Connecting the past to the present.
John F. Kennedy’s childhood was far from ideal, even farther from easy. When he was three years old he contracted scarlett fever, which hospitalized him for nearly three months. Later in his childhood and teenage years he suffered from diphtheria, appendicitis, whooping cough, jaundice, asthma, and pneumonia. By the time he turned 17, he had spent […]
Read More John F. Kennedy: From Sickly Kid to War HeroEmmett Till should have turned 78 today. If you don’t know the story of Emmett Till, you should. It is one of the major sparks that set the American civil rights movement. Till was just 14 years old, visiting family in Money, Mississippi. He spoke to a white woman in a grocery store. She went […]
Read More Emmett Till: He Never Got the Chance To Be a Man.In 1957, Frankie Lymon was one of the most exciting and popular singers in America. He had an angelic voice, good looks, and an unteachable charisma. Backed by his band, “The Teenagers”, his song “Why do fools fall in love” had made him a household name the year before. They were five kids from Washington […]
Read More The Black and White T.V. of “The Good Old Days”Happy birthday to Ms. Toni Stone, the first female professional baseball player. She was born on July 17, 1921 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her parents stressed the importance of success in school to her, but all she wanted to do was play ball. As a child, she played any sport she could, never afraid to […]
Read More Toni Stone: You Wish You Could Play Ball Like This GirlAlong the waterfront of Portland, Oregon is a statue of a woman sitting in a position like she is inviting you to come tell her your story. Thousands walk, run, and bike by her every day. I wonder how many of those people know her story. Her name is Vera Katz, and she is the […]
Read More Vera Katz: Portland’s Own Lady LibertyHappy 77th birthday to Harrison Ford, the highest grossing domestic actor in American history! Ford is a lesson in perseverance. When he was in his late 20’s, he was married with children and getting very small acting roles, if any. He was frustrated, but wanted to keep giving acting a try while supporting his family. […]
Read More Harrison Ford: From Building the Set to Starring On ItHappy 22nd birthday to one of the most inspiring people in the world today, Malala Yousafzai. Since 2013, July 12 is has been dubbed “Malala Day” by the United Nations to honor this amazing hero and her activism for young women throughout the world. As a child she became an outspoken advocate for education and […]
Read More Happy Malala Day!Happy 58th birthday to Mr. Toby Keith! For the past quarter century, few have had more success in country music. Of his 64 hit singles, twenty have reached the number one spot. But, there is so much more to Toby Keith than the music. The songs of Toby Keith will outlive him on this earth, […]
Read More Toby Keith: Good Singer, Better ManHappy birthday to Satchel Paige, born on July 7, 1906 in Mobile, Alabama. He was one of the most dominant and exciting pitchers in baseball history, unfortunately, he did not make his major league debut until the age of 42. For 24 years, Paige dazzled the semi pro leagues, exhibition games, and the Negro leagues. […]
Read More Satchel Paige, The Star That Too Few Got To See ShineWorld War Two was tough on everyone, including those left behind. Nearly every American had someone they loved fighting in Europe or the Pacific. Mothers and children rallied in the homeland to do what they could to help the war effort. They worked in factories building weapons, repaired war machinery, sent care packages to the […]
Read More July 6, 1944: The Tears of the Clowns