Celebrating Black History Month

Carter G. Woodson

Good afternoon from a cold but sunny day in the city. Last night's commute was a disaster for many people in the Metropolitan area, and I hope everyone got home safely. At least there's no snow today.

During the month of February, we celebrate the achievements of African-Americans during Black History Month. This month-long celebration originated in 1926, when historian Carter G. Woodson established "Negro History Week." Woodson was disturbed that history books ignored African-Americans. He decided to take on the challenge to include them in our nation's history. He chose the second week in February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Each year, Black History Month has a different theme. This year, it's "A Century of Black Life, History and Culture." 

W.E.B. DuBois

The month of February also marks some other significant in African-American history. 

• On February 3, 1870, the passage of the 15th Amendment granted blacks the right to vote.
• On February 12, 1909, the NAACP. was formed "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination." The organization was founded by W.E.B. DuBois and group of prominent civil rights activists to coincide with the 100th anniversary of President Lincoln's birth. Originally, the leadership of the organization was white and Jewish-American. In fact, the NAACP did not elect a black president until 1975.
• On February 1, 1960, a group of African-American college students in Greeensboro, NC staged a sit-in at a segregated lunch counter in Woolworth's. This is considered one of the major milestones of the civil rights movement.
• On February 21, 1965, militant leader Malcolm X was assassinated by a group of Black Muslims.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford extended "Negro History Week" to a month-long celebration and renamed it Black History Month. This coincided with the U.S. Bicentennial celebration. Canada also celebrates their Black History Month in February. In the U.K. this celebration occurs in October.

According to the most recent census, the black population the U.S. is about 45 million, with New York City having the largest number of residents (3.7 million). There are 106 historically-black institutions that grant degrees, including Howard University, Spelman, Florida A&M University, Morehouse, and Grambling.

Infoplease.com provides a  comprehensive timeline of events in African-American history.

BlackPast.org has published a very interesting list of the first African-Americans in many areas of achievement, from entertainment to law to business and labor. Some of these name, such as Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Oprah Winfrey, Ella Fitzgerald, and Barack Obama are familiar to us all, but many of these achievers are less well-known. We applaud them all!

For Black History Month events in your area, please check with your local cultural institutions and libraries. There are also several television programs dedicated to the celebration. Consult your TV listings for more information.

Fun Fact of the Day: Did you know that potato chips were invented by an African-American chef named George Crum in 1853? A customer from his restaurant had sent back French Fries because they were too thick. The chef cut a bunch of potatoes as thin as he could, and the potato chip was born!

Party Idea of the Day: The website Love to Know offers several ways in which students can celebrate Black History Month. Ideas range from a neighborhood street party to dramatic reenactments. 

Today's birthdays: Sean Kingston (25), Rebel Wilson (29), Jessica Harp (33), Daddy Yankee (39), Maura Tierney (50), Thomas Calabro (56), Nathan Lane (59), Morgan Fairchild (65), Melanie (68), Dave Davies (68), Dennis Edwards (72), Blythe Danner (72), and Shelley Berman (90).

Holidaze: On this day in 1959, rockers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson (aka The Big Bopper) were killed in a plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa. Twelve years later, Don McLean wrote about the "day the music died" in his song "American Pie." There are excellent biopics of two of the three musicians: "The Buddy Holly Story" (in which Gary Busey was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance) and "La Bamba," an account of the too-short life of Ritchie Valens. He was just 17 on that ill-fated day. Today has been declared "National the Day the Music Died Day."

Today is also National Carrot Cake Day. This isn't one of my favorite desserts, but I know several people who love it. Check out All Reckpes.com for variations to this treat.

More on Oscar Night and Valentine's Day tomorrow.

Have a PRINTASTIC Day!

Kathy

Battle of the Groundhogs

Happy Monday and Happy Groundhog Day! Super Bowl XLIX is over and the game was a close one, with the Patriots edging the Seahawks with a score of 28-24. Many people said that Katy Perry's halftime show was one of the best they'd seen in a long time, and Idina Menzel didn't miss a note of the National Anthem. The Washington Post published the five best moments, and The Verge weighed in their opinion of the best and worst ads of the game. 

Well folks, it's official. Punxsutawney Phil, the most famous of all groundhogs saw his shadow, as did several local groundhogs. That means six more weeks of winter. We're certainly seeing this today as we're being hit with an snow and freezing rain here in NYC. Today, we'll talk about the tradition and the history behind this day. We'll also present predictions of some of the most well-known groundhogs.

