Welcome to America Comes Alive!, a site I created to share little-known stories of regular people who made a difference and changed the course of history. Look around and see what inspires you! — Kate Kelly
When World War II began, the United States military had no plan for using dogs for defense. This was in spite of the example set by European countries that employed trained military dogs to great effect during World War I. The American wake-up call for better defense measures came on December 7, 1941, with the attack on Pearl Harbor. Both military leadership and an anxious public realized the country was woefully under-prepared. The nation was…
In 1909, long before pasteurized milk was standard in Washington, D.C., First Lady Helen “Nellie” Taft entered the White House with a personal goal. There were few dairies near the center of D.C, and she wanted fresh, safe milk and butter for President William Howard Taft and their 11-year-old son, Charles. For this reason, she arranged for the purchase of Mooly Wooly—a prize-winning Jersey cow. Mooly Wooly was given grazing privileges on the White House…
Long before modern celebrity pets, there was Dave the Wonder Dog—the famous English Setter who shared the spotlight with legendary sharpshooter Annie Oakley and her husband, Frank Butler. Nearly as famous as his mistress, Dave became a sensation in Annie’s live shooting demonstrations by balancing an apple on his head until Annie shot it off. During World War I, Dave helped Annie raise thousands of dollars for war relief and earning his place in history…
Deborah Sampson (1760-1827) is well-remembered for her actions during the Revolutionary War. She decided it was her calling to serve in the Continental Army, so she disguised herself as a man and enlisted. She served successfully for 17 months in an area near West Point, known as Neutral Ground. The discovery of her gender occurred when she was sent with her regiment to Philadelphia. Many of the soldiers—including Deborah- became seriously ill. Sampson’s fever became…
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall near New Orleans as a Category 4 hurricane. While Katrina was only the 3rd most powerful storm of 2005, it resulted in the worst natural disaster in U.S. history. It brought flooding and devastation to New Orleans and great damage along the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama. Thousands of people could not evacuate, and the federal government was slow to send aid.
n 1908, women participated in a political convention for the first time. The convention itself was for the Democratic Party, and it was to be held in Denver, Colorado, in […]
In today’s world, major national political conventions in the United States are subject to the highest levels of security. The federal government oversees everything from the obvious site inspections and […]
Flag Day was proclaimed to be June 14 by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916. The date was chosen to commemorate that on June14, 1777, a flag with stars and stripes was selected […]
Paul Revere Williams (1894-1980) was a talented and dedicated man who overcame obstacles that would have daunted almost anyone else. He dreamed of designing buildings and went on to become […]
Why is Election Day always on a Tuesday? This is a question I am often asked when I address groups about our election day history. In 1845, Congress chose the […]
Each year on December 31 at one minute before midnight (Eastern Standard Time), people from around the world welcome the new year when the shimmering 12,300-pound crystal Waterford ball drops […]
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Welcome to America Comes Alive!, a site I created to share little-known stories of regular people who made a difference and changed the course of history. Look around and see what inspires you! — Kate Kelly
Before she became a global superstar, Annie Oakley was simply Phoebe Ann Mosey, a young girl relying on her remarkable ability with firearms to support her family by hunting. That […]
Margaret Knight is best remembered as the inventor of the machine that makes flat-bottomed paper bags. This was a 19th-century innovation that still influences machinery today. However, that single achievement […]
“The road to success is always under construction,” says Cheryl McKissack Daniel, President, CEO and now Chair of the Board of McKissack & McKissack, a New York construction company involved […]
For decades, Horn & Hardart’s Automats served as a singular social crossroads within the urban fabric of New York and Philadelphia. It was a regional restaurant business beloved by the […]
• Performed with many circuses as a tiger trainer and had the center ring with Ringling Brothers in the early 1920s • Worked with the big cats for 57 years […]
Matthew Henson (1866–1955) was the ultimate American explorer—brave, skilled, and unbreakable. For decades, however, history relegated him to the shadows because he was Black. Hired originally as a personal valet […]
Part of the inspiration for this site comes from this remark: “People do not want to hear about simple things. They want to hear about great things – simply told.”
