Jen and Jon Johnson

On April 23, 1564 & 1616, Historians believe William Shakespeare was born on
this day in 1564, the same day he died in 1616.  Shakespeare is most famous
as a playwright and poet.

On April 17, 1961, about 1,500 CIA-trained Cuban exiles launched the
disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in a failed attempt to overthrow the
communist government of Fidel Castro.

On April 16, 1947, in Texas City’s port on Galveston Bay, a fire aboard the
freighter Grandcamp ignites ammonium nitrate, causing a massive blast that
destroys much of the city & takes nearly 600 lives.

On April 12, 1861, the American Civil War begins when Confederate soldiers
fire on Union soldiers at Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina.  The
war would last until April of 1865 and end slavery.

On April 11, 1945, the American Third Army liberates the Buchenwald
concentration camp, near Weimar, Germany, a camp that is judged 2nd only to
Auschwitz in its treatment of prisoners.

On April 10, 1933, FDR establishes the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a
federally funded program that put many Americans to work during the Great
Depression on projects w/ environmental benefits.

On March 13, 1942, the US army creates the K-9 corps to fight in World War
II. Dogs were trained to carry messages and to detect bombs. Dogs also
were great at alerting troops of the enemy.

On March 12, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt holds the first of his
radio-broadcast “fireside chats.” FDR used the informal radio addresses to
explain his policies to the American public.

On March 9, 1959, Barbie doll is debuted for the first time at the American
Toy Fair in New York City. She was 11 inches tall with blonde hair and was
the 1st mass produced doll in the US.

On Feb. 27, 1827, a group of masked and costumed students paraded down the
streets of New Orleans, marking the beginning of the city’s famous Mardi
Gras celebration that is held annually.