Writer, poet and social reformer Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911) was born to free Black parents 200 years ago today in Baltimore, Maryland. She was a leading campaigner for abolition, women's suffrage and temperance. She lived the latter part of her life in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Writer, poet and social reformer Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911) was born to free Black parents 200 years ago today in Baltimore, Maryland. She was a leading campaigner for abolition, women's suffrage and temperance. She lived the latter part of her life in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

100 years ago today, Sept. 21, 1925: The traffic tower in Meriden, Connecticut, innovative at the time, began operation in the intersection of Colony and Main Streets. It became a local landmark, remaining in service until 1967. Today, the retired tower is displayed 200 feet from its original site.

The U.S. Postal Service has issued a new stamp commemorating writer, Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel (1928-2016). A dedication ceremony was held at the 92nd Street Y in New York City on September 17, 2025. Wiesel made 180 appearances at the 92nd Street Y from 1967 to 2014.

Blues legend B.B. King (1925-2015) was born 100 years ago today near Itta Bena, Mississippi. The singer/musician is considered one of the most influential electric guitarists of the 20th century. Hailed as "The King of the Blues," he helped bring the genre into the mainstream. 🎸

September 15 is the annual Roberto Clemente Day in Major League Baseball. Commemorations of the Pittsburgh Pirates legend extend past the baseball world and well beyond Western Pennsylvania. Here are four Roberto Clemente murals in other parts of the Northeastern United States.

100 years ago today, Sept. 7, 1925: The Temple Building opened in Rochester, New York. The 14-story structure is unusual in that it was built as a combined church and office building. Today, it houses residential and commercial lofts, and the old church auditorium is now a multipurpose event venue.

Anne Jackson (1925-2016) was born 100 years ago today in Millvale, Pennsylvania. She and husband Eli Wallach comprised one of the most enduring acting duos, appearing together in numerous stage, film, and television productions from the 1940s to the 2000s. She excelled in both drama and comedy.

50 years ago today, August 18, 1975: Earl Averill, Bucky Harris, Billy Herman, Judy Johnson, and Ralph Kiner were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Harris, who had Parkinson's disease, did not attend and was represented at the ceremony by his son. 🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢

Arkansas governor and U.S. senator Dale Bumpers (1925-2016) was born 100 years ago today in Charleston, Arkansas. His proudest achievement was as Charleston city attorney when he convinced the school board to become the first in the former Confederacy to integrate after the Brown decision.

87 years ago today, August 8, 1938: Baseball’s New York Giants played a memorial game for their late manager John McGraw in his birthplace of Truxton, NY. It was a fund-raiser to build a monument for the Hall of Famer in the town. A historical marker about the game was dedicated on August 2, 2025.⚾

The late David Cassidy of THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY was commemorated in his childhood hometown of West Orange, New Jersey, with a historical marker dedication on July 30, 2025. His two children spoke at the event and unveiled the marker. It stands alongside the baseball field where he played as a kid.⚾🎸🎤

Nobel laureate Baruch S. Blumberg (1925-2011) was born 100 years ago today in Brooklyn, New York. He was awarded the 1976 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his 1967 discovery of the Hepatitis B virus and subsequent development of a diagnostic test and a preventative vaccine against it.

50 years ago today, July 25, 1975: The landmark musical A CHORUS LINE opened on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre. The show, conceived and directed by Michael Bennett, won nine Tony Awards and ran for a then-record 15 years. It became a tourist attraction and helped revitalize Times Square.

50 years ago today, July 11, 1975: The Hangar Theatre opened in Ithaca, New York. The local landmark was originally built in 1934 as a municipal airport hangar. A grant from Gov. Nelson Rockefeller in 1973 provided the funding to convert the building to a regional theater of national prominence.

50 years ago today, July 2, 1975: TWILIGHT ZONE creator Rod Serling was laid to rest in Lake View Cemetery in Interlaken, New York. He had died four days earlier at age 50 following complications from open-heart surgery. The Serlings have had a summer cottage on nearby Cayuga Lake for generations.

Pierre Salinger (1925-2004), press secretary to president John F. Kennedy, was born 100 years ago today in San Francisco. He later served as U.S. Senator from California (1964) and as an ABC News correspondent (1978-1993). He also played a villain named "Lucky Pierre" on a 1968 episode of BATMAN.🦇

150 years ago today, June 1, 1875: The Kingston Railroad Station opened in South Kingston, Rhode Island. The Late Victorian/Stick-Eastlake style building was saved and restored with the help of a friends group formed in 1973. The historic depot serves today as a stop on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor.

