A Brief History On May 22, 1849, future president of the United States Abraham Lincoln was granted a patent for a device to raise boats over obstacles in a river.  He is the first and only president to have been awarded a patent.  Here we list 10 unique and interesting things done or about a president for the first or only time so far. Digging Deeper 10. None. Presidents have served in the Army, Navy and Air Force (George W. Bush, Air National Guard), but so far we have had none that was a veteran of the Marine Corps!  Obviously,…

A Brief History On May 22, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson announced his “Great Society” program that was to end poverty and racial injustice in the United States.  His reforms did neither, as we see so evidently today.  Presidents have often failed miserably in their attempts to achieve their agendas, and here we list 10 of those losing propositions.  (Note: The order listed does not indicate importance or scale of the blunders.) Digging Deeper 10. Richard Nixon, Cover up Watergate.  Nixon’s attempt to cover up the Watergate break-in by operatives of his re-election campaign blew up in his face when tapes…

A Brief History On May 22, 2002, Bobby Frank Cherry, former member of the Ku Klux Klan, was convicted of the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama. Digging Deeper The early 1960’s were a turbulent time in America, with racial integration and the civil rights movement in high gear.  As the South fought against the end of segregation, violence was used as a weapon by radicals on both sides.  The 16th Street Baptist Church had been a focal point for African-American activists, used as a meeting spot by the top ranking African-American civil rights activists and a…

A Brief History On May 21, 1932, Amelia Earhart landed her airplane in Northern Ireland, becoming the first woman to fly non-stop solo across the Atlantic Ocean.  Earhart was an aviation pioneer, not just as a woman, but as a pilot, period.  Here we list 10 women who were right at the top of their respective fields. Digging Deeper 10. Maya Angelou, Poetry/Literature. Whether you like her style of poetry or not, it cannot be argued that she is on top of her field, having recited her poems at the inauguration of Presidents Clinton and Obama.  (It had been 32…

A Brief History On May 21, 1881, Clara Barton established the American Red Cross in Washington, DC.  A nurse, teacher and patent clerk, Barton left the legacy of the Red Cross for all Americans that had no one else to turn to in time of crisis, whether man-made or natural disaster.  Additionally, the Red Cross is instrumental in teaching First Aid and CPR classes as well as gathering and distributing most of the blood supply in the US.  Like Clara Barton, many other women have risen to the top of their profession, sport, or field as a leader for men…