Harriet Tubman (1822–1913) was an African-American abolitionist and
political activist. Born into slavery, Tubman escaped in 1849, then
returned 13 times to rescue approximately 70 of her enslaved family and
friends. Traveling by night, she used a network of antislavery activists
and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. After the Fugitive
Slave Act of 1850 was passed, she helped fugitives go farther north into
British North America, and helped newly freed slaves find work. Tubman
met John Brown in 1858, and helped him plan and recruit for his 1859
raid on Harpers Ferry. When the Civil War began, she worked for the
Union Army, first as a cook and nurse, and then as an armed scout and
spy. The first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war, she guided
the raid at Combahee Ferry, which liberated more than 700 slaves. Later
in life she was an activist for women's suffrage. After her death, she
was celebrated as an American icon.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Tubman>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1683:
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek wrote a letter to the Royal Society
describing "animalcules" – the first known description of protozoa.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonie_van_Leeuwenhoek>
1914:
Andrew Fisher, whose previous term as prime minister of
Australia oversaw a period of reform unmatched in the Commonwealth until
the 1940s, became prime minister for the third time.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Fisher>
1939:
World War II: The Soviet Union invaded Poland from the east,
sixteen days after Nazi Germany's attack on the country from the west.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Poland>
1970:
The Jordanian Army commenced operations to oust Palestinian
fedayeen from Jordan, in what became known as Black September (smoke
rising above Amman pictured).
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_September>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
hokum:
1. (countable, uncountable, informal) (An instance of) meaningless
nonsense with an outward appearance of being impressive and legitimate.
2. (countable, uncountable, informal) (An instance of) excessively
contrived, hackneyed, or sentimental material in a film, television
programme, theater production, etc.
3. (countable, informal) A film, television programme, theater
production, etc., containing excessively contrived, hackneyed, or
sentimental material.
4. (uncountable, music) A genre of blues song or music, often
characterized by sexual innuendos or satire.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hokum>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Well you're looking for another end Doing time But you still
can't turn away Well you're looking for a real friend Any kind That
wants to play the games you play On this side of paradise Where you're
never going to go through twice Stay tuned at any price To this side
of paradise.
--Ric Ocasek
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ric_Ocasek>
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