History Today

Hello, and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on May 29th. The government of Nepal made news recently when it announced that thousands of pounds of trash--as well as several human bodies--had been removed from the summit of Mount Everest. Everest had become polluted by tons of garbage left behind by the more than 4,000 people who have reached Everest’s peak since this day in 1953.

Hello and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on May 28th. If you saw the award-winning film Glory, then you know the inspiring story of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, which left Boston for combat duty in the South on this day in 1863. The 54th was the first unit made up of black soldiers to fight in the Civil War. They saw extensive action, serving with dignity and bravery in a time when many on both sides of the war did not see blacks as deserving of equal treatment.

Hello and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on May 27th. It’s Memorial Day—a day set aside to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day always falls on the last Monday of May, creating a three-day weekend that is considered the unofficial beginning of summer, at least since it became a federal holiday in 1971.

Hello and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on May 26th. With America’s immigration policies seemingly always in the news, we look back 95 years to Calvin Coolidge’s signing of the Immigration Act of 1924. The new law reflected Americans’ desire to isolate themselves after the horrors of World War I, as well as fears about the spread of communism and the growing racial diversity of the nation.

Hello and welcome to This Day in History brought to you by AARP. Take on today and every day with AARP. Here’s what happened on May 25th. As Star Wars fans await the release of The Rise of Skywalker later this year, we look back to this day in 1977, when the release of the original Star Wars changed the world of movies forever. Star Wars wowed audiences with its groundbreaking special effects, racking up seven Oscars and record-breaking ticket sales worldwide.

"Hello and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on May 24th. Released more than 30 years before the “me too” movement, this film wowed critics and stunned moviegoers--Thelma and Louise, starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis, was released on this day in 1991. Directed by Ridley Scott, Thelma and Louise turned the road movie genre on its head.

Hello and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on May 23rd. Long before it was a song by Jay Z and Beyonce or even a film starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, Bonnie and Clyde were two of America’s most notorious criminals. The infamous outlaws were shot to death by police officers on this day in 1934. Bonnie and Clyde’s gang were responsible for a string of armed robberies across five states, as well as the murders of 13 people, including nine police officers.

Hello and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on May 22nd. American politics can be a brutal business, but today’s war of words pales in comparison to the very real blood that was shed in the Senate chamber on this day in 1856. As Congressional tensions rose over the expansion of slavery, southern Congressman Preston Brooks savagely beat abolitionist senator Charles Sumner with his cane.

Hello and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on May 21st. From hurricanes to fires to the recent flooding in the Midwest, when Americans face a disaster, the American Red Cross is usually among the first on the scene. And it all started on this day in 1881, when the humanitarian organization was founded by Clara Barton and Adolphus Solomons as part of the International Red Cross, to help victims of war and natural disasters.

Hello and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on May 20th. Most trends come and go, but If you have a pair of jeans in your closet, you’re part of a fashion trend that’s been around for nearly 150 years. On this day in 1873, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis received a patent on work pants reinforced with metal rivets, marking the birth of one of the world’s most famous garments.