Browsing: June 21

A Brief History On June 21, 2018, we celebrate the Summer Solstice just like our ancestors, welcoming the season of vacations, swimming pools, fishing, baseball, and barbecues. Another thing we love about Summer are the great songs about this greatest of seasons, or at least featuring “Summer” in the song. We list 10 songs we believe are either iconic as representing the genre of Summer songs or at least among our favorites. Digging Deeper 1. “A Summer Song,” Chad and Jeremy, 1964. Written by Chad Stuart with minor contributions by Jeremy Clyde (and others) this soft and beautiful song is…

A Brief History On June 21, 2017, a date firmly implanted in the 21st Century, people still have not learned to DO WHAT THE POLICE SAY TO DO.  Milwaukee police officer Dominique Heaggan-Brown was found not guilty on June 21, 2017 in the fatal shooting of Sylville Smith. Digging Deeper Once again, a police shooting is considered justified after incredibly close and deliberate investigation and trial, and yet people are surprised.  Mr. Smith ran from a traffic stop on August 13, 2016, armed with a handgun.  After a foot chase, Officer Heaggan-Brown shot Smith twice as he tried to jump…

A Brief History On this day, June 21, 2017, two films featuring titular supernatural females are battling for box office supremacy at the global box office.  As of today, Wonder Woman has grossed an impressive $573.5 million worldwide, while The Mummy has grossed $294 million.  Both films, while their main plot-lines and characters are obviously fictional, nevertheless also include historical settings and personages…well, sort of.  Read on for the movies’ historical (in)accuracy! Digging Deeper First, The Mummy opens in 1127 A.D. with a group of English crusader knights capturing a large ruby from ancient Egypt and later burying it within the tomb of one of their number…

A Brief History This article serves as a sort of table of contents to other articles on this site by presenting a chronological listing of bizarre events in the history of civil rights.  For the purpose of this timeline, we are expanding “civil rights” to include “natural rights,” “gay rights,” and “women’s rights” rather than just limiting the timeline to “African-American rights”. Digging Deeper On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry delivered a speech that may well have led to the successful formation of the United States.  Known as the “Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death” speech, Henry was addressing…

A Brief History On June 21, 1964, three civil rights workers were kidnapped and murdered by the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi, an event commemorated in the 1988 feature film, Mississippi Burning.  Advocating or campaigning for civil rights of various groups of people has been an historically dangerous business.  Many people engaged in the struggle for civil rights throughout history have been murdered or executed for their efforts.  Here we list 10 such people who have been martyred in the cause of freedom.   Digging Deeper 10. Chaney, Schwerner and Goodman, 1964. A 21 year old African-American from Mississippi and 2 Jewish New Yorkers…