This Day in History – May 31, 2011

1665 Jerusalem’s rabbi Sjabtai Tswi proclaims himself Messiah 1678 Lady Godiva rides naked through Coventry in a protest of taxes 1790 US copyright law enacted 1821 Cathedral of Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary, 1st US Catholic cathedral, is dedicated in Baltimore 1837 Astor Hotel (most elaborate in US) opens in NYC, it later becomes the Waldorf-Astoria 1859 Philadelphia A’s organize to play “town ball” became baseball 20 years later 1861 Mint at New Orleans closes 1868 1st Memorial Day parade held in Ironton OH 1870 E J DeSemdt patents asphalt pavement 1878 US Congress accept decrease in dollar circulation 1884 Dr John Harvey Kellogg patents “flaked cereal” 1907 Taxis 1st began running in NYC 1909 1st NAACP conference (United Charities Building, NYC) 1913 17th amendment (direct election of senators) declared ratified 1917 1st jazz record released (Dark Town Strutters Ball) 1919 1st wedding held in an aircraft (over Houston TX) 1941 1st issue of “Parade” goes on sale 1943 “Archie” comic strip 1st broadcast on radio 1949 Charley Lupica begins stay on 4-foot-square platform platform atop a 60′ pole, vowing to stay until Indians clinch pennant. (They don’t, and he comes down 117 days later) 1955 Supreme Court orders school integration “with all deliberate speed” 1956 Mickey Mantle homerun just misses clearing Yankee Stadium’s roof 1958 Dick Dale invents “surf music” with “Let’s Go Trippin” 1975 Fred Newman makes 12,874 baskets in a one-day exhibition 1977 Trans Alaska oil pipeline completed 1985 New Orleans Saints are sold for $70,204,000 1989 1st International Rock Awards 1990 Seinfeld starring Jerry Seinfeld, debuts on NBC as Seinfeld Chronicles 1991 Oldest bride – Minnie Munro, 102, weds Dudley Reid, 83, in Australia]]]]> ]]>