William O'Connell Bradley (1847–1914) was the 32nd Governor of Kentucky and a U.S. senator. The first Republican to serve as governor of the state, he became known as the father of the Republican Party in Kentucky. After a well-received speech seconding the presidential nomination of Ulysses S. Grant at the 1880 Republican National Convention, he was nominated for governor in 1887. He lost the general election that year, but won in 1895, capitalizing on divisions in the Democratic Party over the issue of free silver. His term was marked by political struggles and violence. He advanced the status of black citizens, but was unable to enact much of his reform agenda over a hostile Democratic majority. He was elected by the state legislature to the U.S. Senate in 1907, when voting was deadlocked and the Democratic candidate, outgoing Governor J. C. W. Beckham, refused to withdraw in favor of a compromise candidate. Bradley's opposition to Prohibition made him palatable to some Democratic legislators, and after two months of balloting, four of them crossed party lines to elect him. His career in the Senate was largely undistinguished.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_O%27Connell_Bradley

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1506:

Construction of the current St. Peter's Basilica (interior pictured) in Vatican City, to replace the old basilica built in the 4th century, began. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter%27s_Basilica

1689:

Provincial militia and citizens gathered in Boston, and arrested officials of the Dominion of New England. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1689_Boston_revolt

1847:

Mexican–American War: Winfield Scott's United States troops out-flanked and drove Santa Anna's larger Mexican army from a strong defensive position in the Battle of Cerro Gordo. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cerro_Gordo

1938:

Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, made his debut in Action Comics #1, the first true superhero comic book. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_Comics_1

1996:

Israeli forces shelled Qana, Lebanon, during Operation Grapes of Wrath, killing more than 100 civilians and injuring more than 110 others at a UN compound. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_shelling_of_Qana

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

coffee klatch: A social gathering for conversation while drinking coffee. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/coffee_klatch

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Every book, remember, is dead until a reader activates it by reading. Every time that you read you are walking among the dead, and, if you are listening, you just might hear prophecies.   --Kathy Acker https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Kathy_Acker