31 January marks the birthday of Alan Lomax in 1915. Lomax was a pioneer in cataloging and preserving folk songs and folklore, not only from America, but also from around the world. He began taking …
Arts
Dropping the Big One
It was on 29 January, 1964, that the film “Dr. Strangelove” was released to the movie going public. The full title of the film is: “Dr. Strangelove, or, how I learned to stop worrying and …
A Tip of the Hat
It was on 7 January, in 2000, that Makhmud Esambayev died. He had been one of the most famous dancers in the USSR. Born in Chechnya in 1924, as a child his father would take …
A Purple Sound
June is African-American Music Appreciation Month and it was on 25 June, 1984, that the musician PRINCE released the album, ‘Purple Rain’. The first two singles from the album, “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go …
Armenia’s Son
1 May marks the death of composer Aram Khachaturian in 1978. In his early years Khachaturian wrote, “I grew up in an atmosphere rich in folk music: popular festivities, rites, joyous and sad events in …
James Brown-Profile in Black History
On 3 May in 1933, James Brown was born into extreme poverty in South Carolina. His family would soon move to Georgia but his conditions did not improve. Soon his mother abandoned the family and …
Shore Patrol
It was on 12 December in 1973, that Columbia Pictures released the film, ‘The Last Detail’. The film, directed by Hal Ashby, starred Jack Nicholson and Otis Young as two US Navy Petty Officers assigned …
Remember Love
It was on 8 December, in 1980, the singer, songwriter and activist, John Lennon, was shot and killed in New York City. Lennon is pictured in this photograph with his wife, Yoko Ono. Lennon was …
The Greatest Show on Earth
It was on 27 October, 1877, that American artist Walt Kuhn (seen above in self-portrait) was born into a working class neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY. His experiences in this rough and tumble waterfront environment would …
The Fires of Hate
The last week of September is recognized as ‘Banned Books Week’. Banning books and burning books is nothing new, nor has it come to an end. Pictured above is an Anti-Russian protester in Kiev, Ukraine …