Trivia

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I did not know that  about  her  hand  bag and what it meant about ending 

conversations and ending the meal

 

[phkrause]

5 Things You Didn't Know About The Boy Scouts

On February 8, 1910, the Boy Scouts of America was incorporated. To celebrate this anniversary, here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about the history of the Boy Scouts...

The Boy Scouts of America Was Formed Using Two Existing Organizations

The Sons of Daniel Boone had been established in 1905 by Daniel Carter Beard, while the Woodcraft Indians was a youth program established in 1902 by Ernest Thompson Seton. This was the basis of the original movement to form the Boy Scouts of America. Two years later, the Girl Scouts of America was formed in Savannah, Georgia, by Juliette Gordon Low.

The First Boy Scout Jamboree Was Cancelled

Boy Scout Jamborees are something that scouts everywhere look forward to, and the first one was scheduled in 1935 in Washington, D.C. in honor of the 25th anniversary of the organization. However, a polio outbreak in the city forced the cancellation of the first Boy Scout Jamboree, and it didn’t actually occur until two years later in 1937. Scouts came from all 48 states to attend, and more than 27,000 camped out near the Washington Monument on the National Mall in celebration of their anniversary.

Boy Scouts in Hawaii Helped After the Bombing of Pearl Harbor

Boy Scouts in Honolulu had been working for months on emergency communications and their skills at first aide when Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941. Most Scouts, who were more than 15, were used for communication, delivering messages by bicycle or on foot, answering phones and working in shifts of six hours. In addition, they set up emergency kitchens to serve food, operated first-aid stations and helped to evacuate citizens as well as manning air-raid stations.

The Boy Scout Uniform Has Changed a Lot Over the Years

The original Boy Scout uniform was patterned after the military uniform of the day with leggings, knickers, choke-collar coat and campaign hat. Between 1980 and 2008, the uniforms were designed by Oscar de la Renta, the fashion designer, and were two-tone with decorations on the shirts and a cap that featured a fleur-de-lis. In 2008, the Centennial Scout uniform was introduced to celebrate the BSA’s 100th anniversary.

Many Famous Celebrities Were Boy Scouts

Among the presidents of the United States, the first one to have been a member of the Boy Scouts was John F. Kennedy. Gerald Ford was an Eagle Scout, and Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were both Cub Scouts. Many U.S. astronauts were Boy Scouts, including Eagle Scout Neil Armstrong, Life Scout Edgar Mitchell and Tenderfoot Scout Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin. Celebrities who were members of the Boy Scouts include director Steven Spielberg, sports stars Michael Jordan and Hank Aaron and actors Harrison Ford and Andy Griffith.

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I  did  not  know about the 2 different organizations that  became the Boy Scouts===I did not know

that the Boy Scouts in HAWAII help during  PEARL HARBOR attack===

dgrimm60

[phkrause]

5 Things You Didn't Know about Shirley Temple

On February 10, 2014, Shirley Temple died at age 85. She had a long career as one of the most popular movie stars during the Great Depression and as a diplomat in later life. Here are 5  things you probably didn’t know about Shirley Temple...

Temple Began Her Career at Age Three

She debuted at age three in Baby Burlesks, a satire series of eight films produced in 1923, which starred toddlers. In the films, toddlers acted out adult themes and situations. The children, dressed in diapers and adult clothing, played roles that included World War I soldiers and prostitutes. In Temple’s 1988 autobiography, she referred to them as a “cynical exploitation of our childish innocence.”

Her Mother Did Her Hair

Temple was famous for her head of beautiful curls, but they weren’t that way naturally, nor were artificial curls pinned in among her own. Her mother set her hair each night and always put in exactly 56 curls. Temple understood how her hairstyle was important to her image, and in 1938, when visiting FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt, she passed up on a chance to go swimming because it would ruin her curls.

Temple Tried Out for The Wizard of Oz

Metro held the screen rights to produce The Wizard of Oz, and 15-year-old Judy Garland had been chosen to play the role of Dorothy because of her strong voice. However, Nicholas Schenck, who headed Loew’s, Inc. under MGM, believed the movie needed an established star in order to make a profit since filming the movie was expected to cost around $2 million. Temple sang for Roger Edens, who was an MGM composer, and he reported back that her voice was not robust enough for the part of Dorothy.

