September 22

The Salem witch trials were a series of prosecutions against suspected witches in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. On September 22, 1692, Martha Corey, Mary Eastey, Alice Parker, Mary Parker, Ann Pudeator, Wilmot Redd, Margaret Scott, and Samuel Wardwell were executed on Gallows Hill. These were the last people to die as a result of the mass hysteria and tragic legal errors. The events stirred panic and suspicion within Puritan communities, fueled by religious fervor and personal vendettas. Public outcry and higher government intervention eventually brought the trials to an end. The episodes prompted legal reforms and are remembered as a cautionary tale about due process and communal fear. Today, memorials honor those unjustly persecuted.

On September 22, 1823, eighteen-year-old Joseph Smith claimed an angel named Moroni appeared and directed him to hidden golden plates. He said the plates were buried in a hill near his home in Palmyra, New York, and contained ancient writings. Over subsequent visits, Smith was instructed on how to retrieve and translate the plates. These accounts became the foundational narrative for the Latter Day Saint movement. The translated text was published as the Book of Mormon in 1830, forming a new religious scripture. This event sparked the growth of Mormonism and shaped its theology, culture, and global community.

On September 22, 1919, steelworkers in Pennsylvania walked off the job, igniting the largest industrial strike in U.S. history up to that time. Led by the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers, the movement demanded higher wages and improved working conditions. Within weeks, the strike encompassed mills in Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana, drawing support from over 350,000 workers. Companies and authorities fought back with strikebreakers and legal injunctions, aiming to crush the uprising. Violent clashes erupted at several sites, with confrontations between strikers and law enforcement turning bloody. Ultimately, economic pressures and internal divisions forced the union to end the strike with few victories. The conflict reshaped American labor policy and set precedents for future union strategies.

Gail Halvorsen, known as the 'Candy Bomber', initiated Operation Little Vittles on this day in 1948. Flying over blockaded West Berlin, he dropped candy attached to tiny parachutes for ration-deprived children below. His acts of kindness quickly inspired fellow airmen, boosting morale amid Cold War tensions. Local children awaited his flights with homemade signals, creating a heartwarming bond between occupiers and residents. The makeshift candy drops evolved into an official U.S. Air Force initiative, delivering tons of sweets. Halvorsen's gesture transcended politics, symbolizing hope and humanity during a time of division.