October 27, 1912 – The City Club of Cleveland was formally established as a nonpartisan forum for civic dialogue and free speech. Known as “Cleveland’s Citadel of Free Speech,” it remains one of the oldest continuously operating independent public discussion forums in the United States.

World History

October 27, 1978 – Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their negotiations that led to the Camp David Accords and paved the way for the 1979 Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty.

October 28, 1918 – The independent state of Czechoslovakia was officially proclaimed, marking its separation from the Austro-Hungarian Empire as World War I neared its end.

October 29, 1929 – Known as Black Tuesday, the U.S. stock market crashed, triggering the Great Depression. It remains one of the most devastating financial collapses in global economic history.

November 1, 1950 – An assassination attempt was made on U.S. President Harry S. Truman at Blair House in Washington, D.C., where he was staying during White House renovations. Truman was unharmed, though one of his guards was killed.

November 2, 1976 – Jimmy Carter was elected the 39th President of the United States, defeating incumbent Gerald Ford. He became the first president from the Deep South since the Civil War.

The post This Week in History ~ October 27th – November 2nd first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

October 20, 1944 – The East Ohio Gas explosion devastated a portion of Cleveland’s east side when a liquefied natural gas storage tank leaked and ignited. The resulting fire and explosions killed 131 people and destroyed an area approximately one square mile in size.

October 21, 1895 – The Cleveland City Council officially adopted the city flag, designed by Susan Hepburn. The flag features vertical red, white, and blue stripes with a central emblem bearing the city’s name and the year of its founding.

October 21, 1934 – The Hungarian Cultural Garden in Cleveland was dedicated on the 123rd anniversary of composer Franz Liszt’s birth. The event celebrated Hungarian culture and marked a major addition to the Cleveland Cultural Gardens.

October 26, 1974 – The Richfield Coliseum officially opened in Richfield Township, between Cleveland and Akron. Its first event was a concert by Frank Sinatra. The venue went on to host Cavaliers games, concerts, and major sporting events for two decades.

World History

October 20, 1774 – The First Continental Congress adopted the Continental Association, agreeing to implement a boycott of British goods in response to the Intolerable Acts. This marked a unified colonial economic resistance and a critical step toward the American Revolution.

October 20, 1803 – The United States Senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase treaty, approving the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory from France and doubling the size of the nation.

October 20, 1935 – Mao Zedong’s Long March concluded when the surviving core of the Chinese Red Army arrived in Shaanxi Province after a year-long, 6,000-mile retreat from Nationalist forces. Fewer than 10,000 of the original 80,000 survived, but the march solidified Mao’s leadership.

October 26, 1917 – Brazil formally declared war on Germany, entering World War I on the side of the Allied Powers. Brazil was the only South American nation to join the war effort militarily.

October 26, 1979 – South Korean President Park Chung‑Hee was assassinated by Kim Jae‑gyu, the head of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, triggering political upheaval and the eventual transition to a new military regime.

The post This Week in History ~ October 20th – 26th first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

October 13, 1853 – The 4th National Women’s Rights Convention opened in Cleveland, marking a major milestone in the national suffrage movement and drawing influential activists like Lucy Stone and Frederick Douglass.

October 13, 1914 – Garrett Morgan, an African American inventor based in Cleveland, received a U.S. patent for his safety hood (early gas mask), which would be used to save lives in both industrial and military settings.

October 13, 2023 – The Cleveland Museum of Natural History unveiled its new Visitor Hall, showcasing iconic specimens and interactive exhibits in a reimagined public space.

October 15, 1910 – The Cuyahoga County Centennial celebration reached its peak during a week-long series of events in Cleveland, including parades, concerts, and technological demonstrations like airship and airplane exhibitions along the lakefront.

World History

October 13, 1775 – The Continental Congress authorized the creation of the Continental Navy, laying the foundation for what would become the United States Navy and marking an important step in American resistance during the Revolutionary War.

October 13, 1914 – Garrett Morgan, an African American inventor from Cleveland, received a U.S. patent for his safety hood, an early version of the gas mask. This invention was later used to save lives during mining disasters and in World War I, making it globally significant.

October 14, 1066 – The Battle of Hastings took place in England. William, Duke of Normandy, defeated King Harold II, beginning the Norman Conquest and drastically altering English history, language, and governance.

October 15, 1582 – The Gregorian calendar was officially implemented in several Catholic countries in Europe, replacing the Julian calendar. The calendar reform skipped ten days, with Thursday, October 4, followed immediately by Friday, October 15.

October 19, 1781 – British General Charles Cornwallis formally surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia, effectively ending major combat in the American Revolutionary War. The event marked a turning point in global colonial power dynamics.

