Monthly Archives: May 2020

May 21, 1918

On May 21, 1918, the US House of Representatives passed the Amendment that allow women the right to vote. The male representatives reminded women that they weren’t required to vote and no one could force them to, if they… Continue reading

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May 20, 1926

On May 20, 1926, American entrepreneur Thomas Edison proclaimed that his fellow Americans preferred silent movies over the new-fangled talkies. In other breaking news, Edison also determined that Americans preferred walking over… Continue reading

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May 19, 1992

On May 19, 1992, US Vice President Dan Quayle attacked newscaster Murphy Brown for being a single mother and setting a poor example of family values. He believed she should have found a man and got married, like his… Continue reading

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May 18, 1949

On May 18, 1949, the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America (ABAA) was incorporated. The bylaws called for all bookstores that wished to have the ABAA designation to have a suitably eldritch appearance and emanate a… Continue reading

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May 17, 2004

On May 17, 2004, the first legal same-sex marriage was performed in the United States in the state of Massachusetts. The “Wrath of God” did not immediately happen as foretold by conservative religious leaders. Cats and dogs were… Continue reading

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May 16, 1918

On May 16, 1918, the Sedition Act of 1918 was passed by the US Congress, which made criticizing the government an imprisonable offense. This law was repealed on December 13, 1920. The thing to remember about the United States is that it has in the past made many mistakes. Our country has passed laws that … Continue reading

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May 15, 1829

On May 15, 1829, Joseph Smith claimed that John the Baptist ordained both him and Oliver Cowdry into the Aaronic Priesthood and gave them the ability to baptize other people. Of course, like all good, credible religious miracles, only John Smith and Oliver Cowdry happened to be around when John the Baptist materialized into rustic … Continue reading

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May 14, 1878

On May 14, 1878, the last witchcraft trial was held in the United States in Salem, Massachusetts. It was called both, the ‘Salem Witchcraft Trial of 1878’ and the ‘Ipswich Witchcraft Trial’. It was a civil suit and not a criminal case. Lucretia Brown, a 50 year old spinster and adherent of Christian Science, accused … Continue reading

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May 13, 1559

On May 13, 1559, Netherlands Anabaptist leader, David Joris, had his three year old corpse exhumed in Basel. His corpse was then convicted of heresy and burned as punishment. Turns out people with grudges can still act childish and throw stones even after you die. The person with a grudge? His son-in-law Anabaptist leader Nicolas … Continue reading

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May 12, 1984

On May 12, 1984, South African Anti-Apartheid prisoner Nelson Mandela saw his wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela for the first time in 22 years. It was not the loving reunion one might think. He did ask her point blank what the hell she was doing with her “Mandela United Football Club”, which was her personal body guard. … Continue reading

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