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May 31: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

May 31, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle History
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ON THIS DAY IN 1934, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “ON BOARD U.S.S. LOUISVILLE OFF AMBROSE LIGHTSHIP — The might and main of America at sea, as represented in her naval forces, this afternoon thundered a salute to its commander-in-chief, President [Franklin] Roosevelt, and a greeting to the citizens of the Atlantic seaboard in a display that set precedent for precision and spectacle. The review and pageantry got under way at 1:45 p.m., when fog pockets that had held the fleet stationary for nearly two hours lifted to provide visibility for the occasion. Ploughing through the choppy waters off Ambrose Lightship, bordered on the northwest by Coney Island and on the north by the Rockaways and Long Beach, nearly 100 vessels, comprising all but a few of the entire United States Fleet, passed by in review in procession so majestic and impressive as to defy adequate description. The procession from the stem of Pennsylvania, the leader and flagship of Admiral David Foote Sellers, commander-in-chief of the United States Fleet, to the sterns of Dahlgren and Tracy, two train ships bring up the rear, was more than 12 miles long.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1939, the Eagle reported, “A 10-foot bronze statute of Walt Whitman was dedicated today in Perylon Circle at the World’s Fair. Speakers paid tribute to the poet of ‘Leaves of Grass’ as the ‘authentic voice’ of America. In the group of about 100 who gathered about the statue, with bronze beard flowing realistically in the wind, was Jo Davidson, famous sculptor who did the statute and whose likeness to the poet and former editor of the Brooklyn Eagle is striking. Other Whitman admirers were there, including Commissioner of City Planning Cleveland Rogers, also a former editor of the Brooklyn Eagle, who presided and introduced the other speakers. The first of these was Miss Betty Rae Alger of Huntington, a junior at Adelphi College, who read a poem, ‘Whitman,’ by Hamilton Garland. Dr. Will Durant, popular philosopher, who followed, declared, ‘It seems incredible that a nation as young as this could have found so authentic a voice as Whitman.’ … Borough President [Raymond] Ingersoll of Brooklyn pointed out that Whitman was ‘really one of Cleveland Rogers’ predecessors as editor of the Eagle’ and read a poem Whitman wrote 85 years ago, ‘Crossing Brooklyn Ferry.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1943, the Eagle reported, “That prices of food and other grocery store commodities are rising to meet the new OPA ceilings is the latest complaint of shoppers. This was found to be particularly the case in supermarkets, where the margin of prices below ceilings is being wiped out. In a number of supermarkets prices were found to have gone up in recent days, particularly on meats and on soaps and cleaning preparations. Examples were: Porterhouse, recently 41 cents a pound and a little earlier 37 cents, now 53 cents; round steak, bone in, up to 43 cents from 41 cents; leg of lamb, formerly 37 cents, up to the ceiling price of 38 cents. Packaged soaps have also gone up in price. Taking note of the situation, M.M. Zimmerman, editor of Supermarket Merchandising, monthly publication of the supermarket industry, stated: ‘The customers had better protection under competition than they have under the flood of regulations let loose by OPA.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1952, the Eagle reported, “Two of the nine Brooklyn Democratic congressmen will not seek re-election this fall because of the recent congressional redistricting which carved up the borough into seven districts, with one bailiwick shared with Staten Island. Designating petitions to be circulated by the Democratic organizations starting June 3 will omit the names of Congressmen James J. Heffernan and Victor L. Anfuso. There appeared to be some indecision among the Republicans who will be designated to run for the House seat in the new 15th District, made up of Bay Ridge and Staten Island. The Brooklyn GOP is awaiting word from State Republican Chairman William L. Pfeiffer to decide whether the designation will go to Bay Ridge or Staten Island. However, the Staten Island Republican Executive Committee designated Robert E. Johnson, former state senator and former Staten Island district attorney.”

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Normani
Andy Kropa/Invision/AP
Brooke Shields
Andy Kropa/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Oscar-winning director Clint Eastwood, who was born in 1930; “Cagney & Lacey” star Sharon Gless, who was born in 1943; Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Namath, who was born in 1943; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jimmy Cliff, who was born in 1944; “Major League” star Tom Berenger, who was born in 1949; “Trapper John, M.D.” star Gregory Harrison, who was born in 1950; “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star Susie Essman, who was born in 1955; Olympic gold medal-winning hockey player Jim Craig, who was born in 1957; “Back to the Future” star Lea Thompson, who was born in 1961; rapper Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, who was born in 1964; “Suddenly Susan” star Brooke Shields, who was born in 1965; “The Good Wife” star Archie Panjabi, who was born in 1972; “The Batman” star Colin Farrell, who was born in 1976; former N.Y. Knicks point guard Nate Robinson, who was born in 1984; and Fifth Harmony singer Normani, who was born in 1996.

Clint Eastwood
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

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ON THE BOOKS: President George Washington signed the first U.S. copyright law on this day in 1790. It gave protection for 14 years to books written by U.S. citizens. In 1891 the law was extended to cover books by foreign authors as well.

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VOICE OF AMERICA: Walt Whitman was born in West Hills, Long Island, on this day in 1819. The journalist and poet edited the Brooklyn Eagle from 1846 to 1848 and wrote the groundbreaking poetry volume “Leaves of Grass” in 1855. His poems celebrated all of modern life, including subjects that were considered taboo at the time. He died in 1892.

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Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events” and Brooklyn Public Library.

 

Quotable:

“Simplicity is the glory of expression.”

— poet Walt Whitman, who was born on this day in 1819

 

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