On this day in 2015 -- one year ago -- ON THIS DAY made its debut. In the last year, we've observed more than 1,100 cultural events, historical anniversaries, and birthdays, each linked to items from the LAPL collection of resources, both physical and electronic. We look forward to another year of memories and commemorations, and we thank you for reading. And now, let's begin our second year!

	On this day in 1904, the United States took possession of what would become the Panama Canal Zone. The French had spent more than 20 years attempting to construct a canal across Panama; after their efforts failed, the United States purchased the land and the French construction equipment (much of it in poor condition from long disuse). The Canal was completed in 1914; control of the Canal Zone would be returned to full Panamanian control in 1999, under a treaty which guaranteed the permanent neutrality of the canal. David McCullough's The Path Between the Seas tells the story of the Canal's construction; it's available as an e-book or e-audio from OverDrive, or in print.
	On this day in 1928, Maynard Ferguson was born. He was a trumpet prodigy, playing with Montreal dance bands and with the CBC Orchestra while still in his teens. He joined Stan Kenton's band in 1950, and within a few years, was leading a big band of his own. He would continue to perform and record for more than 50 years, usually with fairly large bands. Ferguson was unusually skilled at playing in the extreme high register of the trumpet. Several of Ferguson's albums are available for streaming or download at Freegal.
	And on this day in 1929, Audrey Hepburn was born. Hepburn had played a few small film roles in the early 1950s, but it was Roman Holiday in 1953 that made her a star. For the next fifteen years, she would be one of cinema's most popular actresses, starring in such movies as Sabrina, Breakfast at Tiffany's, My Fair Lady, and Wait Until Dark. After 1967, she went into semi-retirement, and would make only four more films before her death in 1993. During those years, she devoted much of her time to working on behalf of UNICEF. Hepburn stars with Cary Grant in the 1963 romantic thriller Charade; it's available for streaming at Hoopla.