Today in history

May 25

1774
African slaves in Massachussetts Bay petition the government for freedom as their natural right.

1925
John T. Scopes was indicted for teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution. Scopes, a football coach and substitute biology teacher in Dayton, Tennessee, agreed to be arrested and put on trial to challenge a new state law against teaching evolution that had become law just four days prior.

1948
Garry Davis, formerly a member of the U.S. military, renounced his American citizenship to become a Citizen of the World. Davis continued to promote “world citizenship” for over 50 years; 400,000 have, at one time or another, joined the movement.

Read more about a World Government of World Citizens
1953
First noncommercial educational television station-Houston, Texas

1963
Leaders of 32 African nations met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to set up the Organization of African Unity (OAU), giving them a united voice for the first time in the continent’s history. The primary aim of the OAU was to end European colonial control in the countries where it still existed: Southern Rhodesia, South Africa, Mozambique and Angola.

OAS flag

1964
The closing of schools to avoid desegregation is ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court, causing Prince Edward County, Va. to reopen and desegregate its schools.

1986
An estimated 7 million Americans participated in Hands Across America, forming a line across the country from Los Angeles to New York to raise public awareness of the issues of hunger and homelessness in the U.S. Participants paid ten dollars to reserve their place in line; the proceeds were donated to local charities to fight hunger and help the homeless.

2003
Four activists, members of the Catholic Worker movement and known as “Riverside Ploughshares,” were arrested for pouring their blood and hammering on the USS Philippine’s Tomahawk cruise missile hatches. The ship was visiting New York City for its annual “Fleet Week.”

pouring blood and hammering..

“With hammers we have initiated the process of disarming this battle ship, of transforming this carrier of mass destruction into a vessel for peace…”