Category: On This Date…
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Carnage on Deer Lick Creek – 1824
Several waves of temperance movements throughout the 19th century are often seen today as quaint extremism by a vocal minority. However, hard liquor was a significant contributor to a number of social ills including wanton killings. On March 22, 1824, heavy drinking combined with generations-old hatred of Native-Americans as the mass killing of nine persons…
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Joseph Rainey sworn-in to Congress
It was on this date in 1870 that Joseph Rainey was sworn in to the U.S. House of Representatives. Rainey was not the first African-American to serve in Congress, that honor belonging to Hiram Revels, but Rainey was the first African-American to be elected to Congress. Rainey represented South Carolina’s 1st District and was re-elected four times.…
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Downtown Richmond Explosion – April 6, 1968
I was nearly seven when I noticed the agitation in my parent’s voices and motions. It’s how youngsters interpret events beyond their limited world. The date was April 6, 1968 and the downtown area of our county seat, Richmond, Indiana, was devastated by a powerful explosion. I also recall seeing from 8 to 9 miles…