Black History Month: Bessie Burke’s Education Legacy
In 1911, Bessie Bruington Burke made history as the first African American teacher in the Los Angeles, California, public school system. Just seven years later, she made history again when she became the school system’s first African American school principal. Top of Her Class Burke was born in Los Angeles in 1891. Several years earlier, […]
Senator Dianne Feinstein Leaves a Legacy
California senator Dianne Feinstein died September 29, 2023, at age 90. She was the oldest and longest-serving female U.S. senator. Feinstein’s career in the Senate spanned three decades. Throughout that time, she supported gun control, environmental issues, and review of federal interrogation methods. She will also be remembered for breaking many barriers for women in […]
California’s Asian American Community History
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month: a time to recognize and honor the many cultures, histories, and contributions of the AAPI community. This week btw examines the history of Asian American settlement and community growth in central and southern California. A Short History of AAPI Immigration California has long been a […]
Women’s History Month: Remembering Judy Heumann
Women’s History Month is celebrated every March in the United States. This is a time to honor and celebrate women’s contributions to American history. This week btw takes a closer look at the life and contributions of Judy Heumann, a leading disability rights activist. Heumann died on March 4, 2023, at the age of 75. […]
Lunar New Year Begins
Happy New Year! Lunar New Year–also known as the Spring Festival–began on January 22, 2023. The Lunar New Year represents renewal, as well as the transition from winter to spring, and is important in many Asian cultures and communities. Here, btw takes a closer look at the origins, significance, and traditions surrounding this holiday, as […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Remembering the Women of Silent Film You may know that films used to be silent. Maybe you have even seen a clip of a silent film. But did you know that most silent films have been lost over time, destroyed by decay, fire, and other hazards? The ones that survive reveal only a limited picture […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Archaeologists Discover Ancient Gold Coins On October 3, 2022, Israeli archeologists found forty-four pure gold coins hidden in a wall in the Golan Heights. The coins date back to the seventh century and weigh about six ounces each. They feature the faces of Byzantine emperors Phocas and Heraclius. Scientists believe that the coins were hidden […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Honoring Bessie Coleman In June 1921, Bessie Coleman became the first African American woman to earn an international pilot’s license. Bessie Coleman learned to fly in France, because no flying schools in the United States would admit an African American woman. In honor of the anniversary of Coleman’s achievement, American Airlines operated a flight with […]
“Troublemaker”: A New Book by John Cho
Difficult times can sometimes lead to important progress. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a rise in anti-Asian American racism and hate crimes. Asian Americans were wrongfully blamed by some for the disease’s introduction in the United States. John Cho–an Asian American actor best known for his roles in films such as Better Luck Tomorrow and […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Winds of Change Depending on where you live or travel in the United States, you’ve probably seen tall, windmill-like structures dotting the horizon. These wind turbines use the wind’s renewable energy to generate electricity. But how much energy do they actually produce? In general, natural gas is still the number-one source of electricity generation in […]