Momentarily, Barrack Obama has become the 44th President of the United States. Above that, he has become the first African-American President of the United States of America. A truly historic event in our nation's ever-unfolding history.
Congratulations to Barrack Obama and everything he represents.
I think the picture of Reverend Jesse Jackson crying is fitting. He has tears of joy, tears of relief, tears of excitement. Tears that reflect the hardships of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Booker T. Washington, Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, The Little Rock Nine, Malcolm X, Crispus Attucks, Bill Cosby, Thurgood Marshall and so many others.
To sum up this long civil rights battle, I think Jay-Z said it best at a rally in Philadelphia yesterday...
"Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther King could walk. Martin Luther King walked so Obama could run. Obama's running so we all can fly."
Barrack Obama will be sworn into office during the first month of 2009.
2009 marks the 100th Anniversary of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People).
Barrack Obama started his political career in Springfield, Illinois. Springfield, Illinois is the birthplace of the NAACP.
Tonight the United States took a giant step forward. It's one step towards change. Towards a friendlier, well respected United States. Get ready for America 2.0.
Showing posts with label Elections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elections. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Congratulations Barrack Obama!
Monday, November 03, 2008
Election Day: November 4, 2008: Quotes & Votes
With today's election in the balance, I thought these quotes, from past presidents, to be appropriate. I don't care who you vote for... as long as you vote.
Happy Election Day!
"The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter." - Dwight Eisenhower
"The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all."- JFK"I hope that no American will waste his franchise and throw away his vote by voting either for me or against me solely on account of my religious affiliation. It is not relevant." - JFK
"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." - John Quincy Adams
"The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men." - Lyndon Johnson
"Voters quickly forget what a man says." - Richard Nixon
"When a fellow tells me he's bipartisan, I know he's going to vote against me." - Harry Truman
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For more quotes from these presidents and others, please visit http://ushistorysite.com/president_quotes.php
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Election Day Lesson Plans
Still struggling with something to do for Monday before the election?
Check out some of these great resources:
The National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center is proud to feature originally authored lesson plans by educators from across the country. (psst... I helped to edit/finalize one of them)http://www.constitutioncenter.org/ncc_edu_Election_Lessons.aspx
PBS - By the People
These lesson plans are organized by grade level and topic. All are designed to tie to state and national standards for civics, history, math, and language arts.
A Great Resource Page from PBS
Scholastic Election 2008 Lesson Plans
BrainPOP Election Activities
These are very informative, fun cartoons. Most of these are free, scroll to the bottom to see all the free short movies.
If you've found others (and I know there is plenty more...) Please share them. We may not be able to squeeze them in by Monday, but are still appropriate even after the election.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The Great Debates: Kennedy v. Nixon
October 21, 1960 marked the date for the fourth and final debate between presidential hopefuls, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.
The world's first televised presidential debate took place just over a month prior on September 26.
I think we're all familiar with the circumstances surrounding these oft discussed events. Besides being the first televised presidential debate, many credit these debates as the events that would change the way we looked at the president for years to come and helped put Kennedy over the top in his defeat of Nixon. The debate gave national exposure to Kennedy, who was a relatively unknown senator, and helped him to go on to win the election by a narrow margin.
Nixon who had been on the campaign trail that day appeared tired and un-shaven to the television audience. While Kennedy appeared to be polished and well rested. It's been said that those that listened to the debates on the radio declared Nixon the winner, while those that watched on television gave the victory to Kennedy.
It's a testament to the power of perception and image, and truly helped to shape the personae an American presidential candidate needs to address.
I've always said that because of this, a great candidate like Lincoln would not have made it as president in the television age. His awkward appearance and cracking voice would not translate well. And despite his great oratory abilities, it would be too difficult for the American people to overlook his appearance.
Here are two great resources to discuss these historical debates in class:
Monday, October 06, 2008
The Presidential Election Lesson Plans & Presidential Word Clouds
For history, civics, and government teachers the Constitution Center is heaven.
It is an overwhelming array of multi-media sure to keep you interested for hours.
