History of Juneteenth
President Abraham Lincoln declared an end to slavery in the United States with the Emancipation Proclamation in September 1862. Following the Union army’s success at the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln proclaimed “That on the 1st day of January . . . 1863, all persons held as slaves within any state or designated part of a […]
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, […]
Arab American Heritage Month
April is observed as Arab American Heritage month in many places across the United States, though it is not officially recognized by the federal government. Today, there are nearly 3.7 Arab Americans living in all fifty United States. These people can trace their roots to 22 Arab-speaking countries in the Middle East and North Africa. […]
Women’s History Month: Sidney Robertson Cowell
In honor of Women’s History Month, btw is highlighting the achievements and contributions of women who are less often acknowledged. This week btw takes a closer look at Sidney Robertson Cowell, an important ethnographer (someone who studies people and cultures) and folk music collector. She was instrumental in gathering and preserving folk music in California […]
Hispanic Heritage Month: Frank Torres
September 15 to October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States: a time to recognize and celebrate the cultures, contributions, and achievements of the nation’s Hispanic and Latino communities. This week, btw presents Frank Torres, who fought to increase the number of Latinos in the legal profession and to make sure that Hispanic […]
Census Results Come In
This week’s Election Central post gives a summary of the new population data gathered from the most recent national Census.. Once a decade, the federal government completes a population count to determine each state’s congressional and state-level representation. The federal government also uses this data to guide the distribution of funding to local communities every […]
Civil Rights Leader Gloria Richardson Dies at 99
When you think of the leaders of the civil rights movement, you may first think of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, or John Lewis. But there were many other leaders of the movement whose work is less well known. One of these individuals is Gloria Richardson, who passed away last week in New […]
The Group of 7 Meets in England
Last week was the 47th G-7 Summit. G-7 stands for the “Group of Seven,” and includes the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The G-7 originated in the 1970s as a meeting of finance ministers from the U.S., France, the U.K., and West Germany. As the organization became more formal […]
Biden Hosts Earth Day Climate Summit
This week’s Election Central post describes President Biden’s discussion with other world leaders about how to set policy to combat climate change. On Friday April 23, 2021, in honor of Earth Day, President Biden hosted a virtual global summit to discuss climate change with other world leaders. Here, Election Central takes a closer look at […]
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 […]