Why Do We Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr Day? Martin Luther King, Jr. day is traditionally celebrated on the third Monday of January, to put it close to his birthday of January 15. The official declaration of the day was signed into law by President Reagan in 1986, after activism for the observation started in…
Who Was Ely S. Parker? Born with the name Hasanoanda, meaning “Leading Man,” Ely Samuel Parker was a member of the Wolf Clan in the Seneca Nation, part of Six Nations of the Iroquois. He was raised in the traditions of his Native Nation, and he attended the Baptist “mission” school to learn English. Education…
The Man Who Taught America About Inoculation In 1706, Boston Massachusetts Puritan preacher Cotton Mather was given a human as a “gift” from his church congregation. Mather renamed him Onesimus, a Greek word for “useful.” In 1716, Onesimus purchased half of his freedom after being permitted to work for wages outside the home, but was still required to…
“Ordinary people with extraordinary vision can redeem the soul of America by getting in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble. Voting and participating in the democratic process are key. The vote is the most powerful nonviolent change agent you have in a democratic society…In my life I have done all I can to demonstrate that the way…
President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed NASA into existence on July 29, 1958, with the National Aeronautics and Space Act. Since NASA was founded, there have been countless contributions to science made by NASA astronauts. A few trips to the library revealed a large pile of children’s books about diverse NASA astronauts, and I am so…
What Does STEM Stand For? The term STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. According to The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, in 2019 it is recorded that only 29% of STEM federal workers were women. Diverse Women in STEM Careers Despite these odds (as well as many experiencing racism), these powerful women followed their…
