Nearly 50 years after the offense, an apology.

Sacheen Littlefeather, representing Oscar-winner Marlon Brando at the 1973 ceremony, received ridicule and jeers from the crowd when she relayed that Mr. Brando would not accept the Best Actor Academy Award because of the poor representation of Native Americans on TV and in the movies.  On a stage by herself, in front of a packed auditorium of nearly all of Hollywood's elite and 85 million more watching at home, she delivered the stunning message with guts and grace.

In an interview shortly after the ceremony, Brando said:

"I read a book called, “Indians of the Americas” and after reading the book I realized that I knew nothing about the American Indian, and everything that we are taught about the American Indian is wrong. It's inaccurate, and our schoolbooks are hopelessly lacking — perhaps criminal lacking in revealing what our relationship was with the Indian.

"When we hear, as we've heard throughout our lives no matter how old we are, that we are a country that stands for freedom, for rightness or justice for everyone, it simply doesn't apply to those who are not white. It just simply doesn't apply.

"We were the most rapacious, aggressive, destructive, torturing, monstrous, people who swept from one coast to the other murdering and causing mayhem among the Indians. That isn’t revealed, because we don’t like that image of ourselves. We don’t like to see us — we like to see ourselves, perhaps as John Wayne sees us.

"And also, what we’ve learned about the Indians has been largely taught to us by Hollywood and by motion pictures. They have educated us. So we naturally believe that when the Indians came that the wagons circled and the Indians rode around and subjected themselves to terrible fire and died at a ratio died at a ratio of 65 to 1....

"Indians have been tragically misrepresented in films, and in our history books, in our attitudes, in our reporting…"

In an interview with the very famous and popular Dick Cavett on his TV show, he offered the following:

"Since the American Indian hasn't had the opportunity to have his voice heard anywhere in the history of the United States, I felt that it was a marvelous opportunity for an Indian to be able to voice his opinion...I was embarrassed for Sacheen--she wan't able to say what she wanted to say.  I was distressed that people should have booed and whistled....even though, perhaps, it was directed at myself.  They should have, at least, had the courtesy to listen to her.

"I don't think that people generally realize what the motion picture industry has done to the American Indian...as a matter of fact all ethnic groups...all minorities, all non-whites."

Finally, the Academy has apologized and acknowledged that they were wrong.

An article about the statement form the Academy is HERE. 

You may also watch the TV broadcast of the Academy Award moment HERE.

If you'd like to watch Brando being interviewed about that moment, he says so much more so profoundly on the Dick Cavett Show.

US Supreme Court's overturn of Roe v Wade

On Friday, June 24, the Supreme Court ruled to overturn their decision from their 1973 decision in "Roe v Wade."  Roe established that a woman had a Constitutionally-protected right to abortion as long as strict time-based guidelines were followed.  Roe essentially established a uniform set of guidelines that all states had to follow, replacing the patchwork of rules and laws that had been in place up to that point.

With the overturning of the case, the majority ruled that the Constitution doesn't explicitly mention or guarantee such a right to abortion--consistent with the philosophy of "originalism," a way of looking at the Constitution from the point of view of the original writers of the document.  

Now, a patchwork of state laws will take the place of the national standard and we've already seen states move to enforce existing laws that restrict abortions or move to make them illegal altogether.   

A very nice summary of what's next is below:

https://www.wsj.com/video/what-overturning-roe-v-wade-means-for-abortion-access-in-the-us/10F9C604-B423-4529-BC82-FA88822DE6D2.html

Kudos to Asheville, NC

It's an encouraging sign (pun intended) to see that the painful histories of some places are being faced head-on rather than being denied and covered-up.  In the last few years, the removal of the statues of Confederate leaders and the renaming of buildings has brought both joy and anger, depending on how an individual perceives those actions.  This historic marker from Asheville, NC is worthy of praise for its accurate recounting of the history of the era.  Hopefully, it sparks authentic conversations about the ugliness of racism.
 

Now you know...the 1903 Wright Flyer made it to the moon and Mars.

Orville and Wilbur Wright's first airplane barely made it off the ground in 1903.  But I recently learned that it also traveled....a bit further than that.  Click on the picture to get the full story.

