On the Program Relevance of Slavery
African culture was a particularly major component in the development of southern U.S. culture as well as American culture as a whole. In interpreting American and largely southern history, it is so easy to slip into saying how certain great and wealthy men built this and grew that, when in reality much of what is spoken of was not only done by the labor of enslaved African Americans, but were also accomplished through the skill and knowledge of these people. These skills were passed from generation to generation and have often carried forward to today.… Continue reading On the Program Relevance of Slavery
Finding Fuel for the Fire in 18th-Century Pennsylvania
Finding Fuel for the Fire in 18th-Century Pennsylvania
Today, we assume that wood was plentiful in the 18th century, and there were few concerns about firewood. If you lived in a city, however, fuel was expensive and could be hard to get. … Continue reading Finding Fuel for the Fire in 18th-Century Pennsylvania
It’s Not the Jewish Christmas: An Introduction to Jewish Holidays and Their Observance in North America, Part II
For most non-Jews, Hanukkah along with Passover, is probably the most familiar of the Jewish holidays. Other than that Hanukkah is celebrated around the same time of year, it has absolutely no relationship to Christmas: it commemorates a great military victory and a great miracle.… Continue reading It’s Not the Jewish Christmas: An Introduction to Jewish Holidays and Their Observance in North America, Part II
Whose History Are We Bringing to Life?
ALHFAM defines itself as “An Organization of People Who Bring History to Life.” But whose history are we bringing to life? Our organization is overwhelming white. Can we truly bring history to life, all of it not just the pretty parts, when our membership and the living history field is a mass of shinny white faces?… Continue reading Whose History Are We Bringing to Life?
It’s Not the Jewish Christmas: An Introduction to Jewish Holidays and Their Observance in North America, Part I
On October 2, 1911, readers of the Annapolis Evening Capital opened their papers to find the following announcement: “Jew Stores Closed. Today all the Jew stores in town were closed, this being the Day of Atonement, one of the most solemn days in the Jewish calendar.[1]” It is doubtful that most non-Jewish residents of Annapolis… Continue reading It’s Not the Jewish Christmas: An Introduction to Jewish Holidays and Their Observance in North America, Part I
Piecing is Period…A Gown Revision
Piecing is Period…A Gown Revision
We’ve all had that gown that we love but made before we knew better. Sometimes with a little ingenuity and a handy needle, it is possible to correct those earlier mistakes. … Continue reading Piecing is Period…A Gown Revision
