SHHS Library
Click the tabs at the top to find more information.
Hello and welcome to your high school library! I am Mrs. Sweigert and I am looking forward to working with you throughout the year.
I have some fun activities in order for you to take a "brain break." There are puzzles, Rubik's cubes, trivia, tech tips, book excerpts read aloud and more. Please check the "Contests & Fun Stuff" page regularly.
Brain breaks are great, but say you have to find some information on a specific topic and your teacher said you have to use a database and you don't even know what that is. I can help you. I can walk you through the databases, show you how to find and evaluate useful online sources and how to cite your sources.
Do you finally have some down time and want to read a great book but don't know what you want to read? I can help you with that too! Stop in and ask me or send me an email. (This is one of the favorite parts of my job!) You can also look at the great book recommendations page or search the catalog.
The library is open most days during class with a pass, during study center, during lunch and after school on Tues., Wed. and Thurs. from 3-4. You MUST be wearing your school ID.
I hope you have a wonderful year!
Freshman Library Orientation- Click here to finish orientation.
Daily "Change the World" information about important social justice historical events
Most of this information comes from the "2020-2021 Planning to Change the World: A Plan Book for Social Justice Teachers" or "The People History: Important Events From This day in History"
June 1
First day of Caribbean American Heritage Month.
Caribbean American Heritage Month is a month designated to celebrate the history, traditions, and culture of Caribbean Americans and to honor their contributions to American society.
June 2
First day of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month. (June 1)
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month commemorates the 1969 Stonewall riots, where gay rights activists clashed with NYC police over discrimination and police brutality. It also aims to raise awareness about issues surrounding the civil rights of LGBTQ Americans.
May 26
National Sorry Day (Australia).
First commemorated in 1998, National Sorry Day in Australia honors the memories of those Aboriginal people who were victims of all forms of genocide (including cultural genocide) at the hands of the Australian government.
May 27
60th anniversary of the publication of “The Forgotten Prisoners.” (May 28)
British lawyer Peter Benenson launched a worldwide campaign, “Appeal for Amnesty 1961,” with the publication of an article, “The Forgotten Prisoners,” in The Observer. He was inspired to write it after reading about two Portuguese students imprisoned for toasting freedom. This campaign led to the founding of Amnesty International.
May 28
50th anniversary of the First National Conference of La Raza Women.
An estimated 600 women from 23 states attended the 3-day Conferencia de Mujeres por la Raza in Houston, TX. Topics included Education and Employment; Sex and Birth Control; Marriage and Childcare; and Religion. About half of the delegates walked out, criticizing the conference organizers for not focusing more on racism and supporting poor and working-class women.
May 24
20th anniversary of ESPN.com writer and editor Bill Konigsberg’s coming out.
In an article he penned himself, ESPN.com writer and editor Bill Konigsberg came out as gay. Konigsberg went on to become a critically acclaimed author focusing on Queer issues through young adult fiction.
Bill Konigsberg Website. This official website has links to all of Konigsberg’s young adult queer novels. The site also includes information about his life with his husband and their dogs, his writing, a place to ask him questions, and links to his social media.
May 25
African Liberation Day, established in 1958 at the first Pan-African conference held on African soil, celebrates the hard-fought freedoms of African countries from European colonizers.
May 20
60th anniversary of White attacks on Black supporters of Freedom Riders. (May 21)
1,000 Black residents and civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., attended a service in support of the Freedom Riders at the First Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. A White mob surrounded the church and vandalized cars. At King’s request, Attorney General Robert Kennedy sent US Marshalls to break up the mob. With the help of local police, they finally dispersed the crowd, but not before they shot into buildings and threw firebombs.
May 21
140th anniversary of the founding of the American Red Cross.
The American Red Cross, a nonprofit charitable organization, receives its funding through public donations. It was the brainchild of Clara Barton, who served as a nurse during the US Civil War and lobbied for an American version of the International Red Cross. She also advocated for the US to sign the Geneva Convention, which it did in 1882. Barton served as the first president of the organization and held that position for 23 years.
May 17
International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT).
IDAHOBIT is a day set aside to draw the attention of policymakers, opinion leaders, the public, and the media to the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTQI people. Originally called International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), Transphobia was added in 2009 and Biphobia in 2015.
May 18
30th anniversary of Estelle v. Smith.
In Estelle v. Smith, the Supreme Court held that the state may not force a defendant to undergo psychiatric evaluation solely for the purpose of sentencing. Any such examination violates the defendant’s 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination, as well as the 6th Amendment right to counsel, and is therefore inadmissible at sentencing.
May 19
100th anniversary of the Emergency Immigration Act of 1921.
Responding to anti-immigrant sentiment, Congress set an annual maximum for immigrants and limited immigration from a specific nation to three percent of that nation’s population living in the US at the time of the 1910 census. It had the effect of drastically reducing immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe. This act was the first to include any quantitative restrictions on immigration and led the way to even stricter controls.
May 13
International Conscientious Objectors Day. (May 15)
A day to celebrate those who resist war on moral grounds, especially by refusing to participate in military activities.
May 14
70th anniversary of the first British trans woman to undergo sex reassignment surgery. (May 15)
Roberta Cowell was a race car driver and WWII fighter pilot. Throughout much of her life, Cowell knew she did not identify as male and decided to undergo sex reassignment surgery. In 1950, a doctor illegally removed the testicles. A year later, renowned plastic surgeon Sir Harold Gillies performed a vaginoplasty, enabling Cowell to become the first British trans woman to undergo this type of surgery.
May 10
1994 South Africa Nelson Mandela
The inauguration ceremony for South Africa's first black president Nelson Mandela takes place in the Union Buildings amphitheater in Pretoria attended by politicians and dignitaries from more than 140 countries around the world.
May 11
1956 The Gold Coast / Ghana Independence
The Gold Coast / Ghana becomes the first black African nation to be granted independence from Britain.
May 12
Eid al-Fitr begins at sunset on 5/12 (Islam).
Eid Al-Fitr (Feast of Fast-Breaking) is celebrated at the end of the holy month of Ramadan to mark the end of fasting. It is often celebrated over the course of three days.
May 6
No Diet Day is an annual celebration of body acceptance and body shape diversity. This day is also dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle and raising awareness of the dangers and futility of extreme dieting.
May 7
National Barrier Awareness Day.
Proclamation 5472 declared National Barrier Awareness Day as an occasion to recognize and fight against the many barriers, both visible and invisible, that people with disabilities face. On this day we are reminded to work to eliminate the social, legal, economic, and physical barriers that confront individuals with disabilities.
May 3
First day of National Children’s Book Week.
Initiated in 1919, National Children’s Book Week is dedicated to celebrating children’s literature and encouraging children to read. It is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the US.
May 4
60th anniversary of the start of the Freedom Rides.
Leaving from Washington, DC, a racially integrated group of activists, called the Freedom Riders, rode buses through the American South with the mission of testing the government’s willingness to enforce a court ruling declaring segregation on interstate buses illegal. Along the way, they faced incidents of violence and angry mobs who eventually burned their buses and attempted to impede progress. The rides resumed under police escort on May 20th and drew international attention to the Civil Rights movement.
The Freedom Riders, a Stanley Nelson film. The story behind a courageous band of civil rights activists, called the Freedom Riders, who in 1961 creatively challenged segregation in the American South.
May 5
1955 : Over 500,000 people in the UK have now received the Salk polio vaccine. There has been a sharp rise in the demand for the vaccine but local health departments have run out and now ordered an extra million doses. We take it for granted that our children and grandchildren are safe from Polio, but this is only because governments, scientists and the people worked together that Polio is now no longer the threat it was.
April 29
International Jazz Day. (April 30)
Established in November 2011, International Jazz Day is an official UNESCO designation that celebrates the role Jazz plays in uniting people throughout the world. Each year this international art form is recognized for promoting peace, dialogue among cultures, diversity, and respect for human rights and human dignity; eradicating discrimination; promoting freedom of expression; fostering gender equality; and reinforcing the role of youth in enacting social change.
April 30
150th anniversary of the Camp Grant Massacre.
