July 2: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
ON THIS DAY IN 1842, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle said, “‘The revolving wheel of time,’ as the pyrotechnists say, has again brought us near to that memorable epoch in the world’s history — the Fourth of July. It is a period fraught with recollections of the deepest interest, and one whose recurrence must ever awaken in the breasts of freemen the liveliest sensations of gratitude and joy; for the influence of the great truths on that day promulgated has not been confined to the nation that gave them birth, but has diffused itself, to a greater or lesser extent, throughout the whole civilized earth.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1881, the Eagle reported, “A telegraphic dispatch received at Elberon states that President [James] Garfield has been shot and probably mortally wounded … The Pennsylvania Railroad has ordered a locomotive and car at Jersey City to carry Mrs. Garfield to Washington. She had arranged to meet her husband at Jersey City today, and left Long Branch this morning on the Central road for Jersey City. The message informing her of the attempted assassination is awaiting her arrival at the latter place.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1912, the Eagle reported, “CONVENTION HALL, BALTIMORE — Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey was nominated for president by the Democrats today. The breaking of the deadlock, which had continued since 7 o’clock Friday morning, was received with a great demonstration on the part of the delegates. The nomination of Wilson was by acclamation after the forty-sixth ballot had started. Just before the roll call began, [Oscar] Underwood and [Eugene] Foss withdrew, and [Champ] Clark released the delegates who had stood by him. The forty-sixth roll call had not gone far when Congressman [John] Fitzgerald moved that it be suspended and the nomination be made by acclamation, and as soon as order was restored the nomination was made. The climax came in a dramatic manner after Wilson had made tremendous inroads on the Clark and Underwood delegations in the forty-fifth and forty-sixth ballots.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1950, the Eagle reported, “TOKYO (U.P.) – U.S. fighting men in full-battle array rolled north from Taejon, Korea, today toward Communist-threatened Suwon to reinforce South Korea’s battered army. Combat troops reaching Taejon by train boarded trucks at once and rolled north toward the battle line to take up advanced positions as rapidly as they can be deployed. The skies today were clear, after heavy rains late Saturday and early today hampered all military operations. But the road from Taejon to Suwon still was awash. The U.S. troops and their modern equipment will stiffen the South Korean army, now virtually without heavy weapons following a week of bitter battles with the Communist invaders. As the soldiers moved north, the Far East Air Forces announced that 12 U.S. planes — fighters, light bombers and transports — have been lost since America began air operations against the Communists in Korea.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (U.P.) — Senate Democratic Leader Lyndon B. Johnson (Texas) declared today that ‘the American people will refuse to support the United Nations’ if Red China is admitted. Johnson joined Senate Republican Leader William F. Knowland (R., Cal.) in declaring opposition to what the Texas Democrat called a campaign in Communist China’s behalf ‘by the people we have considered, and still consider, friends.’ Previously a congressional leader, who declined to be identified, had said British officials in last week’s Eisenhower-Churchill talks predicted admittance of China to the UN this fall. That was why, this leader said, Knowland and Senator Pat McCarran (D., Nev.) suddenly lashed out against the idea in separate actions yesterday. Knowland declared that if the Chinese Communists get into the UN he will resign his leadership post and fight to get the United States out. McCarran introduced a resolution which would direct the president to pull this country out of the UN and all UN activities if Red China is seated.”
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Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Alice” star Polly Holliday, who was born in 1937; NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, who was born in 1937; former White House Chief of Staff John H. Sununu, who was born in 1939; Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist Richard Axel, who was born in Brooklyn in 1946; “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” creator Larry David, who was born in Brooklyn in 1947; three-time Super Bowl champion Troy Brown, who was born in 1971; “The Game of Love” singer Michelle Branch, who was born in 1983; Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir, who was born in 1984; “High School Musical” star Ashley Tisdale, who was born in 1985; “Mean Girls” star Lindsay Lohan, who was born in 1986; two-time Women’s World Cup soccer champion Alex Morgan, who was born in 1989; “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” star Margot Robbie, who was born in 1990; and rapper Saweetie, who was born in 1993.
Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
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FOUNDERS DAY, PART 1: On this day in 1776, the Continental Congress adopted a resolution by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia which said “that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.” This resolution prepared the way for adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4.
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FOUNDERS DAY, PART 2: The U.S. Constitution went into effect on this day in 1788. Cyrus Griffin of Virginia, the president of Congress, announced that the Constitution had been ratified by the required nine states (the ninth being New Hampshire on June 21), and a committee was appointed to make preparations for the change of government.
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Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events” and Brooklyn Public Library.
Quotable:
“In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.”
— U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, who was born on this day in 1908
Brooklyn Boro
View MoreNew York City’s most populous borough, Brooklyn, is home to nearly 2.6 million residents. If Brooklyn were an independent city it would be the fourth largest city in the United States. While Brooklyn has become the epitome of ‘cool and hip’ in recent years, for those that were born here, raised families here and improved communities over the years, Brooklyn has never been ‘uncool’.