What makes the Constitution Center even better is its undying devotion to education and its continuous rotation of great exhibits. Fortunately for me, I can walk to the National Constitution Center (NCC) from my house. I'm close. I can experience everything it has to offer... And having said that, I'd like to share a little bit of what I have to look forward to during my next visit.
The NCC is on top of things. They prepare months, probably years in advance to bring the greatest ideas and technology to the forefront. The exhibit highlighted below is no exception.
It appears to be based on the US Presidential Speeches Tag Cloud where someone has taken the time to create a tag cloud of the words most often used in speeches for each president. It's fascinating.
http://chir.ag/phernalia/preztags/
Check out the link first, then read about what the National Constitution Center is doing (in their own words)
Hindsight is Always 20/20
"The Center celebrates the excitement of the election season with Headed to the White House and now, with an extraordinary exhibition that displays each president’s State of the Union addresses as you’ve never seen before.
Hindsight is Always 20/20 examines the history of the presidential State of the Union address through the metaphor of vision. Drawn from the annual addresses given by Presidents to Congress, ‘Hindsight’ consists of a single Snellen–style eye chart for each president who performed this Constitutional act. Instead of the typical eye–chart characters, the piece highlights words from their State of the Union speeches presenting the sixty–six most frequently used words from each presidential administration, starting with the most often used word on the top line. The result is an engaging snapshot of each presidency, containing a mix of keywords related to events of the day and rhetoric unique to each president and the time period in which they served.
Artist R. Luke DuBois is a composer, artist, and performer who explores the temporal, verbal, and visual structures of pop–culture ephemera. Past exhibitions of his work have been displayed at the Insitut Valencia d’Art Modern in Valencia, Spain; San Jose Museum of Art; Daelim Museum in Seoul, Korea; Sundance Film Festival; and Sydney Film Festival.
Hindsight is Always 20/20 is part of the Center’s long range goal to broaden our audiences and expand our offerings through compelling and diverse exhibitions."
Additionally, they offer free lesson plans and ideas to help incorporate civics into the classroom. The link below is a link to some some excellent resources about the upcoming
election. http://www.constitutioncenter.org/HeadedToTheWhiteHouse/Educators.html
FYI - I'm teaching world history this year and am looking for creative ideas to incorporate the election into the curriculum. We're starting Greece on Friday and I see a natural link with Greece's democratic government with that of the United States' government, and an easy transition to the election.
If anybody else has any other ideas, please share them...
Thursday, June 05, 2008
RFK, Sirhan Sirhan and the Woman in the Polka Dot Dress; 40 Years Later
It seems as if my blog has been Kennedy-centric of late. But for good reason.
Today, June 5 marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Robert Kennedy. Coincidentally, it comes one day after Barrack Obama wins the Democratic nomination for President, a position RFK would most likely have gained, and won.
It comes several weeks after some bizarre comments made by Hillary Clinton referencing the tragedy. When asked why she hadn't conceded a race that, for all intents and purposes, has been decided for months she replied:
My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. I don't understand it.
What's even stranger is that this is not the first time she referenced RFK's death in association with her stretching the primary through June. Here are her comments from a March 6 interview with Time:
TIME: Can you envision a point at which--if the race stays this close--Democratic Party elders would step in and say, "This is now hurting the party and whoever will be the nominee in the fall"?
CLINTON: No, I
really can't. I think people have short memories. Primary contests used to last
a lot longer. We all remember the great tragedy of Bobby Kennedy being assassinated in June in L.A. My husband didn't wrap up the nomination in
1992 until June. Having a primary contest go through June is nothing
particularly unusual.
Are you kidding me? You're right Hillary. Primaries lasting through June is not particularly unusual... but your comments are. I'm sure she was apologetic the first time she said it, and I know she doesn't mean any harm to Senator Obama, but I thought she would have learned from her mistakes. She's always appeared to be a very intelligent and calculating woman but I'm not exactly sure how these comments in particular passed through her filter.
I'm happy they did because it makes this blog post come full circle back into the present.
I'm happy they did because it makes this blog post come full circle back into the present.
The Assassination
The movie Bobby
is a great portrayal of the entire event. Even though you know what happens the movie sets up the suspense very well.
