The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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March 23, 1503 the Union of the Crowns: James VI of Scotland Becomes James I of England. The move was a pivotal moment in British History The year 1603 marks a significant turning point in the history of the British Isles, as it witnessed the unification of the Scottish and English crowns. This momentous event came to pass when James VI of Scotland ascended the English throne as James I, thus beginning a new chapter of governance and cultural integration that would shape the future of Britain....
The National WW2 Museum offers a compelling blend of sweeping narrative and poignant personal detail. It features immersive exhibits, multimedia experiences and an expansive collection of artifacts and first-person oral histories taking visitors inside the story of the war that changed the world. Beyond the galleries, the Museum's online collections, virtual field trips, webinars, educational travel programs and renowned International Conference on World War II offer patrons new ways to connect...
The spring of 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of a sad event in American history: The fall of Saigon, and the failure of the United States to honor its commitment to save South Vietnam from Communist aggression. Not that our military failed. At a colloquium years later between American and North Vietnamese to discuss the war, an American officer said, “You never defeated us on the battlefield. A North Vietnamese officer replied, “That is true. It is also irrelevant.” He meant that the Commu...
This Sunday leaders from throughout Alabama and the entire country will commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March and the infamous Bloody Sunday on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. It was a momentous occasion and needs memorializing. Make no mistake about it, this event led to the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which gave the vote to Black Americans throughout the country and primarily in the South. It is probably the most important event in the Civil Rights movement....
On this day in 1965, in Selma, all white Alabama State Troopers, acting on the orders of Gov. George Wallace (D), aided by local law enforcement and citizen volunteers, used tear gas, clubs and brute force to prevent peaceful voting rights marchers from crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The march had been organized by Rev. Joseph Lowery, future Congressman John Lewis and local leaders who had planned a Selma to Montgomery march to protest the state of Alabama's systemic disenfranchisement of...
Officially designated National Rosie The Riveter Day by the U.S. Congress in 2017, March 21st this year falls on a Friday. And the American Rosie The Riveter Association, which was founded by Dr. Fran Carter, a longtime resident of Birmingham, Alabama, is encouraging everyone to visit a Rosie the Riveter and take her to lunch, plan a restaurant outing with Rosies, veterans, and family members, and plan a brief program for schoolchildren and residents at a senior center to recognize all Rosie...
On March 10, 1945, an estimated 100,000 Japanese died in Tokyo after 334 US B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers attack Tokyo with 120,000 fire bombs. In the 1930s, Army Air Corps planners studying at the Air Corps Tactical School at Montgomery's Maxwell Field developed the principle of high-altitude daytime precision bombing. While the British abandoned precision daylight bombing for nighttime fire-bombing in 1942, the U.S. Army Air Corps targeted individual factories, railyards, refineries, ports,...
On this day - March 9 - in1933 the U.S. Congress was called into a special session by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (D), beginning its "100 days" during which it passes 77 new laws. These laws were the start of what Roosevelt would term the "New Deal" and was his answer to the Great Depression. The start of the New Deal was comparatively so late because back then March was when new administrations were sworn in. A situation that so annoyed President Roosevelt that he changed it to the January...
On this date - March 8 - in 1948, the United States Supreme Court delivered a landmark decision in the case of McCollum v. Board of Education, a ruling that would profoundly impact the interpretation of the First Amendment and the principle of the separation of church and state. The Court declared that religious instruction in public schools was unconstitutional, setting a crucial precedent for future cases involving the relationship between religion and public education. Background The case...
On this date March 5, in the year 363 AD, the Roman Emperor Julian embarked on an ambitious military campaign against the Sassanid Empire, a formidable adversary in the East. This bold endeavor would ultimately lead to Julian's death and mark a significant turning point in the history of the Roman Empire. The Prelude: Julian's Rise to Power Julian, known as Julian the Apostate, ascended to the throne in 361 AD following the death of his cousin, Constantius II. Julian was a philosopher and a man...
March 5, 2025 - "I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!" These impacting words were first spoken by Patrick Henry 250 years ago on March 23rd, 1775 at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia during the Second Virginia Convention. As Patrick Henry was urging the colony of Virginia to organize a volunteer company of cavalry or infantry in every Virginia county to begin preparing troops in the colony for war against one of the world's biggest...
On this day in 1918 the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed ending Russia's Involvement in World War I A Historic Agreement between Germany, Austria, and Russia The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, signed on March 3, 1918, marked a significant turning point in World War I, bringing an end to Russia's participation in the conflict. This treaty was the result of negotiations between the Central Powers, primarily Germany and Austria-Hungary, and the Bolshevik government of Soviet Russia. The agreement not...
On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that COVID-19 - a previously unknown variant of coronavirus - was declared a global pandemic. The year 2020 will forever be etched in the annals of history as the year when the world faced one of its most formidable public health crises. On March 11, 2020, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, officially declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic. This proclamation...
