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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Refugee Tragedy Refugees frequently cross the Bab al-Mandeb strait between the east coast of Africa and the west coast of the Arabian Peninsula. They look for work and better living conditions in wealthier Gulf nations, such as Saudi Arabia. But this journey is dangerous, and often ends in tragedy. It is common for smugglers in […]
The Nineteenth Amendment Turns 100
August 18, 2020 marked the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment’s ratification to the Constitution. This amendment granted white women the right to vote. The struggle for white woman suffrage was finally achieved when Tennessee became the final state to officially ratify the amendment. Here, btw remembers the seventy-year effort needed to accomplish this important […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
#NoCoronaSummerSlide It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the negative news about COVID-19 lately. That’s why it’s especially important to learn about amazing people who view the coronavirus crisis as an opportunity to make their communities better places. Chrishawndra Matthews is one of these special people. She has taken it upon herself to combat […]