December 4
Today in America's Present Past
1584 | Cleric John Cotton was born.
1619 | Thirty-eight English settlers in Virginia, give what might be the first recorded European “Thanksgiving” in America.
1726 | Revolutionary War hero William Alexander was born.
1674 | Explorer and missionary Father Marquette built the first dwelling in what is now Chicago, Illinois.
1783 | War of Independence: General Washington bids officers farewell at Fraunce’s Tavern, in New York City, New York.
1807 | Activist Prince Hall died.
1812 | Peter Gaillard patented a horse-drawn mower.
1816 | POTUS: James Monroe was elected President.
1833 | Civil Rights: Arthur Tappan formed the Anti-Slavery Society.
1836 | Composer Daniel Read died.
1838 | The “Patriot War” concludes.
1840 | Oglala Sioux chief Crazy Horse was born.
1844 | POTUS: James Knox Polk was elected President.
1858 | Inventor and entrepreneur Chester Greenwood was born.
1864 | Civil War: The Battle of Waynesboro, Georgia.
1867 | Civil Rights: Oliver Hudson Kelley forms what becomes The Grange, initially branded The Order of Patrons of Husbandry.
1875 | William Magear Tweed “Boss Tweed” of Tammany Hall escapes from jail and flees the country.
1881 | The Los Angeles Times debuted.
1893 | Inventor Heinrich Göbel died.
1902 | Economist and journalist Charles Dow died.
1906 | Alpha Phi Alpha was formed.
1912 | Aviation Ace Pappy Boyington was born.
1913 | Inventor Robert Adler was born.
1915 | Civil Rights: The Ku Klux Klan receives charter from Fulton County, Georgia marking a formal start to the “second wave” of its operations.
1920 | Activist Jeanne Manford was born.
1923 | Attorney Charles Keating was born.
1933 | POTUS: Democrat President Roosevelt created the Federal Alcohol Control Administration.
1933 | Entertainer Winston “Wink” Martindale was born.
1935 | Investor and outlaw Robert Vesco was born in Detroit, Michigan.
1942 | Civil Rights: The first US citizenship was granted to an alien on foreign soil.
1949 | Actor Jeff Bridges was born.
1954 | The fast-food chain Burger King debuted.
1964 | Actress Marisa Tomei was born.
1966 | Actor Fereydun “Fred” Armisen was born.
1966 | Journalist Suzanne Malveaux was born in Lansing, Michigan.
1969 | Entertainer Jay-Z was born.
1969 | Activist and outlaw Fred Hampton shot dead by law enforcement.
1970 | Pro Wrestler Sylvester Terkay was born.
1975 | Philosopher Hannah Arendt died.
1981 | TV: “Hannah Arendt” debuted.
1981 | POTUS: Republican President Reagan reorganized the U.S. Intelligence community via an Executive Order.
1984 | Entertainer Jelly Roll was born.
1987 | Author and director Rouben Mamoulian died.
1991 | War on Terror: Journalist Terry Anderson was released after six years as a hostage by Muslim Shi’ites.
1991 | Pan American World Airways ceased operations.
1992 | POTUS: Republican President Bush orders 28,000 troops to Somalia.
1993 | Musician Frank Zappa died.
2008 | Literary figure Forrest J. Ackerman died.
2024 | United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was assassinated.