October 20^th is

Conflict Resolution Day *

International Credit Union Day *

International Sloth Day *

GLAAD Spirit Day *

National Waiters Day Race

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MORE! ‘Calico Jack’ Rackham,  Richard Nixon and Madonna, click

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WORLD FESTIVALS AND NATIONAL HOLIDAYS

Baha’i – Birth of the Bab

Canada – Toronto ON:
37^th International Festival of Authors

Guatemala – Revolution Day

Kenya – Kenyatta Day

Serbia – Belgrade Day

Vietnam – Women’s Day

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On This Day in HISTORY

1720 – Pirate Captain “Calico Jack” Rackham, whose ship flew a ‘Jolly Roger’ flag with a skull above crossed swords – and Anne Bonny and Mary Read are among his ship’s crew –  is captured at Bry Harbour Bay, Jamaica

1774 – The new Continental Congress passes an order proclaiming that all citizens of the colonies “discountenance and discourage all horse racing and all kinds of gaming, cock fighting, exhibitions of shows, plays and other expensive diversions and entertainment”

1781 – Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II of Austria issues the Patent of Toleration, an edict extending religious freedom to non-Catholic Christians living in Hapsburg lands – an additional edict extends tolerance to Jews the following year

1803 – The U.S. Senate ratifies the Louisiana Purchase

1818 – The U.S. and Great Britain settle the border between the U.S. and Canada will be on the 40^th parallel for most of its length

1827 – The Battle of Navarino during the Greek War of Independence, becomes the last significant battle fought with wooden sailing ships

1873 – P.T. Barnum opens a Hippodrome in New York City

1892 –  Chicago dedicates the World’s Colombian Exposition

1904 – Chile and Bolivia sing the Treaty of Peace and Friendship delineating the border between the two countries

1935 – The Long March of the armed forces of the Chinese Communist Party ends

1939 – Tommy Dorsey’s orchestra recorded “All the Things You Are”

1946 – The Democratic Republic of Vietnam sets October 20 as Vietnam Women’s Day *

1947 – The House Un-American Activities Committee begins its investigation into supposed Communist infiltration of Hollywood – leading to blacklisting over 300 directors, actors and screenwriters – only 10% of them were able to rebuild their careers

1948 – International Credit Union Day * celebrated on the 3rd Thursday of October, sponsored by World Council of Credit Unions

1952 – Governor of Kenya Evelyn Baring declares a state of emergency, arresting hundreds of suspected leaders of the Mau Mau Uprising, including Jomo Kenyatta, the future first President of Kenya after the country gains its independence in 1963

1954 – The musical Peter Pan starring Mary Martin premieres on Broadway

1955 – No Time for Sergeants opens on Broadway

1962 – The Four Seasons release “Big Girls Don’t Cry”

1973 – In President Richard Nixon’s “Saturday Night Massacre” he fires U.S. Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy A.G. William Rucklehouse after the refuse to fire Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox – Robert Bork finally fires Cox

1977 – Led Zeppelin’s film The Song Remains the Same premieres in London

1980 – U2 releases their first album Boy

1992 – Madonna releases her album Erotica

1994 – The website WhiteHouse.gov is launched

2005 – First Conflict Resolution Day * sponsored by the Association for Conflict Resolution, set for the 3^rd Thursday of October

2010 – Spirit Day,* sponsored on the 3^rd Thursday of October by GLAAD as part of its campaign for LGBTQ acceptance

2010 – The AIUNAU Foundation International Sloth Day to highlight their work rescuing and rehabilitating sloths that have been illegally trafficked, mistreated or injured, and returning them whenever possible to the wild

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Visuals

• Conflict Resolution Day poster
• International flags
• Captain ‘Calico Jack’ Rackham – map by Jonathan White
• Battle of Navarino – painting by Ambroise Louis Garneray
• Chicago World’s Fair 1893 – painting by H.D. Nichols – Boston Public Library
• Mau Mau prisoners
• 1954 Peter Pan poster
• Spirit Day banner
• Sloth hanging around

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