She Was the Youngest Performer to Ever Win an Oscar

The Juvenile Oscar was established in 1935 to recognize performers under the age of 18 who deserved to win but would have trouble competing with their adult counterparts. Shirley Temple won the first of these awards in 1935 at age six for her role in Bright Eyes. The trophy itself was a miniature of the Oscar at seven inches tall, and was discontinued in after 1961 when it was last presented to Hayley Mills for her starring role in Pollyanna.

The Former Star Entered Public Service While in Her 40s

Temple was appointed to the United Nations as a U.S. Delegate by President Richard Nixon in 1969. Between 1989 and 1992, she served as the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, and as the American ambassador to Czechoslovakia under President George H.W. Bush. In addition, she was the first woman to serve as the U.S. Chief of Protocol under President Gerald Ford.

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I did not  know that  about the curls that  how  her  mom did it  every  night

dgrimm60

[phkrause]

5 Things You Didn't Know About Nelson Mandela

On February 11, 1990, Nelson Mandela, leader of the movement to end South African apartheid, was released from prison after 27 year.  Here are 5 things you didn’t know about the man who became the first black president of South Africa...

Mandela Spent 27 Years in Prison

A previous leper colony located near the Cape Town coast and called Robben Island Prison was where Mandela spent 17 years of his imprisonment. His small cell had no plumbing or bed, and he was forced to work at a lime quarry doing hard labor. Despite his confinement, Mandela earned a University of London law degree and mentored his fellow prisoners.

He Appeared in a Movie

In the 1992 movie by Spike Lee, “Malcolm X,” Mandela appears at the end. His role was that of a school teacher reciting a speech by Malcolm X to a room of school children from Soweto. However, Mandela, being a pacifist, refused to say the phrase “by any means necessary,” so it was cut from the film.

He Used Disguises to Hide Himself From Authorities

Disguises helped Mandela elude authorities while fighting against South African apartheid. In order to travel around without attracting the notice of authorities, he hid himself by pretending to be a gardener, chauffeur and chef, among others. He was so good at it that he was nicknamed “the Black Pimpernel” after the book The Scarlet Pimpernel, in which the hero has a secret identity.

The Rivonia Trial Led to His Sentence of Life in Prison

Eleven men, including Mandela, were arrested on a farm in the suburb of Rivonia, outside Johannesburg, South Africa, and charged with sabotage. Mandela was already set to serve a five-year sentence for leaving the country illegally and urging workers to strike. Although the U.N. Security Council and many nations condemned the trial, Mandela and four others were found guilty on all four counts, and eight received life sentences. Mandela spent 27 years in prison and was finally released by President F.W. de Klerk in 1990.

Mandela Needed Special Permission to Enter the United States

Mandela was on the watch list for potential terrorists requesting to enter the United States, and he wasn’t removed from that list until he was 89 years old in 2008. Until then, he had to get a waiver granted by the U.S. Secretary of State. The African National Congress (ANC), of which Mandela was a member, was finally removed from the watch list during President Reagan’s term as president.

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I did not  know that  he was in the  movie  MALCOML X ===I also  did not  know that he wore

many  different  disguises  to elude  authorities

dgrimm60

[phkrause]

5 Things You Didn't Know about Abraham Lincoln_2

On February 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln was born in a one-room log cabin in Hodgenville, Kentucky. To celebrate the anniversary of Lincoln's birth, here are 5 things you probably didn't know about one of America’s most admired presidents...

He Lost Multiple Elections Before He Became President

Lincoln ran for the Illinois General Assembly in 1832 and lost. After serving as an Illinois U.S. Senator from 1847 to 1849, he lost a run for a seat in the U.S. Congress and two U.S. Senate races as well as a vice presidential nomination. In 1858, he joined the newly formed Republican Party and went on to win the presidential election against George McClellan by a wide margin.

Lincoln Held a Patent That Revolutionized the Steamboat Industry

Lincoln, while he was a law partner of William Herndon in 1848, invented a bellows system that would help improve a boat’s ability to navigate shallow waters. By using balloons that attached to each end of a boat, when the water became shallow, they could be inflated so the boat would be raised, avoiding the need to unload passengers and cargo. Lincoln’s patented model and drawings are at the Smithsonian Institution on display, but his invention was never put into production.