The post This Week in History ~ October 13th – 19th first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

October 6, 1853 – The 4th National Women’s Rights Convention opened in Cleveland, drawing hundreds of activists and speakers from across the country to advocate for women’s suffrage and legal rights.

October 6, 1939 – The Main Avenue Bridge (also known as the Main Avenue Viaduct) was officially dedicated in Cleveland, connecting the city’s east and west sides and improving industrial and commercial transport.

October 8, 1946 – Dennis Kucinich, future mayor of Cleveland, U.S. Representative, and presidential candidate, was born in Cleveland.

October 9, 1960 – The Cleveland Municipal Airport was formally renamed Burke Lakefront Airport in honor of Thomas A. Burke, a former mayor of Cleveland who had promoted its development as a major regional aviation facility.

World History

October 6, 1973 – The Yom Kippur War began when Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. The war lasted several weeks and reshaped Middle East diplomacy.

October 6, 1927 – The first feature-length motion picture with synchronized dialogue, The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson, premiered in New York. It marked the dawn of the “talkie” era in cinema history.

October 11, 1962 – The Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) officially opened under Pope John XXIII. The Council introduced major reforms to the Roman Catholic Church’s liturgy, governance, and relations with other faiths.

October 12, 1492 – Christopher Columbus and his expedition made landfall in the Caribbean, traditionally on the island he named San Salvador. This event is often cited as the beginning of European exploration of the Americas.

October 12, 1915 – Edith Cavell, a British nurse, was executed by German authorities in occupied Belgium during World War I for helping Allied soldiers escape. Her death caused international outrage and increased support for the Allied cause.

The post This Week in History ~ October 6th – 12th first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

September 30, 1929 – The Terminal Tower complex, including the Union Terminal rail station, was formally dedicated in downtown Cleveland, becoming a central hub for travel and commerce.

October 1, 1796 – Amos Stafford, a surveyor for the Connecticut Land Company, drew the first map of Cleveland’s original town plan, laying out the settlement’s future growth.

October 2, 1954 – The New York Giants swept the Cleveland Indians in the World Series, clinching the championship in a stunning upset remembered as one of baseball’s great shocks.

October 5, 1936 – The Great Lakes Exposition closed its first season in Cleveland after drawing millions of visitors to showcase industry, culture, and innovation along the lakefront.

World History

September 29, 1780 – British spy Major John André, captured while aiding Benedict Arnold in his plot to surrender West Point, was tried by a board of American generals. He was convicted of espionage and sentenced to death.

September 30, 1938 – The Munich Agreement was formally signed by Germany, Italy, Britain, and France. It allowed Nazi Germany to annex the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia, an act of appeasement that became a prelude to World War II.

October 1, 1910 – A bomb destroyed the Los Angeles Times building, killing 21 people and injuring more than 100. The attack was linked to a violent labor dispute involving the International Association of Bridge and Structural Iron Workers.

October 3, 1873 – The U.S. Army executed four Modoc leaders, including Captain Jack (Kintpuash), for their roles in the killing of General Edward Canby during peace talks in the Modoc War.

October 5, 1813 – The Battle of the Thames took place during the War of 1812. American forces under General William Henry Harrison defeated British and Indigenous allies. Shawnee leader Tecumseh was killed, a major blow to Native resistance in the Old Northwest.

The post This Week in History ~ September 29th – October 5th first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

September 23–26, 1935 – The 7th National Eucharistic Congress was held in Cleveland. This major Roman Catholic event featured large-scale Masses, processions, and sermons across multiple venues including St. John’s Cathedral, Cleveland Public Auditorium, and Cleveland Municipal Stadium.

September 24, 1907 – Stella Godfrey White Bigham was born. She later became a prominent Cleveland community activist, columnist for the Plain Dealer, and the first woman to serve on the board of what would become the Regional Transit Authority (RTA).

September 24, 1907 – Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland was officially consecrated. This marked the formal completion of the Episcopal cathedral’s construction and its place as a significant religious and architectural landmark in the city.

September 25, 1977 – Legal costs in the Cleveland school desegregation case reached $1 million, with projections estimating that figure would triple by the time the case concluded. This reflected the growing complexity and financial weight of federal oversight of the Cleveland school system.

September 27, 1986 – Balloonfest ’86 took place in downtown Cleveland, where nearly 1.5 million balloons were released from Public Square in a record-setting fundraising event. The spectacle led to significant unintended consequences, including traffic disruption and interference with air and water traffic.

World History

September 23, 1846 – Astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle became the first person to observe the planet Neptune, following predictions by Urbain Le Verrier and John Couch Adams.

September 24, 1957 – Federal troops were sent into Little Rock, Arkansas to enforce the desegregation of Central High School and protect nine Black students (the “Little Rock Nine”) entering the school, as part of the U.S. civil rights struggle.

