BackStory with the American History Guys
BackStory is broadcast weekly! Check us out on iTunes, or at BackStoryRadio.org
May 16, 1929: The First Academy Awards. Tickets cost $5. 270 people showed up.
April 12, 1955: Jonas Salk on who owns the patent on the Polio Vaccine - “The people… Could you patent the sun?”
How the Chess Set Got Its Look and Feel, from Design Decoded:
Victorian London’s Neoclassical architecture had been influenced by a renewed interest in the ruins of ancient Greece and Rome, which captured the popular imagination after the rediscovery of Pompeii in the 18th century. The work of architects like Christopher Wren, William Chambers, John Soane, and many others inspired the column-like, tripartite division of king, queen, and bishop. A row of Staunton pawns evokes Italianate balustrades enclosing of stairways and balconies.
Horses on treadmills! Horses on treadmills! (c. 1881)
A team-horse treadmill in the Gray’s Horse Powers catalogue, c. 1881. (Smithsonian institution). From the fabulous article at Lapham’s Quarterly.
“There were horse-powered ferryboats; horse-powered hay balers and cotton-gins; even horse-powered chocolate factories. For its first few years, Manhattan’s municipal water system was powered by horses turning a pump wheel. The work did not benefit the horses much: some retired animals continued to circle compulsively.”
Photos from a gutted J.C. Penney, circa 1985, Seattle, WA.
A cool little slideshow at LOC.
April 9, 1959: NASA Introduces the First Astronauts
On this day in 1959, NASA announced to the public the seven astronauts, also known as the Mercury 7, that would partake in Project Mercury, the first manned space program. The astronauts included: Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Cooper Jr., John H. Glenn Jr., Virgil Grissom, Walter Schirra Jr., Alan Shepard Jr., and Donald Slayton.
During this time period, the United States and the USSR were in a constant space race, where each country was aiming to explore outer space at a quicker pace than the other. Although the U.S. was restricted on time, they developed a thorough evaluation process to select their astronauts.
NASA placed its candidates under extreme pressure and temperature conditions in order to test their health, skills, and endurance. In addition, candidates were tested on how they managed psychological and physical stress.
Love their suits? Check out these classic images from Projects Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo as well as space-suit prototypes that never made the cut.
Top Photo: The Project Mercury Astronauts, also known as the Mercury 7 Bottom Photo: The front wall of the Flight Control Area featured a large world map display with the path to be followed by the capsule (NASA)
(via ourpresidents)
On this day in 1912, Jack Dawson won a poker game and boarded the Titanic for the greatest adventure of his life. Our hearts still go on.
“When you got nothin, you got nothing to lose.”
HT @NYHistory
On this day in 1909, a bunch of guys traveled to the north pole for a touristy photo.
The Robert Peary Sledge Party, c/o Today’s Document.
Happy 92nd wedding anniversary, Scott and Zelda.
Daybook has a nice little tribute.
The Employee Polygraph Protection Act (1988)
“The Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 (EPPA) generally prevents employers from using lie detector tests, either for pre-employment screening or during the course of employment, with certain exemptions. Employers generally may not require or request any employee or job applicant to take a lie detector test, or discharge, discipline, or discriminate against an employee or job applicant for refusing to take a test or for exercising other rights under the Act. In addition, employers are required to display the EPPA poster in the workplace for their employees.”
Ever seen an EPPA poster in your workplace?