He Was a Target of the Confederates During a Battle

The Battle of Fort Stevens was fought in northwest Washington, D.C. on July 11 and 12, 1864, and Lincoln was present there when the fort was attacked. It wasn’t surprising that Lincoln would have been an easy target, standing at almost 7-feet tall when wearing his stovepipe hat. Because General Jubal Early realized the fort was being defended by veteran Union soldiers, which made it difficult for Confederate troops to win the battle, he and his troops retreated after dark.

Lincoln Didn’t Want to Attend the Play at Ford’s Theater

Ulysses S. Grant was originally scheduled to attend the play at Ford’s Theater but begged off to make a trip to New Jersey. Since Lincoln’s wife was ill, he was reluctant to go but felt obligated to attend. Lincoln had invited Schuyler Colfax, the Speaker of the House, to attend with him, but Colfax declined because of another engagement. Had all three attended, it would have endangered more men who occupied high positions of power in the U.S. government.

The Secret Service Had Not Been Established

Although Lincoln did have a bodyguard along on that fateful night at Ford’s Theater, the man was not in attendance when John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln. Ironically, President Lincoln had signed a bill into law authorizing the Secret Service the night before he went to the play.

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I did not  know  about the  invention  for  ships to  sail in shallow water===

also  about  the invention never went in to  production

dgrimm60

[phkrause]

5 Things You Didn't Know About Jacqueline Kennedy

On February 14, 1962, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy gave a televised tour of the White House after a massive renovation project in which she searched for and found missing historical artwork and furniture. Here are five things you didn't know about Jacqueline Kennedy and that tour...

Kennedy's Dedication to Furnishing the White House Stemmed From Her Own Frustration as a Tourist

Jacqueline Bouvier first visited the White House in the 1940s as a tourist and was upset by the fact that she couldn't get information about the history behind the art and furnishings in the house. She knew the house must have had Before parade of objects and art over the years, but there were no informative guides to help her. When she made it to the White House as a First Lady, she made it her mission to bring back all of the historical objects and create a guide for anyone who wanted to know about them.

She Needed No Notes When Giving the Tour to CBS Reporter Charles Collingwood

Kennedy had done such an extensive job restoring the White House that when it came time to film the tour, she was able to tell CBS reporter Charles Collingwood about every piece and room without notes or a script. In fact, she was so good that there was only one scene that had to be filmed again, when she got one person's name wrong.

The Televised Tour Accomplished Two Media Firsts and One Presidential First

Kennedy was the first First Lady to ever give someone a tour of the White House on TV—not that surprising a first given how comparatively young TV was in the early 1960s. However, the special was also the first hosted by a woman, and it was the most successful documentary from CBS at the time. Viewer estimates vary, but one put the total as high as 80 million viewers.

So Many Furnishings Were Languishing in Different Storage That Kennedy Had National Park Service Employees Catalog Each Piece

Prior to Kennedy's efforts, much of the furniture and art that had been in the White House in various administrations was languishing in several different storage areas all over town. The objects were treated like any other, packed away and forgotten. As part of the restoration, the items were reupholstered and restored at the White House and then cataloged by three women who worked for the National Park Service.

Kennedy's Desire to Restore and Record the History of the White House's Furnishings and Art Led to the Formation of the White House Historical Association

Kennedy had a genius idea for funding the restoration. She didn't want to use public money because she knew that the restoration seemed more of a cosmetic project, rather than a historical one. So, she created the White House Historical Association, which is still around today. The association created a guidebook to the White House, and the money earned from those sales became the funding source for the restoration.

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I did  not  know that  she  has tour the WHITE HOUSE in the  1940's====I also did  not

know that  she was instrumental in forming the White House Historical Association

dgrimm60

[phkrause]

5 Things You Didn't Know About Susan B. Anthony

Women's suffrage advocate Susan B. Anthony was born on this day in 1820. Her tireless work spanned nearly three-quarters of a century and, along with several other women's rights advocates, paved the way for the 19th Amendment's ratification in the 20th century. Here are five things you didn't know about Susan B. Anthony...

