Monday Open Line

It isn’t often that a young person does something alone that captures the attention of the whole world. On this day in 1926, 19-year-old New Yorker Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the English Channel. She chose a day so rough that steamship trips were cancelled. She not only completed the swim, but her time of 14 hours and 31 minutes broke a record that had stood for more than 50 years. A powerful swimmer, Ederle had won three Olympic medals and set 29 records before her channel adventure. Her crossing sparked a jump in the popularity of swimming. Today, more than 50 million people in the U.S. enjoy swimming, ranking it among America’s most popular recreational activities. Profile America is in its 16th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sunday, August 5th. For those of a certain age, it may be hard to believe, but today is the 50th anniversary of the death of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe. Beloved by movie audiences around the world, Monroe was an intriguing mix of sensuality and vulnerability. Her death at age 36 from an overdose of sleeping pills is still controversial. Monroe made 29 movies in her short career, including “The Seven Year Itch,” “Some Like It Hot,” and “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” Her three marriages included star baseball player Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller. When Marilyn Monroe was born in 1926, movies were still silent. When she died in 1962, motion pictures were a $2.5 billion annual business. Profile America is in its 16th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Saturday, August 4th. One of the most revered figures in the history of jazz, Louis Armstrong — nicknamed “Satchmo” — was born in New Orleans on this date in 1901. His worldwide fame was such that one of his nicknames was “Ambassador Satch.” The exact date of Armstrong’s birth was a subject of confusion for years, since he often said he was born July 4, 1900. But his impact on jazz and popular music was never in dispute. His innovative playing helped define not only the jazz cornet and trumpet, but jazz itself. Jazz continues to have a relatively small, but fiercely loyal group of fans. About 8 percent of adults attend a live jazz performance each year. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at <www.census.gov>.