September 24, 1973 – Guinea‑Bissau declared its independence from Portugal, becoming a sovereign country.

September 25, 1066 – The Battle of Stamford Bridge: King Harold II of England defeated the invading Norwegian force led by King Harald Hardrada and his brother Tostig, in what was one of the battles preceding the Norman Conquest.

September 28, 1928 – Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, the first broadly effective antibiotic, a breakthrough in medicine.

The post This Week in History ~ September 22nd – 28th first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

September 15, 1973 – The Gay Activists Alliance organized a Gay Pride March in Cleveland, beginning outside the bar “The Change” and proceeding along Euclid Avenue to a rally in Public Square.

September 16, 1963 – Cleveland Public Library officially dedicated its new main building addition, significantly expanding its capacity and enhancing services to the public.

September 16, 1838 – The Cleveland City Guards, soon to be known as the Cleveland Grays, were formally established when seventy‑eight men enlisted, marking the inception of one of the region’s oldest volunteer military organizations.

September 16, 1964 – The Beatles performed at Cleveland Public Auditorium, though the concert was cut short by police during the third song when enthusiastic fans surged onto the stage.

September 21, 1946 – At Euclid Beach Park, a six‑member interracial group from CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) was forcibly removed by park police; the incident sparked a confrontation with off‑duty Cleveland police officers and led to the park closing a week early at the mayor’s request.

World History

September 15, 1963 – A bomb exploded during Sunday morning services at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, tragically killing four young African American girls. The attack became a defining moment in the U.S. civil rights movement.

September 15, 1789 – The U.S. government formally renamed the Department of Foreign Affairs as the Department of State, with expanded domestic responsibilities—a key organizational step in early American governance.

September 20, 1973 – Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in the famous “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match at the Houston Astrodome, a landmark event in sports history and the women’s rights movement.

September 20, 1519 – Ferdinand Magellan set sail from Spain on his expedition that would ultimately become the first circumnavigation of the globe—an epochal achievement in human exploration.

September 20, 1870 – Italian troops occupied Rome, completing its incorporation into the Kingdom of Italy and effectively ending papal temporal power—an important milestone in the unification of Italy.

The post This Week in History ~ September 15th – 21st first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

September 10, 1813 – Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s naval victory over the British at the Battle of Lake Erie, a pivotal engagement in the War of 1812 near Cleveland, helped secure American control of the lake.

September 10, 1860 – The Perry Monument was dedicated in Cleveland’s Public Square to commemorate the 1813 naval victory. Over 100,000 people attended the unveiling, which included speeches and a reenacted naval skirmish.

September 10, 2023 – The Waterfront Line of Cleveland’s RTA light rail was reopened after a lengthy suspension due to safety repairs and construction, marking a step forward in improving public transit access.

September 11, 2025 – At the Irish American Club on Cleveland’s East Side, a history talk titled “Cleveland’s Neighborhood Taverns: Where History Meets the Barstool” was presented by local historian Tom Kaschalk.

September 12, 2025 – The Old Brooklyn Historical Society hosted an event showcasing stories, rare photos, and anecdotes about Cleveland’s historic taverns, also presented by Tom Kaschalk.

WORLD HISTORY

September 8, 1974 – U.S. President Gerald R. Ford issued a full, free, and unconditional pardon to his predecessor, Richard Nixon, for any crimes Nixon might have committed during his presidency, a pivotal moment closing the chapter on the Watergate scandal.

September 8, 1504 – Michelangelo’s monumental marble statue David was unveiled to the public in Florence’s Piazza della Signoria, marking a major milestone of Renaissance art.

September 14, 1901 – President William McKinley died of wounds sustained from an assassination attempt days earlier; Vice President Theodore Roosevelt became the youngest President in U.S. history at age 42.

September 14, 1982 – Princess Grace of Monaco (formerly the Hollywood actress Grace Kelly) tragically died from injuries suffered in a car accident near Monte Carlo.

September 14, 1994 – Major League Baseball canceled the rest of its season, including the playoffs and World Series, marking the first time since 1904 that no champion was crowned due to a players’ strike.

The post This Week in History ~ September 8th – 14th first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

Cleveland Trust Company Building Opened (September 1, 1908):
The Cleveland Trust Company Building, an architectural landmark at East 9th Street and Euclid Avenue, officially opened to the public. Designed by George B. Post and featuring a stunning stained-glass dome by Louis Comfort Tiffany Studios, it became a prominent symbol of Cleveland’s economic growth in the early 20th century.

Cleveland’s First Labor Day Parade (September 2, 1889):
Organized by local labor unions, Cleveland held one of its earliest major Labor Day parades downtown. The event highlighted growing labor activism in the city during the late 19th century, as workers rallied for fair wages, shorter hours, and safer working conditions.

