Abraham Lincoln On Slavery

February 27, 1860

Abraham Lincoln in a speech to Ohio Republicans speaking on the issues of slavery and the Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision states, "We must not disturb slavery in the states where it exists, because the Constitution, and the peace of the country both forbid us.
We must not withhold an efficient fugitive slave law, because the constitution demands it.
But we must, by a national policy, prevent the spread of slavery into new territories, or free states, because the constitution does not forbid us, and the general welfare does demand such prevention.
We must prevent the revival of the African slave trade, because the constitution does not forbid us, and the general welfare does require the prevention.
We must prevent these things being done, by either congresses or courts.
The people are the rightful masters of both Congresses, and courts.
Not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert it."

Vice-President Cheney

February 27, 2002

The New York Times reveals that the previous year Dick Cheney met with Robert J. Allison Jr., the Chairman of Anadarko Petroleum. Cheney's wife Lynne had been a director and significant stockholder of Union Pacific Resources, an energy company that had merged with Anadarko in 2000, and that she received Anadarko stock worth $250,000 to $500,000 from the merger.

Johnny Carson Arrested for DUI

February 27, 1982

The TV host Johnny Carson is arrested for driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol level of 0.16 percent (above the legal limit of 0.10 percent). He would plead no contest to misdemeanor drunken driving and be fined $603 and placed on three years probation. He had initially been pulled over for an expired registration tag on his DeLorean.

First $1,000,000 Winner of the PBA

February 27, 1982

Earl Anthony after winning a $38,000 prize for the Toledo Trust-PBA (Professional Bowlers Association) National Championship.

First Non-Stop Around-the-World Flight

February 27, 1949

Capt. James Gallagher and crew begin their flight, which was completed March 2. They flew a United States Air Force Boeing B-50 Superfortress named Lucky Lady II. For the flight, in-flight refueling was used along with an extra fuel tank added in the bomb bay. It had a double crew of 14 members, including three pilots who rotated in shifts of four to six hours.
Following the refueling near Luzon, Philippines, the refueling tanker encountered poor weather conditions and crashed on March 1, 1949, killing all nine aboard.

Cherokee Cede Their Land

February 27, 1819

The Cherokee Indians cede their land north of Tennessee to the U.S.

Chelsea Clinton

Born February 27, 1980

American presidential daughter.

Howard Hesseman

Born February 27, 1940 d. 2022

American actor. TV: WKRP in Cincinnati (1978-82, Dr. Johnny Fever), One Day at a Time (1982-84, Ann Romano's second husband Sam), and Head of the Class (1986-90, Mr. Moore). Film: Billy Jack (1971, Howard Johnson) and This Is Spinal Tap (1984, Terry Ladd).
Hesseman worked as a real DJ in the 1960s under the name Don Sturdy at KMPX in San Francisco. KMPX is best known as the birthplace of the freeform progressive rock format ("Underground radio").

Barbara Babcock

Born February 27, 1937

actress. TV: Hill Street Blues (1981-87, Grace Gardner).

Ralph Nader

Born February 27, 1934

American consumer activist who didn't like Corvairs.

Joanne Woodward

Born February 27, 1930

American Oscar and Emmy-winning actress. She is often credited as the first person with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1960). However, there was no official first, but she was the first to pose for photographers with her star. Film: The Three Faces of Eve (1957, Oscar), and Rachel, Rachel (1968).

John Connally Jr.

Born February 27, 1917 d. 1993

American politician, governor of Texas (1963-68), U.S. President Richard Nixon's treasury secretary (1971-72). He was shot while riding with U.S. President John F. Kennedy during his assassination (1963).
As Treasury Secretary, he removed the U.S. dollar from the gold standard (1971), an event known as the Nixon shock.

Joan Bennett

Born February 27, 1910 d. 1990

American actress. TV: Dark Shadows (Elizabeth/Flora Collins).

John Ernst Steinbeck

Born February 27, 1902 d. 1968

American Nobel-winning novelist. Writings: The Grapes of Wrath.

Charles Herbert Best

Born February 27, 1899 d. 1978

Canadian scientist. While working as an undergraduate student, he assisted F.G. Banting in the discovery of insulin (1921). He also introduced the use of heparin to reduce blood clotting during heart surgery.

