On May 9, 1960, the birth control pill was approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The pill was made by Chicago based company G.D. Searle Company and was commissioned by birth control pioneer Margaret Sanger. Both Sanger and pill development funder Katherine McCormick were hoping for a practical, effective alternative to the contraceptive methods […]
May 9, 1899 African-American inventor John Albert Burr patented a rotary blade lawnmower. Burr improved the wheels and designed a rotary blade that was not easily clogged with lawn clippings. John Albert Burr also improved the design, making it easier to mow close to buildings and wall edges. He might not have known it then, […]
May 10 is National Train Day, celebrated country wide by special train fares, displays and events. Train rides are more fuel efficient than either planes or cars, as train travel allows passengers to reduce their carbon footprint while still getting to where they need to be. Domestically, trains carry more than 30 million people a […]
May 9 is Military Spouses Day and we’re taking a moment to honor the men and women who stand by the men and women who fight for our country. There are many reasons to hate being a military spouse, from long deployments to pay cuts, but overall it’s an incredible life to choose to lead. […]
May 7 is National Tourism Day. It’s a day for tourist destinations around the country to promote their local areas, regions or states. A lot of these places get a bum rap and are referred to as “tourist traps.” But upon further investigation, they’re not tourist traps at all. They’re worthwhile destinations that, while crowded, […]
May 8 is VE (Victory in Europe) Day, which marks the formal celebration of the Allied victory in Europe during World War II. Decades after the long war, May 8 is still a day of remembrance and celebration, and a day we pause to thank veterans of all wars and conflicts for the sacrifices they […]
For fans of the Fab Four, May 8,1970 is recalled as a sad day. It was the day the Beatles released their last album Let It Be. Before long, fans knew it would be the last album ever from the Lads from Liverpool, as creative differences, professional demands and family issues broke up the greatest […]
On May 8, 1980, the World Health Organization announced that the horrible disease of smallpox had been eradicated around the world. Vaccination, of course, played a large role in the eradication of smallpox and we have it, largely, to thank for the near disappearance of the disease. But vaccines don’t just help the people who […]
On May 9, 1886, Atlanta pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invented what eventually became Coca-Cola. Pemberton came up with the syrup that forms the base of Coke. He then carried it down to a nearby pharmacy where it was blended with carbonated water to produce a soda fountain drink. It was originally touted as “delicious and […]