I’ve met a number of people for whom history is apparently something in the classroom or textbook, a dry (possibly dusty) academic subject. I don’t blame them for thinking these things, any more than I would blame people who likewise relegate chemistry, physics, math or literature to the school building. But just as we encounter…… Continue reading Everyday History
Year: 2011
What you save
I declared my undergraduate major in History on the first day of classes of my sophomore year of college, September 2001. A handful of days later, what might have been an ordinary Tuesday became a historic event. I knew it was going to be what children in the next generation would ask me about, saying…… Continue reading What you save
Quick thought: accessibility and angles
On Sunday I went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum out at Dulles with my parents, a friend, and the friend’s two sons aged almost-5 and just-6. Due to recent knee problems, my dad opted to use a wheelchair for the day. As a result, his eye level was roughly equal with the boys’.…… Continue reading Quick thought: accessibility and angles
The Donor Side
This past week I participated in the museum donation process from the other side – the donor side. My father was donating some of the papers of his father and grandfather to a military museum, and my sister and I joined him. The initial meeting with members of the collections and research departments was relatively…… Continue reading The Donor Side
History in Films: X-Men First Class
Tonight I saw the movie X-Men First Class. What follows are some thoughts about the use of history in the film, all put behind a tag so that those who haven’t seen the film can keep themselves spoiler-free if they want to. Before the cut, I want to state for the record that I am,…… Continue reading History in Films: X-Men First Class
Living with Hurricanes at the Louisiana State Museum
Last month I was in New Orleans for a joyful family occasion, and I had the chance to see a new exhibit at the Presbytere building of the Louisiana State Museum titled Living With Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond. I was intrigued by the exhibit to see how a museum in the heart of an affected…… Continue reading Living with Hurricanes at the Louisiana State Museum
Knights in armor and men with gonnes
Every year in the spring, my friends who are historical reenactors go to two events: Military Through the Ages, at Jamestown (MTA), and Marching Through Time, at MariettaHouse Museum in Maryland (MTT). Although the two events are quite different in scale and outward tone, the basic concept is the same. Groups that interpret military companies or troops from…… Continue reading Knights in armor and men with gonnes
Museum on the Parade Route
I’m in New Orleans visiting my sister and her husband. It being Mardi Gras season, we’ve gone out to catch a few of the parades. Last night the Krewe of Bacchus rolled with the theme “Bacchus Salutes the Greatest Generation.” It was a great theme, allowing for some fun floats, but also resulted in an…… Continue reading Museum on the Parade Route
The Revolution in Egypt
I have been wanting to write about following the events in Egypt, and how it made me feel connected to those observers who witnessed the French Revolution, as well as those who witnessed the American. I may still write a nice, scholarly post about it. This isn’t that post. I read the news on Twitter…… Continue reading The Revolution in Egypt
Organizing the revolution
My alarm clock wakes me with the voices of the BBC World Service every weekday morning. These past few days, the news has been full of the tumult in Egypt, Tunis, and elsewhere in their region. This morning I heard that the Egyptian government had shut down the phone and internet networks; a reporter or…… Continue reading Organizing the revolution