Category Archives: 1910s

Jewish businessman Leo Frank lynched in Marietta, Georgia 100 years ago this hour (Aug 17 1915)


Video: 'Murder case, Leo Frank lynching live on'

(Tuesday, August 17, 1915, at around 7:00 a.m. local time) — A mob in Cobb County, Georgia, today lynched Jewish businessman Leo Frank, 31, whose death sentence for the April 1913 murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan had been commuted to life imprisonment.

Frank, who’d maintained his innocence, was pardoned by the state of Georgia in 1986.

American sailors, Marines begin 19-year occupation of Haiti 100 years ago today (July 28 1915)


Video: 'U.S. Occupation of Haiti 1915 1934'

(Wednesday, July 28, 1915) — More than 300 American sailors and Marines arrived in Haiti today to restore order following the killing of Haitian President Vibrun Guillaume Sam by rebels, beginning a 19-year U.S. occupation.

848 people die when SS Eastland rolls onto its side in Chicago 100 years ago this hour (July 24 1915)


Video: 'Grad Student Finds Footage of 1915 Ship Disaster'

(Tuesday, July 24, 1915, 7:28 a.m. CDT; during World War I) — The SS Eastland, a passenger ship carrying more than 2,500 people, rolled onto its side today while docked at the Clark Street Bridge on the Chicago River, killing 844 passengers and four crew members.

Early use of the word ‘jazz’ appears in Chicago Tribune article 100 years ago today (July 11 1915)


Video: 'The Story of Jazz'

(Sunday, July 11, 1915) — The Chicago Sunday Tribune ran an article today titled, “Blues Is Jazz and Jazz Is Blues” in what’s believed to be one of the earliest, if not the earliest, uses of the word “jazz” as a musical term by a newspaper.

Time bomb explodes in U.S. Senate reception room 100 years ago this hour (July 2 1915)

(Friday, July 2, 1915, at approximately 11:40 p.m. EDT; during World War I) — A tremendous explosion caused by a time bomb wrecked the east reception room on the main floor of the Senate wing of the Capitol Building just before midnight tonight, causing considerable damage but hurting no one.

First Battle of Champagne ends in stalemate 100 years ago today (Mar 17 1915)


Video: 'The First Battle of Champagne'

(Wednesday, March 17, 1915; part of the Western Front of World War I) — The First Battle of Champagne between the French Fourth Army and the German Third Army in the Champagne region of France ended today in stalemate after three months of bloody fighting.

Allied warships launch initial attack on Ottoman forces in the Dardanelles 100 years ago this hour (Feb 19 1915)


Video: 'La bataille des Dardanelles (1915)'

(Friday, February 19, 1915, 7:30 a.m. local time; during Naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign, part of World War I) — British and French warships launched their initial attack today on Ottoman forces in the Dardanelles, a strait in northwestern Turkey. The Gallipoli Campaign that followed proved disastrous for the Allies.

‘The Birth of a Nation’ premieres in Los Angeles 100 years ago today (Feb 8 1915)


Video: 'The Birth of a Nation (1915) [HD] - Lillian Gish'

(Monday, February 8, 1915) — The silent, groundbreaking and controversial epic film drama The Birth of a Nation, which chronicles the relationship of two families in the Civil War and Reconstruction eras, premiered today in Los Angeles.

Directed by D. W. Griffith, the film starred Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Henry B. Walthall, Miriam Cooper, Ralph Lewis and George Siegmann.

Fighting resumes along Western Front after Christmas truce 100 years ago this hour (Dec 26 1914)

Video: 'The Great War episode 2 Stalemate' (Dec. 26, 1914, at 54:25)

(Saturday, December 26, 1914, 8:30 a.m. local time; on the Western Front of the First World War) — An unofficial Christmas truce that began two days ago on the Western Front ended today after German and British soldiers exchange pleasantries.

Unofficial Christmas truce continues along Western Front 100 years ago today (Dec 25 1914)

Video: 'The Great War episode 2 Stalemate' (Dec. 25, 1914, at 51:48)

(Friday, December 25, 1914, Christmas Day; on the Western Front of the First World War) — An unofficial Christmas truce that began yesterday held today along parts of the Western Front today between British and German soldiers who, in some cases, exchanged gifts and even played soccer with each other. Continue reading Unofficial Christmas truce continues along Western Front 100 years ago today (Dec 25 1914)