United States
Flags of the United States line both side of a road.
“The diversity of America is a strength of the country, and I don’t think that we use that. We don’t talk about our strengths. I mean, having so many diverse people in this country from all aspects of all over the world, and we don’t use that. I think we should talk about who we are – that melting pot that we’ve become.”
–Steve Stoute
The lyrics in the anthem America the Beautiful expresses it best–the United States of America really is beautiful.
O beautiful for spacious skies…For amber waves of grain…For purple mountain majesties…Above the fruited plain!…America! America!…God shed His grace on thee…And crown thy good with brotherhood…From sea to shining sea!
The United States really is a beautiful and wonderfully diverse country. When you travel to each of the 50 States and even within each State you will feel as if you’re traveling to another country.
The United States is a country built by immigrants and each corner of this country is influenced by a variety of cultural diasporas including former enslaved people from Africa and the West Indies. Even traces of Native American culture can be found despite earlier efforts to erase them from the narratives of American history.
The United States has not always been the land of the free but it has always been the home of the brave.
As Paul Tsongas said, “America is hope. It is compassion. It is excellence. It is valor.”
Phyllis Wilson, a retired Army veteran of 37 years and President of the Military Women’s Memorial Foundation, joins us to talk about the Memorial and two important campaigns to preserve history and honor a group of female veterans.
The limestone buildings shimmer in the blazing Texas sun. A Franciscan friar emerges from the parish office behind the church. I briefly wonder whether he’s melting under his brown habit. I know I am, and I’m wearing shorts. Weather considerations aside, the sight conjures images of a once-bustling religious community. Brown-robed monks give religious instruction in Spanish and teach practical skills. Coahuiltecan Indians weave on the looms or hammer away in the smithy—an ordinary day at one of the San Antonio Missions in the 18th century.
New Orleans has been the backdrop of many dark chapters in American history, but perhaps none so shocking as the slave rebellion of 1811. We will explore the history of America's largest slave revolt with author Daniel Rasmussen who organized his research in his book, American Uprising: The Untold Story About America's Largest Slave Revolt.
Yolanda ‘Yollie’ Copeland is a woman with a mission. The retired sheriff’s deputy, who moved to Jacksonville, Florida in 2013, is committed to making sure that the city’s rich Black history isn’t erased. She does it by tooling around town in an advertising-covered, low-speed electric vehicle, wearing a bright yellow shirt, shoes, and hat, and sharing her love for the area and the people who shaped it.
JEconomy Hall is an important institution in New Orleans that speaks about hidden history of free black brotherhood. If author Fatima Shaik’s father had not rescued the records and books from early Economy Hall meetings that lay in a dumpster, we may not have known of the hidden history of free Black people in New Orleans.
It was about 10:30 pm, the darkness so inky you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. The leafy boughs of late-spring trees blocked even the starlight. My friend whispered, "Do you want to see the blue ghosts? They live near the cemetery up the trail."
One of the best aspects of travel is stumbling on interesting stories. I discovered one highlighting Native American history during a photography tour of Antelope Canyon X with Taadidiin Tours. Antelope Canyon X is one of several slot canyons that inspire millions to visit the Navajo Nation near Page, Arizona, each year.
Let’s face it; travel can be expensive. But, when you know where to go, you can explore new destinations at a fraction of the cost. One of our favorite places, New Orleans (aka The Big Easy), can be pricey to visit but is filled with rich culture, historic buildings and landmarks, and music that will move your soul and justify the travel investment.
Imagine a communal farm founded in 1942, where sustainability is put over profit and a Christian community that welcomes all people of any, or no faith, to join their community. I recently visited Koinonia Farm in Americus, Georgia, and discovered a way of life I thought died in the 19th century.
On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated as he stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN. Now the home of the National Civil Rights Museum, this historic structure not only immortalizes this unforgettable moment in time but showcases more than 400 years of African American history.
As New Orleans gears up to host Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025, the excitement is not just about the big game. One of the week’s most inspirational events, the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration, will take center stage on Wednesday, February 5, at the historic Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts.
Situated in the valley below three surrounding mountains, Lookout, Raccoon and Signal, Chattanooga’s natural beauty speaks for itself.
