JFK WELCOMED FOREIGN STUDENTS TO WHITE HOUSE 53 YEARS AGO TODAY
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy and the First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, welcomed a thousand foreign students to the White House 53 years ago today, May 10, 1961.
The event was held on the South Lawn where the President said...
"All of our strengths and weaknesses are on display...and I hope you will....realize that (our) diversity...is not a source of weakness but a source of strength."
JFK Welcomes Guests
JFK Library Photo
ACCORDS REACHED IN BIRMINGHAM 51 YEARS AGO TODAY
Birmingham, Alabama (JFK+50) The business and civic leaders here in Birmingham agreed 51 years ago today, May 10, 1963, to a compromise with the leaders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
The city had been troubled over the previous week with civil rights demonstrations and over reaction to them by local law enforcement officials.
The accords were negotiated by Robert Kennedy's Assistant Attorney General, Burke Marshall.
By the agreement, the city of Birmingham was to desegregate stores and public facilities as well as release all those civil rights protesters who were put in jail.
In return, the SCLC would cancel future civil rights demonstrations and boycotts planned for Birmingham.
This good day for the city quickly turned sour when bombs exploded near Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s motel and at his brother's home.
These events were followed by city wide riots.
Alabama Theater
Downtown Birmingham, Alabama
Photo by Melinda Shelton (2010)
CHURCHILL BECAME BRITISH PM 74 YEARS AGO
London (JFK+50) Neville Chamberlain resigned as Prime Minister of Britain 74 years ago today, May 10, 1940 and was replaced by Winston Churchill.
As Churchill assumed the position, word came that Hitler's German forces had invaded both Holland and Belgium.
German Troops In Rotterdam
May 1940
Deutsches Bundes Archiv
TELEPHONE INSTALLED AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President Rutherford B. Hayes had a telephone installed at the White House 137 years ago today, May 10, 1877.
The President, who said he liked the new technology, was required to walk to the Telegraph Room in the Executive Mansion where the communications instrument was set up.
The only connection the White House telephone had at the time, however, was with the Treasury Department.
The new White House telephone number was the single digit #1.
1877 Telephone
TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD OPENED IN UTAH 145 YEARS AGO TODAY
Promontory Point, Utah (JFK+50) California Governor Leland Stanford struck a "golden spike" with a hammer 145 years ago today, May 10, 1869, here at Promontory Point marking completion of America's first transcontinental railroad.
For the first time, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans were linked by rail.
Two locomotives faced each other on the last track. One from the Central Pacific RR Company which built eastward from California and the other from the Union Pacific RR Company which built westward from Nebraska.
The transcontinental railroad would make it possible to travel from coast to coast in a matter of days instead of months.
"The Last Spike"
Painting by Thomas Hill (1881)
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy and the First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, welcomed a thousand foreign students to the White House 53 years ago today, May 10, 1961.
The event was held on the South Lawn where the President said...
"All of our strengths and weaknesses are on display...and I hope you will....realize that (our) diversity...is not a source of weakness but a source of strength."
JFK Welcomes Guests
JFK Library Photo
Birmingham, Alabama (JFK+50) The business and civic leaders here in Birmingham agreed 51 years ago today, May 10, 1963, to a compromise with the leaders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
The city had been troubled over the previous week with civil rights demonstrations and over reaction to them by local law enforcement officials.
The accords were negotiated by Robert Kennedy's Assistant Attorney General, Burke Marshall.
By the agreement, the city of Birmingham was to desegregate stores and public facilities as well as release all those civil rights protesters who were put in jail.
In return, the SCLC would cancel future civil rights demonstrations and boycotts planned for Birmingham.
This good day for the city quickly turned sour when bombs exploded near Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s motel and at his brother's home.
These events were followed by city wide riots.
Alabama Theater
Downtown Birmingham, Alabama
Photo by Melinda Shelton (2010)
CHURCHILL BECAME BRITISH PM 74 YEARS AGO
London (JFK+50) Neville Chamberlain resigned as Prime Minister of Britain 74 years ago today, May 10, 1940 and was replaced by Winston Churchill.
As Churchill assumed the position, word came that Hitler's German forces had invaded both Holland and Belgium.
German Troops In Rotterdam
May 1940
Deutsches Bundes Archiv
TELEPHONE INSTALLED AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President Rutherford B. Hayes had a telephone installed at the White House 137 years ago today, May 10, 1877.
The President, who said he liked the new technology, was required to walk to the Telegraph Room in the Executive Mansion where the communications instrument was set up.
The only connection the White House telephone had at the time, however, was with the Treasury Department.
The new White House telephone number was the single digit #1.
1877 Telephone
TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD OPENED IN UTAH 145 YEARS AGO TODAY
Promontory Point, Utah (JFK+50) California Governor Leland Stanford struck a "golden spike" with a hammer 145 years ago today, May 10, 1869, here at Promontory Point marking completion of America's first transcontinental railroad.
For the first time, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans were linked by rail.
Two locomotives faced each other on the last track. One from the Central Pacific RR Company which built eastward from California and the other from the Union Pacific RR Company which built westward from Nebraska.
The transcontinental railroad would make it possible to travel from coast to coast in a matter of days instead of months.
"The Last Spike"
Painting by Thomas Hill (1881)
