace Mt. Denali with the original name, Mt. McKinley, and resume control of the Panama Canal.
Terminate the policy of “birthright citizenship.” The success or failure of this will ultimately be determined by SCOTUS’ interpretation of the 14th Amendment.
Some of these will be enacted immediately; others will take some time; and others will face legal challenges. However, as we have seen, Trump is persistent and persuasive.
What was my favorite part of the inauguration? EVERYTHING! I loved the pageantry. I loved the speeches. I loved it all. Mostly, I loved the fact that it took place at all. It was four years in the making and long overdue. To put it succinctly, the country could not have survived four more years of Biden/Harris.
The initial inauguration (of George Washington) in 1789 in New York City, which was the nation’s first capital, was delayed due to harsh weather, which made travel even more difficult than normally. It was supposed to take place on March 4, the day of the year on which the federal government was to begin operations that year in accordance with the Constitution. But it took until April 6 for a quorum of congressmen to make its way to NYC to even count the electors’ votes and officially declare GW the President (unanimously) and John Adams the Vice President.
Washington wasn’t even there. It took several days for the news to reach him at his home in Mount Vernon. He left for NYC immediately, but he didn’t arrive for several weeks. It was probably an arduous journey by horseback, coach and barge. Inauguration Day was April 30. All subsequent (regular) inaugurations from 1793 until 1933 were held on March 4. Martha did not even join him until later.
One issue was GW’s official title. After much debate finally, a congressional committee settled on the title we still use today: “President of the United States.”
The only ones who heard GW’s Inaugural Address were those members of Congress gathered in Federal Hall in NYC on April 30, 1789. Over the years the Inaugural process has undergone various iterations, but the First Inauguration established many traditions that continue today. For example, President Washington followed his swearing-in with an Inaugural Address, a special speech written for the occasion. In 1793 the oath of office for Washington’s second term was administered by William Cushing, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and the first in a long line of Supreme Court Justices to preside over Presidential Inaugurations.
Thomas Jefferson was the first to be sworn in as President in Washington, D.C., the location chosen for the permanent capital and the site of all but a handful of subsequent Inaugural ceremonies. Jefferson showed his taste for simplicity by going on foot to the Capitol for the oath-taking and returning to his boardinghouse afterwards for dinner. Imagine that!
After his second Inauguration, however, Jefferson rode on horseback from the Capitol to the President’s House (the name then used for the White House) amid music and a spontaneous gathering of mechanics from the nearby Navy Yard – a procession that has morphed the Inaugural Parade.
Jefferson’s second Inauguration also began the tradition of the Inaugural Open House, when the executive mansion was opened to all who wished to greet the President after his swearing-in. The popularity of the Open House would later cause our seventh President, Andrew Jackson, to flee through a window after a mob of well-wishers stormed the White House, ruining furniture and breaking china in their eagerness to see him.
James Madison, America’s fourth President, and his wife, Dolley, were the guests of honor at the first official Inaugural Ball, held at Long’s Hotel in Washington, D.C. His inaugural address was the first to be published in the newspapers for all to read. Martin Van Buren’s Inauguration featured two balls.
The most tragic inauguration was that of William Henry Harrison. He was inaugurated as the ninth President of the US on March 4, 1841. The day of the inauguration was overcast with a cold wind, but foolishly, Harrison eschewed an overcoat, hat, and gloves for the ceremony. Furthermore, he delivered the longest inaugural address to date, 8,445 words over nearly two hours. On March 26, Harrison developed a cold, which evolved into pneumonia. In those pre-antibiotic days pneumonia was often fatal. Harrison died on April 4. He was the first president to die in office; his 31-day tenure is the shortest of any President.
James Polk took the oath of office in 1845 while Samuel Morse, inventor of the electric telegraph, sat near him on the platform tapping out the news on his newly invented machine. In 1857 James Buchanan’s Inaugural ceremony became the first to be photographed. Citizens across the country were able to share in the festivities through pictures.
In 1865, despite growing concern about safety, Abraham Lincoln shook some 6,000 hands after his second Inauguration. President Grover Cleveland, realizing that the White House could no longer accommodate such crowds, instead held a review of the troops from a flag-draped grandstand just outside, adding another element to the Inaugural Parade.
In 1897 William McKinley became the answer to a trivia question (Who was the first president to appear in a motion picture?) Most people assume the answer to be Ronald Reagan, but it was McKinley as highlights of his inauguration were recorded by movie cameras.
In 1925 Calvin Coolidge’s oath of office was broadcast on the radio. In 1949, Harry Truman became the first President to whose swearing-in was televised. In 1997 President Bill Clinton’s second Inauguration was the first to feature an official web site and to be seen live on the Internet by people around the world.
Later Inaugurations have featured specially built pavilions for dancing, balls held at several sites throughout the capital, and even Inaugural parties in other cities. Modern Inaugural festivities reflect not only the President they honor, but also the desire to include the many Americans who want to take part in celebrating our nation’s rich history and the transfer of presidential power. Moreover, due to the wonders of modern technology millions of people are now able to view the festivities on television, streaming services or even their phones from the comfort of their own home.
Normally, the content of inaugural addresses is soon forgotten, but there are exceptions. Some examples of enduring moments include:
During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln called on Americans to “…finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds.”
In 1933 Franklin Roosevelt reached out to citizens discouraged by the Great Depression, saying, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
And the one I remember, in 1961 JFK urged, “…ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”
Conclusion
At the present time the country is more united than in several years. Trump has a strong mandate, but the people will expect him to fulfill it. History tells us that the public’s patience will wear thin. Winning the election was an important first step. Now, comes the hard part – governing. The GOP has a very slim majority in the House, and the Dems will likely not be inclined to cooperate. Trump will have only 12 or at most 18 months to demonstrate progress before the 2026 midterm elections where history tells us that the president’s Party can expect to lose Congressional seats. We have a great opportunity. Let’s hope we don’t waste it.
We Built It Blog by Larry Jacob 