 

Has there ever been a contentions Presidential transition before 2020?

In 1888, President Grover Cleveland ran for re-election but lost the Electoral College vote to Benjamin Harrison--even though Cleveland won the popular vote.  In 1892, Cleveland again ran against Harrison but this time won both the popular as well as the Electoral College vote by huge margins.  Before they left office, Harrison's folks did everything it could to ensure that Cleveland would have a tough go of it once he was sworn in as president.  

Did their strategy work?  Was Cleveland hampered by all of the sabotage?  Click the picture to be taken to the story.

Did Americans ever wear masks to combat a pandemic?

Not surprisingly, yes.  During the influenza pandemic of 1818-1919 (a.k.a. "The Spanish Flu"), everyone wore masks when they were in a public setting.  For the cities that were early adopters of social distancing and mask-wearing, they flattened the curve and saves many lives.  Other cities that did not act so quickly saw massive spikes in cases and deaths. 

Click the picture for a collection of photos from the National Archives via The National Review.

Today, I lost a friend.

Today, I lost my friend, Paul Tringoson. Despite valiant efforts by the doctors, nurses, and staff of St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua to help him recover during these last two weeks, Paul died peacefully this morning in hospice.

Paul was my mentor when I was a new teacher, just out of college. He shared his love of music, art, history, food, gardens, and travel with me--and later my wife and children. He was always exchanging clippings of his plants for ours, delicate china pieces from his collection, and little tidbits of wisdom gleaned from decades of world travel. Paul was in my wedding party, took my kids to museums when they were still in strollers, and celebrated many of their birthdays at my house.

In my last conversation with him a week ago, I had a chance to tell him how much how I appreciated all that he had done for me over the years. Since Paul thought my kids were exceptional and that my wife was a saint (and I don't disagree) I was happy to update him on their successes and to pass along how much they enjoyed his company over the years.

Paul was a teacher's teacher. Everything for him was about exploration, learning, experiencing, sharing, and then helping others do the same. Some of my teaching practice today is what he taught me and modeled so effectively.

As we enter the holiday season, it's time for reflection and renewal and for celebration and giving thanks. So many of us owe huge debts to parents, mentors, coaches, clergy, grandparents, and others in our circle who gave of themselves to help us be better people. And they did it out of their spirit of love and caring for us. So, tell someone that helped you be you how much you appreciate what they've done for you. Someday, it will be too late to tell them in person, so don't wait.

Thank you, Paul. Peace.

The re-casting of Dr. King's image

How was Dr. King, once viewed as a dangerous and radical figure, lost to history and replaced by our image of him as an iconic national treasure?  Click the picture to read the story in The Guardian.

US House of Representatives Officially Recognizes Armenian Genocide

After many years of not wanting to anger fellow NATO ally Turkey by taking a hard stance regarding the killings that took place around the time of World War I, the US House finally approved a resolution with strong bipartisan support. The measure has significant momentum and a number of influential sponsors in the US Senate, also. Click the picture to go to the story. (picture credit: Damian Dovarganes/AP)

How is a $4.99 roast chicken a throwback to 1890's America?

If you thought that vertical integration and predatory pricing went away with the Progressives of the early 20th century, think again.  The nearest example might be with your $4.99 roast chicken from Costco.  Chick the picture to read the story.

An unlikely meeting

What happens when two Boy Scouts, both 12 years old, meet in a Japanese Internment camp in Wyoming during World War II?  Click the picture to find out.

The True Story Of The Iconic “Migrant Mother” Photograph

Thanks to Mr. Mehra at www.mr-mehra.com, we know more about the iconic photo of taken by Dorothea Lange working to document migrant workers as part of the federal Resettlement Administration (The RA relocated families in poor areas to federally-planned communities.) 

Here's a fun fact (thanks, Wiki): "The Weedpatch Camp (also known as the Arvin Federal Government Camp and the Sunset Labor Camp) now on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1936 south of Bakersfield, California, not by the RA but the Works Progress Administration. The camp inspired John Steinbeck's 1939 novel, The Grapes of Wrath, and a 1940 film adaptation directed by John Ford.

Click on the photo to see the story.

