NEA DATEBOOK
TODAY’S HISTORY: In 1840, the Penny Black, the world’s first adhesive postage stamp, was issued in Great Britain.
In 1866, racial violence broke out in Memphis, Tennessee; in a three-day span, 46 African Americans were killed.
In 1898, the U.S. Navy, led by Commodore George Dewey, defeated the Spanish Pacific fleet at Manila Bay in the first battle of the Spanish-American War.
In 2011, President Barack Obama announced that U.S. forces had killed Osama bin Laden, mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, in a nighttime raid in Pakistan.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: Martha “Calamity Jane” Burke (1852-1903), frontierswoman; Jack Paar (1918-2004), comedian/talk show host; Joseph Heller (1923-1999), author/ playwright; Scott Carpenter (1925-2013), astronaut; Tim McGraw (1967- ), singer-songwriter/ actor; Wes Anderson (1969- ), filmmaker; Darius McCrary (1976- ), actor; James Badge Dale (1978- ), actor; Wes Welker (1981- ), football player; Jamie Dornan (1982- ), actor.
TODAY’S FACT: Despite its innovation, the Penny Black stamp was in use for just over a year.
TODAY’S SPORTS: In 1991, Rickey Henderson of the Oakland Athletics stole his 939th base, setting a new major-league record. Later that evening, Texas Rangers pitcher Nolan Ryan threw his seventh career no-hitter, breaking his own record.
TODAY’S QUOTE: “Destiny is a good thing to accept when it’s going your way. When it isn’t, don’t call it destiny; call it injustice, treachery or simple bad luck.” — Joseph Heller, “God Knows”
TODAY’S NUMBER: 1,250 — architectural height (in feet) of the Empire State Building in New York City, dedicated on this day in 1931.