1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Hey everyone. Technically you're getting two days in History today 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:05,680 Speaker 1: because we were running two episodes from the History Vault. 3 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:08,880 Speaker 1: You'll also here too, hosts me and Tracy V. Wilson. 4 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:13,119 Speaker 1: Hope you enjoy Welcome to this Day in History Class 5 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: from how Stuff Works dot Com and from the desk 6 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:17,799 Speaker 1: of Stuff you Missed in History Class. It's the show 7 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 1: where we explore the past one day at a time 8 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 1: with a quick look at what happened today in history. Hello, 9 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: and welcome to the podcast. I'm Tracy V. Wilson, and 10 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: it's September. US President William McKinley died on this day 11 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 1: in nineteen o one after being shot on September six 12 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: of that year. When he was shot, McKinley was at 13 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 1: the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. At the time, 14 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:47,520 Speaker 1: Buffalo was one of the largest cities in the United 15 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: States thanks to its position relative to both the Erie 16 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: Canal and the major railroads. As another bonus, it was 17 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:56,280 Speaker 1: very close to Niagara Falls, which have become a major 18 00:00:56,360 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: tourist attraction. McKinley had been re elected in nine teen 19 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: hundred and he wanted to attend the exposition, which had 20 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,959 Speaker 1: been postponed before due to the Spanish American War. These 21 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 1: expositions highlighted a very particular idea of American progress. It 22 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: really showed off the United States as a place of 23 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: innovation and culture, and those were among the reasons why 24 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: McKinley wanted to be there. He also wanted to have 25 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 1: a lengthy meat and greet outside of the Temple of 26 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: Music at the exposition. This was against the advice of 27 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: his advisors, who were increasingly worried about the threat of 28 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 1: an assassination, especially after the assassination of Umberto Primo of 29 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 1: Italy on July twenty nine nine. McKinley was in the 30 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: habit of having these handshake appearances after his speeches and addresses, 31 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: and he just refused to give them up. All his 32 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: team could do was to add more security. They could 33 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 1: not convince him not to do it, so the President 34 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 1: was shaking hands on September six when twenty eight year 35 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: old Leon Chulgoes shot him twice. Figes was an anarchist. 36 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: He was inspired by that assassination in Italy, and he 37 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: believed that McKinley was an enemy of the American people 38 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: and that McKinley was doing what was best for the 39 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: rich and powerful while ignoring the needs of the working class. 40 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: Joel Goes had actually planned to assassinate McKinley the day before. 41 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 1: When he got there, he wasn't confident that he could 42 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: make his shot, so he tried again at the public 43 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 1: receiving line with his gun concealed in a handkerchief. One 44 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 1: of the two bullets that he fired was deflected by 45 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 1: a button on McKinley's clothing, and the other hit him 46 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 1: in the abdomen. Security and the crowd turned on Chole 47 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 1: Goes when this happened. McKinley, though called out for him 48 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: to be captured and not harmed. The president underwent surgery 49 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 1: at the Exposition Hospital. They did not really have a 50 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 1: surgeon on staff. The doctor who did this procedure was 51 00:02:55,120 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: a gynecologist named Matthew Man. This was before the development 52 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: of modern sanitary surgical procedures. Man basically felt around inside 53 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 1: the president's bullet wound with his fingers. He couldn't find 54 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: the bullet and sowed the president's wound up for several days. 55 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,239 Speaker 1: After that, McKinley seemed to be improving, but he collapsed 56 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 1: on September thirteenth, nineteen o one, and he died the 57 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 1: following day. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt had come to Buffalo 58 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 1: after the shooting, but he had gone back to his 59 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: family vacation because it seemed like McKinley was going to 60 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: pull through. He came back to Buffalo and was sworn 61 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: in as president about thirteen hours after McKinley's death, so 62 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: for that window of time, there was technically no president. 63 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: After an autopsy, the cause of the president's death was 64 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 1: determined to be an infection and gang green. After a 65 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: funeral in Washington, D C. McKinley's body was returned to 66 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: his hometown of Canton, Ohio. Chul Goes was tried for 67 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 1: murder and sentenced to death, and before his execution he 68 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: said quote, I killed the president because he was the 69 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: to me of the good people, the good working people. 70 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: I am not sorry for my crime. I am only 71 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 1: sorry I could not get to see my father. You 72 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: can learn more about the assassination of President McKinley, as 73 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 1: well as other presidential assassinations in the November nine and 74 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: eleven episodes of Stuff You Missed in History Class, which 75 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: are called New York super Week Live Assassination History Parts 76 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 1: one and two, and those episodes we interview author Brian 77 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 1: Young about his book of children's illustrated History of Presidential Assassinations. 78 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 1: You can subscribe to the Stay in History Class and 79 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and wherever else you get your podcasts, 80 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:39,600 Speaker 1: and you can tune in tomorrow for some folks wrecking 81 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: trains for fun and profit. Greetings everyone, welcome to this 82 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:56,159 Speaker 1: Day in History Class, where we bring you a new 83 00:04:56,200 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 1: tidbit from history every day. The day was September fourteenth, 84 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: nineteen one. Constance Baker Motley was born in New Haven, Connecticut. 