The Alabama Centennial half dollar is a commemorative fifty-cent coin
struck by the United States Bureau of the Mint in 1921 as a belated
acknowledgement of the 100th anniversary of Alabama's admission to the
Union in 1819. The half dollar was created by Laura Gardin Fraser, who
became the first woman designer of a coin. Alabama Congressman Lilius
Bratton Rainey introduced authorizing at the request of the state's
centennial commission. The bill moved quickly through the legislative
process and became law on May 10, 1920. The sponsors of the issue chose
to depict William Bibb, the State of Alabama's first governor, and
Thomas Kilby, its governor at the time of the centennial, thus making
Governor Kilby the first living person to appear on a U.S. coin. They
were issued in October 1921, and to boost sales, a symbol, 2X2, was
included in the design for a minority of the coins; these are generally
more expensive today.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabama_Centennial_half_dollar>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1748:
The first Lutheran denomination in North America, the
Pennsylvania Ministerium, was founded in Philadelphia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Ministerium>
1914:
World War I: As the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and
French Fifth Army began their retreat from Mons, the BEF delayed the
pursuing Germans at the Battle of Le Cateau long enough for the main
force to escape.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Le_Cateau>
1955:
Pather Panchali, the first film in The Apu Trilogy by Satyajit
Ray, was released and went on to win many Indian and international film
awards.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pather_Panchali>
2015:
Two American journalists were murdered on live television while
conducting an interview in Moneta, Virginia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Alison_Parker_and_Adam_Ward>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
doldrums:
1. Usually preceded by the: a state of apathy or lack of interest; a
situation where one feels boredom, ennui, or tedium; a state of
listlessness or malaise.
2. (nautical) Usually preceded by the: the state of a sailing ship when
it is impeded by calms or light, baffling winds, and is unable to make
progress.
3. (nautical, oceanography, by extension) Usually preceded by the: a
part of the ocean near the equator where calms, squalls, and light,
baffling winds are common.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/doldrums>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
I see God in every human being. When I wash the leper's wounds, I
feel I am nursing the Lord himself. Is it not a beautiful experience?
--Mother Teresa
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa>