January 7
January 7
Zora Neale Hurston is born
On January 7, 1891, Zora Neale Hurston, novelist and folklorist, is born in Notasulga, Alabama. Although at the time of her death in 1960, Hurston had published more books than any…
A Year In History: 1891
This Year in History:
1891
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
January 14
January 14
General Miles reports on Sioux
General Nelson Miles, commander of the U.S. Army troops in South Dakota, reports that the rebellious Sioux are finally returning to their reservation following the bloody massacre at Wounded Knee.…
January 29
January 29
Liliuokalani proclaimed queen of Hawaii
Following the death of her brother, King Kalakaua, Liliuokalani becomes the last monarch of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii, first settled by Polynesian voyagers sometime in the eighth century, saw a…
February 6
February 6
Dalton Gang commits its first train robbery
The members of the Dalton Gang stage an unsuccessful train robbery near Alila, California—an inauspicious beginning to their careers as serious criminals. Bob, Emmett and Grat Dalton were only three…
March 13
March 13
Henrik Ibsen’s play Ghosts opens in London
Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen had written his play Ghosts in 1881. The play, which dealt with syphilis, was swiftly and universally reviled by conventionally minded critics. However, Ibsen’s works had…
March 30
March 30
“Sockless” Simpson rallies populist farmers
Signaling a growing movement toward direct political action among desperate western farmers, “Sockless” Jerry Simpson calls on the Kansas Farmers’ Alliance to work for a takeover of the state government.…
June 9
June 9
Composer and lyricist Cole Porter is born
On this day in 1891, the great composer and lyricist Cole Porter—one of the most important American songwriters of the 20th century—is born in Peru, Indiana. Cole Porter’s legal birth…
July 8
July 8
Warren Harding marries Florence Mabel Kling DeWolfe
On this day in 1891, future President Warren G. Harding marries a spunky divorcee named Florence Mabel Kling DeWolfe in Marion, Ohio. Although she would become a very public and…
November 15
November 15
Erwin Rommel is born
Erwin Rommel, the German commander known as the “Desert Fox” for his cunning in North Africa during World War II, is born in Heidenheim, Germany. Rommel’s father and grandfather were…
December 21
December 21
First basketball game played
On December 21, 1891, 30‑year‑old James Naismith introduces the first game of basketball. Based on 13 rules created by Naismith, the game is tested by 18 students at the International Young…
