On August 14th, 2003, an alarm system glitch led to a region-wide blackout. Stretching from Canada to the northeast US, millions of people were left without power. In some places, it only took 2 hours to get power back, but in others, it took 2 days. Almost 100 deaths were caused by the indirect effects of the blackout, varying from fires to carbon monoxide poisoning.
An article from the Greene County News published on August 16, 2003, shared that on the second day, millions of people were still without power. President Bush referred to it as a wake-up call, saying the United States was realizing that they needed to build ways to not rely on a single system to power a large portion of the country.
On August 12th, 1985, a faulty repair of an airplane led to the deaths of hundreds. Japanese Airlines flight 123 was meant to take passengers from Tokyo to Osaka, Japan, when disaster struck. Shortly after the flight departed, there was a structural failure, resulting in rapid decompression and loss of a large portion of the aircraft tail. For 32 minutes, the pilots maintained minimal control of the aircraft before it crashed near Mount Takamagahara. The aircraft was carrying 524 people, almost all of which died in the accident. The Gazette published on August 13th, 1985, that three dozen helicopter-borne troops were sent to the wreckage to assist. All 15 crew members and 505 passengers died either on impact or from injuries while waiting for rescue. Only 4 passengers survived the crash, making this the deadliest single aircraft accident to date.
The Berlin Wall is the best symbol of the tension between East and West Germany during the Cold War era. Following the end of World War II, the allied powers had to decide what to do with Germany. They decided to split the country into sections, each controlled by a different ally. When it came to the city of Berlin, the soviet union took control of the eastern half, while the rest of the Allies controlled the west. Each group had a different vision for how things should be run. In the East, they created a socialist style of government, and in the West, they took a more capitalistic approach.
Because of these differences, many began to leave East Germany in favor of West Germany. The individuals leaving were many of the key components of the economy, including doctors and skilled workers. Their mass departures threatened the state of the economy in the east part of Berlin, and thus they decided to do something about it.
In the early morning hours of August 13, 1961, the East Germans constructed a wall that acted as a border between the East and West. Initially, it was made of simple barbed wires and cinder blocks. It was immediately met with criticism from Western powers. In the Newark Evening News, they published a piece on August 17, sharing their criticism of the border, claiming it was illegal and needed to be removed. Regardless, it was strengthened over time as full concrete walls and electrified fences were added. The wall was also heavily armed and guarded, which prevented people from climbing over the wall. This didn’t stop people from trying, and while some were able to successfully escape, most were killed trying. The wall stood for years until the separation of East and West Berlin finally ended on November 9, 1989.
My search tip of the week applies to archival research but also to any kind of research. Don’t just focus on the biggest moments, look into the small details of events too. For example, when thinking about the Berlin Wall, I thought beyond the most well-known parts and asked myself questions like “When did it start?” and “How did it first look?”. This helped me know where to look for discussion about it in archival content but also helped broaden my understanding of this part of history.
The 19th Amendment granted voting rights to women, as it prevented anyone from being restricted from voting based on their sex. The journey for women’s suffrage started in the 1820s and persisted for around 100 years before finally getting their wish granted by the 19th Amendment in 1920. On August 18th, 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified in Tennessee, making it the 36th state to do so and ensuring that it would be added to the constitution.
A really interesting piece I found was published in the Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette on June 28th, 1919. The piece was an interview done with an Iowan woman who was a member of the suffrage movement. They discussed where they thought the movement would go, and most interestingly what women hoped to accomplish through voting. Their biggest issues were related to improving education, the environment, and most famously prohibition. As we know, the prohibition era was largely supported by women voters, so it is interesting to see that this was one of their predicted actions when they gained the right to vote.
Join me again next week to discover more of history’s hidden gems and timeless tales.
Explore the “Read All About It” archives to read stories that spotlight our partners and their communities, announcements from our team, updates on current projects, and so much more. Discover articles about engagement, outreach, primary sources, community, digitization, education, and other topics of interest. Delve into the happenings in this week in history and take a deep dive into the events and people who helped shape our communities, our nation, and the world.
Hear Ye, Hear Ye, READ ALL ABOUT IT!
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