As Obi-Wan Kenobi says while surprising the evil General Grievous in Star Wars: “Hello there,” and welcome back to This Week in History! It’s been a little while since I’ve had the honor of sitting down and writing about timely events in history, but this eclectic column is back and the year ahead will no doubt be one for the history books. So, without further ado, let’s dive into some history that happened this week!
What better place to begin than one of history’s most amazing and influential performances: On Sept. 9, 1956, the electric and innovative Elvis Presley debuted on the Ed Sullivan Show.
In the 1950s, Eisenhower’s presidency, in tandem with the effects of the Korean War, yielded stiff cultural expectations. While dance halls and ballrooms were the location of choice for most energetic young folks, in many respects, the music remained unchanged between the ‘40s and early ‘50s. Rock remained on the fringe for the time being, while jazz bands or skiffle still dominated most night club shows.
That all changed when the stomping and shouting of Elvis came onto the stage in 1956. Presley skyrocketed to number one in the music charts with his January 1956 release, “Heartbreak Hotel.” Soon after, his R&B-infused sets would catch America by storm. By late 1956, he was begrudgingly invited to perform three times on the Ed Sullivan Show for a staggering $50,000 (over $500,000 today).
You may have noticed the term “begrudgingly” in the previous paragraph; in fact, that may be an understatement for the initial disdain that Ed Sullivan had for Elvis. Sullivan had initially refused to allow Elvis on his show, citing the backlash that Elvis’ trademark hip movements and gyrations tended to receive. Parents and most adults were shocked by the display of masculinity and sexual expression in Elvis’ shows, and so, knowing his market well, perhaps Sullivan was right to be dismissive.
But, after recurring success, Sullivan knew that Elvis wasn’t just a fad — there was money to be made by publicizing his performance. After finally caving, on Sept. 9, 1956, Sullivan gave Elvis the timeslot he needed.
Staggering even by today’s standards, 60 million viewers tuned into Elvis’ appearance on the show. According to the Ed Sullivan Show’s website, that’s nearly 82 percent of the TV-viewing audience in America.
As monumental a show as this was, you may be surprised by Elvis’ lines before he plays the closing verses of “Hound Dog” — “Mr. Sullivan, we know that somewhere out there that you’re looking in, and all the boys and myself and everybody out here, are looking forward to seeing you back on television, and we’ll be seeing you October the eightth when we’re back on your show again.”
That’s right! Sullivan wasn’t hosting his namesake show. Preceding Elvis’ performances of “Don’t Be Cruel” and “Love Me Tender,” the act was actually introduced by British actor Charles Laughton.
It turns out that in early August 1956, Sullivan was in a near-fatal car accident in Seymour, Connecticut. Sullivan, who suffered a broken rib, commented in the New York Times, “It’s a miracle that we weren’t hurt worse.”
Consequently, Sullivan wouldn’t appear on his show for a few weeks, meaning that he missed his show’s debut of perhaps the biggest star of the 1950s. Nonetheless, Elvis’ performance still proves to be as thrilling as it was when it was aired live. Just imagine hearing these words come through the TV: “Friends, as a great philosopher once said, you ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog!”
Now, let’s step back from the TV and look to the stars. In 1997, NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor reached Mars. This was an incredible feat, but perhaps the most long-lasting impact of the achievement was that the spacecraft circled Mars for over a decade, giving scientists and researchers new information about Mars that led to a general rethinking of its planet systems.
According to NASA’s page for the Mars Global Surveyor, the spacecraft “became the first successful mission to the Red Planet in two decades.”
According to NASA’s page for the Mars Global Surveyor, the spacecraft “became the first successful mission to the Red Planet in two decades.” It allowed for a low-altitude orbit of the planet, contributing to its many findings, most major of which being the increased evidence of water on Mars. This came about after possible evidence of water gullies depositing water down hillsides, as well as various water-directed mineral deposits.
Considering that understanding water on Mars is still a major pursuit of science today, the Mars Global Surveyor provides an invaluable base of knowledge from which NASA can continue to make groundbreaking discoveries.
Yet another reason to be intrigued by the Mars Global Surveyor mission comes from its main scientific objective: to map the interior surface of Mars. In this respect, the images provided by the mission are incredibly impressive, including photos of the massive dust storms that originate from the southern pole of the planet. Thanks to these contributions, we have a far better understanding of Mars’ surface.
Ultimately, on Nov. 14, 2006, a series of computer errors likely caused by battery failure ended the spacecraft’s mission, yet its impact lives on in the knowledge we’ve accrued during its decade-long adventure around the Red Planet.
Finally, let’s return to the surface of the planet and consider some very important history. While on Sept. 11, 2001, the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York is no doubt a vital point in history, a decade later in 2011, another event is also worth remembering.
On Sept. 12, 2011, The National September 11 Memorial & Museum opened to the public.
According to the museum’s website: “Located at the World Trade Center in New York City, the 9/11 Memorial Museum tells the story of 9/11 through media, narratives, and a collection of monumental and authentic artifacts, presenting visitors with personal stories of loss, recovery, and hope.”
Having personally attended the museum, I can say that it is a powerful space, and its artifacts, displays and monuments all evoke an emotional awareness of the tragedy that happened only a little over two decades ago.
So, with that reminder of the importance of preserving history, the first issue of This Week in History for the year comes to a close. This column will have a new release every Monday, each featuring new events, topics and history. See you next week!