Category Archives: U.S. Presidents

U.S. President William McKinley shot and mortally wounded in Buffalo, New York 120 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 6 1901)

1900s, U.S. Presidents


Video: '6th September 1901: President William McKinley shot at the Pan-American Exposition by Leon Czolgosz'

(Friday, September 6, 1901, 4:07 p.m. EST; during the Assassination of William McKinley) — William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States, was shot this afternoon on the grounds of the Pan-American Exposition at the Temple of Music in Buffalo, New York, six months into his second term. Continue reading U.S. President William McKinley shot and mortally wounded in Buffalo, New York 120 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 6 1901) →

German submarine fires on destroyer USS Greer off Iceland in first Nazi attack against an American ship 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 4 1941)

1940s, U.S. Presidents, World War II

Video: 'The World at War: On Our Way: U.S.A. - 1939-1942 (7 of 26)' (Greer Incident at 13:34)'

(Thursday, September 4, 1941, 12:45 p.m. UTC; during the Battle of the Atlantic, part of World War II) — The USS Greer, a Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy, became the first U.S. vessel fired on in World War II when a German submarine (later identified as U-652) aimed a few torpedoes at it today, sparking heightened tensions between Nazi Germany and the United States, three months before America officially entered World War II. Continue reading German submarine fires on destroyer USS Greer off Iceland in first Nazi attack against an American ship 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 4 1941) →

White House ‘Plumbers’ break into office of Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist 40 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 3 1971)

1970s, U.S. Presidents, Watergate


Video: 'WATERGATE AFFAIR BBC DOKUMENTATION 1994' (Sept. 3, 1971, at 23:52)

(Friday, September 3, 1971, approximately 11:00 p.m. PDT; during the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — Under the authorization of U.S. presidential adviser John Ehrlichman, the Beverly Hills, California, office of Lewis Fielding, a psychiatrist treating Daniel Ellsberg (who had leaked the Pentagon Papers to the press, exposing systematic lies to the nation about U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War), was broken into late tonight by a team of burglars. Continue reading White House ‘Plumbers’ break into office of Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist 40 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 3 1971) →

President Nixon ends convertibility of U.S. Dollars to gold and announces wage/price controls 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 15 1971)

1970s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'The Challenge of Peace - President Nixon's Address to the Nation on A New Economic Policy'

(Sunday, August 15, 1971, 9 p.m. EDT; during the Nixon shock) — President Richard Nixon announced tonight that the United States would no longer convert dollars to gold at a fixed value, effectively ending the Bretton Woods system. Continue reading President Nixon ends convertibility of U.S. Dollars to gold and announces wage/price controls 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 15 1971) →

Franklin D. Roosevelt stricken with paralytic illness 100 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 10 1921)

1920s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'FDR Recovery'

(Wednesday, August 10, 1921, evening local time) — After a day of strenuous activity, 1920 Democratic vice presidential nominee (and future four-term president of the United States) Franklin D. Roosevelt, 39, complained of chills, nausea and pain in his lower back, skipped dinner and went to bed tonight while visiting his summer home on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada. Continue reading Franklin D. Roosevelt stricken with paralytic illness 100 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 10 1921) →

FDR and Churchill attend Sunday services aboard British battleship in Newfoundland 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 10 1941)

1940s, U.S. Presidents, World War II


Video: 'President To Prime Minister - Historic Meeting (1941)' (Aug. 10, 1941, at 3:19)

(Sunday, August 10, 1941, 10:00 a.m. Newfoundland Daylight Time; during World War II) — U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill attended attended religious services today aboard the British battleship Prince of Wales at Placentia Bay in Newfoundland on the second day of the four-day the Atlantic Conference. Continue reading FDR and Churchill attend Sunday services aboard British battleship in Newfoundland 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 10 1941) →

FDR and Churchill begin first wartime conference aboard USS Augusta off Newfoundland 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 9 1941)

1940s, U.S. Presidents, World War II


Video: 'President To Prime Minister - Historic Meeting (1941)' (Aug. 9, 1941, at 0:09-3:17)

(Saturday, August 9, 1941, 11:00 a.m. Newfoundland Daylight Time; during World War II) — U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill secretly met aboard the USS Augusta today at Placentia Bay in Newfoundland to begin the four-day Atlantic Conference (codenamed Riviera), the first of nine face-to-face conferences between the two leaders during World War II. Continue reading FDR and Churchill begin first wartime conference aboard USS Augusta off Newfoundland 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 9 1941) →

U.S. President Barack Obama born in Honolulu 60 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 4 1961)

1960s, African-American Civil Rights, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Biography of Barack Obama: Life and Accomplishments'

(Friday, August 4, 1961, 7:24 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time) — Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States who served from 2009 to 2017, was born Barack Hussein Obama II today at the old Kapiolani Maternity and Gynecological Hospital at 1611 Bingham Street in Honolulu, Hawaii. Continue reading U.S. President Barack Obama born in Honolulu 60 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 4 1961) →

U.S. will fight for Berlin, President Kennedy warns Russia 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 25 1961)

1960s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'President John F. Kennedy Report to the Nation, Berlin Crisis, 25 July 1961'

(Tuesday, July 25, 1961, 10:00 p.m. EDT; during the Berlin Crisis of 1961, part of the Cold War) — During a nationwide address on American television and radio, U.S. President John F. Kennedy said tonight if the Soviet Union attempted to take control of West Berlin, then the United States would be prepared to go to war, even at the risk of nuclear annihilation.  Continue reading U.S. will fight for Berlin, President Kennedy warns Russia 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 25 1961) →

President Nixon accepts invitation to visit Communist China 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 15 1971)

1970s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'President Nixon Announces Trip to China'

(Thursday, July 15, 1971, 7:30 p.m. PDT) — U.S. President Richard Nixon shocked the world by announcing on live television tonight from Burbank, California, that he had accepted an invitation to become the first U.S. president to visit the People’s Republic of China, after being invited by China’s Prime Minister Zhou Enlai. Continue reading President Nixon accepts invitation to visit Communist China 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 15 1971) →