A band of heavily armed Whites, Mexicans, and Papagos Indians raided a peaceful settlement of Apache Indians – mostly women and children – who were living near Camp Grant in Arizona. While the Apaches slept, the marauders slaughtered eight men and 110 women and children. They also kidnapped 28 Apache babies to be sold into slavery. Although 104 of the attackers were indicted and tried, they were all acquitted in less than 20 minutes.
The Shadows at Dawn. This website utilizes the rich array of primary sources generated by a single, troubling event– the Camp Grant Massacre of 1871– to illuminate the world of the mid-19th century US-Mexico borderlands. Includes primary documents and lesson plan links.
April 26
Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. (April 24)
This observance is held annually to commemorate the victims of the massacre and deportation of Armenians by the government of the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923.
Twenty Voices - Armenian Genocide Documentary-PART 14: THE FIVE STAGES OF GENOCIDE
April 27
The UN Commission on Human Rights declared that everyone has the right to live in a world free from toxic pollution and environmental degradation. The successful implementation of international environmental treaties on biodiversity, climate change, desertification, and chemicals can make a major contribution in protecting human rights. It concludes that those who destroy the natural environment are violating basic human rights.
April 28
50th anniversary of the establishment of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Since its establishment, OSHA and its state partners, along with the efforts of employers, safety and health professionals, unions, and advocates, have had a dramatic effect on workplace safety. Fatality and injury rates have dropped markedly. The rate of reported serious workplace injuries and illnesses has declined from 11 per 100 workers in 1972 to 2.8 per 100 workers in 2018. OSHA safety and health standards have prevented countless work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths.
April 22
Earth Day is an annual event celebrated in 175 countries to raise awareness about environmental issues. According to the Earth Day Network, it is the largest secular civic event in the world.
April 23
During the National Day of Silence, a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), students organize protests against LGBTQ harassment in schools.
April 19
1969 - Students Occupy Willard Straight Hall
Militant black students at Cornell Univ. use force to take over Willard Straight Hall demanding a black studies program, after a deal was reached with the administration the news showed students leaving the hall carrying rifles although they were never used.
April 20
150th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1871.
Congress followed the Civil Rights Act of 1870 with an 1871 law aimed at enforcing the provisions of the 14th Amendment. The law became known as the Second Enforcement Act, or the Second Ku Klux Klan Act, and was designed to protect African Americans from Klan violence during Reconstruction, giving those deprived of a constitutional right by someone acting under color of law the right to seek relief in a federal district or circuit court.
April 21
1989 - Student Protest Tiananmen Square
100,000 students gather at Beijing's Tiananmen Square to commemorate Hu Yaobang the deposed reform-minded leader of the Chinese Communist Party and voice their discontent with China's authoritative communist government. This was the beginning of the mass demonstrations in Tiananmen Square, Beijing prior to the Chinese Government declaring martial law in May of the same year which led to the June Massacres by Chinese troops killing hundreds of demonstrators and arresting thousands of protesters and other suspected dissidents.
April 15
Jackie Robinson becomes the first African American player in Major League Baseball when he steps onto Ebbets Field in Brooklyn to compete for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
April 16
60th anniversary of the Bay of Pigs invasion. (April 17)
In an attempt to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro, the CIA launched what its leaders believed would be the definitive strike: a full-scale invasion of Cuba by 1,400 American-trained Cubans who had fled their homes when Castro took over. However, the invasion did not go well. The invaders were badly outnumbered by Castro’s troops, and they surrendered after less than 24 hours of fighting.
April 12
First Day of Ramadan (Islam).
Ramadan is a holy month of fasting and prayer in the Islam faith. It is the 9th month of the 12-month Islamic calendar and commemorates the month during which Mohammed received the revelations that became the Koran (Quran).
April 13
40th anniversary of Poe v. Lynchburg Training School and Hospital.
The ACLU filed suit on behalf of 8,000 women who had been involuntarily sterilized as part of a eugenics program at a state mental institution in Virginia. The US District Court ruled that the sterilization did not violate the women’s constitutional rights, and that though the statute on sterilization of “mental defectives” had been repealed, it had been upheld previously in Buck v. Bell.
Mind Freedom. Mind Freedom is an activist group dedicated to winning and protecting human rights in the mental health system. This website contains information about the organization as well as personal stories of psychiatric survivors.
April 14
B.R. Ambedkar, Indian jurist, social reformer, and activist, born (1891-1956).
Ambedkar was born into a Dalit Mahar (Untouchable) family and suffered discrimination throughout his childhood. He studied at universities in the US, UK, and Germany, and became a lawyer. After Independence, Ambedkar became India’s Law Minister and was the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, outlawing discrimination against “untouchables.” In 1956 he renounced Hinduism because of its doctrine on untouchability and converted to Buddhism.
April 8
Vesak (Buddhism).
Vesak (Wesak/Vesakha) is the most important holiday in the Buddhist calendar, celebrating Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, death, and his passing into nirvana. The exact date of Vesak varies according to the lunar calendars used in different traditions.
April 9
70th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s reversal of the “Groveland Four” convictions.
Four Black men – Ernest Thomas, Charles Greenlee, Samuel Shepherd, and Walter Irvin – were falsely accused of raping a White woman. Thomas was killed by Sheriff Willis McCall during the search for the suspects, while Irvin, Shepherd, and Greenlee were charged and convicted by an all-White jury. The Supreme Court tossed the convictions, but the men were retried and found guilty again. The sheriff shot Shepherd and Irvin while in custody; Irvin survived. In 2019, the Governor of Florida posthumously pardoned all four men.
April 6
World Health Day is observed annually to commemorate the establishment of the World Health Organization (WHO) and to bring awareness to the importance of global health. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the organization, which works to guarantee universal healthcare and prevent, treat, and reduce the spread of diseases. President trump has decided unilaterally to withdraw the US from the WHO.
Critical Condition and other films about healthcare. Films about healthcare from P.O.V. and Media That Matters.
April 7
Yom HaShoa – Holocaust Remembrance Day begins at sundown on 4/07 (Judaism)
Yom Hashoah ceremonies include the lighting of candles for Holocaust victims, and listening to the stories of survivors. Religious ceremonies include prayers such as Kaddish for the dead and the El Maleh Rahamim, a memorial prayer. In Israel Yom Hashoah is one of the most solemn days of the year.
March 25
110th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire.
A fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company in New York City killed 146 workers, mainly young immigrant women. Many of the deaths came from workers jumping out of windows or falling down elevator shafts. The factory’s owners were tried and acquitted of manslaughter in the deaths. 100,000 people marched in a memorial parade, which increased public awareness about unethical labor conditions in factories. This event sparked sweeping changes in labor safety laws.
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Online Exhibition, by The Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives. This web exhibit presents original documents and secondary sources on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire.
March 26
First day of Passover begins at sunset on 3/27 (Judaism).
Passover is an 8-day festival that commemorates the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
March 22
World Water Day
This observance is held annually to highlight water issues and to advocate for universal access to sustainable freshwater resources.
Mni Wiconi: The Stand at Standing Rock, by Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Short, powerful informational video describing the #NoDAPL struggle at Standing Rock. Works well as a primer for students unfamiliar with the basic issues related to the struggle.
March 23
40th anniversary of Kirchberg v. Feenstra
The Supreme Court unanimously overturned state laws designating a husband as “head and master.” A Louisiana law gave sole rights to marital property to the husband. Joan Feenstra filed a lawsuit arguing that such a law was unconstitutional, and she prevailed. During the oral arguments of Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015 (the same-sex marriage case), Justice Ginsburg cited the case, arguing that “we have changed our views on marriage over time.”
March 24
90th anniversary of the Scottsboro Nine (March 25)
Nine African American teenagers were falsely accused of raping two White women in Alabama. Eight were sentenced to death by an all-White jury, but their convictions were overturned four years later by the Supreme Court. In the meantime, the Scottsboro Nine collectively served more than 100 years in prison. The racial injustice they faced helped fuel the Civil Rights movement.
The Scottsboro Accusers In 1931, Ruby Bates and Victoria Price falsely accused nine black youths of rape.
March 18
120th anniversary of Li Sing v. United States.
Li Sing was a Chinese man who was a lawful resident of New Jersey. After a brief trip to China, he was granted re-entry, but was later arrested and charged with unlawful entry, despite having a certificate of entry from the Chinese consulate. During this period of rampant anti-Chinese sentiment, he was found guilty. Upon appeal, the court upheld the previous conviction and Li Sing was deported.
