Colm Meaney

After voters in the Wisconsin Territory finally approved statehood, Wisconsin officially became the 30th state to join the United States in 1848. Earlier attempts had failed because many residents worried that becoming a state would lead to higher taxes and a stronger central government. However, growing prosperity in neighboring states eventually convinced enough citizens that joining the Union would bring long-term benefits.

The region that became Wisconsin first saw European exploration in 1634 when French explorer Jean Nicolet arrived near present-day Green Bay. For many years, the area was an important center of the fur trade under French control before passing to Britain after the French and Indian War. Following the American Revolution, the land became part of the United States, though British traders continued to influence the region until after the War of 1812.

During the early 1800s, settlers arrived through the Great Lakes and the Erie Canal, attracted by fertile farmland and economic opportunity. After the Black Hawk War in 1832 weakened Native American resistance to settlement, population growth accelerated. Wisconsin became its own territory in 1836, with Madison selected as the capital due to its central location between Milwaukee and western communities.

On May 29, 1942, Adolf Hitler ordered all Jews living in Nazi-occupied Paris to wear a yellow Star of David on the outside of their clothing. The measure, encouraged by propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels, was designed to publicly isolate, humiliate, and identify Jewish citizens as the Nazi regime tightened its grip across Europe during World War II.

Goebbels was one of the leading voices behind Nazi anti-Jewish policies and frequently used propaganda to spread hatred and dehumanize Jewish people. Under Nazi rule, discriminatory laws steadily stripped Jews of their rights, freedoms, businesses, and property before escalating into deportations and mass murder during the Holocaust. The yellow star became one of the most recognizable symbols of that persecution.

Sadly, forcing Jews to wear identifying marks was not a new idea in European history. During various periods in the Middle Ages, some Jewish communities in Europe, including within territories controlled by the papacy, were ordered to wear distinctive clothing or symbols and were often restricted to segregated neighborhoods known as ghettos. The Nazis revived and expanded these practices on a far more brutal and deadly scale.

On May 29, 2005, 23-year-old Danica Patrick made history at the Indianapolis 500 by becoming the first woman ever to lead the famous race. Driving in only her fifth Indy Racing League event, Patrick had already impressed fans by qualifying fourth, the highest starting position for a woman at the time. Racing for a team co-owned by former Indy winner Bobby Rahal and late-night television host David Letterman, Patrick quickly became one of the biggest stories of the event.

After an early pit stop problem dropped her far back in the field, Patrick fought her way back through the pack in front of more than 300,000 fans at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. With just 10 laps remaining, she took the lead and appeared to have a real chance at victory. However, fuel concerns forced her to slow her pace, allowing British driver Dan Wheldon to pass her in the closing laps. Wheldon won the race while Patrick finished fourth, earning Rookie of the Year honors and delivering one of the most memorable performances in Indy 500 history.

Patrick’s success helped open more doors for women in motorsports and built on the groundbreaking achievements of Janet Guthrie, who became the first woman to compete in the Indy 500 in 1977. In 2008, Patrick added another milestone by becoming the first woman to win an Indy Racing League race when she captured victory at the Indy Japan 300. She remained one of the most recognizable figures in racing before retiring from professional competition after the 2018 season.

On May 29, 2003, more than 30 U.S. states celebrated Bob Hope Day in honor of the legendary entertainer Bob Hope turning 100. In Hollywood, officials renamed the famous intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street as Bob Hope Square, while vintage military aircraft flew overhead to recognize his decades of entertaining American troops around the world. Although Hope was too ill to attend the ceremony himself, several of his children and fellow entertainers, including Mickey Rooney, took part in the celebration.

Born in London and raised in the United States, Hope became one of America’s most successful comedians during the vaudeville era before moving into radio, movies, and television. He married singer Dolores Reade in 1934, and the couple remained together for nearly 70 years. Hope became especially famous for his long-running radio program and his popular “Road” comedy films with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour, including Road to Singapore and Road to Morocco.

During World War II and for decades afterward, Hope became closely associated with entertaining American military personnel overseas. His holiday shows for troops became a tradition, and his television specials remained popular for generations of viewers. He also hosted the Academy Awards ceremony a record 18 times. Often called “Mr. Entertainment,” Hope died on July 27, 2003, less than two months after reaching his 100th birthday.