The Woman in the Polka Dot Dress
The movie Bobby
is a great portrayal of the entire event. Even though you know what happens the movie sets up the suspense very well.The Woman in the Polka Dot Dress
So who exactly is the woman in the polka-dot-dress? Several witnesses to the shooting told police they saw Sirhan Sirhan talking to a man and a woman in a polka-dot dress before the incident. This combined with an LAPD sergeant's report that he overheard a woman wearing a polka-dot dress say "We shot Kennedy." This mystery woman, disappeared in the chaos as the crowd dispersed before the police officer could react. Many believe this woman may have hypnotized Sirhan Sirhan brainwashing him and convincing him to kill Kennedy. This theory was quickly dismissed by police. So where is this woman now? Where was she then? Nobody knows who she is, or if she ever even existed.
Conspiracy?
Despite this confusion, we are certain of one thing. Both Robert Kennedy and John Kennedy were killed by two very unstable men. Though what is not certain is whether these deaths are related or are they part of a larger conspiracy. Did Sirhan have accomplices? Did Oswald have accomplices? Are they mob related? Were there more than one shooter in both assassinations? Will we ever know the truth of either of the Kennedy assassinations?
Despite this confusion, we are certain of one thing. Both Robert Kennedy and John Kennedy were killed by two very unstable men. Though what is not certain is whether these deaths are related or are they part of a larger conspiracy. Did Sirhan have accomplices? Did Oswald have accomplices? Are they mob related? Were there more than one shooter in both assassinations? Will we ever know the truth of either of the Kennedy assassinations?
Some information:
The Freedom of Information Act at least gives us the ability to see the results of the investigations, though we can't possibly judge the validity of them. Here is a link to the FBI report on the assassination of RFK: http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/rfk.htm
For more information on the RFK assassination and other California assassinations, read the book California Justice by David Kulczyk. It has short histories of nearly 35 California lynchings and shootings.
I can't say this is the best read in the world, and it's definitely not for everyone, but it does work if you're into old style lynchings and posses and bar room brawls turned into shootouts.
Where's Sirhan now?
For more information on the RFK assassination and other California assassinations, read the book California Justice by David Kulczyk. It has short histories of nearly 35 California lynchings and shootings.I can't say this is the best read in the world, and it's definitely not for everyone, but it does work if you're into old style lynchings and posses and bar room brawls turned into shootouts.
Where's Sirhan now?
He's still in prison. He's been eligible for parole 13 times (as of June, 2008) and has been denied each time.
RIP RFK
Here's the eulogy of Bobby Kennedy, presented by his brother Teddy.
Fun Facts:
Here's the eulogy of Bobby Kennedy, presented by his brother Teddy.
Fun Facts:
It is rumored that in true Kennedy fashion, as RFK lay dying on the kitchen floor at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, he uttered his last words: "Is everyone alright?"
The lead investigator for Robert Kennedy's assassination was Assistant Police Chief Daryl Gates, who later would become Chief of Police of the LAPD during the Rodney King incident and the riots that ensued after the verdict.
Links to more facts: http://flag.blackened.net/daver/misc/rfk.html
Saturday, May 31, 2008
The Election of 1960: MLK and The Kennedys
Obviously, the main event of the 1960 Presidential election was the first televised debate between two presidential candidates. No doubt, that is a milestone achievement and deserves further examination. However, this entry of the 1960 Election will focus on Martin Luther King and his role in the election.
King who always stays neutral, "in order to maintain a nonpartisan posture" and to be to be able to look objectively at both parties at all times", is a man of conviction and stuck to his word despite both John and Robert Kennedy working feverishly to help release King from jail, who was ultimately arrested for driving with a suspended license.
The Kennedy's made phone call after phone call demanding that Martin Luther King not stand trial. They even phoned Dr. King's wife, Coretta Scott King, to comfort her and let her know that they were handling the situation. A classy move. A political move, but still a respected one. And except for the whole moonshine thing (it's how the Kennedy's got their fortune), and the rumors of adultery (Mattress Jack) and the whole Chappaquiddick thing, the Kennedy's are a class act.
So, was it the Kennedy's idea to make the phone call? Were they really that concerned and that proactive? The story continues...