March 19
80th anniversary of the Tuskegee Air Squadron (Tuskegee Airmen)
In 1941, President Roosevelt and Congress directed the War Department to form an all-Black flying unit. Benjamin O. Davis became the first African American to fly solo in an Army Air Corps aircraft. He trained and got his wings and was inducted as first squadron leader of the Tuskegee Air Squadron. Nearly 1,000 Tuskegee Airmen followed his lead. Their leadership and excellence are credited with the eventual integration of the US Armed Forces.
March 15
International Day Against Police Brutality.
Police brutality is not limited to the US. Police worldwide have abused their power for centuries and continue to this day. In 1997, a joint effort by the Montreal-based Collective Opposed to Police Brutality and the Switzerland-based Black Flag group established March 15 as International Day Against Police Brutality. It is marked by protests worldwide – which are often met with a brutal police response.
March 16
100th anniversary of the Mothers’ Clinic (actual date March 17)
Marie Stopes and her husband, Humphrey Roe, founded the Mothers’ Clinic, Britain’s first birth control clinic. The aim was to provide poor women with the latest contraceptive methods and to demonstrate its effect on their health and marital relations. Stopes and Roe funded the clinic personally and created the Society for Constructive Birth Control and Racial Progress to maintain it.
March 17
170th anniversary of dubious “discovery” of “Drapetomania” (Runaway Slave Syndrome)
Dr. Samuel Cartwright shared his “scientific” findings of “Drapetomania” at the Louisiana Medical Association annual meeting. The term combines the Greek words for runaway slave and crazy and describes a curable disorder that afflicts only Black people. The “cure” for this disorder was whipping and amputation of the toes. Cartwright claimed that Black people were different from White people by their smaller brains, underdeveloped nervous system, and more sensitive skin.
March 11
Mahashivaratri (Night of the Shiva) is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates Lord Shiva. Devotees observe day and night fasting and perform ritual worship of Shiva Lingam to appease Lord Shiva.
March 12
50th anniversary of Wyatt v. Stickney.
In Wyatt v. Stickney, a federal court in Alabama ruled that people involuntarily committed to state institutions because of mental illness or developmental disabilities have the right to treatment that gives them a realistic opportunity to return to society.
March 8
In 1909, more than 15,000 women workers marched through New York City to demand higher wages, shorter hours, and voting rights, inspiring similar actions across the world. At a Socialist International conference, women decided to designate a day for women to rally for and continue to make gender equity demands. In 1977, March 8 officially became the UN Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace.
March 9
2009 - President Obama ends restrictions on stem cell research
2009 : President Barack Obama has lifted the restrictions that were placed on federal funding for research into new stem cell lines. Obama's executive order is a major reversal of U.S. policy, and he has pledged to support the new research. George Bush had blocked the use of government money to fund it. Scientists have said that the research will lead to medical breakthroughs, but religious groups are opposed to the development of embryonic stem cells.
March 10
210th anniversary of the first of the Luddite protests against mechanization (date is March 11)
The Luddites were a movement of British weavers and textile workers who protested the mechanization of their industries, often by destroying mechanized looms, which they feared would put them out of work. The British government struck back, deploying troops to factories and imposing the death penalty for breaking machinery. The Luddite movement died out by 1813. The word Luddite has come to refer to anyone who is opposed to or fears new technology.
March 4
Berta Isabel Cáceres Flores, Indigenous rights and environmental activist, born (1971-2016).
Cáceres founded the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) to fight environmental destruction caused by plantations and dams. One of her grassroots campaigns, which led to her winning the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize, resulted in the world’s largest dam builder pulling out of a project. In 2016, Cáceres was assassinated in her home by corporate interests seeking to silence her.
Remembering Berta Cáceres, Assassinated Honduras Indigenous and Environmental Leader, by Democracy Now. In this reporting from DN, we hear about her accomplishments, along with an archived interview with Cáceres speaking to her nephew, Silvio Carrillo, and her longtime friend Beverly Bell.
March 5
50th anniversary of the exposure of the FBI’s COINTELPRO program.
The Citizens’ Commission to Investigate the FBI broke into an FBI office in Philadelphia, removing documents that revealed the existence of COINTELPRO (Counterintelligence Program), which operated from 1956 to 1971. The program aimed at infiltrating and disrupting “subversive” organizations such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Black Panthers, the American Indian Movement, the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party, and Martin Luther King, Jr., among others. The program was discontinued only because it had been publicly exposed.
March 1
100th anniversary of Idaho’s enhanced ban on interracial marriage.
Idaho amended its anti-miscegenation law to include additional restrictions on interracial marriage. The 1921 amendment banned marriage between White people and “Mongolians, Negroes, and Mulattoes.” It was repealed in 1959. This was part of a wider trend in the 1920s in response to “social Darwinism” in which elites tried to maintain the “purity” of the White race.
March 2
30th anniversary of Iraqi suppression of Kurdish uprising.
When the uprising confronted Saddam Hussein’s regime with the most serious internal challenge it had ever faced, government forces responded with atrocities on a massive scale, indiscriminately killing people in the streets and using helicopters to attack unarmed civilians as they fled. An estimated 50,000 Kurds and Shi’a Muslims were killed, and an estimated one million Kurds escaped to Turkey and Iran. The human rights repercussions continue to be felt to this day.
Teaching While Muslim, founded by Nagla Bedir. A website, blog series, and collection of resources devoted to supporting educators to challenge anti-Muslim racism and discrimination in and out of schools.
March 3
30th anniversary of the Rodney King beating by LAPD
Caught on camera, Rodney King’s brutal beating by LA police officers caused public outrage that increased anger over police brutality and social inequalities in the African American community. The four LAPD officers were indicted on numerous charges but were acquitted by a jury that included no Black members (10 Whites, and one each Latinx and Asian). The public response was swift and violent, sparking what came to be known as the LA riots.
When LA Erupted In Anger: A Look Back At The Rodney King Riots
Feb. 25
190th anniversary of federal penitentiary in the District of Columbia.
This prison was the precursor to the Federal Prison System, which was authorized 60 years later. The prison comprised a 20-foot wall, guard towers, and shops for making brooms and shoes. There were 150 cells for men and 64 cells for women. It was closed in 1862 when a nearby military base was expanded for use in the Civil War.
Feb. 26
90th anniversary of the La Placita Raid
In an era of nationwide job shortages and intense anti-immigrant sentiment, federal agents raided La Placita Park in Los Angeles and pulled 400 men and women into vans for deportation. The raids instilled fear in the Mexican American community. Illegal deportations continued in the years that followed, affecting nearly 1.8 million people, many of whom were US citizens.
Feb. 22
20th anniversary of UNESCO’s International Mother Language Day.
The day was established to celebrate and promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The commemoration honors the Language Movement of Bangladesh, which sought to have the Bangla language recognized as an official language after the formation of Pakistan and the declaration of Urdu as the only recognized language.
Feb. 23
1954 - U.S.A. Polio Vaccines Started
The first injections of the new polio vaccine developed by Dr. Jonas Salk to a group of children from Arsenal Elementary School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Feb. 24
190th anniversary of the ratification of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek
Originally signed in September 1830, this was the first land exchange under the Indian Removal Act. Eleven million acres of the Choctaw Nation, in what is now Mississippi, was ceded in exchange for 15 million acres in present-day Oklahoma. It was characterized as a “voluntary exchange,” though the Native Americans really had little choice in the matter, and the majority of Choctaw communities protested the agreement.
Feb. 17
Ash Wednesday/first day of Lent (Christianity)
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, a time of penitence and reflection in preparation for Easter for most Western Christians.
Feb. 18
50th anniversary of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK)
The Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) was organized to preserve language and history and to advance social, political, economic, and environmental justice for Canada’s indigenous Inuit people. The Inuit people have occupied their homeland (Inuit Nunangat) for millennia. These territories, spread across Canada, comprise 35% of Canada’s landmass and 50% of its coastline. The goal of ITK is to promote the prosperity of Canada’s Inuit population through unity and self-determination.
Feb. 19
70th anniversary of the storming of the Egyptian parliament
1,500 Egyptian women, led by Doria Shafik, stormed the all-male Egyptian parliament with a set of demands aimed at creating a more feminist-oriented parliament in Egypt. For four hours, these activists pushed the parliament to consider their demands, ultimately leading to the commitment to allow women to vote and hold office in Egypt.
