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You're a tech-savvy senior. Your computer has all the latest programs on it, and you've synced your smartphone to your tablet. With all the apps to help you remember to lock doors and turn off lights, you feel like you've caught up with the tech world. Plus, you know what a hashtag is.
Recently, you've noticed a trend on social media. People seem to be using the hashtag #ThrowbackThursday and #TBT a lot. Since you're determined to stay on top of the trends, you've jumped on board. But what exactly is #ThrowbackThursday and what does it mean?
It's Time to Go Back...Way Back
#ThrowbackThursday, or #TBT, refers to the content of your post on social media. It's a celebration for things in the past, and a way to make old memories new again. The next time you post a picture from college, add a #TBT to keep up with the times. Enjoying a reunion? Share old pictures from past reunions with #TBT for some extra fun.
While it's not easy to pin-point the exact date that #ThrowbackThursday started, there have been traces of the hashtag floating around the internet since 2003. According to Time Magazine, #ThrowbackThursday didn't become popular until 2011, when it expanded across all forms of social media.
At Alert1, we love #ThrowbackThursday. That's why we came up with a list of historic events for this week's #ThrowbackThursday. We've included events that are worthy of their own #TBT tag, and threw in events that happened on a Thursday just for fun.
#ThrowbackThursday Time
Did you know that all these events happened on the same day in history? September 29th was a great day for important events.
In 1907 Gene Autry, the famous “singing cowboy” was born. Thanks to him, three of our favorite Christmas carols became popular: Here Comes Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
In 1918, Allied forces broke through the Hindenburg Line. The last of the German defenses on the Western front in the “war to end all wars.” This would help bring about the end of the war a month later.
In 1932 General Motors set a 5-day work week. Thanks to union workers and strikes, GM finally agreed to fairer workday hours for their employees.
In 1935 influential rock 'n' roll musician Jerry Lee Lewis was born. Known for his fiery piano playing, it was his song Whole Lot of Shakin' Goin' On that made him a world-wide star.
In 1954 Willie Mays made the “Catch Heard 'Round The World.” In game 1 of the 1954 Baseball World Series, Mays made a running over-the-shoulder catch to keep the score tied at 2-2.
In 1966 the Chevy Camaro was born. Still loved today, the Camaro is one of Chevy's most popular cars.
#ThrowbackThursday for the U.S.A.
While they didn't happen on a Thursday, these historical events helped to shape the country we know today.
In 1927 Charles Lindbergh makes his first transatlantic flight. Thanks to him, you can now catch a flight and land in Europe 10 hours later.
In 1931 The Star-Spangled Banner became our national anthem. While the lyrics are from a poem written by Francis Scott Key in 1814, America had no set national anthem until 1931.
In 1941 North America joined WWII. The world conflict, which started in 1939, wouldn't end until September 2nd, 1945.
In 1963 Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Over 200,000 people packed in front of the Lincoln Memorial to hear the Reverend speak.
In 1969 it was “One Small Step for Mankind” as the USA reached the moon. Since then, the USA has become a superpower in space exploration.
In 1991 the Soviet Union was dissolved. The dissolution of the USSR helped to end the Cold War in 1992.
#ThrowbackThursday Every Day
Now you've got a great excuse to dust off those old photo albums in the closet. You don't need to wait until Thursday every week to enjoy old memories. The next time you're visiting your grandchildren, take a photo album along. You'll knock their socks off when you say “Look at what Throwback Thursday was like before it was cool.” Next thing you know, they'll have never-ending questions about how you survived growing up without the internet.