Today in American history…Ronald Wilson Reagan was born on February 6, 1911 to Jack and Nelle Reagan in the small town of Tampico, Illinois.

In his early years, he moved to Iowa and was a radio announcer for the Chicago Cubs basebal games. It was while he was traveling with the Chicago Cubs in 1937 to California that he did a screen test for Warner Brothers movie studio and was signed to a seven year contract. One of his most popular roles was the role of George Gipp in the film Knute Rockne: All American. From then on, he would be forever coined with the nickname “The Gipper.”

Some of the few highlights of Ronald Reagan’s life were:

President of the Screen Actors Guild from 1947 – 1952 and also served as President 1959-60.

Governor of California from 1967-1975

Elected as our Nation’s 40th U.S. President on November 4, 1980. He was re-elected to serve a second term on November 4, 1984.

Today in American history…one of our beloved and historic film stars was born on February 1, 1901 in Cadiz, Ohio.

His most famous role would be as Rhett Butler in the classic movie Gone with the Wind which premiered on December 15, 1939.

Not only was he a world famous movie star…he also signed up for the US Army under the Army Air Forces on August 12, 1942. During World War II, he flew several combat missions and was promoted to Major in 1944. He rseigned his commission with the US Army in 1947 and was awarded several military honors for his service:

The Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

After his military service, Clark Gable resumed his acting career until his death on November 16, 1960.

Today in American history…Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882 in Hyde Park, New York.

A few of his lifetime achievements were:

Member of the New York State Senate from the 26th District

January 1, 1911 – March 17, 1913

Assistant Secretary of Navy

March 17, 1913 – August 26, 1920

44th Governor of New York

January 1, 1929 – January 1, 1933

32nd President of the United States

March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945

Fun fact. President Roosevelt was related (either by blood or marriage) to 11 former U.S. Presidents:

John Adams, James Madison, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, Benjamin Harrison, William Howard Taft and of course…Theodore Roosevelt who was his 5th cousin.

Theodore Roosevelt was also Eleanor Roosevelt’s paternal uncle.

Today in American history…Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia.

He was essential in organizing the very first major protest of the Civil Rights Movement with the Montgomery Bus Boycott which was a political and social protest campaign speaking out against the policy of racial segregation by the public transit system in Montgomery Alabama. The boycott began on December 5, 1955, a few days after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white person. The campaign ended on December 20, 1956, with the federal ruling of Browder v. Gayle which led to the United States Supreme Court decision in which Alabama and Montgomery laws that allowed segregated public transportation were deemed unconstitutional.

On August 28, 1963, Dr. King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of The Lincoln Memorial as part of the March on Washington. The March on Washington was to advocate for the civil rights of African Americans.

Due to his bravery and persistence, he was a part of the achievement of two of the Civil Rights Movement’s greatest achievements. In 1964, the ratification of the 24th Amendment abolished the poll tax and also the Civil Rights Act which prohibited racial discrimination in the workplace and schools. It also prohibited racial discrimination in all public facilities.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1964.

He believed in peaceful protest even when met with violence. His strength, fearlessness and determination to be a voice for securing civil rights for African Americans made him one of the most revered and beloved persons in American history.

Today in American history…President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.

The proclamation declared that all persons held as slaves were to be free.

Today in American history…President James Garfield was born in Moreland Hills, Ohio on November 19, 1831.

He would become our 20th US President on March 4, 1881.

He served in the Union Army during the Civil War and quickly rose to the rank of Major General.

He is the only US President to have been elected while a sitting member of the United States House of Representatives (Ohio’s 19th District) and represented the State of Ohio from 1863-1880.

President Garfield was elected to the US Senate from Ohio in 1880 but never served due to being elected as the President of the United States.

Only in office for four short months, President Garfield was assassinated on July 2, 1881 and succumbed to his wounds on September 19, 1881.

Today in American history…Mamie Eisenhower was born in Boone, Iowa on November 14, 1896. She would eventually become our First Lady when her husband Dwight D. Eisenhower became our 34th US President (1953-1961)

Mamie Eisenhower was the first First Lady to appear in a televised presidential campaign advert in 1952. She was not comfortable giving speeches and instead preferred hosting social events at The White House.

She was a very popular First Lady. She had short bangs and women soon copied her and the trend became known as “Mamie’s Bangs.” She also loved the color pink. So during the era of when she was First Lady the term “Mamie Pink” was coined.

Even though she was very popular and beloved by the American people, she was dedicated to her family and much preferred and cherished the time at home with her husband. One of her popular quotes on her love of domesticity was “Ike runs the country, and I turn the pork chops.”

(Official White House portrait by Thomas Edgar Stevens in 1959)

Veterans Day was originated on November 11, 1919 and named “Armistice Day” in honor of the first anniversary of the end of the First World War – when Germany signed an official armistice agreement with it’s allies on November 11, 1918.

In 1926, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution for an annual observance to make Armistice Day a National holiday beginning in 1938. In 1954, President Eisenhower officially changed the name to Veterans Day.

Veterans Day, unlike Memorial Day, honors and pays tribute to all American veterans (living or dead) but especially gives thanks to our living veterans who have served our country.

Thank you to all who have served our beloved country. Today we honor and salute you!

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)