Feb. 11
1916 - Jailed for Advocating Birth Control
1916 : Emma Goldman who worked as a nurse and midwife among the poor in New York who was also a crusader for women's rights and social justice, is arrested in New York City for lecturing and distributing materials about birth control. She was accused of violating the Comstock Act of 1873, which made it a federal offense to disseminate contraceptive devices and information through the mail or across state lines.
Feb. 12
Lunar New Year is the beginning of the year according to the Lunar Calendar. It is celebrated throughout the world, particularly in Asia.
Feb 8
(but is recognized on Feb. 7th)
National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
According to the CDC, in 2016, African Americans accounted for 44% of HIV diagnoses, despite comprising only 12% of the US population. National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is an HIV testing and treatment community mobilization initiative designed to increase the awareness of HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment among Black people in the US. HIV diagnoses among African Americans have declined in recent years. However, more work is needed to reduce HIV.
Feb 9
2008 - Turkey Eases the Use of Headscarves
Turkey's parliament has approved the two constitutional amendments that will ease the ban on women wearing Islamic headscarves in universities. This has been a divisive issue in Turkey, where the state is supposed to be secular. The government has said that the ban would mean that many girls were denied an education, but the secular establishment see this as a first step to allowing a more prominent Islamic influence on the state. This has been the final vote on it, in which lawmakers voted 411-103 in favour of the constitutional amendments that will allow equal treatment from state institutions and 'no one can be deprived of (his or her) right to higher education.'
Feb 10
1960 : Jack Paar, the host of The Tonight Show had walked off the set on this day, in protest of censorship. NBC had started taping the show, and had begun editing out any segment that it determined was inappropriate for "live" television. NBC had cut out a joke about a "water closet" (bathroom), and afterwards Paar was so upset that he left the set and did not return to work for a month.
Feb. 4
Betty Friedan, feminist, activist, author,
born (1921-2006).
Betty Friedan was a force for change in redefining gender norms and engaging women in the political process. She wrote the groundbreaking book, The Feminine Mystique, co-founded the National Organization for Women (NOW), and founded the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws (now NARAL Pro-Choice America). She, along with Bella Abzug and Gloria Steinem, helped create the National Women’s Political Caucus.
Feb 5
1995 - England Social Justice
Tony Blair had expressed his concerned about social division and warned that it could threaten the unity of the United Kingdom (UK). He also explained that social justice was more about just giving money to the poor, or helping the poor with their mortgage, or minimum wage. He addressed the point that helping the poor should include lending them the same services (within reason, of course) that other people with money should receive. For instance, Blair thought that those who are of a lower class should be able to know where their pension funds are going, or to receive fair treatment from bank managers. Blair also believed that the poor should be helped with getting businesses off the ground. He also warned the Labour government of his country (England) to do away with waste and to control spending.
Feb. 1
First day of African American History Month.
Since 1976, February has been designated African American (or Black) History Month. The idea dates back to 1915 with the establishment of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. Headed by historian Carter Woodson and minister Jesse E. Moorland, the organization sponsored the first Negro History Week in 1926 with the goal of celebrating the contributions of Black people to American history, society, and culture.
The HistoryMakers: The Nation’s Largest African American Video Oral History Collection.
An easy-to-use online database of video oral history interviews with thousands of African Americans from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. The HistoryMakers Digital Archive provides high-quality video content and fully searchable transcripts. Interviews are separated into 15 categories – Art, Civics, Education, STEM, etc. – and the corpus is searchable by subject and keyword.
Feb. 2
1990 : President De Klerk of South Africa lifts the 30-year ban on leading anti-apartheid group the African National Congress ( ANC ). He also stated the jailed ANC leader Nelson Mandela would be released.
Feb. 3
Elizabeth Blackwell, doctor and women’s rights advocate, born (1821-1910).
Overcoming blatant discrimination as a woman in a “man’s profession,” Blackwell graduated first in her medical school class. Despite her credentials, no hospital or clinic would hire her, so she opened her own clinic, the New York Infirmary for Women and Children, catering to the needs of poor women. Blackwell also trained nurses for Union hospitals during the Civil War. She later opened a medical college in New York and was active in women’s rights issues.
Jan. 27
1967 : The Outer Space Treaty which banned the placing of nuclear weapons or any other weapons of mass destruction in orbit of Earth is signed by 60 countries of the world including the two most important superpowers at the time The Soviet Union and The United States Of America who both had large Space Exploration programmes and Large Nuclear programmes. This was an important treaty because if any country was to place Nuclear Weapons or other Weapons of Mass Destruction in Orbit no country in the world would be safe.
Jan. 28
The Black Caucus was gaining quite a bit of ground during this time in history. This organization is a group that was formed at this time in order to gain votes representing the 25 million U.S. African American citizens.
Black citizens have turned to the Black Caucus for quite a number of things, such as help and advice regarding local political issues. In fact, citizens have modeled their local political causes after that of the national Black Caucus organization. This particular association is still in existence today.
Jan. 29
1976 : Twelve bomb have been exploded in London's West End during the night, most of Oxford Street is closed for the rest of the day while searches by the bomb squad continue for more bombs. The IRA later admitted it had planted the bombs as part of it's campaign against the British government.
Jan. 25
80th anniversary of the general strike in Amsterdam.
A general strike in Amsterdam protested Nazi persecution of Jews after hundreds of Jews were imprisoned. 300,000 people from different faiths, political backgrounds, and workplaces came together to bring the city to a standstill for days – the first and largest direct action taken in the war against fascism in Europe. The February Strike is still celebrated in the Netherlands.
One Survivor Remembers, by Teaching Tolerance. This documentary tells the unforgettable story of Gerda Weissmann Klein’s six-year ordeal as a victim of Nazi cruelty.
Jan. 26
2005 - Condoleezza Rice
President George W. Bush appoints Condoleezza Rice to the post of secretary of state, making her the highest ranking African-American woman ever to serve in a presidential cabinet
Jan. 21
190th anniversary of Portsmouth, Ohio’s banishing Black people.
The banishment of Black residents from Portsmouth took place in response to Ohio’s “Black Laws,” which prohibited any Black person from living in the state of Ohio unless they had a certificate from the clerk of court declaring that they were free and not enslaved. A subsequent law barred Black people from testifying in court against White people and stated that Black people must provide a $500 bond “for good behavior and against becoming a township charge.”
Jan. 22
30th anniversary of the worst oil spill in history.
The horrors of war are usually calculated in loss of life. But environmental destruction is always part of the bloody equation. During the Gulf War, the Iraqi army, retreating from the US military, destroyed tankers, oil terminals, and oil wells, setting many on fire. The fighting and sabotage caused the discharge of approximately 1.25 million tons of oil, the worst oil spill in history.
Jan. 19
A group of 600 volunteer nurses were on task to help fight against the flu epidemic. It was reported that about 1,200 cases of this sickness had affected people within a 24 hour period of this date in Chicago.
A majority of the above-mentioned cases were mild, but five people had died from influenza (the flu) and eight had died from pneumonia (an advanced stage of sickness usually originated as a flu)
Jan. 20
130th anniversary of the publication of “Nuestra América,” by José Martí.
“Nuestra América,” by José Martí was published in El Partido Liberal in Mexico City (originally published 1/1/1891 in Revista Ilustrada in New York). Martí wrote about racism in the US and Cuba and advocated for Cuban independence from Spain. Martí co-founded the Cuban Revolutionary Party and wrote its manifesto. His political ideas about Latin America were influential, and “Nuestra América” is considered a landmark essay in its call for a pan-Latin American identity.
More information about the historical context and the publication.
Jan. 11
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
The goal of this day is to raise awareness and vigilance for the millions of human trafficking victims around the globe, with the aim of eradicating this insidious crime.
At Hope for Justice, we investigate cases of human trafficking and work closely with law enforcement to rescue victims and ensure evidence is gathered against perpetrators to see them brought to justice.
Jan. 12
20th anniversary of the Roadless Rule.
