(Monday, June 23, 1947, 3:17 p.m. EDT) — The Senate by 68 to 25 joined the House today in overriding President Harry S. Truman’s veto of the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, better known as the Taft-Hartley Act, designed to limit the power of organized labor (click here to watch “Target Labor And Taft-Hartley” video).
(Saturday, June 21, 1947) — “Peg o’ My Heart” by The Harmonicats peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for four non-consecutive weeks (June 21, July 19/26, Aug. 2, 1947).
(Saturday, June 7, 1947) — “Mam’selle” by Art Lund (with orchestra conducted by Johnny Thompson) peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for two consecutive weeks (June 7/14, 1947).
Video: 'The Marshall Plan Speech (video presentation by the Marshall Foundation)'
(Thursday, June 5, 1947, 2:50 p.m. EDT; during the Cold War) — U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall gave a speech today at Harvard University in which he outlined the Marshall Plan (officially the European Recovery Program, ERP), an American initiative to aid Western Europe, in which the United States would give over $13 billion in economic support to help rebuild Western European economies after the end of World War II. Continue reading U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall outlines plan for American reconstruction, relief aid to Europe 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 5 1947)
Video: 'Miracle on 34th Street' trailer
(Wednesday, June 4, 1947, doors opened at 10:30 a.m. EDT) — Miracle on 34th Street, a Christmas comedy-drama film about a department store Santa who claims to be the real thing, opened this morning at the Roxy Theatre at 153 West 50th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, just off Times Square in New York City. Continue reading ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ opens in New York City 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 4 1947)
Video: 'American Experience Truman 2' (May 22, 1947, at 22:06)
(Thursday, May 22, 1947, 8:00 a.m. CDT; during the Cold War) — With a pledge that the United States will act, as well as talk, in support of the United Nations, U.S. President Harry S. Truman today signed the Greek-Turkish aid bill, providing $400 million in military and economic aid to Turkey and Greece and implementing the Truman Doctrine to fight the spread of communism. Continue reading President Truman signs bill implementing doctrine to fight spread of communism 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 22 1947)
Video: 'American Experience Hoover Dam'
(Wednesday, April 30, 1947) — U.S. President Harry S. Truman signed a resolution today changing the name of Boulder Dam, a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the U.S. states of Nevada and Arizona, to Hoover Dam, after former President Herbert Hoover. Continue reading Boulder Dam officially renamed Hoover Dam 70 years ago today #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 30 1947)
(Wednesday, April 16, 1947, 1:00 p.m. EST; during the Cold War) — Financier and presidential confidant Bernard M. Baruch said in a speech today at the South Carolina statehouse, “Let us not be deceived – we are today in the midst of a cold war,” becoming the first to coin the term “Cold War” to describe the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Video: 'Texas City Explosion 1947-04-16 Universal Newsreel; Texas City Disaster'
(Wednesday, April 16, 1947, 9:12 a.m. CST) — The French cargo ship Grandcamp, carrying ammonium nitrate fertilizer, caught fire and blew up today at the harbor in Texas City, Texas, devastating the town. Continue reading Nearly 600 killed as blasts and fires wreck Texas City, Texas 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 16 1947)
Video: 'April 15, 1947 Jackie Robinson makes His MLB Debut'
(Tuesday, April 15, 1947, 2:00 p.m. EST) — Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson, 28, became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era today when he made his official debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on opening day at Ebbets Field before a crowd of 26,623 spectators, more than 14,000 of whom were black. Continue reading Jackie Robinson breaks baseball’s color line, debuts with Dodgers this hour 70 years ago#OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 15 1947)
