This Day…

1897 – Rosa Ponselle, American operatic soprano, known for her large opulent voice, considered by critics to be one of the greatest sopranos of the last 100 years (d. 1981) was born.

1856 – Harriot Stanton Blatch, American author, suffragist and women’s rights activist, daughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton (d. 1940)

1975 – Gertrude Olmstead, American actress (b. 1897)

1915 – Fannie Farmer, American cookbook author and educator during the height of the domestic science movement (b. 1857)

1884 – Sophie Tucker, Russian-born American singer and actress (d. 1966)

1928: Amelia Earhart began her record-breaking flight from Honolulu to California

1860 – Emma Booth, English member of The Salvation Army was born.

1899 – Phyllis Haver, American actress (d. 1960)  Haver auditioned for comedy producer Mack Sennett.  Sennett hired her as one of his original Sennett Bathing Beauties.  Within a few years, she appeared as a leading lady in two-reelers for Sennett Studios.

1844 – Helen Kendrick Johnson, American author, poet, and activist opposing women’s suffrage is born.  During her time as an anti-suffragette activist she addressed legislative committees in Albany and Washington and wrote many newspaper articles and pamphlets on the subject. In 1910 she founded the Guidon Club, an anti-suffragette organization dedicated to the study of politics and government.

1879 – Edison demonstrates incandescent light.