The 2001 Roadless Rule established prohibitions on road construction and timber harvesting on 58.5 million acres of inventoried roadless areas on National Forest System lands. The intent of the 2001 Roadless Rule was to provide lasting protection for inventoried roadless areas. Under the Trump administration, there has been a rollback of the rule, threatening old growth forests in Alaska.
Jan. 13
1997 - Peru Hostages in Embassy
Left wing guerrillas who have been holding 72 hostages in the Japanese embassy in Lima, Peru started firing at security forces surrounding the embassy claiming the security forces had broken an agreement that they would stay at least 100 meters from the compound. ( Three months later government forces did storm the building killing all 14 Tupac Amaru guerrillas, and saving 71 of the 72 hostages that had been held )
Jan. 14
A reluctant but resigned Roosevelt signed the War Department's blanket Executive Order 9066, which authorized the physical removal of all Japanese Americans into internment camps.
Jan. 7
Zora Neale Hurston, author and anthropologist, born (1891-1960). Hurston was a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance. She wrote novels, the most famous of which was Their Eyes Were Watching God, and short stories that celebrated African American rural life. She was also an outstanding folklorist and anthropologist who recorded cultural history. Some Black authors criticized her writing, saying she pandered to White readers. Later in life she was criticized for opposing the effort to desegregate schools and for supporting conservative politicians.
Jan. 8
140th anniversary of the German Coast Slave Uprising
Between 200 and 500 slaves gathered to form the largest slave revolt in American history in what is now Louisiana. During their 2-day march over 20 miles, they burned five plantation houses. The revolt was suppressed by a local militia and resulted in the deaths of almost 100 slaves.
Article- How a Nearly Successful Slave Revolt Was Intentionally Lost to History
Jan. 4
C.L.R. James, athlete, teacher, historian, author, and activist, born (1901-1989)
James was a leading writer and theorist in the anti-colonialist movement and was involved in Pan-African and socialist organizations. One of his best-known books, The Black Jacobins, published in 1938, is a historical account and analysis of the Haitian revolution of 1791-1804. Born in Trinidad, James spent much of his adult life in England and the US, but he returned to Trinidad for the final years of his life.
C.L.R. James Archive. This website provides access to many of James’s works on Marxism and Black studies.
Jan. 5
90th anniversary of the Lemon Grove Incident
Children of Mexican immigrants were blocked from attending their San Diego County, CA elementary school; they were required to attend school in a separate building. Their parents successfully sued the school district in California Superior Court, becoming the first successful school desegregation court decision in the US. This was a precedent-setting case for the more famous Mendez v. Westminster and Brown v. Board of Education decisions.
Writer/producer Sandra Robbie introduces her Emmy-winning documentary "Mendez v. Westminster: For All the Children" which tells the story of the 1947 Orange County civil rights case that made California the first state to end school segregation, paving the way to to Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education seven years later.
Jan. 6
80th anniversary of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms” speech.
In a 1941 address to Congress, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in an effort to move the country away from its isolationist policies, introduced the “Four Freedoms”: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. He said that all people were entitled to these freedoms and that the US should act immediately to rid the world of the perils of Nazism, which was spreading throughout Europe.
Full Transcript of FDR’s “Four Freedoms” speech. Read the full text of Franklin Roosevelt’s speech to Congress.
Dec. 17
10th anniversary of the Arab Spring.
Tunisian street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire, beginning a series of protests that would become known as the Arab Spring. Less than a month later, President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali fled Tunisia and the Tunisian government was overthrown, in part because of the role young people played in sparking protest movements across the Middle East and North Africa. An unprecedented revolution spread to Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Syria, Bahrain, and other Middle Eastern countries.
“In Tunisia, act of one fruit vendor unleashes wave of revolution through the Arab world” By Marc Fisher, The Washington Post, March 26, 2011. This article gives a good account of the origins of the Arab spring in Tunisia and how the movement spread throughout the region.
Dec. 18
International Migrants Day
There are an estimated 200 million migrant workers in the world. The UN marks this date to recognize this diverse group of workers and the economic, social, and political contexts that affect their rights and livelihoods.
Talking and Teaching About the Fall 2018 Migrant Caravan, by UCLA Reimagining Migration.
This collection encourages educators to explore the migrant caravan and the questions that it raises about migration, law, and ethics through the lens of current events and civic education.
Dec. 14
2005 : Twenty Chinese died after protesters demonstrated against the building of a power plant. However, Beijing worked hard to suppress the news in newspapers and even on the Internet, so the Chinese public did not know about it. The official government version that came out four days later was that 300 armed villagers attacked the police in Dongzhou.
Dec. 15
130th anniversary of Sitting Bull’s death.
Tatanka Iyotake (Sitting Bull), a Hunkpapa Lakota chief and religious leader, resisted US government encroachment for decades, fighting many battles against US soldiers, including the Battle of Little Bighorn. He also was a leader in the Ghost Dance movement, a spiritual form of resistance to US imperialism. Lakota police were ordered by federal agents to arrest Sitting Bull. When his people resisted, the police shot and killed him, along with 12 of his tribesmen.
Reimagining Sitting Bull, Tatanka Iyotake, a podcast from On Being with Krista Tippet. In this episode, Ernie Lapointe, Sitting Bull’s great-grandson and author of Sitting Bull: His Life and Legacy, and Cedric Good House discuss the legacy of Tatanka Iyotake.
Dec. 16
2011 - Russia -- Russia Joins World Trade Organization
2011 : Russia officially joined the World Trade Organization after a ceremony in Switzerland commemorated the event. Russia spent nearly eighteen years negotiating its membership and finally gained membership after making a deal with Georgia who had been trying to block Russia's membership. Russia's membership was hailed as the last of the Group of 20 major economies to join the organization.
Dec. 10
International Human Rights Day
This day celebrates the UN’s adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.
The first human rights friendly school
Amnesty International Ghana is one of the pioneers of the Human Rights Friendly Schools programme, joining in 2009 as part of the programme’s pilot.
Accra High School joined as the first pilot school for the programme and since then, the programme has expanded to 20 schools across the country, and gained traction within the Ghanaian educational sector as a way to spread human rights awareness among young people.
Read more about the Human Rights Friendly Schools programme.
Dec. 11
1946 - U.S.A. -- UNICEF Established
The United Nations General Assembly establishes (UNICEF) United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II.
Your voice, joined with ours, can make a difference. Find a story on the UNICEF website, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter channel and share it with your friends.
Dec. 7
1999 - U.S.A. -- Napster
The Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) files a lawsuit against the new but fast growing Napster file sharing service, on charges of copyright infringement. It was two years in July 2001 before napster was closed down when they lost their case bought using the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
Dec. 8
Bodhi Day commemorates the day that Buddha reached enlightenment.
Bodhi Day is a celebration of the Buddha's awakening or enlightenment. Learn more about this Mahayana Buddhism tradition, and how you can incorporate it into your practice!
Dec. 9
Canada's Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is constitutional.
The court gave the go-ahead to Parliament to pass a national law legalizing gay marriage, a step that has strong public support in Canada.
Dec. 3
International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Launched by the UN in 1992, International Day of Persons with Disabilities aims to promote an understanding of issues faced by people with disabilities with a view towards ensuring the dignity, rights, and well-being of this often marginalized group.
They said Jake Pratt of Vestavia Hills would never contribute. They said he’d never make his high school football team. They said he’d never graduate from high school. They said he’d never get his driver’s permit. They said he’d never graduate from college.
All has he ever wanted was a chance. And if he was given that chance, they’d never forget him.
Jake Pratt has proven them all wrong. Jake has landed a job at UPS!!! He’s not driving a truck, but he is working up to 8 hours a day running packages to our doorsteps. He’s doing it with a smile. Yes, he's now "Jake From UPS".
Dec. 4
Jeanne Manford, schoolteacher and co-founder of PFLAG, born (1920-2013).
After Manford’s son was assaulted for being gay and received very little support from the police to find and punish the offenders, she and her husband began to think of ways to create a support system for families of gay and lesbian children. Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) began as a local effort, but soon grew to a nationwide movement.
PFLAG is the United States’ first and largest organization uniting parents, families, and allies with people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. The website offers resources for all people looking to create safe and inclusive environments.
Nov. 30
10th anniversary of Brown v. Plata.
