Year

1927

6 sourced events from this year.

Events

1927 Timeline

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1927

Exploration 20th Century North America

Lindbergh Takes Off for Solo Atlantic Crossing

Aviation in the 1920s featured growing long-distance attempts amid prizes like the Orteig for a nonstop New York-to-Paris flight. Charles Lindbergh, a 25-year-old airmail pilot, prepared the Spirit of St. Louis monoplane with extra fuel tanks for the 3,600-mile journey. After weather delays, he departed Roosevelt Field on Long Island at 7:52 a.m. on May 20, 1927, navigating by dead reckoning and a periscope over 33.5 hours. He landed at Le Bourget Field near Paris on May 21 to massive acclaim. The feat demonstrated the reliability of single-engine aircraft for transoceanic travel despite earlier failures by other aviators.

Event Detail

1927

Exploration 20th Century Global

Lindbergh Completes First Solo Transatlantic Flight

In the 1920s, aviation pioneers competed to achieve the first nonstop flight between New York and Paris for a $25,000 prize offered by hotelier Raymond Orteig. Charles Lindbergh, a 25-year-old airmail pilot, designed a single-engine monoplane named Spirit of St. Louis with minimal weight and maximum fuel capacity. Departing Roosevelt Field on May 20, 1927, he flew through fog, ice, and sleep deprivation for 33.5 hours. On May 21, he landed at Le Bourget Field near Paris to a crowd of over 100,000, becoming the first person to complete a solo nonstop transatlantic crossing.

Event Detail

1927

Civil Rights 20th Century North America

Sacco and Vanzetti Executed After Controversial Trial

In 1920s America, fears of radicalism, immigration, and anarchism ran high following World War I and the Russian Revolution. Italian immigrants Nicola Sacco, a shoemaker, and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, a fish peddler, both anarchists, were arrested in connection with a 1920 payroll robbery and murder in Braintree, Massachusetts. Their 1921 trial featured disputed ballistics evidence, eyewitness identifications later questioned, and judicial bias from Judge Webster Thayer, who openly expressed prejudice against their politics and ethnicity. Despite worldwide protests, appeals, and a 1927 review committee upholding the verdict, they were electrocuted at Charlestown State Prison just after midnight on August 23, 1927. Governor Michael Dukakis later issued a 1977 proclamation declaring the trial unfair.

Event Detail America 250 Atlas

1927

Culture 20th Century North America

Carving Begins on Mount Rushmore Sculpture

Sculptor Gutzon Borglum had long envisioned a massive monument in South Dakota's Black Hills to celebrate American presidents and attract tourism. After years of planning, site selection, and a dedication ceremony earlier in 1927, actual carving commenced on October 4. Workers used dynamite for the bulk of material removal on the granite face, followed by precise drilling and hand-finishing techniques. The project, funded through a mix of private and eventual federal support, aimed to depict George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Over the next 14 years, approximately 400 workers transformed the mountain despite challenging conditions and funding challenges.

Event Detail America 250 Atlas

1927

Culture 20th Century North America

The Jazz Singer Premieres as First Talkie

By the mid-1920s, Warner Bros. invested heavily in Vitaphone sound-on-disc technology to differentiate its films amid competition. The Jazz Singer, starring Al Jolson, adapted a stage play about a Jewish cantor's son pursuing a singing career. It premiered on October 6, 1927, at Warner's Theatre in New York City, featuring synchronized music, songs, and limited spoken dialogue. The film combined silent sequences with sound elements, drawing large audiences despite mixed critical reception. Its success validated the commercial potential of sound films.

Event Detail

1927

Technology 20th Century North America

Holland Tunnel Opens to Vehicular Traffic

New York and New Jersey authorities had long sought a direct vehicular link beneath the Hudson River to ease ferry congestion and support growing automobile use. Engineer Clifford Holland designed the project, which began construction in 1920 after his death was completed by successors including Ole Singstad. The twin tubes featured innovative ventilation systems to handle exhaust. Ceremonies occurred on November 12, 1927, with President Coolidge participating remotely. At midnight on November 13, the Holland Tunnel officially opened to traffic as the world's longest continuous underwater vehicular tunnel at the time, with thousands of cars lining up on the New Jersey side.

Event Detail America 250 Atlas