This Day…

1847 – Sarah Frances Whiting, American physicist and astronomer; established the physics department and experimental lab at Wellesley as its first physics professor; author of a physic textbook and numerous articles for Popular Astronomy. (d. 1927)

1893 – Dorothy Parker, American poet , author, screenwriter and critic, known for her satirical wit, recipient of two Academy Award nominations and the O. Henry Award was born.  (d. 1967)

1900 – Olga Baclanova, Russian actress; popular in silent films in America, her heavy accent made her transition to talking films unsuccessful; best-known for her portrayal of Cleopatra in the horror movie Freaks was born. (d. 1974)

1856 – Gail Borden patents a milk condensing process.

1858 – The first cable message crosses the Atlantic.

1860 – Phoebe Ann Moses, better known as Annie Oakley is born.

Born this day in 1902 – Norma Shearer, Canadian actress, known for playing sexually liberated women in the pre-code era of cinema, recipient of the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in The Divorcee (d. 1983)

1896 – Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, American author, known for novels with rural themes, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Yearling which was later made into a movie is born. (d. 1953)

1876 – Born this day, Mary Ritter Beard, American historian, archivist, suffragist and activist, advocate of social justice in labor and women’s rights; author of a number of books including On Understanding Women, America Through Women’s Eyes, and Woman As Force In History: A Study in Traditions and Realities. (d. 1958)

1984: Mary Lou Retton became the first US woman to win an Olympic gold medal in women’s gymnastics all-around event.