On this day in history.

[giradman]

Grand Canyon & Grand Teton National Parks Preserved on this day in 1919 & 1929, respectively!

Just one pic below of each - Susan & I have been only to the Grand Canyon x2, first time included a helicopter ride starting on the south mesa and then flying over the canyon - exciting and memorable. We've not been there since the Skywalk was built - would also be exciting. AND, we would love to visit many of the National Parks out west that we missed in our many early travels. Dave
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[giradman]

Hattie McDaniel Won Best Supporting Actress Oscar on this day in 1940!

Last night, Susan & I watch the Oscars and Chris Rock as host did a great job in his opening monologue and throughout the show in 'defusing' the controversy over the lack on Academy Award nominations for black (or others) actors the last two years - now not to get into this issue - BUT, on February 29, 1940, the wonderful black actress was the first African American to win an Oscar; and she is great in her role in Gone with the Wind, which I now own on blu-ray. Dave

On February 29, 1940, Gone with the Wind is honored with eight Oscars by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. An epic Southern romance set during the hard times of the Civil War, the movie swept the prestigious Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Cinematography, Art Direction, Film Editing, and Actress categories. However, the most momentous award that night undoubtedly went to Hattie McDaniel for her portrayal of “Mammy,” a housemaid and former slave. McDaniel, who won the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award, was the first African American actress or actor ever to be honored with an Oscar (Source).

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[giradman]

On March 2, Sam Houston born in 1793 & Texas declares Independence in 1836!

Sam Houston (1793-1863) was a quintessential early American - born in Virginia, moved to Tennessee and became its governor; then, relocated to Texas and was a military leader in the Texas Revolution - after the fall of the Alamo, the Republic of Texas was secured when he won the Battle of San Jacinto against Santa Anna of Mexico in April 1836 - he became the first president of the Republic and when Texas was annexed into the United States in 1845, he was a senator and later a governor of the new state - as governor at the start of the Civil War, he refused to swear loyalty to the Confederacy and was removed from office - he died in late July of 1863 shortly after the Battle of Gettysburg.

In 1836, Houston signed the Texas declaration of independence. Because of his previous military experience, his fellow rebels chose him as commander-in-chief of the revolutionary Texas army. Although his first efforts as a military strategist were failures, Houston led the Texan army to a spectacular victory over superior Mexican forces at San Jacinto in April 1836 (Source).

During the Texas Revolution, a convention of American Texans meets at Washington-on-the-Brazos and declares the independence of Texas from Mexico. The delegates chose David Burnet as provisional president and confirmed Sam Houston as the commander in chief of all Texan forces. The Texans also adopted a constitution that protected the free practice of slavery, which had been prohibited by Mexican law. Meanwhile, in San Antonio, Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna’s siege of the Alamo continued, and the fort’s 185 or so American defenders waited for the final Mexican assault (Source).

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[scifan57]

March 5, 1770;

British soldiers fire upon civilians in what became known as the Boston Massacre. Boston Massacre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[giradman]

Boy, I've not been to Boston in a while and the ugly above ground 'green highway' was still in place!

But a visit downtown allows a walk on the Massacre street plaque - of course, many know that the first casualty of that encounter was the death of Crispus Attucks, an African American (a little history below from Wiki). Dave

Crispus Attucks (c.1723—March 5, 1770) was the first casualty of the Boston massacre, in Boston, Massachusetts, and is widely considered to be the first American casualty in the American Revolutionary War. Aside from the event of his death, along with Samuel Gray and James Caldwell, little is known for certain about Attucks. He may have been an African American slave or freeman, merchant seaman and dockworker of Wampanoag and African descent. His father was an African-born slave and his mother a Native American.

Despite the lack of clarity, Attucks became an icon of the anti-slavery movement in the 18th century. He was held up as the first martyr of the American Revolution, along with the others killed. In the early 19th century, as the abolitionist movement gained momentum in Boston, supporters lauded Attucks as an African American who played a heroic role in the history of the United States (Source)

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[scifan57]

Boy, I've not been to Boston in a while and the ugly above ground 'green highway' was still in place!

But a visit downtown allows a walk on the Massacre street plaque - of course, many know that the first casualty of that encounter was the death of Crispus Attucks, an African American (a little history below from Wiki). Dave


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View attachment 70477 View attachment 70478

The last time I was in Boston, in 2004, that ugly green elevated freeway had been removed but the land had not yet been re-developed. The old elevated train tracks were in the middle of demolition.

 

[KevinJS]

8th March 1979. Sony and Philips demonstrated the Compact Disc.

 

[J. A.]