Cleveland Indians Pitcher Bob Feller Returns from WWII (September 3, 1945):
After serving nearly four years in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller was honorably discharged and returned home. His comeback was widely celebrated by fans, and he resumed his legendary baseball career shortly afterward.

League Park Final Major League Game (September 4, 1946):
Cleveland’s historic League Park, once home to the Cleveland Indians, hosted its final Major League Baseball game. The team fully transitioned to Cleveland Stadium after this date. League Park had served the city since 1891 and witnessed many historic moments, including Babe Ruth’s 500th home run.

Cleveland National Air Races Resume Post-WWII (September 5, 1946):
After being suspended during World War II, the Cleveland National Air Races returned to the city’s airport, drawing large crowds. The event showcased aviation innovation and was part of Cleveland’s long tradition of involvement in early aeronautics.

WORLD HISTORY

Death of King Louis XIV of France (September 1, 1715):
After a reign of 72 years—the longest of any monarch of a major country—“The Sun King,” Louis XIV, died of gangrene at Versailles, ushering in a new era in French history.

Great Kantō Earthquake (September 1, 1923):
A catastrophic magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck the Kantō region of Japan, devastating Tokyo and Yokohama, killing over 140,000 people, and causing significant social and economic upheaval.

Joseon Dynasty’s Civil Service Exams Abolished (September 2, 1905):
The millennia-old imperial examination system in Korea’s Joseon dynasty (then under Japanese influence) was abolished, ending a centuries-long tradition in governance and education.

Treaty of Portsmouth Ends Russo-Japanese War (September 5, 1905):
Mediated by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, the Treaty of Portsmouth officially ended the Russo-Japanese War. As a result, Russia ceded territory and influence in East Asia to Japan.

Circumnavigation Completed (September 6, 1522):
The ship Victoria, part of Ferdinand Magellan’s fleet, returned to Spain under the command of Juan Sebastián Elcano, completing the first circumnavigation of the globe.

The post This Week in History ~ September 1st – September 7th first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.

Founding of the Cleveland Gazette (August 25, 1883): The African American weekly newspaper, The Cleveland Gazette, published its first issue. Founded by Allen C. Beach and later edited by Harry C. Smith, it became one of the nation’s most enduring Black publications, continuing weekly for 58 years.

Dedication of Cleveland Convention Center (August 28, 1964): More than 5,000 people attended the official dedication of the Cleveland Convention Center during its 11-day “Parade of Progress.” President Lyndon B. Johnson participated via telephone to signal the opening fountains—signaling a major milestone in the city’s civic and economic development.

One World Day Cultural Festival (August 24, annually): Although the festival date can vary slightly, the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation traditionally holds its One World Day celebration around this time. It highlights the city’s diverse ethnic communities with cultural exhibits, music, dance, and a naturalization ceremony.

Hessler Street Fair (August 25–31 range, annually): Cleveland’s historic Hessler Road and Hessler Court neighborhood held its seasonal Hessler Street Fair, celebrating the area’s bohemian arts and music roots. The fair showcases local crafts, folk performances, and unique wooden-paved streets in a cultural throwback.

2014 Gay Games Ribbon–Closing Ceremony (August 16, 2014): Cleveland-Akron hosted the closing ceremony of the IX Gay Games at Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena on August 16—slightly outside the range, but integral to the overall event lasting through late August—involving some competitions through August 16. Over 8,000 international athletes participated during the two-week event, which notably boosted visibility and civic engagement.

WORLD HISTORY

Great Moon Hoax Published (August 25, 1835): A series of six articles appeared in the New York Sun claiming astronomer Sir John Herschel’s discovery of life on the Moon. Though later debunked, the sensational stories captivated the public and led to a surge in newspaper circulation.

Liberation of Paris (August 25, 1944): After four years under Nazi occupation, Allied forces and French Resistance units liberated Paris. The city’s liberation restored French sovereignty and marked a key turning point in World War II.

Soviet Union’s First Atomic Test (August 29, 1949): Codenamed “First Lightning” (Joe-1), the USSR successfully detonated its first atomic bomb at Semipalatinsk, ending the United States’ nuclear monopoly and kickstarting the nuclear arms race.

Guion S. Bluford Becomes First African American in Space (August 30, 1983): NASA astronaut Guion S. Bluford Jr. flew aboard Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS-8, becoming the first African American to travel into space and marking a major milestone in space exploration history.

Thurgood Marshall Confirmed on U.S. Supreme Court (August 30, 1967): The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Thurgood Marshall, making him the first African American justice on the Supreme Court. A prominent civil rights lawyer, he had argued Brown v. Board of Education and later became a key voice in American jurisprudence.

The post This Week in History ~ August 25th – August 31st first appeared on The Bedford Tribune.