Anthony Was a Strong Advocate of Temperance

Temperance is the belief that alcohol is not a part of a productive society, and the temperance movement of the 1800s worked to shut down (or at least severely restrict) alcohol use and sales. Anthony's family had worked with abolitionist and temperance movements since she was a child, and Anthony's first public speaking engagement was at a temperance organization dinner. Anthony and others in the movement wanted to show others how drunkenness and reliance on alcohol damaged families and society.

Her Work With Temperance Influenced Her to Work for Women's Suffrage

Anthony was a member of the Daughters of Temperance. She arrived at a conference run by the sons of Temperance but was refused the opportunity to speak because she was female. That experience led her to the women's suffrage movement because she figured getting women the right to vote would be the only way to convince society. As for that conference, she left and actually called her own conference together.

Anthony Was Arrested for Voting in 1872

Anthony didn't live to see women get the vote, but that didn't stop her from trying to vote anyway. She was arrested for voting illegally in the 1872 election, claiming that the 14th Amendment gave her the right. She fought the charge but was thwarted at most turns; for example, she refused to pay bail, but her lawyer paid it so the case wouldn't go before the Supreme Court, and the judge at the trial actually demanded the jury simply find her guilty. She refused to pay the fine from her sentence, too.

She Was Honored With a Dollar Coin -- That Everyone Confused for a Quarter

In the 1970s, Anthony was chosen to be the face of the new dollar coin. This should have been a great moment, but whoever designed the coin wasn't thinking; it was a silver-colored coin that was about the size of a quarter, meaning that people continually confused the two. The coin ended up being rather unpopular, and while it's still in use today (you can often get them among stamp machine change at post offices), the coin is not in regular circulation among stores and the general public.

Anthony's Headstone Is Routinely Covered With "I Voted" Stickers After Elections

It's become a tradition to go to the cemetery in Rochester, New York, where Anthony's grave is located to put "I voted" stickers all over the headstone. The act was particularly poignant in 2016 when Hillary Clinton ran for president, and again in 2018, when voter turnout was at a high. The stickers are removed after Election Day is over.

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I did  not  know  that  she was  refused  to  speak at a  temperance  meeting ===then

had  her  own meeting

dgrimm60

[phkrause]

5 Things You Didn't Know About Fidel Castro

On February 16, 1959, Fidel Castro is sworn in as prime minister of Cuba after leading a guerrilla campaign that forced right-wing dictator Fulgencio Batista into exile. Here are five things you didn't know about Fidel Castro.

Castro Originally Ran for Office in the Pre-Batista Cuban Government

Prior to the Batista regime, Cuba was ruled by Carlos Prio Socarras, who had dumped Cuba back into a well of inefficiency and corruption. In 1952, the country was supposed to have an election in June, and Castro began a campaign to be elected president. Before the elections could take place, however, Batista deposed Prio. The elections were called off.

Despite Initial Support, the U.S. Slowly Came to Oppose Batista

Batista was originally a U.S. ally. While Batista had overthrown the government before his, he was friendly to the U.S. The American government wanted to keep it that way, so they gave Batista support, including initially opposing Castro because of his Communist ideals. It helped that this was actually Batista's second term as Cuban leader; he originally governed form 1940 to 1944 and ran a fairly functional government then. However, over the next few years, Batista's new government slowly devolved into a more violent, oppressive dictatorship that sent turned many Cubans toward opposition leaders and revolutionaries. The U.S. was not happy with what Batista's government was doing, either, and so withdrew support.

Castro Was Nearly Killed When He Returned to Cuba

After spending time in a Cuban prison, Castro was granted amnesty and went to Mexico, where he remained in exile for a couple of years. This is where he became involved with Che Guevara's revolutionaries, and all of them became involved in a plot to overthrow Batista. In December 1956, the group sent Castro and many armed men to Cuba to begin their attempt, but they were met with very heavy resistance that resulted in the death of most of the participants. Castro and a few others were lucky enough to escape into the mountains.

