The 15th Amendment is ratified in the U.S., the day the music died, and the birthday club includes Gertrude Stein and James Michener - with a reading from "Wuthering Heights," by Emily Bronte.

Alexander Selkirk is rescued, the Mexican-American War ends with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, both James Joyce and his novel "Ulysses" come into the world, the serum run finishes in Nome, Alaska - and a reading from Joyce's "Ulysses."

President Abraham Lincoln signs the 13th Amendment, the Oxford English Dictionary publishes its first volume, the Voice of America begins broadcasting, segregated lunch counter sit-ins begin, and happy birthday to Langston Hughes - with a reading of Hughes' "The Negro Speaks of Rivers."

The U.S. Congress passes the 13th Amendment, the Winter Soldier Investigation, and happy birthday to Zane Grey - with a reading from Grey's "Riders of the Purple Sage."

Antarctica is discovered, San Francisco gets its name, COVID is declared a PHEIC, and happy birthday to Richard Brautigan - with a reading from George Sand's "Indiana."

"The Raven" is published, Karl Benz patents the gas-powered car, Queen Liliʻuokalani begins leading Hawaii, and the birthday club includes Anton Chekhov and Florida Ruffin Ridley - with a reading from Ridley's writing in "The Woman's Era" newspaper.

"Pride and Prejudice" is published - with a reading from Jane Austen's master piece.

The Outer Space Treaty, the Paris Peace Accords, the U.S. National Recording Registry, and happy birthdays to Lewis Carroll and Peter Laird - with a reading from Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass."

Rocky Mountain National Park is created, and happy birthdays to Angela Davis and Jonathan Carroll - with a reading from Virginia Woolf's "A Room of One's Own."

Happy Burns night! Mendelsohn's "Wedding March" hits the big time, and the birthday club includes Robert Burns, of course, W. Somerset Maugham, and Virginia Woolf - with a reading of Burns' "A Red, Red Rose."