For some reason Nixon's press secretary didn't want Nixon to get involved and blocked any calls about the situation. Had Nixon and his advisors handled this situation differently the election may have gone his way.
Coretta Scott King, six months pregnant and very scared that her husband would be killed in a southern Atlanta jail, called Harris Wofford, an advisor to Kennedy. She called him because she had heard that he had previously tried to release King from jail.
Wofford then proceeded to call Sargent Shriver, Kennedy's brother-in-law (he married Eunice, for those that know the Kennedy family), to ask him to get Kennedy to call Mrs. King. (Side note: Sargent Shriver is Maria Shriver's father, which makes him Arnold Schwarzenegger's father-in-law.)
Kennedy, who had been waiting for Georgia's Democratic governor Ernest Vandiver to handle the matter, promptly called Mrs. King.
Mrs. King, very pleased with the call, told Martin Luther King, Sr. (MLKs father). MLK Sr. then announced that Kennedy's "concern" was enough to make him leave the Republican party and vote for Kennedy.
This move helped shift the African American vote decisively in Kennedy's favor and just may have won him the election.
MLK Jr. remained bi-partisan, but his father's pull was enough to swing the African-American vote in the Kennedy's favor.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
The Antiques Roadshow Takes A Closer Look at American History
While aimlessly flipping the channels a few nights ago, which doesn't happen as much as it used to now that we've upgraded to DVR, I stopped on the Antiques Roadshow.
This show always intrigues me with the background and history associated with each item. The appraisers are often times extremely knowledgeable in history and will associate the piece and how it was made with the era from which it came. To me, this makes the show very much worth watching.
But this night of the Antiques Road Show became especially enjoyable when they focused on a political sign from the 1840 election brought in by a man who inherited it from his family. The story goes that his great-grandmother, had made the sign in support of James K. Polk. The banner was appraised at $5-7,000 at auction.
His father's grandmother, was related to Abraham Lincoln. "One branch of the Lincoln family produced a gentleman by the name of Abraham," he told appraiser Catherine Williamson of Bonham & Butterfields in Los Angeles. "And the other branch of the family produced me."
I find it curious that during that era women weren't allowed to vote. But in the true democratic fashion, this woman decided to take the time to hand paint letters onto a banner which was approximately 15 by 6, using stencils. This was her way of campaigning.
Her favorite, Polk eventually did win the election on his platform of territorial expansion. He favored the annexation of Texas and the acquisition of the entire Oregon Territory, which at that time was shared with Britain. He was also pro-slavery. Polk was obviously the democratic nominee.
On the other hand Clay, representing the Whigs, had lost elections in 1824 and 1832, was against expansion and was anti-slavery. I've always been a big fan of Henry Clay, mostly because he was a man of strong convictions. He was never willing to give up. Known as the Great Compromiser his skill in negotiations staved off the Civil War twice in in 1820 with the Missouri Compromise and again with the Compromise of 1850. He also ran for president 5 times.
But back to the task at hand...
You can see the whole appraisal here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/200702A10.html
Who knew the Antiques Roadshow was so Web 2.0. They have archived every appraisal they've done on TV and created a pretty cool search engine to find them too.
I tuned out after that, but was a little upset that I didn't continue watching. What came next was from the personal archives of the White House photographer for JFK.
"I was in Dallas during the horrible assassination," he told appraiser Francis Wahlgren of Christie's in New York as he recounted the details of that day. Once he realized Kennedy had died, he got on the plane with Lyndon Johnson and Jacqueline Kennedy and photographed Johnson's swearing-in ceremony.
The value of that photograph, autographed by LBJ, was $50,000, while a signed photo of the Kennedy family was appraised at $25,000.
And apparently this was THE episode to watch for american history aficianados as a Civil War Henry Repeating rifle was also appraised.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/200702A34.html
References:
Article about Antiques Roadshow - http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080126/LIFE/801260301/-1/archives
Missouri Compromise - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_Compromise
Compromise of 1850 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compromise_of_1850
This show always intrigues me with the background and history associated with each item. The appraisers are often times extremely knowledgeable in history and will associate the piece and how it was made with the era from which it came. To me, this makes the show very much worth watching.
