May 6, 2012 • 88 notes • todayinlaborhistory
todayinlaborhistory: Today in labor history, May 6, 1935:  President Franklin Roosevelt signs Executive Order 7034, establishing the Works Progress Administration, a work relief program designed to “move from the relief rolls to work on such projects or in private employment the maximum number of persons in the shortest time possible.”  During its existence, the WPA provided employment for over 8.5 million American workers. The WPA wasn’t just responsible for infrastructure, but it also helped boost the arts in this country. There were many commissions for artists, actors, and musicians to work. Actors like Zero Mostel got jobs teaching art lessons to young children. One of the things I always admired about WPA was the fact that it was committed to getting everyone working, and using their skill sets in any way possible. “Write a piece of poetry for this opening!” “Write some music for the exposition!” and so on. I know people rag on the new deal. Not all of the programs worked, but you can still see leftover artifacts from the WPA. Bridges, roadways, and sidewalks. There is a school in Oakland that I walk past sometimes. The sidewalks around it, and the school were built by the WPA. It’s still running to this day. Pretty awesome, right?

todayinlaborhistory:

Today in labor history, May 6, 1935:  President Franklin Roosevelt signs Executive Order 7034, establishing the Works Progress Administration, a work relief program designed to “move from the relief rolls to work on such projects or in private employment the maximum number of persons in the shortest time possible.”  During its existence, the WPA provided employment for over 8.5 million American workers.

The WPA wasn’t just responsible for infrastructure, but it also helped boost the arts in this country. There were many commissions for artists, actors, and musicians to work. Actors like Zero Mostel got jobs teaching art lessons to young children. One of the things I always admired about WPA was the fact that it was committed to getting everyone working, and using their skill sets in any way possible. “Write a piece of poetry for this opening!” “Write some music for the exposition!” and so on. I know people rag on the new deal. Not all of the programs worked, but you can still see leftover artifacts from the WPA. Bridges, roadways, and sidewalks. There is a school in Oakland that I walk past sometimes. The sidewalks around it, and the school were built by the WPA. It’s still running to this day. Pretty awesome, right?

(via saccharinenostalgia)

April 26, 2012 • 117 notes • todayinhistory

todayinhistory:

April 26th 1986: Chernobyl nuclear disaster

On this day in 1986, a reactor exploded at the Chernobyl nuclear power station in Ukraine, thus creating the world’s worst nuclear disaster. Radioactive smoke was let into the atmosphere which spread across the Soviet Union and Europe. 31 members of staff and emergency workers died directly due to the accident but many others died from diseases including cancer due to the radiation. Hundreds of thousands of people eventually had to be evacuated and resettled due to contamination of areas of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. The disaster raised questions of the safety of nuclear power and encouraged the Soviet government to become more open. Only two nuclear accidents have been classified as level 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale, Chernobyl and the Fukushima Daiichi disaster of 2011.

“For the first time ever, we have confronted in reality the sinister power of uncontrolled nuclear energy.”
- Mikhail Gorbachev

As my older brother once wrote in a high school civics report, “Bam! There was no christmas party that year!” 
I think he got a C. 
We were discussing this incident in science a couple weeks ago. Shoddy work done cheapy… tragic.

April 18, 2012 • 264 notes • research.archives.gov

todaysdocument:

Considered one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history, the San Francisco Earthquake struck on the morning of April 18, 1906.

More about the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire »

I have always held this piece of history close to my heart. It was one of the most terrifying disasters on the west coast, and my own ancestors happened to be living in the city when it occurred. The story goes that my Great grandfather was a little boy, no more than 9 or 10. He had been out on his paper route in the city before school. I can never remember the rest of the story. Nonetheless, him and his family survived. You can find their names on the survivor’s list at the Italian Heritage museum. 
Having hung out in the city several times, one of the things I remember are the buildings and the odd haunted feeling one gets in some of the most historic districts.  

