February 12th in New York City History
Posted: Feb 12, 2013 | 12:19 AM
Today in 1791: Peter Cooper, industrialist, inventor, builder of the country's first functional steam engine, and philanthropist behind Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, is born in New York City.
1884: Alice Roosevelt Longworth, Teddy Roosevelt's witty irreverent daughter, born. She died in 1980.
Spend a moment reading the link to a book review of her remarkable biography.
1884: Artist Max Beckmann born in Germany. He died in NYC 1950.
1897: Murder, Inc. mobster Louis "Lepke" Buchalter born in the Lower East Side.
I did a Jewish Mobsters tour. I do many Lower East Side tours and Jewish Lower East Side Tours.
1909: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) founded in New York.
1924: George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" premiered in New York City.
1964 The Beatles perform two concertsThe Beatles perform two concerts on February 12.While in New York for the first time, The Beatles appeared three times on the Ed Sullivan Show—and played Carnegie Hall twice in one day. Their appearances, which caused a sensation among the teenage set, paved the way for other rock artists at Carnegie Hall, including The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, and Billy Joel.Apocryphal rumors have persisted for years that the two 35-minute concerts were recorded. Although permission was pursued, negotiations with the American Federation of Musicians were unsuccessful, and the concert lives on only in the memories of those who attended.
1983: Jazz and ragtime great Eubie Blake died in his Brooklyn home five days after his 100th Birthday. (see Feb. 7th)
2013: The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 14,000. In 1997 it exceeded 7000.