On this day in 1975, Paula Faris, journalist and TV personality for ABC News, was born in Jackson, Michigan. Faris co-anchored Good Morning America from 2014 to 2018 and was an Emmy-nominated panelist on The View. Also today in 1825, the Erie Canal officially opened, connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River. Championed by New York Governor DeWitt Clinton, the canal's construction began in 1817, revolutionizing transportation across the Great Lakes.

On this day in 1918, Lucy A. Sloan, a Michigan scholar, educator, author, and suffragist, passed away in Mt. Pleasant. Sloan was a champion of women's rights and helped found the first literary society for women at Central Michigan University. On this same date in 1889, the first permanent connection between Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas was established with an underwater telephone cable at the Straits of Mackinac. Lastly, in 1924, Ty Tyson delivered Detroit’s WWJ’s first play-by-play radio broadcast of a University of Michigan football game.

On this day in 1901, Annie Edson Taylor, a widowed schoolteacher from Bay City, Michigan, made history by becoming the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel on her 63rd birthday. Desperate for work, she hoped the stunt would lead to speaking engagements, but it didn’t pan out as planned. Despite facing many challenges, including a manager who stole her barrel, she remains forever known as the "Heroine of Niagara."

On this day in 1934, Jean and Jeanette Piccard launched a balloon from Dearborn, Michigan, reaching 10.9 miles in altitude before landing in Ohio, accompanied by Jean’s pet turtle, Fleur de Lys. Additionally, in 2001, Margaret Chiara was unanimously confirmed as Michigan’s first female U.S. Attorney, serving the Western District until her removal in 2007, later commenting on the political nature of her dismissal.

On this day in 1912, Detroit-born photographer Harry Callahan was born. Initially working for Chrysler, he shifted to photography after hearing Ansel Adams speak, later earning the National Medal of Arts in 1996. Also, in 1955, Michigan's first official historic marker was dedicated at Michigan State University, honoring its founding as the nation’s first state-supported agricultural college, as outlined in the Morrill Act of 1862.

On this day in 1977, the stunning Sleeping Bear Dunes, inspired by a Chippewa legend of a mother bear and her cubs, officially became a National Lakeshore. Additionally, 1847 marks the birth of Will Carleton in Lenawee County, known as 'The Bard of Michigan.' His most famous poem, "Over the Hill to the Poor House," explores themes of aging and family.

In the 1950s, 26-year-old WWII veteran Milo Radulovich, a meteorology student at the University of Michigan, was dismissed from the Army Reserves as a security risk due to his family's background. Edward Murrow featured his story in a broadcast on October 20, highlighting the persecution amid McCarthy's witch hunts. The public response was overwhelmingly supportive, leading to Radulovich being cleared of all charges five weeks later.

On this day in 1903, Kalamazoo voters approved funding for the Western State Normal School, later Western Michigan University, with an impressive 8-to-1 margin. In 1907, Governor Fred Warner pushed for public voting in primaries, overcoming resistance within his party. His victory reshaped the political landscape, leading to his third term as governor.

On this day in 1978, the USPS released one of two Christmas stamps in Holly, Michigan, a treat for stamp collectors. Additionally, we celebrate the birthday of Willie Horton, born in 1942. A beloved figure in Detroit, Horton played 14 seasons with the Tigers and worked for peace during the 1967 rebellion. In 2004, Michigan established Willie Horton Day in his honor.

Happy birthday to Queen Naija, born in Ypsilanti in 1995! A singer and YouTuber, she gained fame as a contestant on the 13th season of American Idol. After self-releasing her hit "Medicine" in 2017, she signed with Capitol Records. Her debut album, Missunderstood, released in 2020, debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200, with five singles reaching certified platinum.