MAY 29 | Birthdays and Events

Notable Birthdays for May 29

Patrick Henry (1736-1799) - The first Governor of Virginia and and founder of the country who famously said "Give me liberty or give me death."

John H. Balsley (1823-1895) - Master carpenter who invented the folding wooden step ladder.

Ebenezer Butterick (1826-1903) - Inventor of the tissue paper dress pattern.

Sylvester Magee (1841-1971) - Last living American slave.

Bob Hope (1903-2003) - Comedic actor and entertainer.

John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) - The 35th President of the U.S.

Bob Simon (1941-2015) - Journalist (60-Minutes) who also reported the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam.

Rebbie Jackson (1950-Still Living) - Singer and sibling of Michael Jackson.

Annette Bening (1958-Still Living) - Multi-award winning actress with credits in The Grifters (1990),  American Beauty (1999), and Apples Never Fall (2024).

Memorable Events for May 29

1677 - The Treaty of Middle Plantation establishes peace between the Virginia colonists and local Native Americans.

1721 - South Carolina is formally incorporated as a royal colony.

1765 - Patrick Henry gives his historic speech against the Stamp Act, answering a crowd comment of "Treason!" with, "If this be treason, make the most of it!"

1787 - The Virginia Plan (James Madison and Edmund Randolph) propose a national government with three branches - legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

1790 - Rhode Island becomes the last of the original 13 colonies to ratify the Constitution.

1848 - Wisconsin becomes the 30th state in the U.S.

1849 - President Lincoln says his famous quote: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time."

1851 - Sojourner Truth (female Black activist) delivers her famous Ain't I a Woman? speech in Akron, OH.

1861 - Dorothea Dix sets up hospitals for the injured Union Army soldiers.

1886 - The first Coca-Cola advertisement appears in The Atlanta Journal.

1912 - Curtis Publishing (PA) fires 15 young women for dancing the Turkey Trot.

1916 - The official flag of the President of the U.S. is adopted.

1919 - Charles Strite files a patent for an automatic pop-up toaster.

1932 - World War I veterans gather in Washington, D.C., to request cash bonuses promised to them to be paid in 1945.

1943 - Meat and cheese are rationed in U.S.

1979 - The first rock radio network (Source) in the U.S. premieres.

2001 - The Supreme Court rules disabled golfer Casey Martin can use a cart to ride in tournaments.

2004 - The National World War II Memorial is dedicated in Washington, D.C.

2015 - One World Observatory at One World Trade Center opens.