History

Today in History: Nov. 19

Posted on by Mark Aldrich

The Soldier’s National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was dedicated on this date in 1863, a few months after the Civil War battle was waged there. Senator Edward Everett was the keynote speaker, as it were, and he delivered a two-hour-long oration.

President Abraham Lincoln immediately followed Senator Everett’s with his own speech, one that took only two minutes to deliver. His ten sentences, the Gettysburg Address, is the one remembered to this date.

The photo at top was taken on that day by Matthew Brady. President Lincoln is seen at center, surrounded by onlookers. The website this is from highlighted him in light brown.

The address:
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Today in History: Birthday Edition

Posted on by Mark Aldrich

At 6:37 p.m. EST on this date in 1968, I arrived. (Thank you, mom.) At that hour, I was a little late for dinner, which soon became a habit I cultivated through my teen years. Gary Sheffield, Owen Wilson, quite a few others, and I turn 48 today.

* * * *
Steamboat Willie, an animated short film by Walt Disney Animation Studios, premiered at Universal’s Colony Theater (now The Broadway Theatre) in New York City on this date in 1928.

It was Disney’s first animated short that featured fully synchronized sound, so it was an enormous success, and it also introduced two new characters: Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. Both Mickey and Minnie are 88 today. The film (after the jump):
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Today in History: Nov. 17

Posted on by Mark Aldrich

The “Heidi Game” was played on this date in 1968.

A late afternoon football game, New York Jets at Oakland Raiders, was on NBC. That network had been advertising the television debut of a new TV movie, Heidi, based on the children’s story, all week. It was an expensive movie, with one sponsor, Timex, footing the entire bill. A football game with interested viewers on both coasts was a great venue for advertising the movie.

The announcements about the movie continued all game long. But so did the game. At 7:00 p.m. EST, with the Jets in the lead 32-29 and very little time left on the clock, NBC started the broadcast of the movie, as advertised. The game was as good as over, as far as NBC executives were concerned.
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