The History of Memorial Day
Memorial Day is an American holiday to honor members of the military who lost their lives during wars or conflicts. Many local communities hold patriotic celebrations that include parades, fireworks, and flag displays. Memorial Day is observed annually on the last Monday of May as a federal holiday. While the holiday honors fallen service members, […]
AAPI Heritage Month: Senator Mazie Hirono
May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month: a time to recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of the AAPI community. While Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the fastest-growing demographic group in the United States, they remain drastically underrepresented in all levels of government, including Congress. This week btw gets to know a […]
“Going for Broke”: Remembering the 442nd Regimental Combat Team
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month–a time to honor and celebrate this community’s many accomplishments, achievements, and contributions. The 442nd Regimental Combat Unit that served during World War II was a segregated Japanese American unit. It became one of the most decorated military units in U.S. history. Here, btw takes a […]
Biden Appoints New AAPI Liaison
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month–a time to honor and celebrate the achievements, accomplishments, and contributions of the fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States. As of the 2017 Census, 22.2 million Asian American and Pacific Islanders were living in the U.S. On April 14, the White House announced the new role […]
The 50th Anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy
Fifty years ago this month, the American table tennis team started a dialogue between American athletes and Chinese athletes that began a resumption of diplomacy between the two nations. The foundations for what became known as “Ping Pong Diplomacy” had been set years before. American and Chinese table tennis players first met at a tournament […]
Profiles in Women’s History: Elizabeth Peratrovich
In honor of Women’s History Month, btw is celebrating the accomplishments and contribution of women. This week btw takes a closer look at the life and achievements of Elizabeth Peratrovich, a Native American activist responsible for the first anti-discrimination law in the United States. Who Was Elizabeth Peratrovich? Elizabeth Peratrovich, a Tlingit Native American, was […]
Profiles in Black History: Georgia Gilmore
Have you heard the phrase, “Black history is American history”? It’s true that designating all of Black history to just one month does not recognize the fact that Black history cannot be separated from the story of our nation as a whole. But it can be helpful to consider Black History Month as a special […]
Inauguration Day 2021
Perhaps no single event illustrates democracy as much as the peaceful transfer of power from one president to another. On January 20, 2021, just before noon, Joseph R. Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States. For many reasons, this was an unusual ceremony, unlike any other inauguration in history. Here, […]
Attack on the United States Capitol
On January 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. a hostile group of Trump supporters attacked the United States Capitol Building as Congress was in session. They delayed the final step of certifying the 2020 presidential electoral votes. The protestors surged past security barriers and broke windows to enter the Capitol. They forced Capitol Police to retreat […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
McBride Makes History In 2018, Danica Roem became the first openly transgender person to serve in a state legislature. This year, that ceiling was further broken by Sarah McBride, who has just become the first openly transgender state senator. This makes McBride the highest-ranking transgender person to hold political office in the United States. McBride, […]