Magna Carta saved from damage/theft

According to the Boston Globe of October 28, 2018, one of the 4 surviving copies of the Magna Carta was subject to attempted vandalism.  Click on the clipping below to see the article.

Mrs. Donato's brother honored with a new plaque and park

Former WMS Geography teacher, Mrs. Eleanor Donato, and her son, WMS teacher Brian Donato, have something extra to smile about after this weekend's dedication of the Lt. Paul J Sullivan Memorial Playground in East Watertown.

The full story in www.watertownmanews.com is here.

The real "Rosie the Riviter" dies at 96

Three women actually form the WWII Rosie; Rosalind P. Walter, a Long Island woman who was a riveter on Corsair fighter planes, inspired the song "Rosie the Riviter".   Norman Rockwell's illustration for the Saturday Evening Post was based on Vermont native Mary Doyle Keefe.

J. Howard Miller who drew the iconic image (left) for the Westinghouse Company to combat absenteeism in their factories was inspired by this Acme Agency photograph (right). Identified incorrectly until 2015, Naomi Parker Fraley finally received the recognition she deserved.

The terrific story and obituary is in the New York Times here.

New interest in bomb shelters

Just when you thought it was funny or quaint--or even silly--that people in the 1950's obsessed with having a safe place to ride out a nuclear war, Mr. Trump's rhetoric has caused a renewed interest in subterranean living.  So make fun of the Cunninghams of "Happy Days" for considering spending their vacation money bomb shelter rather than a trip to Carlsbad Caverns, but your neighbors might just be looking at the glossy brochures right now. 

See the article in the December 26, 2017 Boston Globe here.

"Hold these Truths", a story of American forced internment.

The Lyric Stage of Boston has a show running right now that may be of interest to you as a fan of history. "Hold These Truths" tells the true story of Gordon Hirabayashi, a second-generation Japanese-American who, along with his family, was held in an American internment camp against his will during World War II. He brought a lawsuit against the US government to prevent his detention but eventually lost his last appeal in the US Supreme Court.


Information from The Lyric Stage of Boston is here.

Information (and a great story) from WBUR is here.


If you attend, let me know and I can get you some extra credit for a small amount of work on your part.

Are we living in a kakistocracy?

As dictionary.com suggested in 2015, there is such as thing as a kakistocracy in which the worst qualified hold power.  Is this true today?  Visit this article from the Atlantic to find out.

How laying a cable linked two continents

A terrific article I found on LinkedIn about the life-changing role of communication cables both then and now.   Click here to see the article.

What is Juneteenth?

According to this article published in Slate, it's a holiday that everyone should know about but doesn't.
Click here to go to the story.

Emmett Till's accuser lied

Yesterday, Vanity Fair magazine reported that a new book, "The Blood of Emmett Till", asserts that Carolyn Bryant lied about Emmett Till's inappropriate conversation with her. It was Mrs. Bryant's assertion to her husband that caused him and her brother-in-law to find and kill Till.

"Bloody Monday" in Louisville, KY

In the mid 1800’s, the American Nativists (also known as “Know Nothings”) were convinced that the newly arrived (mostly Irish and German and other Catholic immigrants would undermine the American way of life. In cities across this country, there was unrest: it was a time of great change and uncertainty, fear, violence, slavery, and prejudice (“No Irish Need Apply”)… and rioting. Louisville’s “Bloody Monday” election day rioting in August 1855 was certainly among the most violent outbreaks, with 22 confirmed deaths (though there is reason to believe that the real number was greater). 

Click the engraving above to go to the full article.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture

After many years of lobbying, planning, and site work, the The National Museum of African American History and Culture has opened its doors.  Clicking on the picture above will take you to the museum.

To find out more about its mission and exhibits, visit this link from NPR featuring audio from their broadcasts.

Election season is upon us

Thanks to the nice people at McGraw Hill (a textbook provider) I invite you to look at "Election Central" blog for information and links to many other sources of interest within their pages.  Click the graphic below to go to their site:

Ms. Lorigan's Class Blog

Ms. Lorigan's Humanities class is trying out this new blogging activity this year.  She's asked me to read a few of the entries and comment on them.  She thinks that the kids will be really excited to hear what my thoughts are.  So I naturally thought that the kids would be really thrilled to hear from you guys, too.

