1897

May 20

Earliest known print reference to “science fiction” as a genre by Harry B. Mason, “Rip Van Winkle Episode,” The Pharmaceutical Era (vol. 17, no. 20, p. 592).

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Births and Deaths:

Alonzo Deen Cole - Fletcher Pratt - H. W. Scott - J. M. Walsh - Jack Wilson - Mary Gnaedinger - Mary Patchett - Naomi Mitchison - Oscar J. Friend - W. J. Passingham - Walter Gibson

Convention series started or ended:

Onetime conventions:

Bids:

Publications started or ended:

Publishers founded or closed:

Awards made, started or ended:

Stores opened or closed:

Clubs founded or disbanded:

Fanhistory:

New fanspeak coined:

Miscellaneous:

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Asia:

Australia:

J. M. Walsh - Mary Patchett

Britain:

J. M. Walsh - Jack Wilson - Mary Patchett - Naomi Mitchison - W. J. Passingham

Canada:

Europe:

Ireland:

New Zealand:

US:

Alonzo Deen Cole - Fletcher Pratt - H. W. Scott - Mary Gnaedinger - Oscar J. Friend - Walter Gibson

Rest of the World: