President Theodore Roosevelt and Family – August 24, 1907, Oyster Bay
Taken during a summer retreat at Sagamore Hill, this portrait captures President Theodore Roosevelt surrounded by his wife Edith and their children: Kermit, Archibald, Ethel, Theodore Jr., and Quentin. At Roosevelt’s feet sits Skip, Archie’s feist terrier. Notable for her absence is Roosevelt’s eldest child, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, who had a famously strained relationship with her stepmother, Edith, and often traveled independently.
More than a family photo, this image reflects Roosevelt’s belief in vigorous domestic life as the foundation of national strength. Captured at the height of his presidency, it offers a rare glimpse into the personal world of a man who shaped the modern American presidency with energy, reform, and unapologetic conviction.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Elvis Presley recorded “Love Me Tender” on August 24, 1956, at 20th Century Fox Studios in Hollywood—not in a music hall, but on a film soundstage. The melody was adapted from the 1861 ballad Aura Lee, with new lyrics written by musical director Ken Darby. Official songwriting credit was given to Darby’s wife, Vera Matson, and Presley. Though Presley had no role in writing the song and had never met either Matson or Darby, his manager Colonel Tom Parker arranged the co-writing credit to secure publishing royalties—a practice Parker frequently employed with Presley.
This photo from the filming shows Elvis on horseback outside a rustic set designed to evoke post–Civil War America. He played Clint Reno, the youngest of four brothers caught in a web of loyalty and betrayal. Though not the film’s lead, Presley’s performance was magnetic—humble, serious, and deeply committed to his first acting role.
Audiences were stunned by Clint’s death at the end of the film, portrayed as an act of ultimate sacrifice. Fan reaction was so intense that the studio added a postscript: a spectral image of Elvis singing “Love Me Tender” over his character’s grave. In just three months, a song recorded on a Hollywood soundstage changed a film, launched a cinematic career, and helped redefine the emotional contours of American pop culture.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
On August 24, 1682, William Penn received a deed to tracts of land or “three lower counties” which is the present day state of Delaware.
Penn wanted direct access to the Atlantic Ocean for his colony of Pennsylvania.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
On August 24, 1932, Amelia Earhart began the flight from Los Angeles that would make her the first female pilot to fly solo across the contiguous United States (coast to coast).
Image: Amelia Earhart sometime before 1937 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
During the Battle of Bladensburg, Maryland on August 24, 1814, Commodore Joshua Barney led marines and sailors in counter attacks against the British using hand pikes and cutlasses.
Barney was wounded by a bullet that went deep into his thigh while defending against the British advance to Washington, D.C.
He was captured and taken prisoner, but was eventually released.
The bullet remained in Barney and caused complications which resulted in his death, four years later, in 1818.
The sword that you see on the right belonged to Joshua Barney and became a possession of the British at Bladensburg.
It was finally returned to the U.S. Navy in 2014 (more than 200 years after the battle) by a descendant of British General John Ross.
Images via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
On August 24, 1912 Alaska became an organized, incorporated territory of the United States.
Image: A bear cub near a cabin in Alaska in 1912 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Nearly 10 years after making his famous expedition, William Clark (with other representatives of the United States), signed the Treaty of Saint Louis with Native American tribes on August 24, 1816.
Image of William Clark via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
A photo of Neptune from the NASA probe Voyager II dated August 24, 1989. The probe made its closest approach to Neptune the following day.
Image by Kevin Gill from Nashua, NH, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A 15 cent U.S. parcel post stamp showing a U.S. Mail delivery vehicle and carrier issued c. 1912-1913
On August 24, 1912 Congress approved the parcel post system of the U.S. Post Office.
Parcel postal service started the following year in 1913 and was a boon for retail catalog companies.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Street work at 7th & Dearborn, Seattle, Washington, U.S., August 24, 1927
Image from Seattle Municipal Archives via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Hurricane Andrew, a devastating Category 5 hurricane that destroyed nearly 64,000 homes in Southern Florida, made landfall on August 24, 1992.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Bureau of Standards, testing concrete beams on August 24, 1929
via Library of Congress, no known restrictions
Cal Ripken Jr. was born on August 24, 1960 in Havre de Grace, Maryland.
Image: Cal Ripken Jr. with Ronald Reagan in 1986 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Arthur Crudup, the man who originally wrote and recoded the song “That’s All Right” was born on August 24, 1905.
Image by Firecruise via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
The first U.S. Secretary of Education, Shirley Hufstedler, was born on August 24, 1925 in Denver, Colorado.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
On August 24, 1848 an American barque called the Ocean Monarch caught fire off the coast of Wales during its return voyage to Boston.
Nearly 180 souls were lost.
People recklessly smoking pipes on the ship, despite being directed not to do so, is believed to be the cause of the fire.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, no known restrictions
Mickey Walker vs. “Sailor” Friedman – August 24, 1925, Chicago
On this day in 1925, welterweight champion Mickey Walker (shown) stepped into the ring against William “Sailor” Friedman in a bout that ended without a decision. Before the match, Walker was paid a visit by Al Capone, who reportedly advised him to take it easy on Friedman. In Prohibition-era Chicago, even boxing couldn’t escape the shadow of organized crime.
Image via Wikimedia Commons, no known restrictions
A photograph from August 24, 1973 of Betty White playing the role of Sue Ann Nivens, host of WJM’s The Happy Homemaker show on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
