The Widow Who Wouldn't Campaign — and Became Governor
On January 5, 1925, grieving widow Nellie Tayloe Ross was inaugurated as governor of Wyoming — the first woman ever elected governor of a U.S. state — without having campaigned a single day.
Tales from the year 1925
Three Hours, Three States: America's Deadliest Tornado
On March 18, 1925, a monster tornado cut a 219-mile scar through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, killing 695 people — still the deadliest tornado in U.S. history.
The Great Gatsby Hits the Shelves
On April 10, 1925, Scribner's published F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby — a commercial flop that became America's most beloved novel.
Born Into the Fire: The Making of Malcolm X
On May 19, 1925, Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, Nebraska — the boy who would become Malcolm X, one of the most powerful and challenging voices of the civil rights era.
The Scopes 'Monkey Trial' Begins in Dayton, Tennessee
On July 10, 1925, a young teacher's trial over teaching evolution turned a small Tennessee town into the stage for the trial of the century.
The Nine-Minute Verdict That Ended the "Trial of the Century"
On July 21, 1925, a Tennessee jury took just nine minutes to convict teacher John Scopes of teaching evolution — ending the Scopes 'Monkey Trial' with a guilty verdict the defense actually asked for.
A Fiddle, a Radio Tower, and the Night Country Music Found Its Voice
On November 28, 1925, Nashville's WSM radio station aired the first WSM Barn Dance, the homespun hoedown show that would grow up to become the Grand Ole Opry.