A Brief History On October 29, 1877, former Confederate States of America Army General Nathan Bedford Forrest died, but despite being an early member of the infamous racist organization, the Ku Klux Klan and serving as the first Grand Wizard of the notorious hate group, he had changed his tune, denying involvement with the Klan and denouncing the racism and violence associated with the KKK! Digging Deeper If you believe Nathan Bedford Forrest is something of a folk hero to White Supremacists, and conversely a hated and despised person by those seeking racial equality, you would be right! Forrest’s contribution…
Author: Major Dan
Major Dan
Major Daniel Zar is a retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served during the Cold War and has traveled to many countries around the world. Prior to his military service, he graduated from Cleveland State University, having majored in sociology. Following his military service, he worked as a police officer eventually earning the rank of captain prior to his retirement.
Read More
A Brief History On October 28, 1995, the subway system that serves Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, was the scene of a terrible fire that resulted in the deaths of 289 people, making it the worst subway related tragedy in history. Among the dead were 286 passengers and 3 subway employees, and sadly, 28 of the deceased passengers were children. Another 270 people were injured, but believe it or not, it could have been worse! Digging Deeper The reason things were not at least marginally worse was the heroism of Chingiz Babayev, an Azerbaijan Army veteran that risked his own…
A Brief History On October 27, 2004, the Boston Red Sox ended a World Series victory drought that went back to 1918, an incredible 86 years between Major League triumphs. Over those many decades of frustration, rabid Red Sox fans often cited the unfortunate deal that sent Babe Ruth, arguably the greatest baseball player of all time from the Sox to the hated New York Yankees, ushering in a dynasty of Yankee success that has been unparalleled in Major League history. Digging Deeper Babe Ruth, or George Herman Ruth, was a great pitcher for the Red Sox, having won 24…
A Brief History On October 24, 1871, a number of Chinese immigrants to the United States (perhaps 17 to 20) were lynched in Los Angeles, California, the victims hanged by the neck until dead by a mob of White and Hispanic Americans. The mob had heard that a Chinese man or men had shot a lawman and killed a rancher assisting that lawman while trying to effect the arrest of a Chinese man in the Chinatown section of LA known as “Calle de los Negros” (Street of the Blacks). We previously discussed lynching in the United States, but recent events…
A Brief History On October 23, 2019, our nation (the United States) celebrates another National Boston Cream Pie Day. The delicious concoction with its own “holiday” is just one of several eating or drinking items named for the city of Boston, Massachusetts, and we use this opportunity to explore some of the things Boston is famous for. What other things can you think of that are either named for Bean Town or famously associated with Boston? (Yeah, we know, they talk funny there…) (Honorable mention: The rock group, Boston, and the dog breed, Boston Terrier.) Digging Deeper 1. Boston Cream…