Rosa Parks is well known for her decision not to give up her seat to a white person on a segregated bus during a time when a racist law forced African Americans to do this. Learn more about the life and efforts of this unassuming hero.
Tag Archives: Culture & Society
Richmond will fall again for 150th anniversary
Read about a four-day commemoration in Richmond, V.A. which will mark the 150th anniversary of the fall of the Confederacy’s capital on April 3, 1865.
Why we love ghost stories
Author Ilie Ruby recalls the thrills of hearing ghost stories around campfires and explores why it is we are drawn to them.
Students, Swedish-Americans swap immigrant stories
Learn about an initiative at Wellstone High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, called Story Swap. This program aims to teach the students about what they have in common with past immigrants like the Swedes.
Girl helps paramedics through sign language skills
A 10-year-old girl who learned sign language from her mother found herself putting it to use in an unexpected way.
Gordon Parks exhibit offers intimate glimpse into segregation-era life for African Americans
In 1950, just before the Civil Rights movement, Gordon Parks took a series of photographs of Fort Scott, Kansas, his hometown, for Life magazine. Now on display in an exhibit at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, art lecturer Toni Pepe Den reviews the images.
This Car Changed America
Released in 1908, Ford’s Model T greatly influenced the country.
Humans are wired for prejudice but that doesn’t have to be the end of the story
In this article, neuroscientist Caitlin Millett explains how reactions in people’s brains affect their prejudices, and she calls on society to use the information learned from on-going research to end social injustices and conflicts.
Malala Yousafzai’s Courage
Much has been written about Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning teen from Pakistan’s rugged mountain region who continues to push for education for girls despite death threats. Pulitzer Prize-winning opinion columnist Leonard Pitts shares his thoughts.
A Cause Unites Unlikely Partners in South Wales
In the 1980s, Welsh coal miners went on strike to oppose the policies of British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. They were surprised to receive support from a group vastly different from them, but united in feeling marginalized by the Thatcher government.
Cool Jobs (That Pay!)
Are you starting to think about your future after high school? Read about where you can get ideas and information about jobs that will be in demand and pay well.
Chinese New Year Traditions
Chinese New Year celebrations were started in order to chase away a mythical beast. Exactly when is Chinese New Year? Why is the dragon one of the favorite animals of this celebration? Find out the answers to these questions and interesting facts and tales in this article and video.
Martin Luther King, Jr.: 8 peaceful protests that bolstered civil rights
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the famous civil rights leader, believed in nonviolent protests against racism. This article describes 8 of the peaceful protests King organized, including the march from Selma, Alabama, and the political rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., where he delivered his powerful “I Have a Dream” speech.
Wilma Mankiller, Cherokee Chief and First Woman to Lead Major Tribe, Is Dead at 64
Although she died in 2010, the Cherokee Nation will long remember Wilma Mankiller for her dedication to education, health care, and housing reforms. Find out how her decision to support a protest on Alcatraz Island fostered her leadership and determination to help her community.
Words From the Past Illuminate a Station on the Way to Freedom
A new book from Eric Foner, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, based on the discovery of journals containing interviews with fugitive slaves, sheds light on how the Underground Railroad really worked. Read about it here.
The Thrill of Being Scared Keeps Fright Industry Going
Read about why horror is always going to mean big business.
Can we choose our ethnic identities based on random obsessions?
Just how much of the ethnic background we claim or aspire to claim, has to do with the family members or traditions we relate to the most?
Antioch Teens Raising Money to Help Orphans in Ethiopia
In 2014, Nubia Wilson turned 16. But instead of celebrating with a glitzy Sweet 16 party, this California teen committed her milestone to improving the lives of orphans in Ethiopia.
With a Few Bits of Data, Researchers Identify ‘Anonymous’ People
A study in the Journal Science has analyzed credit card transactions to show that it is often possible to indentify individuals from just a few pieces of specific information. Read about the study here.
How your brain sees the world, according to Kepler
A new book looks at a pivotal moment in scientific history that changed the way we understood sight and perception.