Literature
Show Boat Makes Broadway Debut
On December 27, 1927, the musical Show Boat debuted at Broadway’s Ziegfeld Theater. The play was hailed as an artistic masterpiece and the film was a box office hit.
First Printing of “A Visit from St. Nicholas”
“A Visit from St. Nicholas” was first printed anonymously on December 23, 1823. Eventually attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, the poem gave Americans the version of Santa we have today.
Birth of Joel Chandler Harris
Author Joel Chandler Harris was born on December 9, 1848, in Eatonton, Georgia. He’s best known for his folklore tales of Uncle Remus and the Brer Rabbit.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
On December 6, 1964, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first premiered on television. Based on a popular book and song, it became an instant classic, appearing on television every year since.
Birth of Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott was born on November 29, 1832, in Germantown, Pennsylvania. A prolific author of more than 270 works, she’s most well-known for her novel, Little Women.
Nellie Bly Begins Record-Setting Trip Around the Globe
On November 14, 1889, Nellie Bly embarked on a trip around the globe, inspired by Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days.
Birth of Ursula K. Le Guin
Author Ursula Kroeber Le Guin was born on October 21, 1929, in Berkeley, California. A pioneer in American science fiction writing, she won numerous distinguished awards for her novels, short stories, and teen and children’s books.
Birth of James Whitcomb Riley
Author and poet James Whitcomb Riley was born on October 7, 1849, in Greenfield, Indiana. He was considered “the National Poet,” “the poet laureate of America,” and “the people’s poet laureate.”
Birth of William Faulkner
Celebrated American author William Faulkner was born on September 25, 1897, in New Albany, Mississippi. Known for using a wide range of styles, Faulkner explored America’s geography, history, economy, and social and moral life in his writing.