Category Archives: 1930s

‘Oh, the humanity!’ 36 killed as German zeppelin Hindenburg bursts into flames 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 6 1937)

1930s


Video: 'Hindenburg Disaster Real Footage (1937)'

(Thursday, May 6, 1937, 7:25 p.m. EDT) — The hydrogen-filled German passenger airship Hindenburg burned and crashed tonight during its attempt to dock with its mooring mast at Naval Air Station Lakehurst in Manchester Township, New Jersey, killing 35 of the 97 people on board and a Navy crewman on the ground. Continue reading ‘Oh, the humanity!’ 36 killed as German zeppelin Hindenburg bursts into flames 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 6 1937) →

‘Shall We Dance’ opens in Baltimore, Chicago 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 29 1937)

1930s, movies 1930s, Popular Music 1930s


Video: 'Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers - Let's Call The Whole Thing Off HQ'

(Thursday, April 29, 1937) — Shall We Dance, the seventh of the ten Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers musical comedy films, opened today in Baltimore and Chicago. Continue reading ‘Shall We Dance’ opens in Baltimore, Chicago 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 29 1937) →

German, Italian warplanes raid Basque town of Guernica 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 26 1937)

1930s


Video: 'Bombing of Guernica 1937.-Spanish Civil War'

(Monday, April 26, 1937, 4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. CET) — German and Italian warplanes raided the Basque town of Guernica today during the Spanish Civil War, seen by many as the first large-scale modern air raid against an unarmed civilian population (between 150 and 1,650 people were killed). Continue reading German, Italian warplanes raid Basque town of Guernica 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 26 1937) →

Joseph Kennedy becomes Maritime Commission chairman 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 14 1937)

1930s


Video: 'American Experience The Kennedys 1' (Kennedy becomes Maritime Commission chair at 17:59)

(Wednesday, April 14, 1937, morning EST) — Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., the first chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, was sworn in today as the first chairman of the United States Maritime Commission, one day after confirmation by the Senate. Continue reading Joseph Kennedy becomes Maritime Commission chairman 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 14 1937) →

Johnson, backing Roosevelt’s court plan, wins seat in Congress in Texas election 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 10 1937)

1930s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'PBS LBJ Part 1' (1937 campaign at 4:45)

(Saturday, April 10, 1937) — Youthful Lyndon B. Johnson, who shouted his advocacy of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s plan to add more justices to the U.S. Supreme Court all over Texas’ 10th congressional district, was elected today to the seat in Congress that covered Austin and the surrounding hill country. Continue reading Johnson, backing Roosevelt’s court plan, wins seat in Congress in Texas election 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 10 1937) →

295+ students, teachers killed in natural gas explosion at Texas school 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 18 1937)

1930s


Video: '425 Children Perish in New London Texas School Explosion - 1937 Historic Footage'

(Thursday, March 18, 1937, 3:05-3:20 p.m. CST) — In America’s deadliest school disaster, more than 295 students and teachers were killed today in a natural gas explosion at the New London Consolidated School in Rusk County, Texas. Continue reading 295+ students, teachers killed in natural gas explosion at Texas school 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 18 1937) →

Ronald Reagan takes a screen test in Hollywood 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 15 1937)

1930s, movies 1930s, U.S. Presidents


Video: '26-Year-Old Ronald Reagan in Hollywood 1937'

(Monday, March 15, 1937) — While attending spring training on Catalina Island, California, with the Chicago Cubs, Ronald Reagan, 26, took a screen test today in Hollywood that led to a seven-year contract with Warner Bros.
Continue reading Ronald Reagan takes a screen test in Hollywood 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 15 1937) →

FDR puts court plan on basis of party loyalty, says problems cant wait 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 4 1937)

1930s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'U.S.President Franklin D. Roosevelt castigates the Supreme Court at Democratic Pa...HD Stock Footage'

(Thursday, March 4, 1937, 10:30 p.m. EST) — U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt tonight put support for his plan to make over the Supreme Court squarely on the basis of party loyalty and responsibility. Continue reading FDR puts court plan on basis of party loyalty, says problems cant wait 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 4 1937) →

Wallace H. Carothers receives U.S. patent for nylon 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 16 1937)

1930s


Video: 'Nylon: First Synthetic Fiber - Decades TV Network'

(Tuesday, February 16, 1937) — Du Pont research chemist Dr. Wallace H. Carothers, inventor of nylon, received a patent today for the synthetic fiber, described as “linear condensation polymers.” Continue reading Wallace H. Carothers receives U.S. patent for nylon 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 16 1937) →

Flint sit-down strike settled 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 11 1937)

1930s


Video: 'The Great Sit-Down - Yesterday's Witness in America' (Feb. 11, 1937, at 46:22)

(Thursday, February 11, 1937, noon EST) — The six-week-old Flint sit-down strike against General Motors ended today with the company agreeing to recognize the United Automobile Workers (UAW) as the exclusive bargaining representative for GM’s employees who were members of the union for the next six months. Continue reading Flint sit-down strike settled 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 11 1937) →