April 13, 2012 • 435 notes • mydaguerreotypeboyfriend
mydaguerreotypeboyfriend: Sometimes a Daguerreotype boyfriend distinguishes himself with a killer mustache or a pair of winsome plaid pants. Or sometimes they just live through the most famous maritime disaster of the twentieth century. Presenting…the hottest men who survived the Titanic.  Richard Norris Williams, age 21 After freeing a trapped passenger by breaking down a door, Williams was washed overboard and swam to a collapsable lifeboat. He spent so much time waist-deep in freezing water his doctor later suggested his legs be amputated. Williams refused and went on to win the U.S. Tennis Championships in 1914 and 1916.  Karl Behr, age 26 This first-class passenger was also a tennis star. He had been enamored with a friend of his sister, Helen Newsom, and followed her onto the ship. He was with Helen when he entered one of the first lifeboats to leave the ship and newspapers reported he proposed to her there. He was part of the 1914 U.S. Davis Cup tennis team along with Richard Norris Williams. Jack Thayer, age 17 Thayer jumped from the ship in its last minutes, seeing it rip in half as he swam away. He was pulled down by the suction and surfaced next to an overturned lifeboat. His account of the night was was one the most famous recordings of the event.  Just because one studies and analyzes history, doesn’t mean we’re immune to the hotties. anyway, in the end history is all about evaluating personal experience from significant events. Also, these guys are super cute. Enjoy!

mydaguerreotypeboyfriend:

Sometimes a Daguerreotype boyfriend distinguishes himself with a killer mustache or a pair of winsome plaid pants. Or sometimes they just live through the most famous maritime disaster of the twentieth century. Presenting…the hottest men who survived the Titanic. 

Richard Norris Williams, age 21

After freeing a trapped passenger by breaking down a door, Williams was washed overboard and swam to a collapsable lifeboat. He spent so much time waist-deep in freezing water his doctor later suggested his legs be amputated. Williams refused and went on to win the U.S. Tennis Championships in 1914 and 1916. 

Karl Behr, age 26

This first-class passenger was also a tennis star. He had been enamored with a friend of his sister, Helen Newsom, and followed her onto the ship. He was with Helen when he entered one of the first lifeboats to leave the ship and newspapers reported he proposed to her there. He was part of the 1914 U.S. Davis Cup tennis team along with Richard Norris Williams.

Jack Thayer, age 17

Thayer jumped from the ship in its last minutes, seeing it rip in half as he swam away. He was pulled down by the suction and surfaced next to an overturned lifeboat. His account of the night was was one the most famous recordings of the event. 

Just because one studies and analyzes history, doesn’t mean we’re immune to the hotties. anyway, in the end history is all about evaluating personal experience from significant events. Also, these guys are super cute. Enjoy!

April 12, 2012 • 116 notes • lbjlibrary.org
nycgeek: lbjlibrary: April 12, 1945. FDR dies. LBJ is devastated. Roosevelt would remain a role model for the rest of Johnson’s life. LBJ Library photo by Cecil Stoughton, 02/10/1965. 43-8-WH65. Public domain. Huh. I didn’t know this. Although it’s not surprising. Oh yes. LBJ practically worshipped the man. During the New Deal, he worked under Roosevelt as a youth director of new deal programs in Texas. These programs would essentially inspire The Great Society program. Everything he did, he wanted to emulate Roosevelt. 

nycgeek:

lbjlibrary:

April 12, 1945. FDR dies.

LBJ is devastated. Roosevelt would remain a role model for the rest of Johnson’s life.

LBJ Library photo by Cecil Stoughton, 02/10/1965. 43-8-WH65. Public domain.

Huh. I didn’t know this. Although it’s not surprising.

Oh yes. LBJ practically worshipped the man. During the New Deal, he worked under Roosevelt as a youth director of new deal programs in Texas. These programs would essentially inspire The Great Society program. Everything he did, he wanted to emulate Roosevelt. 

April 12, 2012 • 99 notes • todayinhistory

todayinhistory:

April 12th 1961: Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in space

On this day in 1961, the Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human being to travel into outer space. Gagarin spent 108 minutes completing an orbit of the Earth in the spacecraft Vostok 1 before a successful ejection and parachute landing. Gagarin became famous worldwide and a Russian hero, being awarded the nation’s highest honour: Hero of the Soviet Union.