But this night of the Antiques Road Show became especially enjoyable when they focused on a political sign from the 1840 election brought in by a man who inherited it from his family. The story goes that his great-grandmother, had made the sign in support of James K. Polk. The banner was appraised at $5-7,000 at auction.
His father's grandmother, was related to Abraham Lincoln. "One branch of the Lincoln family produced a gentleman by the name of Abraham," he told appraiser Catherine Williamson of Bonham & Butterfields in Los Angeles. "And the other branch of the family produced me."
I find it curious that during that era women weren't allowed to vote. But in the true democratic fashion, this woman decided to take the time to hand paint letters onto a banner which was approximately 15 by 6, using stencils. This was her way of campaigning.
Her favorite, Polk eventually did win the election on his platform of territorial expansion. He favored the annexation of Texas and the acquisition of the entire Oregon Territory, which at that time was shared with Britain. He was also pro-slavery. Polk was obviously the democratic nominee.
On the other hand Clay, representing the Whigs, had lost elections in 1824 and 1832, was against expansion and was anti-slavery. I've always been a big fan of Henry Clay, mostly because he was a man of strong convictions. He was never willing to give up. Known as the Great Compromiser his skill in negotiations staved off the Civil War twice in in 1820 with the Missouri Compromise and again with the Compromise of 1850. He also ran for president 5 times.
But back to the task at hand...
You can see the whole appraisal here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/200702A10.html
Who knew the Antiques Roadshow was so Web 2.0. They have archived every appraisal they've done on TV and created a pretty cool search engine to find them too.
I tuned out after that, but was a little upset that I didn't continue watching. What came next was from the personal archives of the White House photographer for JFK.
"I was in Dallas during the horrible assassination," he told appraiser Francis Wahlgren of Christie's in New York as he recounted the details of that day. Once he realized Kennedy had died, he got on the plane with Lyndon Johnson and Jacqueline Kennedy and photographed Johnson's swearing-in ceremony.The value of that photograph, autographed by LBJ, was $50,000, while a signed photo of the Kennedy family was appraised at $25,000.
And apparently this was THE episode to watch for american history aficianados as a Civil War Henry Repeating rifle was also appraised.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/200702A34.html
References:
Article about Antiques Roadshow - http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080126/LIFE/801260301/-1/archives
Missouri Compromise - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_Compromise
Compromise of 1850 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compromise_of_1850
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Abraham Lincoln's Corrupt Bargain
James Gordon Bennett, was the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald from 1835 until 1866 when the reigns were handed to his son.
Though Bennett will tell you that his newspaper was officially independent, he made it well known that he opposed Abraham Lincoln.
Consider this excerpt from an 1864 Herald, editorial:
President Lincoln is a joke incarnated. His election was a very sorry joke. The idea that such a man as he should be President of such a country as this is a very ridiculous joke. . . His inaugural address was a joke, since it was full of promises which he has never performed. His Cabinet is and always has been a standing joke. All his State papers are jokes. . . His intrigues to secure a renomination and the hopes he appears to entertain of a re-election are, however, the most laughable jokes of all.
Surely, first amendment rights take precedent, but allowing this in the paper is hardly the act of an 'independent' newspaper.
To win the 1864 nomination, Lincoln needed to win New York and needed support from Bennett and the Herald in order to do that. So Lincoln did what any good politician would do... he asked Bennett to name his price. Bribery? From Lincoln? This can't be...
Bennett, a newspaper tycoon, didn't need the money and simply wanted "attention" and "recognition".
A newspaperman before anything else, Bennett agreed to give Lincoln's administration "a thorough exposition in the columns of the Herald," provided that Lincoln and his advisers "occasionally... make known to him [their] plans."
It's important to note that the Herald was known for lacking in morals and respectability and Bennett was barred from polite New York society because he was "too pitchy to touch".Lincoln, needing the votes, appointed the totally unqualified Bennett as minister to France. Bennett, who wanted the social recognition, accepted the position.
The bargain was done. The Herald no longer criticized the President, and New York's 33 Electoral Votes went to Lincoln.
Bibliography:
Donald, David. Lincoln Reconsidered. 2nd ed. New York: Alfred a. Knopf, Inc., 1956. 74-75.
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