He Was Interviewed by Ed Sullivan

The popular narrative about Castro is that he overthrew a U.S.-friendly government and led a Communist country that opposed the U.S. However, because the U.S. was distancing itself from Batista's regime and its increasing violence, Castro was actually kind of welcomed by Americans after he took over. In fact, Ed Sullivan, the TV show host, interviewed Castro in the town of Matanzas in January 1959. Sullivan was apparently impressed and reportedly was very positive about the future that Castro represented for Cuba.

Castro Was the Target of Some of the Weirdest Assassination Plots to Be Cooked up in the 20th Century

Castro's time as the sweetheart of American international relations eventually ended, and he became a target for assassination. While many of the plots were fairly straightforward, or at least as straightforward as a clandestine plot can be, some of the suggested plans were plain bonkers. For example, Castro liked to scuba dive, so one plan involved planting an explosive seashell at his favorite diving spot. Others involved technology that seemed straight out of the Bond films (or maybe even Get Smart), such as poison delivered with tiny needles that didn't cause any sensation.

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I did  not  know that  CASTRO  ran for president   in 1952===also  I did  not  know that he  

was on the  Ed  Sullivan  T.V. show

[phkrause]

5 Things You Didn't Know About The Volkswagen Beetle

On February 17, 1972, Beetle overtook the Model T as the world's best-selling car, breaking the more than 40-year record held by Ford.  Here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about the Volkswagen Beetle...

Porsche Designed the Beetle

Ferdinand Porsche, the developer of one of the world’s most popular sports cars, and his son, designed the Volkswagen Beetle. His main objectives were to design a vehicle that was inexpensive to purchase and repair, and had an air-cooled engine. The first vehicles rolled off the production line in 1939, although early production was limited due to World War II.

Americans Didn’t Like the Beetle at First

The Volkswagen Beetle was introduced in 1949 to the United States. However, because of World War II, Americans were leery of buying anything that was produced in Germany, and only two cars were purchased that year. By the time the 1960s rolled around, the Beetle had become extremely popular, and 570,000 were purchased in the United States in 1970.

The Legendary Volkswagen Began in Nazi Germany

It was German Chancellor Adolf Hitler who commissioned a “people’s car” in 1937, which could carry five people. The first factory to produce Volkswagens was in Wolfsburg, Germany, and the town itself was built for the employees who would be building the cars. Estimates for the first Volkswagens were in reichsmarks but would have ranged in American dollars from $140 up to $250 at the time.

It Isn’t Called the Beetle Worldwide

The Volkswagen Beetle wasn’t called a Beetle at first, but the name became popular after it was referred to by that name in 1938 in an article published by The New York Times. In France, it is called the French word for ladybug; in Italian, it translates to Beetle, just as in the United States. The nickname in Bolivia is turtle; and in Indonesia, it is called the frog.

The Volkswagen Beetle Has Appeared in Many Movies

Most people are familiar with Herbie, the Volkswagen Beetle that appeared in a number of Disney movies, including The Love Bug in 1969, Herbie Rides Again in 1974 and Herbie: Fully Loaded in 2005. However, the VW Beetle appears in a number of movies, from Vertigo and Steven King's The Shining to Footloose and The Big Lebowski, which highlights its popularity with the American public over the years.

[phkrause]

5 Things You Didn't Know about the Battle of Iwo Jima

On February 19, 1945, the U.S. Marines invaded the Pacific island of Iwo Jima that occupied only eight square miles. Here are five things you didn’t know about the battle that cost almost 7,000 U.S. Marine lives...

The Military Campaign Lasted 36 Days

Operation Detachment was the codename given to the operation to take control of Iwo Jima. Intelligence sources were convinced it would take no more than a week but did not know that Japan was planning a strong defense at the island. The 36-day battle resulted in heavy casualties and fierce fighting, which one soldier described as similar to fighting on top of a pool table since the combat area was so small.

The Japanese Knew They Would Lose Control of the Island

The defense of Iwo Jima was commanded by Lt. Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi, but although he knew that his Japanese forces could not win, he intended to have Japanese troops inflict heavy casualties, so the American military might think twice about invading Mainland Japan. He accomplished this through the use of extensive tunnels, so Japanese forces could return to areas cleared by the Marines, and by using camouflaged machine guns and snipers.

