2026 House Resolution 259

Whereas, On March 10, 2026, the United States marks the 150th anniversary of the first successful telephone call, a breakthrough that transformed how people communicate and connect; and

Whereas, Inventor Alexander Graham Bell placed the historic first telephone call to his assistant Thomas Watson on March 10, 1876, demonstrating that the human voice could be transmitted over a wire; and

Whereas, The first telephone call led to the formation of the Bell Telephone Company a year later, which eventually became American Telephone & Telegraph and today’s modern AT&T; and

Whereas, On August 5, 1878, the first telephone switchboard in Michigan opened in Detroit, and with the help of an operator, customers were able to reach anyone connected to the central office exchange; and

Whereas, On January 10, 1881, Michigan Bell Telephone Company was created to carry long-distance calls within the state; and

Whereas, The first phone call led to many more historic first calls that reshaped national and global connectivity, including the first transcontinental telephone call between New York and San Francisco in 1915 and the first transatlantic telephone call in 1927; and

Whereas, What started as a simple phone call in 1876 has led to innovations in telecommunications that have transformed our way of life – from how individuals live, to how businesses operate, to how communities connect across the United States and the world; and

Whereas, Over the last 150 years, telecommunication companies have played a central role in building and evolving the nation’s communications networks, consistently connecting Americans as technologies and consumer needs have changed; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body recognize the 150th anniversary of the first telephone call and the legacy of innovation it sparked; and be it further

Resolved, That we honor the generations of innovators, engineers, and workers whose contributions have advanced communications technology and expanded opportunity for people across the world, including in Michigan.