› added 12 years ago

63

TIL that in 1830, a black man named Ira Aldridge portrayed the title character in Othello and stunned critics not because his acting was excellent, but because a black man could remember “the most difficult passages” correctly

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

R7Jk4 TIL of William Buckley (1780 – 30 January 1856). He was an English convict who was transported to an Australian prison camp, escaped within 2 months, and lived in an Aboriginal community for 32 years.
7gXO TIL during World War II, prisoners of war in Canada were treated so nicely that they didn’t want to leave Canada when released.
X00jR TIL El Chapo’s wife Emma Coronel was sentenced to 3 years in prison for assisting her husband in his criminal enterprise. A minimum sentence of 10 years was originally planned. Government rumours assure her cooperation. Her life is now at risk, as the cartel does not forgive traitors or suspectes.
PYjVn TIL of the Jumping Frenchmen of Maine, a group of 19th century lumberjacks who suffered a rare disorder. They had an exaggerated startle reflex and would immediately obey any sudden command and repeat the words. Modern studies have concluded it was a psychological condition rather than a tic.
OG9a4 TIL that in 1821 Scotsman Gregor MacGregor arrived in London as the "Cazique" of the Central American nation of Poyais. He secured a £200,000 loan underwritten by the revenues of Poyais and convinced 250 people to buy land and settle in Poyais. Poyais did not exist.