July 16, 1911
Sweetheart song and dance woman Ginger Rogers was born. The beauty from Independence and Kansas City was famous for her duet-dances with longtime dance partner Fred Astaire. Read her biography here.
The History of Missouri’s Flag
After entering the Union in 1821, Missouri went nearly an entire century without a state flag. The Missouri state flag was finally designed by Ray County native Marie Watkins Oliver.
July 7, 1879
Missouri lost a great treasure on this day. Artist George Caleb Bingham died in Kansas City.
June 26, 1804
Lewis and Clark had now traversed the entire breadth of the future state of Missouri. They were at the present site of Kansas City and preparing to start north along the western edge of our state.
June 4, 1924
Actor Dennis Weaver was born in Joplin. He appeared in the CBS Western Gunsmoke and starred the NBC police drama McCloud, among other roles.
June 3, 1906
Josephine Baker was born on this day in St. Louis. In her time, she was a world famous dancer and jazz and pop singer. She was also a civil rights leader who defected to France, where she became a citizen in 1937.
May 31, 1927
King George awarded Charles Lindbergh England's Distinguished Flying Cross on this day. This and many other Lindbergh items are on display for free at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park.
May 8, 1871
Phoebe Couzins became Missouri's first woman law school graduate (Washington University in St. Louis). In 1887 she became the first female US Marshall in the country's history. She was also on the Board of Directors for the World's Fair.