Honoring America's warriors — celebrating the Marine Corps' legacy of courage, commitment, and "Semper Fidelis."
On November 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution drafted by future President John Adams to raise "two battalions of Marines" for service aboard Continental Navy ships. Captain Samuel Nicholas established recruitment headquarters at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, a popular tavern and brewery. This resolution marks the birth of the United States Marine Corps, America's expeditionary force-in-readiness.
Since 1925, Marines worldwide celebrate with formal Birthday Balls featuring the ceremonial cake-cutting. Beginning in 1952, tradition dictates the first slice goes to the oldest Marine present, who passes it to the youngest, symbolizing the passing of experience and knowledge through generations. Marine Corps Order 47 is read aloud, along with a message from the current Commandant, connecting centuries of service.
The Marine Corps motto "Semper Fidelis" (adopted in 1883) embodies unwavering loyalty to country, Corps, and fellow Marines. From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli, from Belleau Wood to Iwo Jima, from Chosin Reservoir to Fallujah, Marines have defended American interests in every conflict. November 10th honors this unbroken chain of valor spanning nearly 250 years.
The groundbreaking children's television show "Sesame Street" premiered on National Educational Television (later PBS), revolutionizing educational programming. Created by Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett, the show used puppetry, animation, and live action to teach literacy, numeracy, and social skills. Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and Elmo became cultural icons, and the show continues educating children in over 150 countries.
Mayor M. Leslie Denning of Englewood, New Jersey, made the first customer-dialed long-distance telephone call without operator assistance, reaching Mayor Frank Osborne in Alameda, California. This technological milestone, enabled by AT&T's new automated switching system, transformed telecommunications. Previously, all long-distance calls required operator assistance, making this innovation a significant step toward modern phone networks.
Welsh-American journalist Henry Morton Stanley located missing Scottish missionary and explorer David Livingstone in Ujiji, near Lake Tanganyika in present-day Tanzania. Stanley greeted him with the now-famous understatement: "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" The New York Herald had sent Stanley to find Livingstone, who had been out of contact for years while exploring central Africa.