“Don’t be afraid, I am a Soviet citizen like you, who has descended from space and I must find a telephone to call Moscow!”
- Gagarin to some stunned farmers when he landed

I was obsessed with The Right Stuff growing up. I wanted to be an astronaut, and thought traveling space would be the coolest thing in the world. It’s a brilliant movie that depicts the lives of the astronauts, to the politics that played out when the U.S. government formed NASA. As well as the red scare that played out. Also, Sam Shepard, John Harris,  Dennis Quaid, and Zooey Deschanel’s mother, Mary Jo Deschanel is in the cast. It’s a long epic, seriously badass film. 

April 11, 2012 • 5 notes • todayinhistory
todayinhistory: April 11th 1979: Idi Amin deposedOn this day in 1979 the Ugandan dictator since 1971, Idi Amin, was deposed after shrinking popularity. A Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan army, Amin had seized power in a military coup in 1971, overthrowing socialist Milton Obote. His regime was characterised by use of military force, human rights abuses and political repression against dissidents, especially violence against ethnic groups (predominantly Acholi and Lango peoples). Between 100,000 and 500,000 were killed by his regime. Amin’s behaviour became more erratic, and he gave himself numerous titles until his full title was “His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular” and claimed to be the uncrowned King of Scotland. By 1978 Amin’s support had dwindled and dissent was on the increase as the economy failed. He invaded Tanzanian territory which caused a war in which his army was defeated and the capital of Kampala captured. Amin was forced to flee into exile by helicopter on April 11th 1979. Idi Amin fled first to Libya then to Saudi Arabia where he died in 2003; he never expressed remorse for the nature of his regime. A good film to watch is The King of Scotland. Not just for James MacAvoy goodness, but also to see Forest Whitaker. I thought the film did a brilliant job in showing how a Dictator can take over a country, and make the people trust and love him. Much like a nasty boyfriend. You see the slow process in which MacAvoy’s character comes to trust him, thinking he is this lovely man, only to slowly realize how truly evil someone can be.  If you’re squeamish, don’t see it. There are arguments about historical films, but I say, go see them. Read a book afterward, and learn a little bit more. But the films are a great start. It was a movie musical about the founding fathers that got me started on my life long love of American History. 

todayinhistory:

April 11th 1979: Idi Amin deposed

On this day in 1979 the Ugandan dictator since 1971, Idi Amin, was deposed after shrinking popularity. A Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan army, Amin had seized power in a military coup in 1971, overthrowing socialist Milton Obote. His regime was characterised by use of military force, human rights abuses and political repression against dissidents, especially violence against ethnic groups (predominantly Acholi and Lango peoples). Between 100,000 and 500,000 were killed by his regime. Amin’s behaviour became more erratic, and he gave himself numerous titles until his full title was “His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular” and claimed to be the uncrowned King of Scotland. By 1978 Amin’s support had dwindled and dissent was on the increase as the economy failed. He invaded Tanzanian territory which caused a war in which his army was defeated and the capital of Kampala captured. Amin was forced to flee into exile by helicopter on April 11th 1979. Idi Amin fled first to Libya then to Saudi Arabia where he died in 2003; he never expressed remorse for the nature of his regime.

A good film to watch is The King of Scotland. Not just for James MacAvoy goodness, but also to see Forest Whitaker. I thought the film did a brilliant job in showing how a Dictator can take over a country, and make the people trust and love him. Much like a nasty boyfriend. You see the slow process in which MacAvoy’s character comes to trust him, thinking he is this lovely man, only to slowly realize how truly evil someone can be.  If you’re squeamish, don’t see it. 
There are arguments about historical films, but I say, go see them. Read a book afterward, and learn a little bit more. But the films are a great start.
It was a movie musical about the founding fathers that got me started on my life long love of American History. 

