History
George Washington Carver statute. Photo: Tonya Fitzpatrick
“A traveler without observation is a bird without wings.”
— Moslih Eddin Saadi
No matter where you go, every place has a story and historical travel unpacks those stories.
From great struggles against oppressive forces to human ingenuity, the people and the places who have defined significant eras in human history move many to travel see where history was made. Travel through the historical places, see and observe what was then and how things are now. Every place has evolved over ages and become what it is today , hence you must visit history to understand the struggles and changes that came through with time.
Being able to walk where history was made, seeing the places that shaped legendary figures or experiencing life as our ancestors did, historical travel allows history to come to life in ways that transcend a history book.
Vivian Lee Battle Sims may not be a widely known name, but her impact on Pulaski, Tennessee, is profound. At 96, this retired educator and community activist has redefined the legacy of a town once infamous as the birthplace of the Ku Klux Klan. Through her vision and personal funds, Sims commissioned the Resurrection of Valor, a statue honoring the United States Colored Troops (USCT) who fought for the Union during the Civil War.
‘Philotimo’ dates back millennia, and although can’t be translated into a single word in the English language to this day, is packed with meaning, often illustrated through honourable, respectful and humble acts towards others, no matter who they are, or where they come from.
Somewhat of an enigma, George Eastman moved the photography world ahead with amazing inventions. He was a philanthropist, second only to Rockefeller and Carnegie. Yet, the artifacts in his museum include the mounted head of an elephant he traveled to Africa to kill. Even his death by suicide seems odd—although his death certificate adds additional information. He left a note saying, “To my friends, my work is done—Why wait?”
In the 1990s, Bosnia and Herzegovina was considered one of the most dangerous places in the world. The capital city, Sarajevo, was under constant siege by sniper fire and mortar shells. Today, however, Bosnia looks very different. Though still scarred by the remnants of war, the country has seemingly found a way to come through a very dark tunnel.
In this episode of World Footprints, hosts Tonya and Ian Fitzpatrick take you on an unforgettable journey through one of the most poignant chapters of history—the liberation at the end of World War II. Joined by special guest Michael Bell, Executive Director of the Institute for the Study of War and Democracy, the Fitzpatricks delve deep into the newly opened Liberation Pavilion at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.
In this video, hosts Tonya and Ian Fitzpatrick lead you on a powerful exploration of history as they visit the Liberation Pavilion at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.
In death, Susan B. Anthony and Fredrick Douglass share a cemetery. In life, they both lived in Rochester, NY, for many years. Susan B. Anthony's former home now serves as a museum telling her life story. In nearby Susan B. Anthony Square Park, a bronze sculpture called Let's Have Tea, created by local artist Pepsy Kettavong, shows Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass sipping cups of tea. Rochester's pride in these two outstanding residents shines bright.
Benjamin Franklin gestured dramatically toward the moldering gravestone of the Revolutionary War soldier. “And then,” he proclaimed, pausing for effect, “He killed ‘im dead!”.
Sunil maneuvered the jeep onto a bumpy dirt track through the fields of wheat and millet that grew sparsely here in the Thar Desert. He stopped the car and switched off the engine. Suddenly, they came. A group of four gazelles, followed by a large herd of blackbuck antelope, the afternoon sun glancing off their elegant backs. I was hesitant to take out my long telephoto lens, lest the herd would scatter. Sunil smiled. “Don’t worry. They will not think that you are aiming a gun at them. They roam fearlessly here because this is the land of the Bishnois.”
When I arrive at Healing Farm, I have an overwhelming sense that I’ve come home. This 18-acre organic farm on Vancouver Island’s Saanich Peninsula is everything I love about this part of the world, where I grew up.
Newspapers have always played a vital part in shaping the history of a place. Often, the now-silent printing presses remain intertwined with their community’s present story. The Panama City Publishing Company Museum in the St Andrews Neighborhood of Panama City, Florida shares one of these stories.
The Romanov family was infamously and brutally murdered by the Bolsheviks at the end of World War I. Czar Nicholas II, his wife, and their five children were executed to make way for the new ruling hierarchy under the communist leadership of Vladimir Lenin.
