Sunday, May 08, 2005

Sunday, May 8

This Day In History

  • 1541   Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto reached the Mississippi River.
  • 1794   Antoine Lavoisier, the father of modern chemistry, was executed on the guillotine during France's Reign of Terror.
  • 1846   The first major battle of the Mexican War was fought at Palo Alto, Texas, resulting in victory for Gen. Zachary Taylor's forces.
  • 1884   Harry S Truman, the 33rd president of the United States, was born near Lamar, Mo.
  • 1886   Atlanta pharmacist John Styth Pemberton invented the flavor syrup for Coca-Cola.
  • 1944   The first ''eye bank'' was established, in New York City.
  • 1945   President Harry S. Truman announced in a radio address that World War II had ended in Europe. (V-E Day)
  • 1958   Vice President Richard Nixon was shoved, stoned, booed and spat upon by anti-American protesters in Lima, Peru.
  • 1970   Construction workers broke up an anti-war protest on New York City's Wall Street.
  • 1970   The album ''Let It Be'' by the Beatles was released.
  • 1978   David R. Berkowitz pleaded guilty in a Brooklyn courtroom to the ''Son of Sam'' killings.
  • 1987   Gary Hart, dogged by questions about his personal life, withdrew from the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
  • 1999   The Citadel, South Carolina's formerly all-male military school, graduated its first female cadet.
Happy Birthday To
  • 1884   Harry S Truman (33rd U.S. President [1945-1953]; married to Bess Wallace [one daughter: Margaret]; nickname: Give ’em Hell Harry; died Dec 26, 1972)
  • 1895   Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (TV clergyman: Life is Worth Living; died Dec 9, 1979)
  • 1926   Don Rickles (comedian, actor: CPO Sharkey, Casino, Blazing Saddles, Kelly’s Heroes, Beach Blanket Bingo, The Rat Race)
  • 1964   Melissa Gilbert (actress: Little House on the Prairie)

1 comment:

Don Singleton said...

The item is This Day in History, and while May 8 is certainly mothers day in 2005, it was not Mothers Day in many years past.

I have a mailing list in which I send out three inspirational messages each week, and one Christian message each week, and I assure you that both messages sent out this weekend were about Mothers.