March 9, 1911: Clara Rockmore, virtuoso performer of the theremin, was born in Vilnius, now Lithuania.
Clara Rockmore - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
There's also a Google doodle today, where you can "learn" playing the theremin. It's available in the northern hemisphere, mostly.

 

[giradman]

March 9, 1911: Clara Rockmore, virtuoso performer of the theremin, was born in Vilnius, now Lithuania.
Clara Rockmore - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
There's also a Google doodle today, where you can "learn" playing the theremin. It's available in the northern hemisphere, mostly.

My in-laws had a functional theremin when I first visited their house in New Jersey way back in 1969 - now belongs to my brother-in-law who has had the instrument completely restored and has found a local who can play, so he'll be taking some lessons, I guess?

Below the beginning of a Wiki quote about the 'first' electronic instrument, which was popular in films & TV in the mid-20th century - I own all of the films mentioned below and must say that the sounds of the theremin are most eerie in The Day the Earth Stood Still - below a pic of one that looks similar to by BIL's model; also, there is a great documentary on Theremin, the inventor and his instrument. Dave

The theremin originally known as the ætherphone/etherphone, thereminophone[2] or termenvox/thereminvox) is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the thereminist (performer). It is named after the Westernized name of its Russian inventor, Léon Theremin (Термéн), who patented the device in 1928.

The instrument's controlling section usually consists of two metal antennae that sense the relative position of the thereminist's hands and control oscillators for frequency with one hand, and amplitude (volume) with the other. The electric signals from the theremin are amplified and sent to a loudspeaker.

The theremin was used in movie soundtracks such as Miklós Rózsa's Spellbound, The Lost Weekend, and Bernard Herrmann's The Day the Earth Stood Still. It has also been used in theme songs for television shows such as the ITV drama Midsomer Murders. This has led to its association with eerie situations. Theremins are also used in concert music (especially avant-garde and 20th- and 21st-century new music) and in popular music genres such as rock (Source).

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[scifan57]

My in-laws had a functional theremin when I first visited their house in New Jersey way back in 1969 - now belongs to my brother-in-law who has had the instrument completely restored and has found a local who can play, so he'll be taking some lessons, I guess?

Below the beginning of a Wiki quote about the 'first' electronic instrument, which was popular in films & TV in the mid-20th century - I own all of the films mentioned below and must say that the sounds of the theremin are most eerie in The Day the Earth Stood Still - below a pic of one that looks similar to by BIL's model; also, there is a great documentary on Theremin, the inventor and his instrument. Dave


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View attachment 70504 View attachment 70505

The Theremin was also used in the Doctor Who theme.

This was recorded at a live performance at Loncon 3, along with many other Science Fiction themed musical selections. Search on YouTube for Worldcon Philharmonic Orchestra.

 

[J. A.]

On March 13, 1741, Joseph II. (full name: Joseph Benedikt August Johannes Anton Michael Adam), Holy Roman Emperor, son of Maria Theresa of Austria, brother of Marie Antoinette, was born in Vienna, Austria.

Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[scifan57]

March 13, 1781;

Astronomer William Herschel discovers the planet Uranus. It was the first planet discovered in modern times and the first to be discovered by telescope. William Herschel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[giradman]

On March 13, 1741, Joseph II. (full name: Joseph Benedikt August Johannes Anton Michael Adam), Holy Roman Emperor, son of Maria Theresa of Austria, brother of Marie Antoinette, was born in Vienna, Austria.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Well, I suspect that Joseph II is best remembered by many people today (despite his achievements) in the movie Amadeus - his role played quite well by the versatile Jeffrey Jones - the real Joseph II died young (1790, a year before Mozart's death); I own the BD (below) of the film made in 1984 - YIKES, 32 years old!

Tom Hulce, the Wolfie character, was born in my home state (Michigan - although some debate exists as to an adjacent state?) and actually studied at the NC School of the Arts in my town of Winston-Salem. Dave
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[giradman]

March 13, 1781;

Astronomer William Herschel discovers the planet Uranus. It was the first planet discovered in modern times and the first to be discovered by telescope. William Herschel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
View attachment 70521

Many may not also know that Herschel was a talented musician and also a composer (brief quote below from his Wiki article) - I own the CD shown of some of his symphonies - he was actually quite good! Dave

In addition to the oboe, he played the violin and harpsichord and later the organ.[5] He composed numerous musical works, including 24 symphonies and many concertos, as well as some church music. Six of his symphonies were recorded in April 2002 by the London Mozart Players, conducted by Matthias Bamert (Chandos 10048).

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[J. A.]

March 14, 1989:
Zita of Bourbon-Parma, last Empress of Austria, dies in Zizers, Swiss.

Zita of Bourbon-Parma - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia