Oct 6. Observed since the 19th century, this day honors the contributions of German immigrants to US culture and history. Celebrated on the date in 1683 when 13 Mennonite families disembarked near Philadelphia, PA, from Krefeld, Germany. These families later founded Germantown, PA. The day is celebrated by all those who are culturally German from all partsof Europe. This special day had a boost in popularity when President Ronald Reagan became the first US president to proclaim it in 1987.
Oct 6 25, 1973. A surprise attack by Egypt and Syria pushed Israeli forces several miles behind the 1967 cease-fire lines. Israel was caught off guard, partly because the attack came on the holiest Jewish religious day. After 18 days of fighting, hostilities were halted by the UN Oct25. Israel partially recovered from the initial setback but failed to regain all the land lost in the fighting.
Oct 7, 1982. The second longest-running production in Broadwayhistory (after Phantom of the Opera) opened this day. Cats was based on a book of poetry by T.S. Eliot and had a score by Andrew Lloyd Webber. More than 10 million theatergoers saw the New York City production, which closedSept 10, 2000, after 7,485 performances. Cats was also produced in 30 other countries.
Oct 7, 1950. Your Hit Parade began as a radio show in 1935. When it finally made it to TV, the format was simple: the shows cast performed the weeks top musical hits. To sustain interest, since many of the same songs appeared weekly, eye-catching production sequences were created. YHP was the starting point for many famous choreographers and dancers,including Peter Gennaro and Bob Fosse. Regulars included Dorothy Collins,Eileen Wilson, Snooky Lanson and Sue Bennett. The show was overhauled many times and switched networks before leaving the air in 1959. A summer revival in 1974 was short-lived.
Children and adults are asked to wear blue shirts on Monday 5 October on Blue Shirt Day to raise awareness about bullying and especially cyber-bullying.
Oct 7, 1896. Dow Jones began reporting an average of the prices of 12 industrial stocks in the Wall Street Journal on this day. In the early years these were largely railroad stocks. In 1928 Mr Dow expanded the number of stocks to 30, where it currently remains. Today, the large, frequently traded stocks in the DJIA represent about a fifth of the market value of all US stocks.
A day to celebrate and embrace who we are, despite our differences, no matter what race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age,nationality or disability. A day to reflect on and learn about different cultures and ideologies. A day to vow to uphold acceptance and tolerance. A day to consciously address these areas at educational and religious institutions, as well as in the workplace and at home. Our slogan: Embrace diversity, embrace our world.
The first Monday of each October has been designated as World Habitat Day by the United Nations. The goal is to raise awareness of the living conditions of humans all over the world.
Image: UN’s Word Habitat Day logo
Oct 8, 1871. Great fire of Chicago began, according to legend, when Mrs OLearys cow kicked over the lantern in her barn on DeKoven Street. The fire leveled 3 square miles, destroying 17,450 buildings and leaving 98,500 people homeless and about 250 people dead. Financially, the loss was $ 200 million.
Oct 8. Celebration of the pierogy! Commemorates the day in 1952that pierogies were first delivered to a grocery store in Shenandoah, PAmarking the emergence of the traditionally eastern European food as a mainstream American meal staple.
Also on 8 October 1871, more than 1,100 people died in the Peshtigo Fire which burned across six counties of Wisconsin.
Oct 8th. 10th annual. Music is our universal language; its the bridge between head and heart and from heart to heart. Celebrate music,musicians and music making from your heart. Annually, the second Saturdayin October.
Fire Prevention Week runs from 9 October to 15 October to increase the awareness of fire dangers.
Oct 9, 1940. John Winston Lennon, English composer, musicianand member of The Beatles, the sensationally popular group of musical performers who captivated audiences first in England and Germany, and later throughout the world. A fervent activist for peace. Born at Liverpool, England, Lennon was murdered at New York City, Dec 8, 1980.
Leif Erickson Day celebrates the discovery of North America in the year 1000 by the Norse explorer Leif Erickson.
National Work From Home Week celebrates an increasingly popular way of not just earning a living, but making a life.
Image: CC0, courtesy of Pixabay user Pexel
Oct 10, 1971. The 52 episodes of this British series covered the years 1903 30 in the life of a wealthy London family ( Upstairs) and their many servants ( Downstairs). Cast members included Angela Baddeley, Pauline Collins, Gordon Jackson and Jean Marsh. Won a Golden Globe for Best Drama TV Show in 1975 and an Emmy for Outstanding Limited Series in 1976. The last episode aired May 1, 1977. In 2010, the series was revived (without the comma in the title) for a few episodes set in 1936 with a new family occupying 165 Eaton Place but with Jean Marsh returning as Rose Buck.
Oct 10. Public holiday in most countries in the Americas and inmost Spanish-speaking countries. Observed under different names (Dia de laRaza or Day of the Race) and on different dates (most often, as in US, on the second Monday in October). Anniversary of Christopher Columbuss arrival, Oct 12, 1492, after a voyage across shoreless Seas, at the Bahamas (probably the island of Guanahani), which he renamed El Salvador and claimed in the name of the Spanish crown.
Oct 10, 1813. Italian composer, born at Le Roncole, Italy. His 26 operas, including Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, La Traviata and Aida, are among the most popular of all operatic music today. Died at Milan, Italy, Jan 27, 1901.
Oct 10, 1900. Actress Helen Hayes, often called the First Lady of the American Theater, was born at Washington, DC. Hayess greateststage triumph was her role as the long-lived British monarch Queen Victoria in the play Victoria Regina. Her first great success was in Coquette (1927). She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her first major film rolein The Sin of Madelon Claudet (1931) and won Best Supporting Actress for her role in Airport (1971). Helen Hayes died Mar 17, 1993, at Nyack, NY.
In Canada, Thanksgiving Day is observed on the 2nd Monday of each October.
On 10 October 1886, Griswold Lorilard of Tuxedo Park, New York, wore the first tuxedo for men by cutting off the tails of his dinner jacket.
Oct 11. Ada Lovelace Day – An international day celebrating theachievements of women in science, technology, engineering and math with a flagship event held in London and grassroots events around the world. Women in tech and science tend to be less well known than their male counterparts despite their valuable contributions. The aim of Ada Lovelace Day is tocreate new female role models that inspire girls and women alike. Named inhonor of Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace (1815 52), who is considered the first computer programmer and was a close friend Charles Babbage, who conceived a general purpose computing machine called the Analytical Engine. Annually, the second Tuesday in October.
Oct 11, 1884. Wife of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd president of the US, born at New York, NY. Eleanor Roosevelt led an active and independent life and was the first wife of a president to give her own news conference in the White House (1933). Widely known throughout the world, she was affectionately called the first lady of the world. She served as US delegate to the United Nations General Assembly for a number of years before her death at New York, NY, Nov 7, 1962. A prolific writer, she wrote in This Is My Story, No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Oct 11. A project of the Human Rights Campaign since 1988. Every Oct 11, thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals and their supportive allies celebrate National Coming Out Day, which encourages LGBT individuals to come out and be honest about themselves.Every year, workshops, speak-outs, rallies and other kinds of events are held all aimed at showing the public that LGBT people are everywhere.
