Forerunner to New York Stock Exchange Formed
On May 17, 1792, the Buttonwood Agreement was signed, laying the groundwork for the New York Stock Exchange. Today, it’s the world’s largest stock exchange.
Civil War
US Savings Bonds
On April 30, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt announced a new series of US Savings Bonds and bought the first one himself the following day. These bonds went on to help raise over $185 billion dollars during WWII.
Happy Birthday Ulysses S. Grant
Hiram Ulysses Grant was born on April 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, Ohio. A hero of the Civil War, he served as America’s 18th president.
Doolittle Raid
On April 18, 1942, Jimmy Doolittle led a daring raid against the Japanese in retaliation for the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Emancipation Memorial
On April 14, 1876, the Emancipation Memorial (also known as the Freedmen’s Memorial Monument) was unveiled in a special ceremony in Washington, DC. Most of the funds raised for the statue came from freed slaves and African American Union veterans.
Civil War Centennial Series
On April 12, 1961, the US Post Office issued the first stamp in a five-year series honoring major events from the Civil War. Issued for the war’s 100th anniversary, they were the first US stamps to specifically commemorate the conflict.
Battle of Glorieta Pass
On March 26, 1862, Confederate forces launched the Battle of Glorieta Pass, aimed at breaking Union control of the West along the base of the Rocky Mountains. It has been called the “Gettysburg of the West” because it was a turning point in the Civil War.
Happy Medal of Honor Day!
Medal of Honor Day has been celebrated on this day since 1991 to commemorate the awarding of the first six Medals of Honor for the Great Locomotive Chase. Those medals were awarded on March 25, 1863, for their daring actions of April 12, 1862.
Old Glory
On March 17, 1824, William Driver received a US flag that was the first to be called “Old Glory.”