October 26

Erie Canal opens (1825); Women’s rights leader Elizabeth Cady Stanton dies (1902); Hillary Clinton born (1947); Hattie McDaniel, first Black Academy Award winner, dies (1952); Last known natural case of smallpox detected (1977).

October 25

Artist Pablo Picasso born (1881); Benjamin O. Davis Sr. becomes first Black general in US Army (1940); Katy Perry born (1984); Hall of Fame golfer Payne Stewart dies in plane crash (1999)

October 24

Black Thursday US stock market crash, exchange falls roughly 11% in one day (1929); Jackie Robinson dies (1972); Rapper Drake born (1986); Rosa Parks dies (2005); Bloody Friday worldwide stock market crash with several major indexes dropping about 10% in single day (2008).

October 23

First National Women’s Rights Convention begins (1850); Comedian and "Tonight Show" host Johnny Carson born (1925); Soccer legend Pelé born (1940); Suicide bombings at US Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, kill 241 US military personnel (1983); Moscow theater hostage crisis begins (2002).

October 22

Original Metropolitan Opera House opens in New York City (1883); Oscar-winning actress Joan Fontaine born (1917); Actress Annette Funicello born (1942); President John F. Kennedy alerts Americans to Cuban missile crisis (1962); Reggae artist Shaggy born (1968).

October 21

USS Constitution first launched (1797); Inventor Alfred Nobel, founder of Nobel Prizes, born (1833); Actress Carrie Fisher born (1956); Guggenheim Museum opens to the public (1959); Poet and novelist Jack Kerouac dies (1969); Kim Kardashian born (1980).

Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton’s rich musicality, joyful demeanor, and keen business sense fueled an illustrious career in entertainment that spanned 60 years. Ever-sparkling, ever-melodic, the singer-songwriter and actress went from performing barefoot for her siblings on the porch of their cabin in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to creating chart-topping records in country and pop that earned her millions. She was loved for her upbeat and genuine songs, her hallmark feminine and bedazzled style, and her quick wit, big smile, and down-to-earth charm.Parton was born in 1946, the fourth of 12 children. Music was in her family roots, especially on her mother’s side. Her mother, Avie Lee Parton, sang, played guitar, and encouraged her daughter’s talents. Byy age 10, Parton was writing and singing guitar songs on the radio and television. After she debuted at the Grand Ole Opry at age 13, her star quickly rose, and by the 1970s, she had scored several No. 1 country hits, including “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” (which Whitney Houston later covered to great acclaim).Parton’s deft songwriting and unique voice still appeal to fans of both country and pop music. Her song “9 to 5,” the title track from her 1980 film debut, was a No. 1 pop hit. She went on to act in several other movies; launch her own theme park, Dollywood; and partner with musical greats like EmmyLou Harris and Alison Krauss on award-winning albums. Her work has been widely recognized and commended, earning her Grammy Awards, Kennedy Center Honors, and a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame.From her earliest recordings, Parton was careful to maintain publishing rights to her songs, a decision that secured her fortune and enabled her to give back. She was an active philanthropist for years, funding literacy programs, medicine, and other causes.