January 20, 1920
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was founded by Roger Baldwin, Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin, labor leaders Rose Schneiderman and Duncan McDonald, Rabbi Judah Magnes, and others, to protect the rights guaranteed in the the Constitution, particularly the Bill of Rights.
January 20, 1949
In his inaugural address, President Harry S. Truman calls for a “bold new program for making the benefits of our scientific advances and industrial progress available for the improvement and growth of underdeveloped nations.” The resulting Point Four program (so-called because it was the fourth point in Truman’s speech) resulted in millions of dollars in scientific and technical assistance—as well as hundreds of U.S. experts—sent to Latin American, Asian, Middle Eastern, and African nations.