U.S. Marines Suffered More Casualties Than the Japanese

America lost 6,800 U.S. Marines at Iwo Jima, along with 26,000 wounded out of the 80,000 troops sent there. The Japanese had 18,844 fatalities or missing out of the 22,060 stationed on the island. This was the first time that U.S. Marine casualties were higher than those of the Japanese.

A Photo Taken on the Island Won a Pulitzer Prize for the Photographer

The photo of the U.S. Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima on Mount Suribachi on February 23, 1945, represented the first time a foreign flag had been raised on Japanese soil. Joe Rosenthal, an American photographer, took the photo, which won him the Pulitzer Prize for Photography. The photo became one of the iconic pictures taken during World War II.

The Medal of Honor Was Awarded to 27 Men for Valor at Iwo Jima

President Harry Truman signed citations for the Medal of Honor for five Navy men and 22 U.S. Marines for their conspicuous gallantry in the Battle of Iwo Jima. Those honored included four pharmacist mates who were with the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve. Many of the medals were awarded posthumously.

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I  did    know that the different  names of the  Volkswagen   In  different  countries

dgrimm60

 

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I  did  not  know  that the  Japanese  Commander   knew that  he  could  not  win the battle

dgrimm60

 

[phkrause]

5 Things You Didn't Know About John Glenn

On February 20, 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth after the Friendship 7 space capsule was launched on the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission. Here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about this American hero...

Glenn Was an Old Hand at Flying Before He Entered the Space Program

Glenn became a U.S. Marine pilot after finishing his flight training in 1943, and he flew 59 combat missions during World War II. In 1953, he flew another 90 missions while he was stationed in Korea. Among the many decorations and medals he was awarded, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross six times.

He’s the Person Who Named the Friendship 7 Space Capsule

The capsules used in the Mercury space program were often nicknamed by the astronauts. Glenn consulted with his children for ideas for the capsule he would be riding in, and “Friendship” was the name he decided on. The number “7” was chosen because that was the number of members in the Mercury space program.

The Mission Was Delayed Repeatedly

The planned December 1961 mission launch was moved to January 13th because of problems with the Atlas rocket, but bad weather caused it to be postponed again as television crews waited for the launch. It was once again delayed January 30th due to a fuel leak and then more bad weather. Glenn finally made it into space in the early morning of February 20, 1962.

The Flight Didn’t Exactly Go Flawlessly

While the launch itself went fine, on the ground, information was received that a sensor was warning that the landing bag and heat shield on Friendship 7 were insecure. While normally the retrorocket would have been discarded, the team decided to leave it in place to add a layer of protection to the heat shield. After Glenn splashed into the Atlantic Ocean following the flight, it was determined that the sensor had been the problem, not the landing bag or heat shield, and Glenn had never been in danger from their malfunction.

Glenn Returned to Space 36 Years Later

Glenn stayed with NASA until 1964 but never made it back into space, and following his retirement, he served in the U.S. Senate for four terms beginning in 1974. In 1998, he was once again chosen as a crew member aboard the space shuttle Discovery after 35 years away from the space program. At age 77, he suited up for a nine-day mission to study how space travel affected the elderly and returned home to his second ticker-tape parade.

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I did  not  know  that  he and  his children  had  a  part  in  naming the capsule

dgrimm60

[phkrause]

5 Things You Didn't Know About Malcolm X

On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X, a black civil rights leader who was feared by some and respected by others, was assassinated at age 39. Here are five things you didn't know about Malcolm X.

Malcom X's Education Was Derailed by a Teacher

As a child, Malcolm X (Malcolm Little) showed great academic promise and was undeniably intelligent. Yet one of his teachers decided to squash a goal of his to go into law, telling him to be a carpenter instead. This lack of support -- he was already dealing with terrible home circumstances after his father was killed and his mother taken to an insane asylum, and his siblings separated -- was enough to derail his education, and he willingly left school. Unfortunately, that led him to eventually take up criminal activities as a youth.

He Converted to Islam in Prison

One of those criminal activities was robbery, which got him thrown in prison in 1946. It was there that he converted to Islam (this is not unusual; the Pew Research Center notes that conversion, especially between Protestant religions and Islam, is very common) and joined the NOI. It helped that his brother had also converted and joined the NOI because that gave X someone to talk to about what the movement was like, how the lifestyle worked, and what the personal and societal effects could be. Upon his release in 1952, X began working with the NOI and took on major organizational duties.

