Cultural Heritage
On this day in 1994, South Africa officially ended apartheid and elected Nelson Mandela in the country's first multiracial election.
On April 25th, 1792, Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle composed "La Marseillaise" the song destined to become the French national anthem. Rouget composed the song as a rallying cry as Prussian and Austrian armies marched on France. The song became the French national anthem on Bastille Day, 1795. However, Napoleon I banned it during his reign. It was re-instated in 1879.
On April 28, 1988, Aloha Airlines Flight 243 took off from Hilo International Airport at 1:25 PM for the short flight to Honolulu. On board were 90 passengers and five crew members. At approximately 1:48 the aircraft reached its flight altitude of 24,000 feet when a section of the hull on the forward left side of the plane ruptured. The aircraft suffered an immediate and explosive decompression, ripping away a large section of the hull along the roof of the plane.
Cinco de Mayo ("5th of May") is more than an excuse to drink margaritas. The festival actually commemorates the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862 - a victory of Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín over the French. The date is observed as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride around the world. The Battle of Puebla delayed the French invasion of Mexico City. Five years later, Mexican forces defeated the French and expelled them from Mexico. Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that commemorates a battle fought in Mexico on the fifth of May in 1862—a battle that became an unexpected victory for the Mexican army over the French forces. Mexico was attacked by foreign troops because President Benito Juárez defaulted on his payments to European nations after war had depleted the country’s ability to pay. Mexico had endured three wars that put their country [...]
Driving east on I-40 toward the Great Smoky Mountains, a huge golden ball known as the Sunsphere guides you into downtown Knoxville, Tennessee.
Birmingham, Alabama - the Magic City - saw events and courageous people who played a central role in the Civil Rights struggle. World Footprints goes on a walking tour through history along the Civil Rights Heritage Trail as we step onto the grounds where African Americans confronted Jim Crow era voilence with non-voilent civil disobedience.
A friend invited me to share a house with her and a few other friends in Martha’s Vineyard over the Fourth of July weekend last year. Hearing stories of the Kennedys and the Obamas vacationing there, I assumed it would be a stuffy, pretentious community for the rich and famous. This was not the case.
Americans have recognized black history annually since 1926, first as "Negro History Week" and later as Black History Month and we greatly owe the celebration of this month of Black Heritage, more so, the study of black history to Dr. Carter G. Woodson. The Harvard scholar was disturbed to find that history books largely ignored the black American population-and when blacks were depicted, they were reflected as socially inferior and stero-typed in a very uncomplimentary fashion. Today, thanks to Dr. Woodson and others the historical story of how the month-long celebration of African-Americans came about is amazing and inspirational. But the celebration of African-Americans should not be limited to just one month. Throughout the year there are many lesser known sites around the country where you can celebrate the contributions of African-Americans in a unique way. The African-American Heritage Trail is quite long and the short list that follows doesn’t begin to [...]
Enjoy the historic opening ceremonies surrounding the opening of the MLK Memorial in Washington, DC
Jekyll Island today is well known as a Georgia State Park where we can view a preserved piece of the lifestyle of the elite during the time of the robber barons. But did you know it also has a piece of history that was a factor in the Civil War? It was here that an illegal slave ship, The Wanderer, arrived on November 28, 1858, with over 400 people who were sold into slavery.
Located in western Illinois, on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, you’ll find my charming and welcoming hometown of Quincy. With a rich history, Midwestern hospitality, and a thriving arts scene, Quincy is Illinois’s best-kept secret.
Aran Mor is arguably the most significant example that comes to mind and an island on which you can learn about the past, while enjoying everything it has to offer in the present.