In Brown v. Plata, the state of California defended its prison conditions and argued that offenders should not be released to ease overcrowding. A lower federal court had ruled that conditions were dangerous, and that lower-level offenders should be released to make space and improve conditions, stating that state prisons violated the 8th Amendment ban on “cruel and unusual punishment.” The Supreme Court eventually agreed.
Listen to the argument and the ruling.
Photo from Brown v. Plata trial evidence Inmates inside “group cages” in the Administrative Segregation Unit of Mule Creek State Prison, August 2008. In his opinion in Brown v. Plata, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy observed, “Inmates awaiting care may be held for months in administrative segregation, where they endure harsh and isolated conditions and receive only limited mental health services. Wait times for mental health care range as high as 12 months.”
Dec. 1
170th anniversary of first rescue mission by Harriet Tubman.
Abolitionist and suffragist Harriet Tubman organized her first rescue mission as a conductor of the Underground Railroad. After finding out that her niece Kessiah Jolley and Jolley’s children were to be auctioned off, Tubman went to Baltimore to liberate Jolley with the help of her free husband, John Bowley. Tubman is credited with leading 70 people to freedom across 17 rescue missions.
Enslaved African Americans longed for freedom, and that longing took many forms―including music. Drawing on biblical imagery, slave songs both expressed the sorrow of life in bondage and offered a rallying cry for the spirit.
Like a Bird brings together text, music, and illustrations by Coretta Scott King Award–winning illustrator Michele Wood to convey the rich meaning behind thirteen of these powerful songs.
Dec. 2
50th anniversary of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The purpose of the EPA was to consolidate in one agency a variety of federal research, monitoring, standard-setting, and enforcement activities to ensure environmental protection. Through the years the agency made great progress in decreasing air and water pollution through regulations on corporations that were destroying the environment. Unfortunately, the Trump administration is quickly undoing all that progress by easing regulations and denying the science behind those restrictions.
Nov. 23
60th anniversary of Guy Gabaldon’s Navy Cross
Guy Gabaldon, a Mexican American, received the Navy Cross for his actions in Saipan during WWII. Called the “Pied Piper of Saipan,” Gabaldon, age 18, persuaded the outnumbered Japanese soldiers to surrender, using the Japanese language skills he had picked up while living with a Japanese American foster family as a teenager. He is credited with capturing more than 1,500 Japanese soldiers and saving countless lives. Meanwhile, Gabaldon’s foster family was sent to an internment camp.
Children of the Camps: WWII Internment Timeline. This documentary website includes historical documents, photos, a timeline, and detailed information about WWII internment camps.
Nov. 24
1993 - The Brady Bill
A new bill was passed by the United States Congress called the Brady Bill. It was intended to control the use of handguns, by administering stricter regulations regarding obtaining one. This was a measure taken to help control unnecessary violence.
Nov. 19
The Geneva Summit
The Geneva Summit, the first meeting between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, was held on November 19 and 20, 1985. The two leaders met to discuss the Cold War-era arms race, primarily the possibility of reducing the number of nuclear weapons.
Nov. 20
Transgender Day of Remembrance
This day is set aside to memorialize those who were killed because of anti-transgender hatred.
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence since Rita Hester's death, and began an important tradition that has become the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.
Nov. 16
30th anniversary of the Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act.
The Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act requires that museums and other institutions that own the remains of Native Americans take inventory and publish lists of their collections, making them available to Native American tribes.
This Land, a podcast by Rebecca Nagle. An 1839 assassination of a Cherokee leader and a 1999 murder case – two crimes nearly two centuries apart – provide the backbone to a Supreme Court decision that will determine the fate of five tribes and nearly half the land in Oklahoma. This 8-series podcast tells the story.
Nov. 17
140th anniversary of the Angell Treaty.
This treaty was one of several measures implemented in response to rising anti-Chinese sentiment in the western US. It limited Chinese immigration to the United States, though didn’t prohibit it entirely, and separated US trade interests from the immigration issue. It also provided an avenue for anti-Chinese lobbyists to push for an exclusion law. Most of the protections that the treaty secured for Chinese immigrants were reversed by the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.
The Chinese Exclusion Act: Preview. Examine the origin, history and impact of the 1882 law that made it illegal for Chinese workers to come to America and for Chinese nationals already here ever to become U.S. citizens.
Nov. 18
Howard Thurman, theologian, author, and civil rights leader, born (1900-1981).
Thurman was an ordained Baptist minister. In San Francisco in 1944 this African American preacher founded the first integrated church. Five years later he wrote Jesus and the Disinherited, which laid out the theological foundation for a nonviolent Civil Rights movement and influenced movement leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr .
Bible, Breakfast, and Better Me: Jamila Lyiscott on Social Justice and Self-Care, a podcast by Free Minds Free People. In this episode of the FMFP podcast, community-engaged scholar and poet Jamila Lyiscott reflects on the role of Black Liberation Theology and Christianity in her own life, work, and self-care
Nov. 12
40th anniversary of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.
The Act designated certain public lands in Alaska as units of the National Park, National Wildlife Refuge, Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Wilderness Preservation, and National Forest Systems, resulting in general expansion of all systems. It was the largest land protection bill ever passed by Congress, and nearly doubled the size of the National Park System.
Nov. 13
20th anniversary of the first Climate Justice Summit.
International environmental justice activists and members of frontline communities gathered for the first Climate Justice Summit. Conference organizer, Amit Srivastava, said, “When taken together, the efforts of these communities to protect their human, cultural, and environmental rights by preventing oil exploration and production constitutes a major grassroots initiative to reduce production of carbon dioxide – the major global warming gas.”
Nov. 9
1989 - Germany - - Berlin Wall Opens Up
1989 : East Germany opened its borders today, allowing its citizens to freely cross into the West for the first time since the Berlin Wall was built in 1961. Some Germans used hammers to chip away at the Berlin Wall for keepsakes or in their own small way try to destroy the infamous symbol of East-West division.
Nov. 10
1963 - Venezuela - - Riots
Riots started by high school students broke out all over Coro and Valencia, Venezuela. These acts of violence were started in order to disrupt campaigns for upcoming December elections. The youth was allegedly being exploited by the local Communist party, which many of their teachers were a part of. This was one of many student demonstrations that had taken place within two weeks
Nov. 11
70th anniversary of the founding of the Mattachine Society
Founded by Harry Hay, a leading gay rights activist, the Mattachine Society was one of the earliest gay rights organizations in the US. The name, from a French medieval group, implies that gay people were “masked, unknown, and anonymous.” The group’s purpose was to redefine the meaning of being gay in America through characterizing homosexuals as an oppressed minority. Internal clashes over the years eventually led to the Mattachine Society’s dissolution in 1961.
Nov. 2
100th anniversary of the California Alien Land Law. The 1920 law was designed to close loopholes in the 1913 Alien Land Law. This law added more stringent requirements on Asian immigrants’ ability to own and lease land in California. Other Western states enacted similar laws, the product of growing anti-immigrant and racist sentiment.
Know Your Rights, by Asian Americans Advancing Justice. Know Your Rights resources and materials on various current topics affecting the Asian American community, including citizenship clinics, language, voting rights, and more.
Nov. 4
2006 - Germany - - The Master Race
A group of children that had been selected by Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime to help create an Aryan master race has met for the first time as adults. Children from the Nazis' 'Lebensborn' or 'Font of Life' project have gathered in the German town of Wernigerode to discuss the trauma over their origins.
Nov. 5
10th anniversary of sentencing of BART officer for fatal shooting of Oscar Grant
On New Year’s Day 2009, a young Black father, Oscar Grant, was dragged from his BART (train) car after an altercation, pinned face-down on the floor, and shot in the back by the officer attempting to cuff him. The officer, Johannes Mehserle, was charged with murder, but eventually was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to two years in prison with credit for time served. Mehserle’s sentencing sparked waves of outrage and protest.
Nov. 6
Marrakech – Anniversary of the Green March
Every Nov. 6, Moroccans celebrate the, the largest, longest, and most peaceful march anywhere in the world. The day is a national holiday in Morocco, during which Moroccans recall the extraordinary events of the Green March.
Oct. 29
On this day in 2015, the Chinese government officially announces the end of its one-child policy, ending the most extreme state birth control project in history after 35 years. Amid global fears of overpopulation, the Chinese government decided to limit families to one child each, although exceptions allowing for two children were common.