He Created the Nation of Islam's Newspaper and Started the Street-Corner Sales Requirement

If you've seen NOI members selling newspapers on street corners, that process -- and the Muhammad Speaks newspaper itself -- were part of X's influence on the NOI. He started the newspaper and decided that members should sell the paper on corners as a fundraising method. The sales also served as a recruitment method.

His Trip to Mecca Was Instrumental in Changing His Beliefs About Society

In 1964, X made the journey to Mecca that is supposed to be a duty of all Muslims to do at least once in their lives. Previous to the trip, X had been convinced that the real problem in society had to do with white people, but after the trip, he concluded that it wasn't really white people but racism itself that was the cause of societal problems. On his trip, he noted that no one seemed to care about race in Mecca. White and Black Muslims were simply Muslims, and he noted that Islam itself was able to erase racial divisions between its adherents, showing that it was not skin color that was the issue.

His Assassination May Not Have Been as Cut and Dried as People Believed

The official story behind X's death was that he was assassinated by an NOI member after his (X's) house had been firebombed. Three members were convicted. Yet the actual details are not as well-defined. X was definitely shot, but shoddy police protection, a refusal by the police to release records, and hints of government interference make the official story much cloudier. Were all three really guilty? What happened to a mysterious second person who was arrested soon after the shooting? Eyewitness accounts have been called into question, and it may be a long time before the real story is known.

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I did  not  know  about  his bad  home  life and  about  his  father  being  killed 

and his  mother  put in  an insane asylum 

dgrimm60

[phkrause]

5 Things You Didn't Know about the U.S. Hockey Team's Miracle Win

On this day in 1980, in a stunning upset, the United States Olympic hockey team defeated the Soviets in a game dubbed the "Miracle on Ice." Here are five things you didn't know about the U.S. hockey team's miracle win...

The USSR Beat the U.S. 10-3 a Couple of Weeks Before the Olympics

This wasn't the first time that the two teams had played each other that year -- and the first time had been a stunning loss for the Americans. To add insult to injury, the Soviet coach admitted that the Soviet team hadn't even tried their hardest to win that game, and hinted that the Americans just really weren't that strong a team. However, the insults were hockey-based only. Surprisingly, the audience at that game didn't get involved in any political rivalry -- they just wanted to watch hockey.

Al Michaels Got to Announce the Game Mainly Because No One Else Stepped Up

If you have an impression of Al Michaels that includes his being a hockey expert, you have this game to thank for that. No one else wanted to take on the duties of calling out plays during the game, so Michaels got it because he had previously called one -- yes, one -- game, which oddly enough also involved the Soviet team. Michaels trained for announcing the Olympic game by playing table hockey and naming the "players" after the Soviet team.

American Viewers Had to Watch a Tape Delay

Oh, how times have changed. Nowadays, if you couldn't watch a game on broadcast or cable TV live, you'd resort to internet streaming and VPNs that placed you in a country where the broadcast wouldn't be blacked out. But in 1980, viewers didn't have these options, and it led to Americans watching the game on tape delay. What happened was that the U.S. wanted the time of the game changed, but the Soviets wouldn't agree because that meant the game would start at 4 a.m. their time. As a result, none of the American viewers got to see the game live, and the network was very candid about that -- and viewers asked that no one spoil the outcome!

This Wasn't the Final Game in Olympic Hockey That Year

The Miracle on Ice was not the game that led to gold. The game was spectacular, especially as the U.S. team was, as Michaels put it, "a bunch of college kids, up against the mighty Soviets." But it was only a semi-final. After this game, the U.S. was to play Finland, and the USSR played Sweden. The U.S. did go on to win the gold, but only after beating Finland.

Michaels Ad-Libbed the Famous Miracle Question

"Do you believe in miracles?" was the question that gave the game its nickname, but it wasn't rehearsed at all. Michaels says that the word "miraculous" had been going around his head, but in the final moments of the game, when the U.S. team somehow pulled ahead, he asked his famous question instead. And he didn't remember saying it! It's on tape, however, and remains one of the more fantastic moments in sports. 

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I did not  know that the  two  teams  had played  before

dgrimm60