50 years ago today, May 27, 1975: The Philadelphia Flyers won their second consecutive Stanley Cup by defeating the Buffalo Sabres 2-0 in Game 6 of the Finals at Buffalo. A statue of Flyers Bernie Parent and Bobby Clarke doing the traditional skate with the Cup was unveiled in South Philly in 2013.

100 years ago today, May 16, 1925: Thomas Edison (1847-1931) was honored with the dedication of a commemorative tablet at the site where his home once stood in Menlo Park, New Jersey. The 78-year-old inventor was among the 600 guests in attendance. His wife Mina Miller Edison unveiled the monument.

Baseball icon Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra (1925-2015) was born 100 years ago today in St. Louis, Missouri. His Hall of Fame career was delayed by his service in the Navy during WWII, including D-Day. He's remembered for his often nonsensical yet insightful sayings known as Yogi-isms. #Yogi100⚾️

A historical marker commemorating Baseball Hall of Famer Eddie Collins (1887-1951) was unveiled at the site of his birthplace in the Village of Millerton, New York, on May 2, 2025. The marker was a school project of four Dutchess County teenagers. It was funded by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.

Space and sea explorer Scott Carpenter (1925-2013) was born 100 years ago today in Boulder, Colorado. He was one of the Mercury Seven, America's first astronauts. In 1962, he became the fourth American in space and the second to orbit the earth. In 1965, he spent a record 30 days on the ocean floor.

Abraham Lincoln's funeral train passed through Hyde Park, New York, on April 25, 1865. Local lore has it that his "ghost train" passes through the Dutchess County town every night on the anniversary. A Pomeroy historical marker commemorating this folklore was unveiled at the site on April 24, 2025.

50 years ago today, April 8, 1975: Frank Robinson debuted as player-manager of the Cleveland Indians, becoming the first Black manager in MLB history. He inserted himself in the starting lineup as the DH and homered in his first at-bat to lead his team to a 5-3 Opening Day win over the Yankees.⚾

Legendary jazz drummer Roy Haynes (1925-2024) was born 100 years ago today in the Roxbury section of Boston, Massachusetts. His career began during the swing and bebop eras of the 1940s, and he continued performing into his nineties. He was nicknamed "Mr. Snap Crackle" for his brisk drumming style.

March 10 is Harriet Tubman Day in the State of New York, an annual observance since 2003. The Underground Railroad conductor lived in the Empire State from 1859 until her death on March 10, 1913. Three new Tubman murals have been created across the state within the past two and a half years.

Basketball coach Jack Ramsay (1925-2014) was born 100 years ago today in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He led the Portland Trail Blazers to an unexpected NBA title in 1977. An NBA coach for over 20 years, he was named by the league as one of the 15 greatest coaches in its history in 2022. 🏀

Actor George Kennedy (1925-2016) was born 100 years ago today in New York City. His towering height, heavy build & deep baritone voice led to his casting in many tough-guy roles. His portrayal of Dragline in COOL HAND LUKE (1967) earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. He was a decorated WWII vet.

Kansas's 42nd Governor Joan Finney (1925-2001) was born 100 years ago today in Topeka, Kansas. The Democrat served one term (1991-1995) before retiring. She was the 11th woman to ever serve as governor of a U.S. state and the first woman to defeat an incumbent governor in a general election.

50 years ago today, February 10, 1975: Judy Johnson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Special Committee on the Negro Leagues. He was the sixth person elected by the committee since its formation in 1971. The former third baseman played in the Negro Leagues from 1923 to 1937.

50 years ago today, Feb. 3, 1975: Billy Herman, Earl Averill and Bucky Harris were each unanimously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. Ten members of the 12-man committee attended the in-person vote. Candidates must have been retired from baseball for at least 25 years.

Broadway legend Elaine Stritch (1925-2014) was born 100 years ago today in Detroit, Michigan. Her portrayal of brash and bawdy characters earned her five Tony Award nominations in five different decades. She won in her final nomination in 2002. She also won 4 Emmys for her various television work.

50 years ago today, January 23, 1975: Ralph Kiner was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. The former Pittsburgh Pirates slugger reached the 75% threshold by a single vote in his final year of eligibility on the BBWAA ballot. No others were elected.