February 7: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

February 7, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1896, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Dr. F.S. Kolle of 701 Fourth avenue has succeeded in making a photograph by the use of what are called ‘X rays.’ Professor [Wilhelm] Roentgen of Wurzburg university was the first to use the rays for photography, and his discovery has filled the scientific world with excitement. He found a few weeks ago that the rays would penetrate wood and the flesh of men and animals while they would not penetrate bone and most metals. Dr. Kolle began experimenting with the result indicated as soon as he heard of the success of the German professor. The picture which he has made is called a photograph, but it is not what is commonly understood by that word. No lens is used. The object to be photographed is placed between the sensitized plate and the light and it casts a shadow upon the plate. The interesting part of the discovery lies in the fact that a light has been found which will penetrate wood and flesh. Glass obstructs it so that it has not yet been possible to use a lens in making the pictures. Dr. Kolle succeeded in getting the shadows of two coins and a pocket knife through a half inch pine board wrapped in light proof paper.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1946, the Eagle reported, “LAS VEGAS, NEV. (U.P.) — Las Vegas, ready and willing to bet on any or no pretense at all, had a new cause for wagering today — turtle races. Betting parlors where horserace fans cluster by day have now become paddocks and race courses for the terrapin at night, with 200 turtles ‘galloping’ through 15 nightly races. Introduced by the International Footprinters, the sport is to raise funds for a children’s playground and clubhouse in Las Vegas. ‘Running’ 10 turtles to a course, with each in a glass-enclosed lane, the races send a winner across the finish line every 15 minutes. Entries are named after sponsors, Congressmen, radio and movie stars.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1952, Eagle columnist Robert M. Grannis said, “I was fascinated by one item in connection with the passing of King George. Prince Charles, who is 3, became heir to the throne and automatically assumed the title of the Duke of Cornwall. The title alone will assure him of $500,000 in annual revenue from the Duchy of Cornwall. Sort of a luxury item for impoverished England, you might say, as, in fact, so is the maintenance of the entire royal establishment.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1963, the Eagle reported, “The Brooklyn branch of the NAACP has planned a star-studded memorial observance of the Emancipation Proclamation centennial for Friday, tomorrow evening, at the Mount Lebanon Baptist Church. Included in the centennial song play ‘Sing for Freedom’ will be poet-author Langston Hughes and actress Diana Sands. Music will be provided by the choirs of the Mount Lebanon Baptist Church, the Bethany Baptist Church and Marilyn Carter. Approximately 8,000 leaflets and 4,000 newsletters have been distributed by the NAACP in the community in anticipation of the evening’s entertainment.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1963, the Brooklyn Heights Press reported, “Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will address a Brooklyn Heights audience Sunday night on ‘The Continuing Struggle for Human Freedom.’ The speech by the integrationist leader and president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference is part of the monthly lecture series begun last October by the Heights Ministers Association. It will be part of day-long activities centered about the history of Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims and the principles of human liberty for which the 116-year-old Congregational church stands. Dr. King will speak at a public meeting in the church, 75 Hicks St., at 7:30. There is no admission charge. In 1961 Plymouth, whose first minister was the Abolitionist leader Henry Ward Beecher, was designated a National Historic Landmark by the Department of the Interior. The rugged, red-brick, New England-style building last year was dubbed a Landmark of New York City by the Municipal Art Society of New York. On Sunday — two days before the 154th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln and almost 102 years to the day when Beecher, standing in Plymouth’s pulpit, auctioned into freedom a Negro slave girl — government and religious dignitaries will meet at the church to dedicate a plaque commemorating the landmark distinction conferred by the Federal Government. The citation on the bronze plaque reads: ‘No surviving structure or site commemorates the abolition movement so well.’”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “The Bridge” author Gay Talese, who was born in 1932; historian Eric Foner, who was born in 1943; “TV Funhouse” creator Robert Smigel, who was born in 1960; “The Blacklist” star James Spader, who was born in 1960; Country Music Hall of Famer Garth Brooks, who was born in 1962; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer David Bryan (Bon Jovi), who was born in 1962; comedian and actor Eddie Izzard, who was born in 1962; former “Saturday Night Live” star Chris Rock, who was born in 1965; “Savannah” star Robyn Lively, who was born in 1972; former NBA forward Juwan Howard, who was born in 1973; former Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash, who was born in 1974; former N.Y. Mets outfielder Endy Chavez, who was born in 1978; “That ’70s Show” star Ashton Kutcher, who was born in 1978; and “Napoleon Dynamite” star Tina Majorino, who was born in 1985.