Chernobyl Disaster

On April 26, 1986, a Soviet nuclear power plant near Chernobyl, Ukraine, became the site of the most disastrous nuclear accident in history, when it experienced explosions at one of its reactors. Disaster In the early hours of April 26, a planned simulation of an electrical power outage resulted in an uncontrolled nuclear reaction at …Read More

Apollo 13

Apollo 13 was the seventh manned mission in the Apollo space program and the third intended to land on the Moon. The craft was launched on April 11, 1970, at 14:13 EST (19:13 UTC) from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, but the lunar landing was aborted after an oxygen tank exploded two days later, crippling …Read More

RMS Titanic

Titanic Facts and History Overview RMS Titanic was a British luxury passenger ship that sank on April 14-15, 1912, during its maiden voyage. Around 1,500 of the estimated 2,240 passengers and crew perished in the sinking, and the now-famous disaster has become the legendary subject of numerous books and movies. Building of the Titanic The …Read More

“Negro Leagues” Baseball

The “Negro leagues” were organized circuits for professional Black baseball teams, functioning most successfully between 1920 through the 1940s in the United States’ East, Midwest, and South. Early History After the American Civil War, baseball became increasingly popular in the United States, and professional teams and leagues began to emerge. Initially, there were some instances …Read More

USS Indianapolis

The USS Indianapolis was a U.S. Navy cruiser that was torpedoed and sunk on July 30, 1945, shortly after delivering components of the atomic bomb. The sinking and aftermath led to the deaths of 880 men.  Construction The Indianapolis was a Portland-class cruiser constructed in 1931 and commissioned by the U.S. Navy the following year. …Read More

Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day)

Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day) commemorates the announcement of Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II. Coming 3 months after Victory in Europe Day, V-J Day signaled the effective conclusion of the war in the Pacific and of World War II overall. It is typically observed on August 15, though the United …Read More

19th Amendment

The 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted on August 26, 1920. The main section states, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” 19th-Century Efforts Early national-level efforts for women’s rights were …Read More

Juneteenth

Juneteenth is an annual holiday commemorating the announcement of emancipation in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. More broadly, it celebrates the effective end of slavery in the United States.  History of Juneteenth Freedom from slavery happened sporadically throughout the Civil War as Union troops claimed outlying Confederate territory or as enslaved people escaped to …Read More

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday for the purpose of honoring and remembering those who have died while serving in the armed forces. It is celebrated annually on the last Monday in May.  Early Observances The first concept of Memorial Day began in the years following the American Civil War. Where it began …Read More