Nicknamed the "Black Cyclone," Marshall Taylor defied all the odds when he won the title of World Cycling Champion in 1899.Gallica Digital LibraryMarshall Taylor ca. 1906-1907.
Few people in sports have achieved as many accolades as Marshall “Major” Taylor, and even fewer have done it while facing the violent stream of racism that Taylor endured. Despite this, Marshall Taylor became the first African-American cycling world champion. His color-barrier breaking athletic achievements have cemented his name in the sporting history books, however, the story of his triumphant and tragic life remains relatively untold. Read More...
The Vajont Dam was the tallest in the world, but its unstable construction terrified those who lived in the valley below. On October 9, 1963, their worst fears came true.Wikimedia CommonsA landslide into the Vajont Dam reservoir in Northern Italy triggered a 13-billion-gallon mega-tsunami that engulfed the region.
Those who visit the Piave River Valley in Italy today would never suspect that the area was once subject to a massive and destructive dam disaster. Read More...
Created by a disgruntled pirate radio broadcaster named Paddy Roy Bates in 1967, Sealand is an unrecognized micronation in the North Sea with its own constitution, national flag, and passport.Measuring about 43,000 square feet — less than the size of a football field — the Principality Of Sealand claims to be the smallest country on Earth.
A sea fort off the coast of England, Sealand was once used by the Royal Navy during World War II. Read More...
