The use of “they” as a singular, gender-neutral pronoun has been growing recently. But the 2015 Word of the Year has a surprisingly long history.
Author Archives: Anita Hacker
Top 10 Ben Franklin Inventions
A statesman, writer, and publisher, Benjamin Franklin also invented many practical products.
Nature Studies: Is it possible to put a price on nature? And if we can, should we?
Environmental columnist Michael McCarthy expresses his uncertainty about a question posed at a high-profile debate.
Aaron Douglas’s Magisterial Aspects of Negro Life
This text provides an overview of Harlem Renaissance painter Aaron Douglas. Click the images on the left to view some of his work in more detail and watch the video at the bottom for more background.
A Civil War journal, up close and personal
An American literature class at California University of Pennsylvania recently undertook the digital transcription of a journal written by a Civil War soldier. The task required them to decipher a text that was not only faded, but written in a style of English different from what we speak today.
English Speakers Increasingly Use Self-Centered Words Like ‘Get’ And ‘Choose’
A psychology professor at UCLA charted the frequency of certain words used in books published in a 200-year time span. Her findings reflect a shift from a rural, sharing society to an urban, individualistic society.
Modern day Canterbury Tales refreshes Chaucer to tell the lost stories of refugees
In June 2015, a group of academics set out to re-create The Canterbury Tales by walking 80 miles across the North Downs in England and telling the stories of refugees along the way. Their goal was to give a voice to those who are often unheard.
Mark Twain’s Eternal Chatter
Author Ben Tarnoff analyzes the celebrity of Mark Twain and critiques the writer’s autobiography, which was published in several volumes starting in 2010.
The day the Constitution was adopted
Read about the battle to ratify the Constitution in at least nine states, the number required to officially adopt it.
What makes space travel so dangerous?
Read about the risks astronauts face when exploring space.
A Wild, ‘Burning’ Journey Back To Old Mexico
Author Oscar Casares reviews the work of Juan Rulfo, who covered themes of violence and how it affected the behaviors of individuals in his writing. An excerpt from Rulfo’s The Burning Plain and Other Stories is included.
Mass Exodus From the Plains
During the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl led millions of people from the Plains states to move to California. Read about the migration and click some of the links in the menu on the left for other biographies, articles, and photo galleries that describe the time period.
Black Leaders During Reconstruction
Learn how former slaves and black leaders joined the political process after the Civil War.
As pope evokes nation of immigrants, a report shows it’s not reflected in Congress
A study by the Pew Research Center shows a lack of Congressional representatives who are immigrants, and some think that an increase in that number would lead to a better understanding of complex immigration issues.
Indian removal
From the 1810s to the 1830s, Andrew Jackson was instrumental in negotiating treaties that pushed the Native American tribes of the eastern United States out west.
Beyond Denali: Restoring Native American names
Read about the movement to change the names of national natural sites back to their Native American names.
Technobiophilia: Can we get all the nature we need in digital form?
Digital expert Sue Thomas explains that humans have a genetic attraction to the natural world, but argues that digital representations of nature may satisfy our needs.
The Stamp Act Riots, 250 Years Ago
Read this overview of the Stamp Act, which was passed by England’s Parliament in 1765 and led American colonists to rebel.
Thomas Paine
Read about the life and influence of Thomas Paine, whose writing helped shape the United States.
Where the Buffalo No Longer Roamed
While the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad connected the East coast and the West coast, it also led to the further decrease of the Native American population, as well as that of buffalo herds.