Barbie's Boyfriend, Ken, Is Introduced By Mattel On This Date In 1961

Today in 1847, John Chapman – better known as ‘Johnny Appleseed’ – died in Allen County, Indiana. This day later became known as “Johnny Appleseed Day.”

Today in 1918, what are believed to be the first confirmed U.S. cases of a deadly global flu pandemic were reported among U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. In the end, 46 would die (this as the worldwide outbreak of influenza claimed an estimated 20- to 40-million lives.)

Today in 1930, William Howard Taft became the first American President to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Taft weighed over 300 pounds at his death.

Today in 1948, Reginald Weir became the first Black tennis player to participate in a U.S. Indoor Lawn Tennis Association

Today in 1961, Barbie got her eternal boyfriend when Mattel introduced the “Ken” doll. They “broke up” in 2004, but Ken “won her back” in 2011. Who could blame her? The campaign to win her back included billboard messages including, “Barbie, we may be plastic but our love is real."

Today in 2002, at Ground Zero, two columns of light were projected upwards as a temporary memorial to those who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001.

Today in 2011, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake in Japan triggered a tsunami killing thousands of people, and the second largest nuclear accident in history.

Today in 2014, Russia officially annexed the Crimean region of Ukraine.

Today in 2018, the White House pledged to help states pay for firearms training for teachers, and renewed its call for an improved background check system, as part of a new plan to prevent school shootings like the one that left 17 people dead at a Florida high school four weeks earlier.

Today in 2020, Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison for a criminal sex act and rape in New York.


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