Here’s a brief look back in time for this day, May 21.
In 1881, notable American nurse Clara Barton establishes the American Red Cross, a non-profit organization centered around providing medical assistance and disaster relief. Over its near 150-year history, it has helped spearhead humanitarian efforts in the aftermaths of World War I, the 1918 Spanish Flu outbreak, Hurricane Katrina, among other events.
In 1901, the State of Connecticut enacts the country’s first speed-limit law. This was during the dawn of motor vehicles becoming more available, which proved to be more faster and efficient than the horse-drawn carriage. The legal speed for automobiles by then were 12 mph in cities, and 15 mph on county roads.
In 1932, Amelia Earhart sets out to become the first female pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean by plane. She took off from Newfoundland and landed in Ireland, which was completed in 15 hours. This broke Charles Lindbergh’s record after his flight five years earlier, which was 33.