February 11, 2023 - National Inventors' Day | National Peppermint Patty Day

Welcome to February 11th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate amazing inventors and snappy patties. James West was born in 1931 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. As a boy, he loved taking things apart and after an accident involving a radio, he discovered a curiosity for electricity. This led West to obtaining a degree in physics and a position with Bell Laboratories as an inventor. By 1968 his inexpensive, highly sensitive compact microphone was in mass production and the technology is still used in 90 percent of today’s microphones as well as telephones and tape recorders. James West was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame in 1999 and today holds over 250 patents for his inventions. He is 91 years old and is currently a professor at Johns Hopkins University. On National Inventors’ Day we celebrate the men and women who continue to inspire us with their amazing achievements. The flavor combination of chocolate and mint has been around awhile. As early as 1840, the Quiggins brothers created a soft mint cake dipped in chocolate. And while the UK based Kendal Mint Cake Company still produces them today, the peppermint patties we love to celebrate got their start in America in 1940. At the York Cone factory inventor Henry Kessler had only one rule; the candy had to pass the snap test. If it didn’t snap in two the patties were out! It’s estimated that over 1.5 billion are produced each year, proving that this candy is still a fan favorite! On National Peppermint Patty Day celebrate the candy that kids still find cool. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices