Holiday Time Capsule |
Diwali, Kwanzaa, and Other Seasonal Holidays
The phrase “Happy Holidays” is often spoken this time of year and for good reason. There are dozens of holidays observed in November and December across religions, cultures, ethnicities, and nations. (While many of these groups observe different calendars, November...
Holiday Time Capsule |
Saturnalia, Winter Solstice, and the Roots of Christmas
Humans have recognized, observed, and celebrated the winter solstice season as early as the Neolithic era. This era, around 12,200 years ago, was the last part of the Stone Age. Archaeologists have unearthed many Neolithic monuments, which align with the winter...
Holiday Time Capsule |
Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights
The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (or Chanukah) celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Though considered a “minor” Jewish festival according to custom, it has blossomed into a beloved and widely recognized holiday. The history of Hanukkah goes...
Holiday Time Capsule |
Christmas in Popular Culture
“Seeing isn’t believing. Believing is seeing.” When it comes to Christmas, most people have some sort of mental image of what the holiday looks, sounds, smells, feels, and tastes like. Even for those who do not celebrate the holiday, it can be difficult to miss the...
Holiday Time Capsule |
The History of Thanksgiving
From our young school days, we all learn the same story about how the Pilgrims gathered with the Indians for a large feast to give thanks for a successful harvest. The story tends to feature tall black hats with large buckles, an abundance of corn and turkey during a...
Time Capsule | Juneteenth
After Emancipation
General Orders, Number 3Headquarters District of Texas, Galveston, June 19, 1865: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal...
Time Capsule |
The American Flag and its Day of Honor
Flag Day has its origins in the classroom as several teachers around the United States set aside a day to honor and learn about the history of the American flag. The father of the movement was Bernard J. Cigrand, a schoolteacher in Wisconsin. He arranged for his...
Time Capsule |
General Logan’s National Day of Remembrance
Several cities and organizations claim to have started the Memorial Day holiday in the years following the American Civil War. Initially known as Decoration Day, communities gathered together to remember the soldiers who died fighting during those four years of...
Time Capsule |
A Look Back at VE Day, 75 Years Later
May 7, 1945, brought the long awaited news that the war in Europe had come to an end. After years of intense fighting across the continent, the German Reich finally surrendered and President Harry Truman and Prime Minister Winston Churchill proclaimed the complete...
Time Capsule |
Remembering Kent State and Sandra Scheuer 50 Years Later
On April 30, 1970, President Richard Nixon announced that the United States had invaded Cambodia, a move which expanded military action during the Vietnam War. In response to this, students on college campuses across the nation participated in anti-war protests. At...