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TIL that in the 1800s, Thanksgiving was basically Halloween. Poor people would knock on doors to ak “anything for Thanksgiving?” and rich kids went out dressed in rags to mock them, up until the Great Depression when the question was always answered with NO.

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PYEwg TIL legendary producer Rick Rubin held an actual funeral complete with casket and grave for the word “Def” after finding out it had been accepted into the standardized dictionary. Amongst those who attended in 1993 included Tom Petty, Flea, and Trent Reznor.
Oo66X TIL that in 2016, the worlds tallest waterslide decapitated a 10 year old due to gross negligence and all charges were dismissed.
X0rJr TIL the historic Booth Theatre on Broadway (Currently running Tony Winner Kimberly Akimbo) is named after presidential assassin John Wilkes Booth's older brother, Edwin Booth.
VMe44 TIL Scott Joplin the man who revolutionized the way piano is played was turned away from backing of financial suitors because he was black and it didn't suit them. He ended up contracting syphilis and was admitted into a psychiatric hospital. He died ther and his grave was unmarked for 57 years.
dBQd TIL Conrad Heyer, 1749-1856, was the earliest-born man known to have been photographed. He fought in the U.S. Revolutionary War.