Category Archives: U.S. Presidents

At Mrs. King’s funeral, a mix of elegy and politics 20 years ago this hour (Feb 7 2006)

2000s, African-American Civil Rights, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Clips from Coretta Scott King's funeral'

(Tuesday, February 7, 2006, scheduled for noon to 3 p.m. EST) — Coretta Scott King, the widow of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., was laid to rest today, after a funeral where white-gloved ushers welcomed 15,000 people, including four presidents, three governors, three planeloads of Congress members, celebrities, gospel stars and leading figures of the civil rights movement. Continue reading At Mrs. King’s funeral, a mix of elegy and politics 20 years ago this hour (Feb 7 2006) →

Joseph Kennedy purchases Film Booking Offices of America (FBO) 100 years ago today (Feb 7 1926)

1920s, movies 1920s, U.S. Presidents


Video: '"American Experience" THE KENNEDYS: Part 1, The Father, 1900-61)' (Feb. 7, 1926, at 10:50)

(Sunday, February 7, 1926) — Boston banker Joseph P. Kennedy entered the motion picture production business today by buying, with some associates, control of the Film Booking Offices of America (FBO) film studio from Lloyds Bank and other British financial interests.

U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr born in Newark, New Jersey 270 years ago today (Feb 6 1756)

1750s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Aaron Burr'

(Friday, February 6, 1756) — Aaron Burr, the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805, during Thomas Jefferson’s first presidential term, was born today in Newark, in what was then the Province of New Jersey, one of the Thirteen Colonies of colonial era British America. Continue reading U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr born in Newark, New Jersey 270 years ago today (Feb 6 1756) →

President Reagan’s SOTU message appeals for unity to curb spending 40 years ago this hour (Feb 4 1986)

1980s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Ronald Reagan's State of the Union Address 1986'

(Tuesday, February 4, 1986, 8:04 p.m. EST) — U.S. President Ronald Reagan appealed tonight to Republicans and Democrats to unite in an effort to control Government spending, saying, “It’s time we reduced the Federal budget and left the family budget alone.” Continue reading President Reagan’s SOTU message appeals for unity to curb spending 40 years ago this hour (Feb 4 1986) →

Egyptian ferry sinks in Red Sea, killing more than 1,000 people 20 years ago this hour (Feb 3 2006)

2000s, African-American Civil Rights, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Why did they allow it to sail!? - Al Salam Boccaccio 98 Ferry Disaster (What The History E02)'

(Friday, February 3, 2006, 1:33 a.m. Eastern European Time) — An Egyptian passenger ferry carrying more than 1,400 people sank in the Red Sea overnight during stormy weather, killing more than 1,000 passengers in one of the deadliest maritime disasters in the region’s history, Egyptian officials said today. Continue reading Egyptian ferry sinks in Red Sea, killing more than 1,000 people 20 years ago this hour (Feb 3 2006) →

President George W. Bush says U.S. must cut reliance on oil in SOTU address 20 years ago this hour (Jan 31 2006)

2000s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'State Of The Union Address 2006'

(Tuesday, January 31, 2006, 9:12 p.m. EST) — U.S. President George W. Bush offered the nation a modest menu of energy, health and education proposals and warned against the “false comfort of isolationism” tonight in a State of the Union address that sought to reassert his control over the nation’s agenda heading into a pivotal midterm election campaign.

George H.W. Bush sworn in as CIA director 50 years ago this hour (Jan 30 1976)

1970s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'George H.W. Bush in 1976'

(Friday, January 30, 1976, 11:02 a.m. EST) — George H.W. Bush, with President Gerald Ford in attendance, was sworn in today as the 11th Director of Central Intelligence (replacing William Colby) to head the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, recently rocked by a series of revelations, including those based on investigations by the Church Committee regarding illegal and unauthorized activities. Continue reading George H.W. Bush sworn in as CIA director 50 years ago this hour (Jan 30 1976) →

Reagan postpones State of the Union to address Challenger disaster 40 years ago this hour (Jan 28 1986)

1980s, space exploration, Television 1980s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Challenger: President Reagan's Challenger Disaster Speech - 1/28/86'

(Tuesday, January 28, 1986, 5:00 p.m. EST) — U.S. President Ronald Reagan, saying “today is a day for mourning and remembering,” postponed the State of the Union speech he had planned for tonight because of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. Continue reading Reagan postpones State of the Union to address Challenger disaster 40 years ago this hour (Jan 28 1986) →

Clinton offers challenge to nation, declaring, ‘era of big government is over’ 30 years ago this hour (Jan 23 1996)

1990s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'From the archives: Clinton says "era of big government is over" in 1996 State of the Union address'

(Tuesday, January 23, 1996, 9:14 p.m. EST) — Offering his own idea of limited government to compete with the Republican vision, U.S. President Bill Clinton tonight challenged the nation to provide enough educational opportunities, economic security and freedom from crime to allow Americans to make the most of an “age of possibility.”

In an election-year State of the Union Message intended far more for voters than for the Republican-controlled Congress, Clinton separated himself from Democratic orthodoxy, twice pronouncing that the “era of big government is over.”