You probably know that February is Black History Month; have you ever thought about why we do that—you know, declare a month to be about something? The reality is, of course, that every month should be Black History Month—if that means learning something about and caring about black history. But, the fact is that in…… Continue reading Dig into Black History Month
Category: History
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Monday was a holiday–of sorts. When I was young, it was unambiguously Columbus Day: we celebrated the day Columbus “discovered” America and most of us had off from school. Now, in many places–though not everywhere–the day is commemorated as “Indigenous Peoples’ Day,” but somewhat uneasily, I think, depending on where you live. I asked…… Continue reading Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Emmett Till, in 2018
There’s a new podcast that I have started listening to called “This Day in History Class.” It’s from one of the hosts of “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” one of my favorite podcasts, and it has become kind of a stand-in for “The Writer’s Almanac”–that podcast was hosted by Garrison Keillor, and it was…… Continue reading Emmett Till, in 2018
Reflections on a Topography of Terror
I’m trying to get my thoughts together here in the first week of Trump’s presidency. It’s hard, because I am feeling so rattled, so apprehensive, and frankly, so sick to my stomach. I live and operate out of a place of deep optimism and hope, always, but I am finding that place hard to…… Continue reading Reflections on a Topography of Terror