Oct. 30
30th anniversary of the Native American Languages Act. The 1990 Native American Languages Act, which went into effect in 1992, recognized that “the status of the cultures and languages of Native Americans is unique and the United States has the responsibility to act together with Native Americans to ensure [their] survival.” A key effect of this legislation was to affirm the use of Native languages as languages of instruction in schools.
Listen and learn how to say different colors in the Navajo language
Oct. 26
Intersex Awareness Day
Intersex Awareness Day is the international day of grassroots action to end shame, secrecy, and unwanted genital cosmetic surgeries on intersex children.
Intersex Stories (not surgeries) Youtube Channel. I'm Pidgeon and I'm a non-binary intersex person, activist, blogger, filmmaker and youtuber. Subscribe for a new video every week about what it's like to grow up intersex in a binary world. #IntersexStories, not surgeries!
Oct. 27
Maxine Hong Kingston, writer, born (1940). Kingston, a teacher and award-winning author, is best known for The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts, based on her experiences growing up in a Chinese American immigrant family. She has written several other books, focusing on immigration, ethnicity, and feminism. Kingston is a frequent commentator and guest speaker at academic conferences and cultural events across the country.
Oct. 28
2007 - March for Land Rights Reaches Delhi
Tens of thousands of landless Indian farmers and tribal people reach Delhi after a three-week march of 200 miles for land rights. During the last few years as India continues progress with increased industrial production and power plants, many farmers have had land taken away for these projects and recieved nothing in return leaving them with no way of supporting families.
Oct. 22
230th anniversary of the Battle of Pumpkin Fields.
The battle, led by Josiah Harmar, was an attempt by the US to subdue Native Americans in the Northwest Territory (present-day Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan) during the Northwest Indian War. The US Army ambushed the Native Americans, burning entire villages, but the Native Americans regrouped and soundly defeated the invading army. This battle was one of the most significant Native American military victories against the US.
Little Turtle’s War and Native America’s greatest victory over American forces
Oct. 23
170th anniversary of the First National Woman’s Rights Convention.
The aim of this first in an annual series of meetings was to determine whether there was enough national support for a political movement around women’s equality. More than 1,000 people attended, including Sojourner Truth and William Lloyd Garrison. The event was derided in many national newspapers, though some writers, including Horace Greeley, took it seriously, and drew widespread attention to the cause.
Crusade for the Vote: Resources to the Suffrage Story,
The National Women’s History Museum. Online exhibits, multimedia resources, and more for about women’s suffrage in the US.
Oct. 19
60th anniversary of Atlanta department store sit-in
The Committee on Appeal for Human Rights, a coalition of Black student leaders in Atlanta, planned a sit-in at Rich’s Department Store after desegregation negotiations had stalled. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was invited to participate. A recent law made refusing to leave private property a misdemeanor offense; King was ultimately arrested, along with 51 other protesters. The publicity led to 2,000 protesters shutting down 16 Atlanta lunch counters in the next few days.
Oct. 20
1967 - U.S.A. Vietnam Protesters
The October 1967 March on the Pentagon was, at that point, the largest antiwar rally ever staged. Here are some of their stories. Coordinated by a coalition of antiwar groups known as the National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam (“the Mobe”), it brought between 70,000 and 100,000 protesters to Washington to pressure President Johnson to end the war. In addition, more than 10,000 protesters took to the streets of Oakland, California on the fifth day of demonstrations in protest against American involvement in the Vietnam War.
Oct. 21
1949 -First Female Federal Judge
Harry S. Truman appoints the first female federal judge in the nation. Burnita Shelton Matthews from Hazelhurst, MS. She was also only the second woman ever appointed to a federal constitutional court.
Throughout the 1920s, Matthews headed up the Legal Research Department of the NWP. This department engaged in a decade-long project of identifying legal discrimination against women in state laws. During this time Matthews also assisted Alice Paul, head of the NWP, in drafting the original version of the Equal Rights Amendment. She hired only women law clerks and counseled them against having children if they intended a career in the law.
Oct. 15
50th anniversary of the passage of the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1970.
The Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1970 required all new mass transit vehicles to be equipped with wheelchair lifts. The implementation of the regulations would be delayed until 1990.
The Collection: Oral Histories/Archives from the Disability Rights and Independent Living Movement, hosted by UC-Berkeley. This collection consists of more than 100 oral histories of leaders and shapers of the Disability Rights and Independent Living movement from the 1960s onward, along with an extensive archive of personal papers of activists and records of key organizations.
Oct. 16
World Food Day
World Food Day is celebrated every year on October 16 to commemorate the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in 1945.
This year's theme is Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together. Our Actions are our Future. Food is the essence of life and the bedrock of our cultures and communities. Preserving access to safe and nutritious food is and will continue to be an essential part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for poor and vulnerable communities, who are hit hardest by the pandemic and resulting economic shocks. In a moment like this, it is more important than ever to recognise the need to support our food heroes - farmers and workers throughout the food system - who are making sure that food makes its way from farm to fork even amid disruptions as unprecedented as the current COVID-19 crisis.
Oct. 12
Indigenous Peoples Day (US).
Indigenous Peoples Day, also known as Native American Day, began as a counter-celebration to Columbus Day in Berkeley, CA. The goal is to commemorate Native American history and promote Native American cultures.
by Matika Wilbur and Adrienne Keene. From the creators: “All My Relations is a podcast hosted by Matika Wilbur (Swinomish and Tulalip) and Adrienne Keene (Cherokee Nation) to explore our relationships – relationships to land, to our creatural relatives, and to one another. Each episode invites guests to delve into a different topic facing Native peoples today as we keep it real, play games, laugh a lot, and even cry sometimes.”
Oct. 13
30th anniversary of South Africa’s first Pride march
South Africa’s first Lesbian and Gay Pride march, held in Johannesburg, was also the first Pride march on the African continent. The march, which was organized by the Gay and Lesbian Organization of the Witwatersrand (GLOW), was part of a broader struggle to decriminalize homosexuality in South African law and to end Apartheid. Many of the marchers, fearing for their safety, wore masks to disguise themselves.
The Unfulfilled Promise of LGBTQ Rights in South Africa, by Kimon de Greef for The Atlantic. This article is part of a series about the Gay Rights movement and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. It speaks to the experiences of refugees fleeing homophobia elsewhere in the world, and finding a hostile environment in South Africa, as well
Oct. 14
40th anniversary of the publication of A People’s History of the United States.
This groundbreaking popular history by Howard Zinn chronicles American history from the perspective of the least powerful groups in our society. Covering Christopher Columbus’s arrival through President Clinton’s first term, A People’s History of the United States features insightful analyses of the most important events in this country’s history. The book presents US history from the point of view of America’s women, factory workers, African Americans, Native Americans, the working poor, and immigrant laborers.
A Young People’s History of the United States, by Howard Zinn, with Rebecca Stefoff. In paperback with illustrations, this is the young adult edition of Howard Zinn’s classic telling of American history. A Young People’s History of the United States brings to US history the viewpoints of workers, people who are enslaved, immigrants, women, Native Americans, and others whose stories, and their impact, are rarely included in books for young people. More information at the Zinn Project.
Oct. 8
10th anniversary of the passage of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA).
The CVAA updates federal communications law to increase the access of persons with disabilities to modern communications. The CVAA makes sure that accessibility laws enacted in the 1980s and 1990s are brought up to date with 21st century technologies, including new digital, broadband, and mobile innovations.
Oct. 9
Lewis Henry Douglass, Sergeant Major, born (1840-1908).
Lewis Henry Douglass, whose parents were abolitionist Frederick Douglass and his wife Mary, who was active in the Underground Railroad, enlisted in the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. He was promoted to Sergeant Major, the highest military rank a Black man could hold at the time. His post-war work included teaching for the Freedman’s Bureau, senior editor for the New National Era, and civil rights activist in Washington, DC.
Watch the trailer for the movie "Glory" about the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, the Union Army’s second African American regiment in the American Civil War.
Oct. 5
First day of GLSEN’s Solidarity Week.
Solidarity Week is a week of activities designed to encourage students to be allies against anti-LGBTQ language, bullying, and harassment in America’s schools.
Solidarity is a voluntary collective action by different people based on finding common objectives and solutions. Solidarity work happens when you show up to help and support others experiencing some form of harm by centering their leadership, decisions, needs, requests, and ideas.
