Michigan Minute

On this day in 1875, a massive ice floe collapsed five bridges in Lansing, starting with the newly constructed Mineral Wells Bridge. In 1963, Michiganders narrowly approved the state’s new constitution with a 50.2% vote. And in 1972, Ann Arbor held its first Hash Bash, celebrating cannabis after John Sinclair's prison sentence for marijuana possession was overturned.

On this day in 1921, Michigan sports official Lloyd W. Olds introduced the striped referee shirt to avoid confusion during games. The idea came after a mix-up in a 1920 football game. Olds' innovation debuted at the 1921 Michigan State High School basketball championships, and stripes became a referee tradition.

On this day in 1966, Michigan's first kidney transplant was performed at the University of Michigan, saving 15-year-old Janice Ottenbacher with an organ from her twin sister Joan. Both twins lived long, healthy lives. Since then, U-M's Transplant Center has performed over 10,000 transplants, becoming one of the largest programs in the country.

On this day in 1815, Detroiters and Canadians celebrated the end of the War of 1812 with the Pacification Ball, mending fences and hoping to leave the previous year's famine behind. In 2017, Michigan mourned the loss of Robert Daniel Mahoney, the first blind person elected to the Michigan House of Representatives, who showed the world what differently abled people could achieve.

On this day in 1979, MSU Superfan Duane Vernon and broadcaster Tim Staudt planned a parade with coach Jud Heathcote. Instead of celebrating a Final Four appearance, they celebrated the Spartans' victory over Indiana State and their NCAA Championship win with a Parade of Champions in downtown Lansing.

On this day in 1871, Amanda Sanford and Sarah Killgore became the first women to graduate from the University of Michigan. Additionally, in 1912, the Michigan Senate voted to support the 19th amendment, advancing women's suffrage.

On this day in 1944, Diana Ross was born in Detroit. She rose to fame as the leader of The Supremes, one of Motown's most successful groups. Ross launched a successful solo career in 1970 and was named Billboard's Female Entertainer of the Century in 1976. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

On this day in 1942, Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, was born in Memphis. She moved to Detroit, began singing at New Bethel Baptist Church, and later recorded hits like "Respect" and "Think." In 1987, she became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After her passing in 2018, she received a posthumous Pulitzer Prize special citation for her contributions to American music and culture.

On this day in 2016, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha was nominated for Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people for exposing the Flint Water Crisis. She tested Flint children's blood for lead, founded the Flint Child Health and Development Fund, and directs the MSU and Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative.

On this day in 1710, Detroit held its first Nain Rouge parade to banish the mythical Red Dwarf and his curse. According to legend, Detroit's founder Antoine Cadillac encountered the Nain Rouge, leading to a string of bad luck. The parade became an annual tradition to drive away misfortune from the city.