Today in 1839, the famed “Curse of Tecumseh” aka “Curse of Tippecanoe” was issued by Shawnee Indian Tenskwatawa (also known as “The Prophet”) against “the Great White Father” for violating Indian treaties following the battle of Tippecanoe. The curse directed that every president elected in a year divisible by ‘20’ would die in office, beginning the curious cycle of American Presidential deaths. Alleged “victims” included Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. Who “broke” the curse? Ronald Reagan.
Today in 1847, Mormon pioneer William Clayton invented the modern odometer while crossing the plains in his covered wagon, because he got tired of counting the revolutions of a rag tied to a spoke of a wagon wheel to figure out how many miles he had traveled.
Today in 1932, the body of the kidnapped toddler son of Anne and Charles Lindbergh was found in a wooded area of Hopewell, New Jersey.
Today in 1950, the American Bowling Congress abolished its white males-only membership restriction.
Today in 1963, Bob Dylan walked out of the "Ed Sullivan Show." The reason? Network censors, who objected to his planned performance of “Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues,” which skewered the ultra-conservative John Birch Society. While some painted the exit as a tantrum and others said he was respectful, Sullivan himself denounced the network’s decision in various interviews.
Today in 1973, during the Pentagon Papers trial (which was focused on The First Amendment and the Government’s authority to control information and the publics’ access to the information) defendants Daniel Ellsburg and Anthony J Russo Jr. were found not guilty. Most of the answers given by the defendants raised concern to the Watergate Affair. This eventually led to Impeachment proceedings against President Nixon. Ellsburg was a contributor but winded up giving most of the Pentagon Papers to Neil Sheehan, a reporter for the New York Times.
Today in 1978, the Commerce Department said hurricanes would no longer be given only female names. Maybe so, but studies have shown that hurricanes with female names are actually deadlier.
Today in 1992, CIA Director Gates said he had begun declassifying all relevant information on the assassination of President Kennedy to end the notion that the CIA was involved.
Today in 2002, former President Jimmy Carter arrived in Cuba for a five-day visit with Fidel Castro becoming first President of the United States, in or out of office, to visit the island since Castro's 1959 revolution.
Today in 2003, the Texas House ground to a standstill after more than 50 Democratic lawmakers left the state in a dispute over a Republican congressional redistricting plan. (The Democrats returned four days later from Oklahoma, having succeeded in killing the bill.)
Today in 2012, a missing piece of the Mayan calendar that disproved 2012 Armageddon was discovered.
Today in 2013, 19 people, including two children were injured after a shooting took place in New Orleans, Louisiana at a Mother’s Day Parade. The three suspects fled the scene and authorities believed the shooting was related to street violence, not terrorism.
Today in 2017, dozens of countries were hit with a huge cyberextortion attack that locked up computers and held users’ files for ransom at a multitude of hospitals, companies and government agencies.