Jackie Gleason — born Herbert Walton Gleason Jr. on February 26, 1916, in Brooklyn — became one of America’s most recognizable personalities by mixing bold
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Amelia Earhart’s daring 1937 world flight ended in mystery. Explore her life, her last journey and the historic search that followed.
Janis Joplin’s explosive career burned bright and fast. See how her raw voice, blues roots and wild lifestyle shaped a rock era that still echoes today.
The basic concept hasn’t changed much in 100 years, but vintage Erector Sets like these are still popular, still inspiring creativity, and still being used to build everything from mini roller coasters to motorized robots.
Explore the life and career of the legendary Charlie Chaplin, through this collection of interviews and stories, pictures and vintage silent movie clips.
Get the true story behind ‘The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford’ from 1882 — when, Jesse James, the Missouri outlaw, was killed by a boy twenty years old at his temporary residence on Thirteenth and Lafayette streets, in this city.
When Jimi Hendrix died in 1970, the world was shocked that such a young star could have blazed so brightly, but then burned out so fast. Here’s a look back.
The lives of Holly, Valens, and Richardson were cut tragically short by the Buddy Holly plane crash. Here’s a look at some of the news stories from the time, and photos of the plane.
In her short, but impactful life, Patsy Cline managed to change the landscape of country music forever. Read on for feature stories and photos about the famed singer, both before and after her death.
Here’s a look back at some of the big events in the life of superstar singer Tina Turner, along with a timeline of her career highlights.
Join us as we explore the fascinating history of George Washington’s life – a true testament to the power of determination, leadership, and an unwavering belief in the potential of a young nation.
Cowboy actor Tom Mix – the horse-riding hero of scores of western thrillers of the silent film era – left a lasting legacy after he died in a single-car crash on a highway detour in Arizona.
The man behind the famous Hell Gate Brewery, George Ehret, wasn’t just a business success — he was a success as a human. Find out more about his story!
Marshall Pinckney Wilder was a hugely successful comedian during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
When Florence Nightingale died, tributes poured in from around the world — including ones from American sources like this one.
While Lisa Marie Presley had very impressive parents – Elvis and Priscilla Presley – that’s not what made her so memorable. It was all about her presence: her strength, dedication, and independent spirit.
When famed dancer Isadora Duncan was killed in a most unusual automobile accident, it was a sudden end to the life of a woman who had seen incredible success as well as unimaginable tragedy.
Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne’s death in the plane crash of TWA Flight 599 on March 31, 1931, resulted in more than just the loss of the football legend and seven others – it was a pivotal moment in early airline and aviation safety.
When Founding Father Benjamin Franklin died in 1790, newspapers published an account of Franklin’s last illness and death, his obituary, and even the epitaph he wrote for himself.
The Civil War wasn’t going well for the Union in the early weeks of December 1861 – and it was going still worse for William Tecumseh Sherman. Find out why here.
This article bids adieu to the man whose name countless millions of people have worn: the one and only Levi Strauss, creator of Levi’s riveted denim blue jeans. Find out more about the man here.
While orchestra leader Glenn Miller himself disappeared, his music has done rather the opposite – reaching and speaking to generations well beyond his untimely death during WWII.
Samuel Colt, the millionaire inventor of the famous Colt revolver, died when he was just 47 years old. Here’s a look back at the original obituary for one of the wealthiest men in America before the Civil War.
Albert Einstein was a man whose life, philosophies, discoveries and theories changed the way we looked at the world, and at life itself. Find out about him here.
A doctor smashed his way into a locked bedroom, and found Marilyn Monroe dead in bed. Here’s what else he found, and how the first news stories broke.
Here’s the true story of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, as reported at the time of his murder at the hand of actor John Wilkes Booth.
Pirate Jean Lafitte, The Terror of the Gulf of Mexico, made prizes of several men, and eventually became wealthy and powerful enough to found a colony. But why was he so feared?
George Eastman: The man behind Kodak (1854-1932) George Eastman, founder of Eastman Kodak, and often called “the father of photography” was many things — a
Frederick Douglass, who was born a slave in Talbot county, Maryland, in 1817, was the one conspicuous anti-slavery agitator who spoke of the wrongs and cruelty of slavery from personal experience.
Find out what set in motion the deadly chain of events that led to General Custer’s troops being overwhelmed by Sitting Bull’s force of 8,000 Lakota & Cheyenne during The Battle of Little Bighorn.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Nobel Peace Prize winner who made nonviolence his chief weapon in the fight for civil rights, was shot to death in 1968. His assassination triggered violence across the nation. Find out more here.
Actor James Dean, a young Hollywood idol, was killed on September 30, 1955, in a head-on car crash. Here’s how the story was reported, and then a look back from a year later.
Henry Ford fit a lot of ambition, drive, innovation and industry into his 84 years! Here’s a look back at his career, his beliefs, and how the famous industrialist changed the world.
While his name might not be as well-known as others, Hudson Maxim was an important American inventor, chemist and author.
Upon the news of Elvis Presley’s sudden and untimely death, the nation mourned – and the singer’s records charted again after fans across the country immediately started to buy lots of his albums.
A confused and stunned nation searched for answers to what caused the catastrophic explosion of the space shuttle Challenger that sent schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe and six other astronauts to a fiery death 74 seconds after liftoff Tuesday.
Harriet Tubman was born Araminta Ross — nicknamed “Minty” — around 1820-1823. She died on March 10, 1913, in Auburn, New York. In the words
See a timeline and find out about the life and career of this Ulysses S Grant, best known as a Civil War General and as the 18th President of the United States.
Senator Robert F. Kennedy died 25 hours after he was shot by an assassin. Bobby Kennedy succumbed to extensive brain damage caused when his assassin fired eight shots at point-blank range.
“The greatest man in America” has fallen in a duel The Sprig Of Liberty (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) – July 27, 1804 DISTRESSING! It is with infinite regret
New York-born Dick Clark, the pioneering powerhouse in the music and TV industries, was best known to the world for his show American Bandstand, and for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
It would seem like Bruce Lee was born for stardom, and unfortunately, like many of the brightest burning stars, he was gone far too soon.
How Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton recorded history (1893) The Herald (Los Angeles, California) December 17, 1893 “If you want to know how