Marian Anderson

Born February 27, 1897 d. 1993

American opera singer. She was the first black artist to entertain at the White House (1939) and the first black to perform at the New York Metropolitan Opera (1954).
In 1939, while looking for a venue large enough to accommodate her huge audiences, she attempted to book Constitution Hall. However, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) owned the hall and had a "white artists only" policy and refused. First lady Eleanor Roosevelt then sent a letter of resignation and wrote in her weekly column, "They have taken an action which has been widely criticized in the press… To remain as a member implies approval of that action, and therefore I am resigning." When the DAR still wouldn't relent, a concert was arranged to be held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and was broadcast nation wide. Over 75,000 people were in attendance with a desegregated crowd that stretched all the way back to the Washington Monument. The DAR later apologized and allowed Anderson to sing at Constitution Hall on several future occasions.

David Sarnoff

Born February 27, 1891 d. 1971

Russian-born American radio and TV pioneer, president of RCA (1930-70), and founder of NBC (1926). He started out as a telegraph operator.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Born February 27, 1807 d. 1882

American poet. Writings: The Courtship of Miles Standish (1858).

Leonard Nimoy

Died February 27, 2015 b. 1931

American actor, director. Known chiefly for his role as Mr. Spock in the Star Trek franchise. Nimoy created the Vulcan salute from his childhood memories of the way Kohanim (Jewish priests) hold their hand when giving blessings. He also created the Vulcan nerve pinch, which he saw as a more sophisticated way of rendering someone unconscious. The pinch worked because the character Spock could release energy from his fingertips.
Music: Mr. Spock's Music From Outer Space (1967).

Mister Rogers (Fred McFeely Rogers)

Died February 27, 2003 b. 1928

American Emmy-winning TV personality, Presbyterian minister. One of his sweaters, which were knitted by his mother, is on display at the Smithsonian. TV: Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968-2001, creator/producer/host).
"You've made this day a special day, by just your being you. There's no person in the whole world like you; and I like you just the way you are."
Why he announces when he's feeding the fish:
"One girl and her family wrote to tell us there was a special reason why she wanted me to talk about feeding the fish each day.
Dear Mister Rogers,
Please say when you are feeding your fish, because I worry about them. I can't see if you are feeding them, so please say you are feeding them out loud.
Katie, age 5
(Father's note: Katie is blind, and she does cry if you don't say you that you have fed the fish.)"
- from Dear Mister Rogers, Does It Ever Rain in Your Neighborhood?: Letters to Mister Rogers.

First Lady of American Cinema

Lillian Gish

Died February 27, 1993 b. 1893

American actress. "First Lady of American Cinema," she is credited with pioneering fundamental film performing techniques. Film: The Birth of a Nation (1915).

Frankie Lymon (Franklin Joseph Lymon)

Died February 27, 1968 b. 1942

American musician. In 1957, at age 14, Lymon was performing on the TV show The Big Beat, when he began dancing with a white teenaged girl. The ensuing scandal caused the cancellation of the show.
Lymon was lead singer and an original member of the integrated teenage group the Teenagers. The Teenagers' first single and their biggest hit was 1956's Why Do Fools Fall in Love.
Lymon died at the age of 25 from a heroin overdose.
Music: Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1956, #1 on the R&B chart). The movie Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998) was based on his life.

Samuel Pierpont Langley

Died February 27, 1906 b. 1834

American aviation pioneer, built the first successful heavier-than-air flying machine (1896) and for whom Langley Air Force Base in Virginia is named.

Ricou Browning

Died February 27, 2023 b. 1930

American actor, underwater cinematographer. Film: The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954, the creature in the underwater scenes - Ben Chapman played the monster on land). During the filming, Browning held his breath for up to four minutes.
Browning also worked as the underwater sequence director on Island of the Lost (1967), Thunderball (1965), and Never Say Never Again (1983).

William F. Buckley Jr.

Died February 27, 2008 b. 1925

American journalist. Founder of National Review magazine (1955) and host of TV's Firing Line (1966-99).
Quote: "I won't insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said."
Quote: "Idealism is fine, but as it approaches reality the cost becomes prohibitive."

Bill Holman

Died February 27, 1987 b. 1903

American cartoonist. Creator of Smokey Stover (1935).

Harry Cohn

Died February 27, 1958 b. 1891

American movie executive, founded (1924) Columbia Pictures.

Nicholas Biddle

Died February 27, 1844 b. 1786

American financier. As president (1822-36) of the Second Bank of U.S., he made it the first effective central bank.