April 9, 2012 • 16,949 notes • anomalousdata

The beginnings of the American Revolution, simplified

BRITISH EMPIRE: All right, fine, your stupid embargo worked. We won’t levy any more taxes-
AMERICAN COLONIES: Huzzah! Time to get drunk!
BRITISH EMPIRE: Except on tea.
AMERICAN COLONIES: What?
BRITISH EMPIRE: Get over it, it’s just tea. Seriously, where do you get this idea that you’re special and should never have to pay taxes? We hope that idea doesn’t go on to infect your political discourse centuries from now.
AMERICAN COLONIES: We’re not buying your stupid tea.
BRITISH EMPIRE: Are you being serious right now? What are you going to do, just stop drinking tea?
AMERICAN COLONIES: Yes. We’ll drink coffee.
BRITISH EMPIRE: Do you even know what that is?
AMERICAN COLONIES: No, but we’ve heard it’s good and we’re feeling surly.
BRITISH EMPIRE: Fine, whatever, we don’t even care what you do anymore.
BRITISH EAST INDIA COMPANY: Actually, we are pretty much bankrupt, so you need to make them drink the tea.
BRITISH EMPIRE: Oh, for—just drink the tea.
AMERICAN COLONIES: No.
BRITISH EMPIRE: Do it.
AMERICAN COLONIES: NO.
BRITISH EMPIRE: Drink it.
AMERICAN COLONIES: Fuck you.
BRITISH EMPIRE: Drink it or we’ll punch you in the face.
AMERICAN COLONIES: *Boston Tea Party*
BRITISH EMPIRE: What the hell?
AMERICAN COLONIES: We heard it was Indians.
BRITISH EMPIRE: That’s interesting, because we heard it was a bunch of colonists wearing paint and dressed in costumes that were remarkably similar to what a crowd of drunks who wanted to look like Indians would assemble if the only supplies they had were found in an alley behind a bar.
AMERICAN COLONIES: You get all types in Boston.
BRITISH EMPIRE: …*Coercive Acts*
AMERICAN COLONIES: Oh, it is ON.
April 9, 2012 • 214 notes • research.archives.gov
nycgeek: ourpresidents: 75,000 People Gather on the National Mall to Hear Marian Anderson Sing On this day, April 9, 1939, Marian Anderson performs from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  When Howard University invited her to perform in Washington, they approached the Daughters of the American Revolution about the use of their auditorium, Constitution Hall.  The DAR’s rejection on the basis of Ms. Anderson’s skin color prompted First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to publicly resign from the organization. More on the story behind this concert, here. -from the FDR Library One (of many, many) reasons why Eleanor Roosevelt rocked. I always loved this story. An english professor I had sophmore year, was a huge fan of Marian Anderson. So we often discussed the music that she sang in correlation with african-american spirituals. She was an amazing singer. 

nycgeek:

ourpresidents:

75,000 People Gather on the National Mall to Hear Marian Anderson Sing

On this day, April 9, 1939, Marian Anderson performs from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. 

When Howard University invited her to perform in Washington, they approached the Daughters of the American Revolution about the use of their auditorium, Constitution Hall.  The DAR’s rejection on the basis of Ms. Anderson’s skin color prompted First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to publicly resign from the organization.

More on the story behind this concert, here.

-from the FDR Library

One (of many, many) reasons why Eleanor Roosevelt rocked.

I always loved this story. An english professor I had sophmore year, was a huge fan of Marian Anderson. So we often discussed the music that she sang in correlation with african-american spirituals. She was an amazing singer. 

April 9, 2012 • 39 notes • todayinhistory

todayinhistory:

April 9th 1865: The American Civil War ends

On this day in 1865, Confederate general Robert E Lee surrendered to Union general Ulysses S Grant at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia, thus ending the war that had raged since 1861. The war had broken out when the Southern states began seceding from the United States and formed the Confederacy. Initially the Confederacy, under Lee’s leadership, were able to defeat the Union in several battles. However after great defeats such as at Gettysburg and the destruction of Sherman’s march to the sea, the Confederacy realised the Union’s superior infrastructure and resources meant they could not continue to fight. After Lee’s surrender, Grant defied tradition due to his respect for Lee and desire to restore peace, and allowed Lee to keep his sword and horse. Whilst more armies and generals had yet to surrender, Lee’s surrender essentially marked the end of the deadliest war in American history. The end of the war meant the abolition of slavery, preservation of the Union and began the era of Reconstruction. Grant said of the Confederacy’s surrender:

“The Confederates were now our countrymen, and we did not want to exult over their downfall.”