Happy Birthday, Library of Congress!
On April 24, 2024, the Library of Congress celebrates its 224th birthday. The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world. It serves members, committees, and staff of the U.S. Congress. In addition, other government agencies, libraries within and outside of the United States, scholars, researchers, artists, and scientists use its resources. Beginnings […]
AAPI Heritage Month: The Ireicho
During World War II, thousands of Japanese American citizens and Japanese immigrants were removed from their homes and imprisoned in camps around the United States. Some remained in these camps for as long as three years. Until recently, no complete record of their names existed. Here, btw takes a closer look at the effort to […]
Archaeologists Hope Technology Provides Clues About Algonquian Village
Nearly 25 years before English colonists established their first permanent settlement in North America, Phillip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe explored the continent. They brought back to England stories of fruitful land and friendly people. In a detailed account, Amadas and Barlowe described their meetings with the Algonquian people. On Roanoke Island in present-day North Carolina, […]
Women’s History Month: Celebrating American Quilters
Quilting is an art form that involves sewing together different pieces of fabric to create patterns. Throughout American history, women have used quilting to support political and social causes while helping to heal the nation during times of crises. Women quilters have communicated their views in their quilted pieces, even when they did not have […]
Women’s History Month: Carol Moseley Braun
Have you ever heard of Carol Moseley Braun? She served as a U.S. senator from 1993 to 1999. Braun was the first female African American elected to the U.S. Senate. Here, btw takes a closer look at her life and contributions to American politics and beyond. Early Life Carol Moseley Braun was born in Chicago, […]
Black History Month: Harry T. Moore
When you think about leaders of the civil rights movement, the first names that come to mind may be Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, or John Lewis. But they didn’t fight that fight alone. This week, btw takes a look at another civil rights leader whose contributions are just as important. […]
We the People
We live in a country where it is easy to take our freedom for granted. But the concept that the government must answer to its citizens is a very complicated idea. Despite the challenges and the shortcomings that are a reality in our very complicated nation, the basic foundation of our democracy remains a model […]
A Look at the Filibuster
While gun control has always been a hot topic, the debate is now reaching a new boiling point. Three days after the mass killings in Orlando on Sunday, June 12, Democratic members of the U.S. Senate staged a filibuster while reintroducing two gun control proposals: 1.) restricting those on terror and “no fly” watch lists from obtaining […]
Black History is American History
For the first time in history, more than half of children born in America (according to the 2012 US Census Bureau) are minorities. As the “collective minority” becomes the majority, we will surely see a shift in how we view our history. The History of “Black History” Carter Woodson was a black historian who earned […]
Republican Debates: 3 Down…
The Republican National Committee kicked off its season of debates in late summer. On August 3, there was a “forum” in New Hampshire, where eleven of the candidates answered questions in front of a live audience. Three days later was the first official, televised debate of this campaign which took place in Cleveland, Ohio. Since […]