660 BC This the traditional date for the foundation of Japan by Emperor Jimmu. Long celebrated as National Day. We enjoyed our visit to Japan some years ago:” bullet trains, sumo, noh, and more.
1778 Paris, Literature: Voltaire returned to Paris after twenty-eight years of exile spent in London, Berlin, and Geneva. His vitriolic satire had made him persona non grata to church and state alike in France. He wrote ‘Candide’ in Switzerland.p;
1916 New York City, Feminism: Firebrand Emma Goldman was arrested in New York City for a public lecture on family planning. At the time, federal courts interpreted the obscenity act as prohibiting distribution of information about contraception.
1963 Julia Child’s cooking show “The French Chef” airs on television. We saw ‘Julie & Julia’ (2009) and liked it. The image below shows what the camera did not, namely, the concentration Julia Child had.
1990 Nelson Mandela walked free after twenty-seven years in jail. The saint that he is.