Civil War and Abraham Lincoln photographer, Alexander Gardner, was born in Scotland on October 17, 1821. He became interested in American photography after seeing an exhibit featuring Mathew Brady photos in London. By 1856, Gardner and his family sailed to America where he became an employee of Mathew Brady. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Improvisation c. 1899 by American artist Childe Hassam who was born on October 17, 1859 in Boston, Massachusetts. Childe is best known for his patriotic American flag series of paintings that he created around the time of WWI. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US.

Rita Hayworth was born on October 17, 1918 in New York City. Photo of Rita Hayworth sitting in her “Gilda” chair from the 1946 classic film where she does her famous hair flip intro scene. via Alamy

On October 17, 1979 President Jimmy Carter signed the Department of Education Organization Act into law. Photo of President Jimmy Carter in 1979 by renowned American photographer Ansel Adams via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

U.S. Navy destroyer USS Waller in camouflage off the coast of San Francisco, California on October 17, 1944 The USS Waller was later used during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Born October 17, 1898 actress Eileen Sedgwick made over 100 films, most during Hollywood’s silent era. Afraid that she was being typecast as a heroine-in-peril in serials and Westerns she attempted to change her career path by using the name Gretel Yoltz. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US.

On October 17, 1966 a forty-year-old by the name of Peter Marshall began hosting a new game show called “The Hollywood Squares.” He would continue to host the show until 1981. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US

On October 17, 1933 Albert Einstein moved to the United States. Image of Einstein in Princeton, New Jersey in October 1933 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain