About 20th Century History

Emmett Till's Original Casket Found

2009-07-10T16:23:19Z

In the midst of a major scandal at the Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois (about 20 miles southwest of Chicago), police discovered the original casket of Emmett Till. Police were at the cemetery because cemetery workers had dug up at least 300 old graves, dumped the bodies in a mass grave in the back, and then resold the plots to unsuspecting families.

Emmett Till, a 14-year-old boy who had been murdered in Mississippi after whistling to a white woman, died in 1955. The story of Emmett Till's murder and a picture of him in a glass-covered casket was shown around the U.S. and helped spur the civil rights movement

In 2005, Till's body was exhumed in the hopes of finding more evidence in the murder investigation. Afterwards, he was reburied, apparently as is customary, in a new coffin. The old coffin, however, was supposed to be used for a memorial for Till. Instead, police officers found the old casket in an old shed, with a family of possums in it. Also, the money donated for the memorial for Till was allegedly taken by one of the cemetery workers. For more about the condition and circumstances of finding Emmett Till's coffin, please read the Chicago Sun Times article.

Hussein's Gun to Be Displayed at Bush Library

2009-07-08T21:37:46Z

When Saddam Hussein was captured on December 13, 2003, he was found in an eight-foot-deep hole, disheveled and accompanied by an unloaded gun -- a 9mm Glock 18C to be exact. This gun was presented in a glass case to President George W. Bush by four of the Delta Force soldiers who found Hussein. This gun became one of Bush's most prized possessions, which he kept close to him in the White House and would often show to visitors.

What will become of this gun? Plans are being made to include Hussein's gun in President Bush's Presidential Library, which will open in 2013 on the Southern Methodist University campus in Dallas.

Soviet Crash Landed on Moon Shortly After Americans Landed

2009-07-08T20:32:15Z

The Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States was a heated competition in the 1960s. As the U.S. prepared to send the first man to the moon, the Soviets attempted to steal the publicity away from them. The Soviets planned Luna 15, an unmanned spacecraft that was supposed to take pictures of the moon, collect lunar soil samples, and return to Earth. Luna 15 took off three days before Apollo 11, but it crash-landed on the moon's surface at 3:50 p.m. on July 21, 1969, while the Apollo 11 astronauts were still on the lunar surface.

Just in time for the 40th anniversary of Luna 15's crash, audio tapes of the event have been found. The tapes reveal British astronomer Sir Bernard Lovell narrating events as he observed them with his radio telescope.

Should History Tour Guides Be Censored?

2009-07-08T18:52:48Z

A new law in Philadelphia requires historical tour guides to take a test before they give their first tour. The law was created to stop gross inaccuracies from being perpetuated during tours, such as Benjamin Franklin having 69 illegitimate children and that Betsy Ross murdered her three husbands. Three tour guides, citing free speech concerns, have filed a lawsuit against the city regarding this test. This AP article has more of their story.

Should historical tour guides be required to take a test? Can they say whatever they think is true of history? What do you think?

Ex-Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara Dies

2009-07-07T20:56:13Z

Robert S. McNamara, Secretary of Defense for both President John F. Kennedy and President Lyndon B. Johnson, died July 6, 2009. McNamara had been president of Ford Motor Company and president of World Bank, but is most remembered for his role in the escalation of the Vietnam War. He died in his home at age 93.

10 Ironic Ads From History

2009-07-03T21:50:37Z

Looking back through old advertising can be like taking a stroll through history. One might come across an ad for one of your favorite childhood games or see the prices and styles of clothing from our grandparents' days. The Consumerist online has collected ten advertisements that when viewed today seem a bit ironic. For example, the list includes an ad for lead paint for your home, a bottle of heroin from Bayer, and Asbestos in the World Trade Center. This is a must see list of ten ironic ads from history.

Remains of Two Vietnam War Soldiers Returned to U.S.

2009-07-02T13:03:21Z

The remains of two American soldiers killed during the Vietnam War have been returned to the United States for identification. The U.S. and Vietnam have been working together to search for missing soldiers since the 1980s and while the remains of 642 soldiers have been returned, there remain 1,335 servicemen unaccounted for in Vietnam.

UK Considered Poison Gas Attack on Japan

2009-07-02T12:43:30Z

In 1944, the United Kingdom considered a chemical weapons attack on Tokyo in a effort to win the war. Two types of gas, phosgene and mustard gas, were considered for the attack. Also, which season the gas should be dropped was discussed. This was all considered despite the fact that Geneva Protocol prohibited the use of poisonous gasses in 1925.

Ponzi Scheme Financed 9/11 Monument

2009-07-02T12:30:30Z

A monument in honor of September 11th firefighters at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland was financed through a complicated Ponzi scheme. The end result is that the statue will be sold in order to re-pay inventors and the artist. Read the AP story for the details on the scheme.

Barcode Turns 35

2009-07-02T11:53:45Z

The first item sold after being scanned with a UPC barcode was a 10-pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit Gum. The sale occurred at 8:01 a.m. on June 26, 1974 at the Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio. The gum is now on display at the Smithsonian American History Museum in Washington D.C. Want more fun history facts?