"Its inhabitants are as much creatures of state power and industrial capitalism as their city-dwelling counterparts." -- The iconic painting, American Gothic, by Grant Wood, probably the most famous piece of art coming from the U.S., sparks many reflections on the differences between cities and town, urban and rural environments. A piercing, unsentimental new book, … Continue reading Beyond the Myths of Rural America
Indigenous Peoples
New Perspectives on Thanksgiving
New perspectives on Thanksgiving are important to be open-minded about. Many of us did not learn anything near the truth in school. That was the subject of my Substack e-newsletter: jimbuie.substack.com/p/thanksgiving-gam… Boston College History Professor Heather Cox Richardson also offered perspectives many of us did not learn in school, citing an 1841 book that reprinted … Continue reading New Perspectives on Thanksgiving
Squanto’s Remarkable Story Before and After Befriending the Pilgrims
"Imagine being kidnapped and taken in chains across the ocean. Six years later when you finally make your way back home, you find that in the interim your civilization has been annihilated, your villages littered with skeletons. This is what befell a Wampanoag Indian known as Squanto or Tisquantum." Writer George Spencer tells the remarkable … Continue reading Squanto’s Remarkable Story Before and After Befriending the Pilgrims
Cahokia, a Native American City in Illinois, Thrived A Thousand Years Ago, And Few Remember It
In AD 1250, a city in North America was larger than London at the time, yet few have ever heard of it. The Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site is the site of a pre-Columbian Native American city directly across the Mississippi River from modern St. Louis, Missouri. (Wikipedia.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcbC7V5KC9o History Channel: "Join Lawrence Fishburne as he uncovers the truth behind the strangest … Continue reading Cahokia, a Native American City in Illinois, Thrived A Thousand Years Ago, And Few Remember It
Earth Is Currently Experiencing A 6th Mass Extinction
60 Minutes: "Leading biologist tells Scott Pelley humans would need “five more Earths” to maintain our current way of life... In what year will the human population grow too large for the earth to sustain? 1970, according to research by the World Wildlife Fund. In 1970, the planet's 3.5 billion people were sustainable, but in … Continue reading Earth Is Currently Experiencing A 6th Mass Extinction
Dakota War of 1862 Ended in MN Mass Executions of Santee Sioux
The so-called Dakota War of 1862, which lasted from August 17 to December 26, mostly in Minnesota, "was an armed conflict between the United States and several bands of eastern Dakota also known as the Santee Sioux." -- More. It culminated in "the largest mass execution in American history," Boston College historian Heather Cox Richardson … Continue reading Dakota War of 1862 Ended in MN Mass Executions of Santee Sioux
The Lament Of The Cherokee Indian Reservation, By Paul Revere and the Raiders, 1971
This song was written by John D. Loudermilk.[1] It was first recorded by Marvin Rainwater in 1959 and released on MGM as "The Pale Faced Indian", but that release went unnoticed. The first hit version was a 1968 recording by Don Fardon – a former member of the Sorrows – that reached number 20 on the Hot 100 in 1968[2] and number 3 on the UK Singles Chart in 1970.[3] In 1971, the Raiders recorded "Indian … Continue reading The Lament Of The Cherokee Indian Reservation, By Paul Revere and the Raiders, 1971
New Respect for Native American History in DC Region?
As professional football season gets underway, history is made as a decades-long debate over the name "Washington Redskins" has ended, with the team re-branded as the "Washington Commanders." (News). "We can finally end the debate over our sports team’s exploitation of Native American culture, a controversy that threatened to spur barroom fights for 30 years," … Continue reading New Respect for Native American History in DC Region?
Re-Examining What Happened to Cherokee Land in NC, Other States
Drew Reisinger, Register of Deeds of Buncombe County, NC, and his staff in Asheville, as well as most citizens of the county, didn't have a firm grasp on how the county was formed from mostly Cherokee lands. So they "set out to take a deeper look at that origin story using primary sources to tell a … Continue reading Re-Examining What Happened to Cherokee Land in NC, Other States
Lakota Tribe’s Victory Over Custer at Little Big Horn Reminded Me of Middle East
On the 196th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn on the Great Plains of Montana Territory in 1876, Boston College History Professor Heather Cox Richardson traced the history that led to the shocking defeat of General George Custer and his men. The U.S. Army lost 263 men that day, the Lakotas lost about … Continue reading Lakota Tribe’s Victory Over Custer at Little Big Horn Reminded Me of Middle East
Teaching History's Slender Threads, Including 'What Ifs', Almosts, Alternatives and Turning Points 