Fun facts about the groundhog:

• The groundhog is also known as a woodchuck or whistle-pig.
• The average groundhog is about 20 inches and usually weighs from 12 to 15 pounds.
• Groundhogs usually have grayish hairs sometimes tipped with brown or red fur. 
• The groundhog is an herbivore. Its diet consists of greens, fruits, and vegetables. Most of their liquids come from the dewy leaves they are consume.
• Groundhogs whistle when they are alarmed or when they are courting in the spring (that's why they are sometimes called whistle-pigs).
• When a groundhog hibernates, it is more like a deep coma than actual sleeping.
• Baby groundhogs (kits or cubs) are usually born in mid-April or May, and are able to go out on their own after just a couple of month.
• The average groundhog lives from six to eight years. 

What is the history behind the tradition?

As we all know, tradition states that if the groundhog comes out of his sleep to look for his shadow. If he sees it, there will be six more weeks winter and goes back to sleep. If he doesn't, he stays above ground because he sees it as a sign of spring.

The tradition stems from Candlemas Day, or Feast of the Presentation, which is also observed beginning today. The Feast of the Presentation dates back to early days of Christianity in Rome. The day marked a milestone in winter and the weather that day was important. If it was a nice, fair day, then winter would linger on. If it was a cloudy and rainy day, winter would end. This tradition was brought to the Teutons (ancient Germans), who added to it by concluding that an animal (the hedgehog) would cast its shadow, predicting six more weeks of bad weather.

The tradition in the U.S. traces its roots to the early settlers in Pennsylvania. Many of the state's earliest settlers were Germans and concluded that the groundhog, similar to the European hedgehog in appearance and intelligence, would decide if there would be another six weeks of winter.

Famous Groundhogs

Punxsutawney Phil

Punxsutawney Phil: The most famous groundhog, of course, is Punxsutawney Phil of Pennsylvania, who made his 129th prediction this year. He is called the "seer of seers" by his disciples. The town's local newspaper, Punxsutawney Spirit first printed the news of its most famous resident in 1886. At first, his observations were conducted privately, but he has made more frequent public appearances over the years, including some noteworthy highlights. Punxsutawney Phil is a little larger than the average groundhog and receives a "magical punch" each summer, which gives him seven more years of life. Since his first prediction, Phil has seen his shadow 102 times and not seen it on 17 occasions. Whether or not his predictions are correct are always controversial, since the day is observed at the mid-point in winter.

Staten Island Chuck

Staten Island Chuck: Contrary to Phil,'s prediction, Staten Island Chuck (actually Charlotte) did not see her shadow today. This year, Chuck was kept behind glass since NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio dropped last year's groundhog, who died a week later. He also had a contentious relationship with former Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who, he bit in 2009. Chuck first made predictions in 1981 and resides in the Staten Island Zoo. The public is invited to meet her today for free.

Birmingham Bill: This year, Birmingham Bill, who resides in Alabama's Birmingham Zoo, took the day off, but invited fans to look at old photos online and to watch the highlighted Punxsutawney Phil tradition.

Birmingham Bill

Potomoc Phil: From Washington, D.C., stuffed groundhog Potomoc Phil who also predicted a longer winter.

Wiarton Willie: From Ontario, Canada, Wiarton Willie predicted an early spring. I believe he is the world's only albino groundhog. A festival each year is held in his honor. Residents can expect parades, talent shows, fireworks, pub crawls, nightly entertainment, outdoor activities, ice carvings, dog sledding, scavenger hunts and so much more!

General Beauregard Lee: From Atalanta, GA, Beau woke up to 44 degree temperatures and did not see his shadow, predicting an early spring for the south.

Sir Walter Wally: In Raleigh, NC, Sir Walter Wally also predicted a shorter winter. According to his handlers, he's right about 47 percent of the time. A local museum was holding festivities for the kids all day today.

Jimmy the Groundhog and Wynter: In Sun Prairie Wisconsin, Jimmy the Groundhog predicted there would be a longer winter, according to his handlers, However, the mayor thought so otherwise and Jimmy got an earful after biting the mayor! Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Zoo Groundhog, Wynter, also predicted six more weeks of winter and crawled back into her hole.

Finally, the two Long Island groundhogs, Malverne Mel and Holtsville Hall, both predicted longer winters. Neither groundhog made public appearances because of today's icy weather. It was a close race, but it looks like Chuck, Willie, Wally, and Beau are outnumbered this year.

Now onto the usual lists:

Party Idea of the Day: Teachmama has some great ideas for classroom Valentine's parties from planning to group games. All it takes is a little organization and creativity. 

Today's Birthdays: Shakira (38), Marissa Jaret Winokur (42), Jennifer Westfeldt (45), Michael Talbott (60), Ross Valory (66), Brent Spiner (66), Ina Garten (67), Howard Bellamy (69), Bo Hopkins (71), Graham Nash (73), and Tommy Smothers (78).

