On November 14, 1902, the beginnings of the Teddy Bear occurred when President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a Louisiana black bear while hunting in Mississippi. It didn’t take long for the incident to make national news and a series of imaginative events to unfold.
By November 16, political cartoonist, Clifford Berryman, got wind of it and satirized the episode in The Washington Post. Shortly after, Brooklyn candy shop owner, Morris Michtom, saw the picture and became inspired to create a stuffed bear that he named ‘Teddy’s Bear’ and dedicated to the president.
Upon receiving President Roosevelt’s permission to use his name for the toy, Michtom mass produced the bear and founded the Ideal Toy Company.
For further reading visit:
https://www.nps.gov/thrb/learn/historyculture/storyofteddybear.htm
Important Teddy Bear Dates:
National Teddy Bear Day is September 9.
National Bring Your Teddy To Work/School Day is observed on the second Wednesday of October.
Teddy Bear Picnic Day is July 10.