OCTOBER 2 | Birthdays and Events

Notable Birthdays for October 2

Martha Brookes Hutcheson (1871-1959) - One of the first recognized female landscapers in the U.S.

Groucho Marx (1890-1977) - One of the most memorable comedians of all time.

Alex Raymond (1909-1956) - Creator of Flash Gordon.

Heinz von Foerster (1911-2002) - Austrian-American physicist and philosopher.

Jack Parsons (1914-1952) - Inventor of the the first rocket engine to use a castable, composite rocket propellant.

Chuck Williams (1915-2015) - Founded of the retail company Williams Sonoma.

Albert Scott Crossfield (1921-2006) - The first pilot to fly at twice the speed of sound.

George McFarland (1928-1993) - Actor fondly remembered as Spanky in Our Gang (Little Rascals).

Gwen Marston (1936-2019) - Quilter who championed a style of quilting she called "liberated quiltmaking".

Steve Sabol (1942-2012) - Director and producer who co-founded NFL Films.

Don McLean (1945-Still Living) - Singer best known for his 1971 hit American Pie.

Donna Karan (1948-Still Living) - Fashion designer and founder of the DKNY clothing brand.

Annie Leibovitz (1949-Still Living) - Photographer known for her portraits of celebrities and famous people.

Kelly Willis (1968-Still Living) - American country music singer-songwriter.

Kelly Ripa (1970-Still Living) - Talk show host of Live! with Kelly and Mark.

Paul Teutul Jr. (1974-Still Living) - Motorcycle designer and co-founder of Orange County Choppers.

Memorable Events for October 2

1789 - The Bill of Rights is sent to the 13 colonies (states) for ratification. Only 10 states return the document.

1917 - The U.S. enters World War I.

1935 - The Wagner Act is signed into law, creating labor unions.

1952 - The polio vaccine is successfully tested on about 1.8 million kids across the U.S.

1967 - Thurgood Marshall is sworn in as the first Black justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

1967 - Apollo 7 is launched into space and successfully gains information for the future landing on the moon.

1987 – The Texas Supreme Court rules that burning the American flag is protected under free speech.

1990 - The Human Genome Project studying DNA in humans begins.

1996 - President Clinton signs the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments to establish how records are kept and distributed within government agencies.