Holidaze: With all the fuss around Groundhog Day, most people don't realize it's National Heavenly Hash. This dessert can ranger from vanilla and chocolate ice cream filled with white vanilla marshmallow swirls, chopped almonds, and dark chocolate chunks to a gelatin-like recipe of marshmallow, nuts, and fruit. Check out Cooks.com for a list of heavenly hash recipes.

We posted Oscar Night and movie-themed games at the shop last night. Stay tuned for more details regarding our offerings throughout the month.

February is Black History Month, which will be the topic of tomorrow's blog. Stay warm and dry!

Have a PRINTASTIC Day!

Kathy

Weekend Edition--It's All About the Food

Good afternoon from a VERY cold day in NYC. It was 13 degrees and windy this morning so I skipped my Saturday a.m. workout. I can't believe it's the end of January. Just 47 days 'till spring!

This is my final post about Super Bowl XLIX and it's all about the food (mostly):

• Huffington Post ranks Super Bowl foods from best to worst. According to them, it's not a Super Bowl without pigs in blankets, wings, and dip. 
• Hungry Girl has a recipe for guilt-free meatballs with BBQ dip.
• Breads Bakery, and excellent shop near Union Square, has a Super Bowl Special featuring baguette chips, cheese sticks, crudite, and dip.
• For those who live in Philly, there are tons of options from hoagies to Korean BBQ.
• Time Out New York lists the best places for bar food in the city.
• Don't want to watch the game at home? Metro lists the best Super Bowl parties in NYC. Be prepared to cough up big bucks.
• To fit in with the natives, chow down on Arizona-themed snacks such as white bean dip and Sonoran hot dogs. 



Sonoran Hot Dogs

• Wow, check out this ginorumous snack stadium built from 50 kinds of junk food! The food sculptors, based in LA, then disassembled it and distributed the food to the homeless.

Whether going to a house party or viewing the game at a bar, please, please, please drink responsibly and designate a sober driver!! As for myself, I'm probably going to have salmon for dinner. I've worked hard at losing weight (again) and I don't plan to gain it back. Well, maybe I'll have just a couple of tortilla chips. 

Here are a few more Super Bowl Fun Facts:

Although this is non-food related, check out some outrageous Super Bowl moments from TWC Central.

To play or not to play? Best of luck to Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman, who is anxiously awaiting for the birth of his first child with girlfriend Ashley Moss. Coach Pete Carroll has stated that family comes first.

As another alternative to the Big Game, Discovery Life and Discovery Family are airing the Toddler Bowl.  Although this looks adorable, I'm going to stick with the puppies. 

Today's Birthdays: Marcus Mumford (28), Justin Timberlake (34), Kerry Washington (38), Lloyd Cole (54), Kelly Lynch (56), Anthony LaPaglia (56), John "Johnny Rotten" Lyden (59), Harry Wane Casey (64), Jonathan Banks (68), Glynn Turman (69), Jessica Walter (74), and Carol Channing (94).

Tomorrow's Birthdays: Harry Styles (21), Heather Morris (28), Lauren Conrad (29), Andrew VanWyngarden (32), Big Boi (40), Michael C. Hall (44), Pauly Shore (57), Lisa Marie Presley (47), Sherilyn Fenn (50), Billy Mumy (61), Terry Jones (73), Don Everly (78), Garrett Morris (78), Bob Shane (81), and Stuart Whitman (87).

Today's Holidaze: Have fun and put on your shirt backwards because it's National Backward Day! Pull out all stops and have dinner for breakfast and pancakes for dinner! Or you can eat your dessert before you eat your meal. The possibilities are endless!

Today is also National Inspire Your Heart with Art Day. Whether you go to a museum, attend a concert, dance, paint take photographs, there are thousands of ways to appreciate art.

Tomorrow's Holidaze: On February 1, 1865, Abraham Lincoln signed the 13th Amendment, which outlawed slavery. Although the Amendment wasn't ratified until December that year, we still celebrate National Freedom Day on February 1.'

For foodies, it's National Baked Alaska Day! This is a dessert consisting of ice cream and cake topped with brown meringue. I've actually never had Baked Alaska, but it looks good.

February 1st is also National Serpent Day. I think I'll skip this one.

On Monday, we find out whether or not we have six more weeks of winter, thanks to the friendly neighborhood groundhog.

Sending prayers to the late Whitney Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina, who was found unconscious in a bathtub. This comes less than two weeks before the third anniversary of her mother's death, which occurred the same way. Please get this woman some help before it's too late.

Finally, Happy 20th Birthday to my son Alex! It's hard to believe how fast time flies!

Have a PRINTASTIC weekend!

Kathy