› added 5 years ago

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TIL that famous abolitionist Sojourner Truth, born a slave in New York, was raised speaking Dutch natively, and didn't learn English until she was sold away from her family at the age of only 9.

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8errP TIL Admiral Yamaguchi of the IJN was a staunch supporter of the Pearl Harbor attack plan. When the initial plan left his carrier division out of the attack force, Yamaguchi got drunk, accosted Admiral Nagumo in his cabin, and got him in a headlock until someone broke up the fight.
v1OA4 TIL denatured alcohol (sold in hardware stores) isn't chemically different from drinking alcohol. The only difference is it's purposely laced with poison and nausea inducing additives so you can't drink it. This compromises allows it to be sold without alcohol tax and ensures people don't drink it.
QnRL TIL that in the 1960s, MGM’s Tom & Jerry had their faceless black housekeeper Mammy Twoshoes replaced by a Irish-accented white woman
ZL14 TIL that the Titanic captain Edward Smith had crashed another ship just seven months before the Titanic sunk
OGODa TIL about Victor Jara: an artist and activist who supported the Socialist Chilean government. After the coup in 1973, Jara was imprisoned by Pinochet’s regime. He was tortured and shot over 40 times, before his body was put on display for other prisoners.