A Historic Milestone in Mississippi, 1884 The year 1884 marks a significant milestone in the history of women's education in the United States. It was on this date - March 12 - in 1884 that Mississippi took a pioneering step by establishing the first state college dedicated exclusively to the education of women. This groundbreaking institution, known as the Mississippi Industrial Institute and College (MIIC), was founded in Columbus, Mississippi, with the vision of providing higher education to...
On March 15, 44 B. C. the Roman general and statesman Julius Caesar was stabbed to death on the floor of the Senate by Brutus, Cassius, and several other Senators. Julius Caesar was one of the most consequential people who ever lived, and his assassination led to momentous changes for the Roman world that literally changed the course of human history. Rome had been a republic for centuries but the civil war between 83 and 82 B.C. changed Rome (already a slave state where violence and assassinati...
On March 16, 1935, German Chancellor Adolf Hitler publicly announced the rearmament of Germany. This declaration included the introduction of conscription, with the goal of expanding the German army to 550,000 troops. The move was a direct affront to the Treaty of Versailles and was met with shock and condemnation by the international community. Hitler justified his actions by claiming that Germany needed to defend itself against the perceived threat from neighboring countries. He argued that...
Today is not an official holiday, so most schools, businesses, and government offices will be open. However, it is the widely celebrated St. Patrick's Day holiday. On this date in 461 A.D. St. Patrick - one of the most effective missionaries in the history of Christendom - died. The American celebration of St. Patrick's Day is known for Celtic music, green clothes, parades, four-leaf clovers, lots of drinking, and all things Irish. That said, St. Patrick was a real historical person who had a...
On March 22, 1865, Union General James H. Wilson launched his raid on the industrial and railroad infrastructure of Alabama and Georgia to bring the South to its knees. In the final year of the American Civil War, a significant military campaign known as Wilson's Raid took place, shaping the course of the conflict and leaving a lasting impact on the Southern states of Alabama and Georgia. The raid, led by Union General James H. Wilson, involved a formidable force of 13,480 cavalry troops. By...
On March 2, 1807 - The U.S. Congress passed legislation banning the international slave trade. Introduction The abolition of the slave trade by the United States Congress on this date marks a pivotal moment in the nation's history. The decision to eradicate the inhumane practice of trading enslaved individuals was a monumental step towards the eventual abolition of slavery altogether. This article delves into the historical context, the legislative journey, and the profound impact of this...
A Turning Point in Modern History The Gulf War, also known as Operation Desert Storm, was a monumental conflict that marked a significant turning point in modern history. On February 28, 1991, the war officially came to an end with the Iraqi government of Saddam Hussein agreeing to a ceasefire, bringing relief and jubilation to many and reshaping geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East and beyond. The Prelude to Conflict The origins of the Gulf War can be traced back to August 2, 1990, when...
Recent elections have been laden with controversy. Results of the 2024 election appeared to reflect the backlash against the policies of the outgoing administration. As traumatic and unsettling as recent times have been, intense divisions between American political factions are nothing new. In 1798, under the John Adams administration, the 5th U.S. Congress passed the Alien and Sedition Acts. Part of the reasoning for passage was a fear in some circles that a war with France was imminent. This...
All beginnings are hopeful, but 50 years ago the future of the Conservative Party in Great Britain was dismal. Their leader, Edward Heath, had managed to lose two general elections in a single year-- far from an auspicious beginning. Sensing rumblings among his fellow Conservatives in Parliament, Heath decided to confirm his position as party leader, and to do this, he would convene the party and hold an election. His assumption was that the malcontents would have an opportunity to put up or...
February 6, 2025 - George Washington's birthday is celebrated every year on the third Monday in February as part of the federal holiday known as "President's Day". While in Alabama, "President's Day" is celebrated by the state offices as "George Washington/Thomas Jefferson Birthday". And this year, President's Day falls on Monday, February 17th, 2025. As such, George Washington's home of Mount Vernon has issued the "2025 Cherry Challenge" which is currently underway in Alexandria, Virginia. In t...
February 17m 2025 - Every year, on the third Monday of February, the United States celebrates Presidents Day. This federal holiday, originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, has since evolved to honor all individuals who have served as President of the United States. Today, it stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of American leadership and the guiding principles of democracy. The Origins of Presidents Day Presidents Day was initially known as...
February 17, 2025 - The History Channel is commemorating President's Day with the premiere of its new documentary series on Thomas Jefferson. Set to air at 7 PM Central time, the documentary is set to be a multi-part series. With each episode available for streaming on the History Channel website the next day after its premiere. The "Thomas Jefferson" documentary series is the first installment in what the History Channel is planning as a "History Honors 250" celebration; given that next year wi...
