Epic Idiot's what happened
On This Day

February 12

1964
First Beatles concert in the U.S., at Carnegie Hall, New York.

1924
George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue is performed publicly for the first time.

1909
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is founded.

1908
First around-the-world automobile race, from New York to Paris, via Alaska, Siberia, Russia.

1853
Slavery: Illinois enacts a law requiring all negroes who enter the state and stay for 10 days to be fined $50 or sold into slavery until the fine was resolved.

1825
Creek Indians cede all their land in Georgia and Alabama to the U.S. for some land between the Arkansas and Canadian rivers. The Indians, unhappy with the treaty, killed the chief who signed it and negotiated a new treaty.

1793
Fugitive Slave Act enacted by Congress, allowing slave owners to recover runaway slaves.

1733
General James Oglethorpe lands at present day Savannah, naming the new colony Georgia in honor of King George II.

1955
Arsenio Hall, American late-night host. Film: Coming to America (1988). TV: The Arsenio Hall Show.

1953
Joanna Kerns, American actress, Maggie Seaver of TV's Growing Pains.

1945
Maud Adams (Maud Wikstrom), Swedish actress. Film: The Man with the Golden Gun (1974, Andrea Anders) and Octopussy (1983, title role).

1939
Ray Manzarek (Raymond Daniel Manczarek), American keyboardist, with The Doors. Music: Light My Fire (1967, #1) and L.A. Woman (1971).

1936
Joe Don Baker, American actor. Film: Walking Tall (1973).

1926
Joe Garagiola, American baseball player, sportscaster.

1923     d. 2003
Alan Dugan, American Pulitzer-winning poet (1962).

1919     d. 1986
Forrest Tucker, American actor. TV: F Troop (Sgt. O'Rourke).

1915     d. 1987
Lorne Greene, Canadian-born actor. TV: Bonanza (Ben Cartwright).

1905     d. 1993
Harry Bellaver, American actor. TV: Naked City (Frank Arcaro) and Another World (Ernie Downs).

1904     d. 1976
Ted Mack, American emcee, The Original Amateur Hour (1948-70).

1893     d. 1981
Omar Nelson Bradley, American World War II hero, the last U.S. five-star general. He commanded the 12th Army - the largest U.S. force ever commanded by a single person - and served 69 years on active duty, the longest ever served by a U.S. soldier.

1878     d. 1961
Howard Joseph Edgar, American songwriter. Music: Hello, My Baby.

1843     d. 1883
John Graham Chambers, British sportsman, defiined the Marquess of Queensberry boxing rules (1867), which established the mandatory use of gloves, the ten-count rule, and three-minute rounds.

1836     d. 1916
Charles Edward Cheney, American religious leader, founder of the Reformed Episcopal Church (1873).

1809     d. 1865
Abraham Lincoln, 16th U.S. President (1861-65), assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, making Vice-Pres. Andrew Johnson president. He was the first actual person to have their portrait on a U.S. coin (1909 penny).

1791     d. 1883
Peter Cooper, American inventor. He built the first US steam locomotive (1830, the Tom Thumb) and also invented a washing machine which was powered by the tides.

1754     d. 1838
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord, French diplomat and statesman.

2000     b. 1924
Tom Landry, American football player, coach for the Dallas Cowboys.  He invented the "4-3 Defense."

2000     b. 1922
Charles Monroe Schulz, American cartoonist, creator of Peanuts (1950).

1985     b. 1924
Nicholas Colasanto, American actor. TV: Cheers (Coach).

1971     b. 1875
J.C. Penney (James Cash Penny), American businessman, founded the J.C. Penney department store chain (1902).

1942     b. 1892
Grant Wood, American artist, American Gothic.

1915     b. 1820
Fanny Crosby (Frances Jane Crosby), American hymn writer. Blind since an infant, she composed over 5,000 hymns including Safe in the Arms of Jesus, Blessed Assurance, and To God Be the Glory. (Source: An Almanac of the Christian Church)

1804     b. 1724
Immanuel Kant, German philosopher, founder of critical philosophy.

1789     b. 1738
Ethan Allen, American Revolutionary War commander. He organized the Green Mountain Boys (1770).

1554     b. circa 1537
Lady Jane Grey, Queen of England for nine days, her half-sister Mary Tudor, the rightful heir to the throne, forced her to renounce the throne and then had her and her husband beheaded.

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