85 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 1: Motley was the first black woman elected to the New 86 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 1: York State Senate and the first black woman to be 87 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:25,159 Speaker 1: named a Federal Court judge. Constance was the ninth of 88 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:29,799 Speaker 1: twelve children. Her parents, Willoughby Alba Baker and Rachel Baker, 89 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,480 Speaker 1: immigrated to the United States from the island of Nevus. 90 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 1: Constance's father worked as a chef at a private club 91 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: associated with Yale University, but their family was one of 92 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 1: modest means. Her mother founded the New Haven chapter of 93 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:48,719 Speaker 1: the Inn Double a c P. Though there were not 94 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 1: a ton of black people in New Haven when she 95 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: was a child, Constance learned about black history through her church. 96 00:05:56,279 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 1: In high school, she became more interested in politics, race relations, law, 97 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 1: and black history. During this time, she served as president 98 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 1: of the city's Youth Council and secretary for New Haven's 99 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: Adult Community Center. When she was fifteen years old, she 100 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 1: decided she wanted to become a lawyer. She graduated with 101 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 1: honors from New Haven High School in nineteen thirty nine, 102 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: but she could not afford to pay for her college tuition. 103 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: She began working for the local branch of the National 104 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:30,840 Speaker 1: Youth Administration, a job she got thanks to her administrative 105 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 1: skills and experience in public service. After a philanthropist named 106 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: Clarence Blakesley heard her speak at a meeting, he offered 107 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: to pay her way through college in law school. She 108 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: took him up on the offer, and she went to 109 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: Fisk University, then transferred to New York University, where she 110 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: graduated with an economics degree in nineteen forty three. Three 111 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 1: years later, she graduated from Columbia University Law School. Constance 112 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: later said that people did not believe she would be 113 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: successful in the legal profession, but in her last year 114 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 1: of law school, she was selected to be a law 115 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 1: clerk for Third Good Marshal, the Chief Council of the 116 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: n double a CP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, or 117 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: the l d F. Over the years, Marshal would become 118 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: a mentor to Constance. At the time, the LDF was 119 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 1: challenging the separate but Equal standard that said public accommodations 120 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: could be racially segregated as long as the facilities were equal. 121 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 1: In nineteen six she married Joel Wilson Motley, a real 122 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 1: estate insurance broker, and they later had a child. She 123 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 1: stayed at the l DF for twenty years, becoming assistant 124 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 1: counsel and then later the organization's principal trial lawyer. When 125 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 1: she was a principal legal counsel, she worked on civil 126 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 1: rights cases that involved ending discrimination in education, housing, employment, transportation, 127 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: and public accommodations. She prepared the draft complaint for the 128 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 1: case that turned into the landmark US Supreme Court case 129 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 1: Brown Versus Board of Education, in which the Supreme Court 130 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 1: ruled in favor of the l DF, and Motley would 131 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 1: go on to appear in state and federal courts around 132 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: the country to argue cases on segregation and issues raised 133 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 1: by Brown v. Board. She played an important role in 134 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 1: many lawsuits the inn double a CP filed in major 135 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: cases that coincided with the emergence of the civil rights movement. 136 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 1: From nineteen fifty eight to nineteen sixty five, Motley was 137 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: also a member of the New York State Advisory Council 138 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:44,119 Speaker 1: on Employment and Unemployment Insurance. After the death of activists 139 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: Meger Evers, with whom she had worked closely, she resigned 140 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: from the LDF and turned to government work full time. 141 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 1: She served out the unexpired term of New York State 142 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: Senator James Watson and one re election in nineteen sixty four, 143 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: and office she remained focused on housing, employment and education. 144 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: In nineteen sixty five, she was elected president of the 145 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 1: Manhattan Borough becoming the first woman to head any of 146 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: the five boroughs, and the next year, President Lyndon B. 147 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:19,080 Speaker 1: Johnson named her a judge in the U S District 148 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 1: Court for the Southern District of New York. Conservative judges 149 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: and politicians protested this appointment, but she was sworn into 150 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: office in September of nineteen sixty six. Motley died of 151 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 1: congestive heart failure in two thousand five. Throughout her career 152 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:38,719 Speaker 1: in law and politics, she was recognized for being a 153 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: respected jurist and for being dedicated to fighting for desegregation, 154 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:48,319 Speaker 1: civil rights demonstrators, other issues of racism and discrimination, and 155 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:53,520 Speaker 1: matters as varied as First Amendment, protest rights, and sex discrimination. 156 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: I'm Eves Jeffcote and hopefully you know a little more 157 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: about history today than you did yesterday. If you have 158 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: any burning questions or comments to tell us, you can 159 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: find us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at t d 160 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 1: i h V podcast. Thanks for showing up. We'll meet 161 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: here again tomorrow. For more podcasts from I Heeart Radio, 162 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:26,280 Speaker 1: visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 163 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.