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2009: Day 174

On June 23, 1888, Frederick Douglass became the first African American to receive a vote for President of the United States at a major political (Republican) convention.

Sex and gender researcher (hey, there's a t-shirt slogan...) Alfred Charles Kinsey was born today in 1894.

Mathematician, logician, cryptanalyst and computer scientist Alan Turing was born today back in 1912. In several ways it's a shame he died as young as he did - in 1954 - decades before his technical innovations started to come down to the level of mainstream society and in a time when his homosexuality was not only considered to make him a security risk (because it was illegal) but was also classified as a mental illness.

You are a number, not a free man! The first SAT exam was administered 86 years ago (1926) today.

Take it from the top! Choreographer and director Bob Fosse debuted on this day in 1927.

On this day in 1942, Germany's latest air weapon, the Focke-Wulf FW190, fell into the hands of the RAP when the German pilot made the mistake of landing in the wrong airfield.

Check the top of that can of Coke for any short curlies -- it's Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' (1948) 61st birthday. Yeah, yeah... "a high-tech lynching."

Today's also birthday no.52 for actress Frances McDormand (1957), don'tyaknow.

Joss Whedon (1964) - creator of Buffy, Angel, the crew of the Firefly and the mind behind the Dollhouse - turns 45 today.

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