Kala Dunn

If a young Joseph Stein dreamed of being a rich man, he certainly didn't "biddy biddy bum" after achieving greatness with his musical works Fiddler on the Roof and Zorba. 

If you're dreaming of a white Christmas, you'll have to wait a while. "White Christmas" was recorded by Bing Crosby and the Ken Darby Singers, with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra, on this day in 1942, which would become the best-selling single of all-time, with over 50 million copies sold worldwide. 

It's a good day to be a geek! Today is the 35 year anniversary of the theatrical release of Star Wars IV. It's also Towel Day, based on The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, and The Glorious 25th of May from Discworld. 

Everyone knows John Glenn was the first American to orbit Earth, but on this day Scott Carpenter became the second American to orbit earth (and he did it three times!) aboard the Mercury-Atlas 7. 

Louis "Studs" Terkel may be best remembered for his oral histories of common Americans, his radio program, and for his 1985 book The Good War, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize for Non-Fiction. 

George Wallace was an American politician, and the 45th governor of Alabama. He earned the title, "the most influential loser" in 20th century politics after four runs for U.S. president (three as a Democrat and once with the American Independent Party). On this day in 1972, an assassination attempt left Wallace paralyzed and bound to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. While campaigning in Maryland, he was shot five times by Arthur Bremer, who claimed he was motivated by fame.

Between May 14 and September 17, 1787, delegates convened in Philadelphia to adress problems in governing the newly independent United States of America. The Constitutional Convention was intended to revise the Articles of Confederation, but many of those involved, including James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, focused on creating a new government rather than fix the existing one. The Convention led to the creation of the United States Constitution, and is among the most significant events in the history of the country.

First, a happy birthday to us... WKMS turns 42 today! We're just thrilled to share a birthday with Fresh Air, which debuted as a daily NPR program on this day in 1987. The show began at WHYY in 1975 with host Judy Blank. Terry Gross took over as host later in the year and has been the presenter and producer ever since. Each week, nearly 4.5 million people listen to intimate conversations with interesting people on more than 450 NPR member stations across the country, and in Europe on the World Radio Network.

Victoria Woodhull was an American leader of the women's suffrage movement, an an advocate for women's freedoms in marriage and divorce. She and her sister were the first women to operate a brokerage firm in Wall Street; she was the first woman to start a weekly newspaper; and in 1872, became the first woman nominated for President of the United States, in the Equal Rights Party. She was arrested for obscenity a few days before the election, for publishing an account of an alleged affair involving a prominent minister and a young woman. She received no electoral votes.

The squawking, red-nose prince of slapstick named Mr. Punch made his first recorded debut on May 9, 1662 in the diary of English naval administrator Samuel Pepys. After a party at London's Covent Garden, he recorded that he enjoyed "an Italian puppet play that is within the rayles there, which is very pretty, the best that ever I saw." At the time, Mr. Punch was a stringed marionette called Pulcinella, but has since evolved into the stick-wielding puppet we know today. Puppeteers call him the lord of misrule, classic gallows humor, and in-tune with the social climate.