This week in Indiana’s history …
1902 – Jessamyn West was born in North Vernon. When she was six, her family moved to California, where she graduated from Whittier College. As a writer, her best-known book, The Friendly Persuasion, was based upon Quaker life in Jennings County during the Civil War. The book was made into a popular movie in 1956 which starred Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, and Anthony Perkins.
1919 – The United States Army motor convoy arrived at Fort Wayne. The 60 vehicles were escorted into the city where the trucks were parked and inspected by the public. The transcontinental trip of the big convoy was one of the greatest publicity stunts attempted in the history of the country. Its purpose was to boost the good roads movement and to stimulate recruiting. The convoy was to demonstrate the purpose of long-distance motor transportation.
1934 – John Dillinger was killed by FBI agents as he walked out of the Biograph Theater in Chicago. He was born in Indianapolis and later moved with his family to Mooresville. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover declared Dillinger to be “Public Enemy #1” based on his role in numerous bank robberies and jail breaks.
1946 – The Indiana Bell phone company ran newspaper ads urging customers to “please use long distance sparingly.” Local distance calls were at an all-time high. The company said there were just not enough facilities to take care of all calls properly. Although new switchboards were being added as quickly as possible, there were current shortages of the metals, textiles, rubber, and lumber that were required by the telephone equipment. Customers were advised to avoid calling long distance unless it was really necessary.
1966 – President Lyndon Johnson made two visits to the Hoosier State. In Indianapolis, he spoke at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on the Circle. He then traveled south to Vincennes and designated the George Rogers Clark Memorial a national park. “This is going to be a very beautiful park,” the President said, adding that “it will include the memorial to George Rogers Clark that the people of Indiana built, with federal help in the 1930s.” A walnut table used by Johnson was a special historical item used by former President William Henry Harrison during his term as territorial governor.
1968 – The singing group called The Jackson 5 left their home in Gary to go to Detroit to audition for Motown Records. They were signed by famed record producer Berry Gordy and within a year were gaining national attention. They had four consecutive number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. They also had 16 Top 40 singles. As a group they sold more than 100 million records worldwide.