Merrill Fabry

Recent Articles

This Is Why No One Can Own the Moon

When Neil Armstrong planted an American flag on the moon, the U.S. wasn’t actually staking a claim on the celestial orb. And, thanks to a U.N. treaty, no nation can. Exactly 49 years ago, on...

By Merrill Fabry

This Is How the Town Hall Meeting Became a Campaign-Season Staple

The first one was in Dorchester, Mass., in 1633—but Bill Clinton made it a standard Presidential event

By Merrill Fabry

The Long Fight to Appoint the First African-American Cabinet Secretary

Kennedy tried to make him a Cabinet Secretary, but it was Johnson who succeeded

By Merrill Fabry

This Is Why U.S. Presidents Started Name-Dropping Their State of the Union Guests

They're called 'Skutniks'

By Merrill Fabry

9 of 2015's Most Fascinating Obituaries

From an archaeologist to a nun

By Merrill Fabry

This Is How Letters to Santa Were First Delivered by the U.S. Mail

The earliest letters were actually from Santa Claus

By Merrill Fabry

The History Behind the 'Victoria' in Victoria's Secret

The story goes all the way back to Queen Victoria

By Merrill Fabry

How the Slinky Sprang Into Stores 70 Years Ago

The first demonstration sold 400 Slinkys within 90 minutes

By Merrill Fabry

Before 'The Hunger Games': How Young Adult Books First Became a Category

The idea of separating out books for teenagers dates back to the 1920s

By Merrill Fabry

Calvin and Hobbes First Met 30 Years Ago

In the first strip Calvin used a tuna fish sandwich to catch Hobbes in a tiger trap

By Merrill Fabry

How the U.S. Marine Corps Was Founded Twice

The Marine Corps celebrate their original date of creation—Nov. 10, 1775—but the service was actually founded twice

By Merrill Fabry

What the First H-Bomb Test Looked Like

A witness described it as akin to something you might eat—but not a mushroom

By Merrill Fabry

A Brief History of 'Mischief Night'

Celebrations on Oct. 30 are a complicated subject

By Merrill Fabry

The U.S. Trade Embargo on Cuba Just Hit 55 Years

The Eisenhower administration imposed the first trade embargo on Cuba exactly 55 years ago, on Oct. 19, 1960

By Merrill Fabry

How Winnie-the-Pooh Got His Name

He was originally called "Edward"

By Merrill Fabry

'Peanuts' Creator Charles Schulz Didn't Like the Classic Comic's Name

Charlie Brown and Snoopy are turning 65

By Merrill Fabry

The True Story Behind 'The Walk'

The new movie tells the story of Philippe Petit's Aug. 7, 1974, high-wire walk between the Twin Towers

By Merrill Fabry

What Today's U.N. General Assembly Has in Common With the First One Ever

This week sees the opening of the 70th U.N. General Assembly, but the echoes of the first can still be heard

By Merrill Fabry
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