On This Day April 20th

 OTD

April 20th is the One Hundred-eleventh Day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 255 days remain until the end of the year.

 

Events

1653 – Oliver Cromwell dissolves England's Rump Parliament.

1657 – English Admiral Robert Blake destroys a Spanish silver fleet under heavy fire from the shore at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

1657 – Freedom of religion is granted to the Jews of New Amsterdam (later New York City).

1789 – George Washington arrives at Grays Ferry, Philadelphia, en route to Manhattan for his inauguration.

1861—Thaddeus S. C. Lowe, attempting to demonstrate the value of balloons, makes a record journey, flying 900 miles from Cincinnati to South Carolina.

1902 – Pierre and Marie Curie refine radium chloride.

1918 – Manfred von Richthofen, a.k.a. The Red Baron, shoots down his 79th and 80th victims, his final victories before his death the following day.

1972 – Apollo program: The Apollo 16 lunar module, commanded by John Young and piloted by Charles Duke, lands on the moon. (My Elementary school had a Moon Rock from this trip. It was a gift from our alumni, John Young).

2008 – Danica Patrick won the Indy Japan 300, becoming the first female driver in history to win an Indy car race.

 

Birthdays

1826 – Dinah Craik, English author and poet (d. 1887)

1850 – Daniel Chester French, the American sculptor, designed the Lincoln statue (d. 1931)

1908 – Lionel Hampton, American vibraphone player, pianist, bandleader, and actor (d. 2002)

1945 – Steve Spurrier, American football player and coach

1961 – Don Mattingly, American baseball player, coach, and manager

 

Holidays And Observance

420 ( Don’t forget to leave cookies and milk out for Willie Nelson)

You can be forgiven for thinking 420 has more origin stories than the Marvel Universe. One popular rumor is that “420” is the code police officers use to signal to each other that marijuana smoking is taking place. Another theory tries to attribute the date to a Bob Dylan song.

However, the most concrete evidence of the holiday’s origins can be traced back to San Rafael High School in Marin County, California. A group of students, known as the “Waldos” because they used to hang out by a wall, came into possession of a map that they thought would take them to a field full of marijuana. Map in hand, they met at 4:20 pm and eagerly tried to locate the crop. While they left empty-handed that day, 420 became their thing, and the term began to spread among their friends.

Fast forward half a century, the holiday has taken on a more purpose-driven tone, providing a platform for scientists, medical professionals, politicians, and cannabis consumers to discuss the medicinal benefits of the plant. While the Controlled Substances Act’s categorization of marijuana means it cannot be sold under federal law, the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes is legal in 36 states (at the time of writing), with an increasing number also legalizing recreational use.

This year, on 420, we are joining with many others to promote access to safe, legal, and natural cannabis products, as many Americans believe that cannabis products can contribute towards a better quality of life.

 

Others Include.

4/20 Day (also known as National Pot Smokers Day, Weed Day or National Weed Day

Auctioneers Day

Chinese Language Day

Healthy Kids Day

Husband Appreciation Day

International Cli-Fi Day

International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day

Lima Bean Respect Day

Look Alike Day

National Cheddar Fries Day

National Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day

Record Store Day

Volunteer Recognition Day

World Circus Day 

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