THE HISTORY OF MOTHER’S DAY

                The Greeks and Romans had festivals to honor their mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele.  The early Christians developed the concept of “Mothering Sunday”.  On the fourth Sunday of Lent, mothers and their families were encouraged to return to their “mother church” for a special service.  It became more secular Read more…

THE WOUNDED KNEE OCCUPATION

                The members of AIM walked out with their heads held high and with the knowledge that their cause had been advanced through publicity.  This happened on May 8, 1973 when the Wounded Knee Occupation came to an end after 71 days.  It all started with a dispute over leadership Read more…

THE SINKING OF THE LUSITANIA

                If you believe the sinking of the Lusitania on May 7, 1915 caused the U.S. to enter WWI, you’d be wrong.  But the sinking certainly contributed to the eventual declaration of war.  The R.M.S. Lusitania had its maiden voyage in 1906.  It was the Titanic of its time –  Read more…

BOB HOPE AND THE USO

                On May 6, 1941, Bob Hope performed his first USO show at March Field in California.  The United Service Organization had been founded earlier that year to provide entertainment for the Armed Forces.   Hope, who hoped to join the Navy after Pearl Harbor, was convinced by FDR to serve Read more…

THE HISTORY OF CINCO DE MAYO

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Please drink with historical literacy.  Here are the facts about this holiday.                 Most Americans know that Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day and are happy to celebrate with them.  But most Americans are wrong.  Not that that would stop the celebrating.  May 5, 1862 Read more…

WHAT HAPPENED AT KENT STATE?

                Jeffrey Miller, Allison Krause, William Schroeder, and Sandra Scheuer were killed on May 4, 1970 during a protest against the Vietnam War.  The tragic dominoes began to fall on April 30 when Nixon launched his invasion of Cambodia.  Recently the war had seemed to be deescalating and the anti-war Read more…

Hugh Glass

                Hugh Glass was the protagonist in the movie “The Revenant”, but how much of his story was true.  In 1822, Gen. William Ashley created the Rocky Mountain Fur Company to raise money for a political career.  He hired 100 fur trappers, including Hugh.  “Ashley’s Hundred” worked the area of Read more…

THE DEATH OF HITLER

                On Jan. 16, 1945, Adolf Hitler moved for good into the Bunker under the Reich Chancellery building.  55 feet underground, the facility was totally safe from air bombardment.  The eighteen rooms provided the necessary creature comforts for Hitler and his staff.  The most prominent “guests” were Joseph Goebbels and Read more…