Oct. 6
20th anniversary of the Bangalore Declaration of La Via Campesina.
La Via Campesina is a movement of rural women, peasants, and small-scale farmers, agriculture workers, and Indigenous peoples’ organizations from across the world. The Bangalore Declaration states: “La Via Campesina is committed to changing the unjust, unsustainable models of production and trade. Peasants and farmers are suffering financial, social, and cultural crises everywhere, north and south. And we are everywhere committed to working in solidarity to build more just, sustainable peasant societies.”
Oct. 7
40th anniversary of the signing of the Mental Health Systems Act of 1980.
The Mental Health Systems Act provided grants to community mental health centers and was considered landmark policy for mental health care. It was largely repealed in 1981 under Ronald Reagan, a move that many in the mental health field called shameful.
Oct. 1
First day of Disability Employment Awareness Month
Aims to raise awareness about disability employment issues and celebrate the contributions of workers with disabilities. Museum of disABILITY History -This site was designed “to promote understanding about the historical experience of people with disabilities by recovering, chronicling, and interpreting their stories.” This searchable collection offers documents and images related to disability history in the United States.
Oct. 2
50th anniversary of the creation of NOAA
The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was created as the government body responsible for monitoring and improving the conditions of the oceans. NOAA is supposed to enforce the sustainable use of resources of coastal and marine ecosystems and supply environmental information to the public. Today, NOAA should be on the frontlines of the fight for #ClimateJustice. Unfortunately, the Trump administration has gutted NOAA, along with the rest of the environmental regulatory apparatus.
Sept. 29
110th Anniversary of the National Urban League
The National Urban League is an interracial civil rights organization that fights racial discrimination and focuses on the economic empowerment of the African American community. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research, and advocacy. It is the oldest and largest community-based organization of its kind in the nation.
Watch and listen to Kendrick Sampson read AntiRacist Baby written by Ibram X. Kendi and illustrated by Ashley Lukashevsky. It is a board book that introduces the youngest readers and the grown-ups in their lives to the concept and power of antiracism, providing the language necessary to begin critical conversations with children at the earliest age.
Sept. 30
1981 - Sandra Day O'Connor
September 30th, 1981 : Sandra Day O'Connor becomes the first female U.S. Supreme Court justice in history when she is sworn in by Chief Justice Warren Burger.
Despite her impeccable qualifications, Sandra Day O’Connor struggled to find employment in the legal field due to a heavy bias against women as attorneys. She began her legal career working for the county attorney of San Mateo for free, after turning down a paid position as a legal secretary. Once she proved herself as an asset, she got a job as the deputy county attorney.
In 1992, O’Connor served as the swing vote that reaffirmed the Roe v. Wade decision in the abortion rights case Planned Parenthood v. Casey, despite the Republican push to overturn Roe. O’Connor continued to promote women’s interests in two cases that protected the rights of young girls in school being harassed by their classmates and held the schools liable for such harassment.
Sept. 23
70th anniversary of the Internal Security Act.
The act, also known as the McCarran Act, required that Communist organizations register with the federal government, barred admission to foreign communists, and established a board to investigate people suspected of engaging in subversive activities. Even though sections of the act were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, some portions remain intact.
Sept. 24
United Nations Call For Cease Fire In Kosovo
September 24th, 1998 : The United Nations security council is calling for an immediate cease fire in Kosovo and the Serbian advance to end or put together an international peacekeeping force to stop the Serbian advance.
Sept. 25
1957 - Little Rock Nine begin first full day of classes
Following the forced evacuation of the Little Rock Nine from Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas on September 23rd, Federal troops charged defiant teenagers and other protesters with fixed bayonets to ensure the way was clear for the expected arrival of African American Students to attend high school today in Little Rock Arkansas. They were moved into the violence ridden area on the direct orders of the President of The United States.
Sept. 21
International Day of Peace
Initiated in 1981, the UN International Day of Peace is an annual commemoration aimed at encouraging all people to play a part in building a peace culture worldwide. Communities across the globe organize their own observances designed to bring people together for world peace.
Sept. 22
Each year, people around the world organize events to showcase alternatives to the automobile. The day was created in 2000 by Car Busters. According to The Washington Post, the event promotes improvement of mass transit, cycling and walking, and the development of communities where jobs are closer to home and where shopping is within walking distance.
Sept. 16
Mexican Independence Day
Otherwise known as El Grito, on this day Mexicans celebrate Mexico's independence from Spain. Read the book "El Grito" written and illustrated by students of the Solano Avenue School to learn the story of Mexico's fight for independence.
Sept. 17
390th anniversary of sentencing of White colonial Virginian for interracial relationship. Loving vs. Virginia tells the story of a landmark civil rights case, told in spare and gorgeous verse. In 1955, in Caroline County, Virginia, amidst segregation and prejudice, injustice and cruelty, two teenagers fell in love. Their life together broke the law, but their determination would change it. Richard and Mildred Loving were at the heart of a Supreme Court case that legalized marriage between races, and a story of the devoted couple who faced discrimination, fought it, and won.
Sept. 18
Rosh Hashanah begins this evening. It is the Jewish New Year. It is marked by the blowing of the shofar, and begins the ten days of penitence culminating in Yom Kippur. To learn more, watch the video above or read a section from "Apples and Pomegranates: A Rosh Hashanah Seder" by Rahel Musleah. This children's book acts as a guideline for celebrating the New Year. Traditional foods and the sequence in which they are eaten are described. Each chapter includes the history of the food, recipes and more.
Sept. 14
Afghanistan Weapons Deal
1991 : After meetings between the US secretary of State and President Gorbachev a joint announcement has been made that the US will no longer supply arms to the US backed Rebels and The Soviet Union would stop supplying weapons to the Government in hopes that a peace can be reached in the war torn country.
Sept. 15
First Day of Hispanic Heritage Month
LATINO AMERICANS is the first major documentary series for television to chronicle the rich and varied history and experiences of Latinos, who have helped shape North America over the last 500-plus years and have become, with more than 50 million people, the largest minority group in the U.S. Watch the series overview above. Full episodes of all six documentaries can be found here.
Sept. 8
International Literacy Day gives children and communities a chance to rediscover the joys of reading while raising awareness about those without access to formal education. We Need Diverse Books is a grassroots organization of children's book lovers that advocates essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people.
Sept. 9
President George H. W. Bush & Gorbachev Meeting
1990-At The Helsinki Summit, President Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev met regarding the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq. The Russian President has agreed with President Bush on a common ground to ensure stability in the Middle east. Egypt's President Mubarak has also pledged more troops to Saudi Arabia who are part of the coalition who will take back Kuwait from the Iraq dictator.
Sept. 10
True Justice: Bryan Stevenson's Fight for Equality
This film follows 30 years of the Equal Justice Initiative's work on behalf of the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned. Told primarily in his own words, the documentary focuses on Stevenson's life and career challenging the ways in which the criminal justice system "treats you better if you're rich and guilty than if you're poor and innocent."
Sept. 11
Gau Fiji Petral
2009 : A rare bird was sighted after being considered “missing” for 130 years off of the island of Gau in the Pacific Ocean. The Fiji Petral is listed as a critically endangered species. The finding is significant because there is so little information about the bird, said Nicholas Carlile, sea bird project officer with the New South Wales state Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water in Australia.
Sept. 1
10th anniversary of the publication of Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. Explores the many stories we use to justify our eating habits and how such tales can lull us into a brutal disregard for animals.
Sept. 2
Volunteers Needed
The Cuyahoga County Public Library will host several outdoor mobile pantries in partnership with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. We need volunteers to help sort, package and distribute food.
Click here to search volunteer opportunities.
Sept. 3
1868: Reverend Henry McNeal Turner gave a speech denouncing Democrats who voted to remove him and the 26 other African American men elected to the Georgia legislature. Georgia formed a new state government in July 1868, after the Reconstruction Acts were passed by Congress. Read the speech Turner made, demanding that he and the other elected men be properly seated in.
Sept. 4
National Guard Little Rock
1957 : The National Guard on the order of Governor Orval Faubus is used to prevent nine African American students from entering Central High School in Little Rock. The action was taken in violation of a federal order to integrate the school.