When you click on the picture below, you'll be sent to the site.

You see that in the upper right corner there is a "Log In" button.  Click that and you'll be asked to log in to comment.  You'll need to sign in as "Guest" and use the password "guest".  There is a space for you to identify yourself, and please do so with your real name and that you're in 10th grade Advanced Placement US History.

Please pick one or two that have zero or few comments.  Read it.  Leave a nice comment.  Ask a question.  Make a gentle suggestion.  It will be really appreciated.

Watertown is No "Sleepy Town"

Has anything interesting ever happened in Watertown before?  As it turns out, it has.

Here's a terrific article over at the blog "BuzzFeed".  Click the picture to go to the story.

Did Nixon sabotage LBJ's Vietnam peace plans?

It was October of 1968--just a few days before the presidential election between Republican nominee Richard Nixon and Democrat Hubert Humphry.  The North and South Vietnamese forces, at war since 1963, were talking about peace.  The fighting had stopped and President Johnson appeared on national television to report that the war was winding down.  The end of the Vietnam War was in sight.

Except it wasn't.  A few days later, the war was on again.  How could that happen?  What went wrong? How did the war continue another five years and cost thousands more their lives?

Rachel Maddow presents us a scenario of how that could have happened.  And it's scary.

Click the picture to see the video.

The "Mona Lisa" of the Depression

This story is....amazing.  And the title is fitting for it.
Sometime you just run across something that is phenomenal and you want to share it.  This is one of them.
Click the picture to see the story of Florence Thompson from an episode of the Today Show.  You can read the transcript first, but I wouldn't.  Click the video window and let the story unwind in front of you.  Enjoy.

JFK's place in black history

A terrific article entitled "JFK holds complex place in black history" found its way to my news inbox today.  It provides answers to some of the questions people ask about JFK all the time. Did he push hard for civil rights?  Could he have done more?  Why was he so reluctant to move faster in places that he could?
Click here for the article.

Vietnam napalm girl followup

I've often wondered what happened to that girl in the famous picture from Vietnam--the burned, naked girl, running toward the camera, crying....

Now I know.  Thanks to Aaron Siegel who spotted this article in the Boston Globe on February 14.  Sorry for the awkward scans of the pages.

Does this sound familiar?

A Missouri pastor recently gave testimony to a legislative group on gay rights.....but that's only the start of what he was trying to say.  You'll have to watch the whole video to get what's going on.  Click the picture to see the youtube video.  Please comment.

Is there a gender bias in the media when discussing gender issues?

Click the picture above to be taken to a very interesting posing on "unworthy.com".  I cannot vouch for the validity of the information on the site but if it's true, what does it say about the media?  What does it say about where society looks for information and "experts"?

Comment here about what you think.  Extra credit will be awarded for any thoughtful response.

Who came up with the name "United States of America"?

An interesting bit of new evidence has recently surfaced that the name of the new nation, featured on the freshly-written Declaration of Independence from Britain, may not have been the brainchild of Thomas Jefferson. Who came up with the name? This article from the Christian Science Monitor may provide the answer.

Supreme Court weighs in on the Affordable Care Act

Today, the US Supreme Court upheld the vast majority of the Affordable Care Act, sometimes referred to as "Obamacare".

There's plenty of information out there for you to digest. As I write this, it's consuming every second of CNN and C-Span.

So, as a practice to what I'll ask you to do at various times during the year, I'm asking you to post a response to this blog entry with your thoughts. Normally, these will be graded, but this time it will not be. But before you do anything, some historical perspective. Visit this link first. Then do your own research.

What do you think about the varied historical attempts to provide people with health care? Limit your response to a paragraph...and let's not get personal. This is history class, after all, not a chance to deride others.

~Gus

APUSH timer

U.S. presidential elections: according to the BBC

Are you curious about what our good friends across the pond are thinking about us and our elections?  The British Broadcasting Corporation has prepared a primer for its citizens about the U.S. political scene.
Click here.

Gordon Wood on the American Revolution

Noted American historian Gordon Wood comments on what made the American Revolution so special.  Chick our picture below to see the video (time--2:44)