Eartha Kitt – The Beyoncé of Her Time

Eartha Kitt, best known for her recordings of “C’est Si Bon” and “Santa Baby,” was the Beyoncé of her day. Eartha Kitt was born on a plantation in South Carolina until she and her mother moved off the plantation and settled in New York. Upon her arrival in New York, her show-business career began to take off and soon she was appearing in film, theater, cabaret, music and television.  Her initial career began with her starring role in Dr. Faustus and continued to her most renowned role in the television version of Batman as her role of Catwoman. The younger generation typically remember Eartha Kitt for her role as YZMA in the Disney movie, Emperor’s New Groove.

However aside from all of her success in film Eartha Kitt is most notably recognized for her role as an activist and social speaker. It was her position on the Vietnam War that caused her blacklist from the professional community, which transpired during her visit at the White House during President Johnson term. Eartha Kitt’s opinion on the Vietnam War is as follows: 

“The children of America are not rebelling for no reason. They are not hippies for no reason at all. We don’t have what we have on Sunset Blvd. for no reason. They are rebelling against something. There are so many things burning the people of this country, particularly mothers. They feel they are going to raise sons-and I know what it’s life, and you have children of your own, Mrs. Johnson- we raise children and send them to war.”

After her statement on the Vietnam War finding work within the United States became challenging and limited, causing her to network outside of the United States to find work.

For more information on African American Women in History please visit the Rebecca Crown Library.

Reference:

http://www.earthakitt.com/about.html 

http://www.chicagonow.com/as-i-see-it/2012/02/10-people-to-know-during-black-history-month/

Image Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Eartha_Kitt_2007.jpg

Spring Break 2014

Spring Break is next week, March 3-9.  The library is open the following hours:

Sunday, March 2 – Friday, March 7:
8am – 8pm

Saturday, March 8:
CLOSED for the Benefit Concert

Sunday, March 9:
Regular hours resume, 8am – 12midnight

Librarians will be available over the break to help you with your assignments and research.

From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nostri-imago/3534277910/

Hiram R. Revels: the First African American Congressman

On February 25, 1870 Hiram R. Revels became the first African American man to be sworn into Congress.  He was a college educated minister from Natchez, Mississippi.  During the Civil War he helped form African American regiments, started a school for freed men, and was a chaplain for the Union army.  He was posted in Mississippi during the war.  Afterwards, he stayed in the state to enter politics.

The Republican Party dominated Southern politics due to a new politically mobilized African American male population.  Hiram R. Revels was elected to fill the vacant seat that once belonged to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.   Revels and 15 other African American men served in Congress, 600 served in state legislatures, and hundreds more served in local offices during Reconstruction.  The Rebecca Crown Library has some articles, and access to other great resources if you’d like to learn more.

Image credit: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hiram_Rhodes_Revels_-_Brady-Handy-(restored).png

Spelling Bee Ends in Tie Because Organizers Ran Out of Words

Congratulations to both winners!

What is this I’m hearing about carp?

Over the last few months talk about Asian carp has increased exponentially in the Chicagoland area.  Why?  Asian carp is not indigenous to the Great Lakes region, and it is a very large fish.  So large that it quickly invades the local fisheries leaving little room for anything else.  They are known to jump out of the water forcefully enough to hit people in the face.   According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association invasive species can seriously alter with the indigenous resources and the human use of these resources.  The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science research these invasive species.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been asked by the White House and Congress to come up with a solution.  One of these solutions is blocking parts of Chicago’s canal systems so the fish cannot get into Lake Michigan.  However, this blocks commercial ships from normal business and could cost almost $18 billion.  One local man’s solution is to just eat and hunt the carp into extinction.   There is no perfect solution to this problem, so expect to hear a lot more about it.

Aaron Burr, Former Vice President, Arrested for Treason

On this day in 1807, former Vice President Aaron Burr was arrested for treason.  Yes, he is the same Aaron Burr who killed Alexander Hamilton on 1804.  Hamilton frequently expressed his contempt of Burr’s character; in retaliation Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel.  While it is still debated if Burr meant to kill Hamilton (please see the Pulitzer prize winning book Founding Brothers for more information), Burr fled Washington D.C. to escape the political fall out.

He spent his time in New Orleans and Virgina before contacting U.S. General James Wilkinson.  General Wilkinson was a Spanish agent, and the two concocted a plan.  Again, these details can be hazy.  Their plans range range from an independent republic in the American Southwest to a seizure of Spanish territory for the same purpose.  Either way, Burr led a group of well-armed colonists on a march towards New Orleans.  U.S. authorities started to investigate, and this is when General Wilkinson turned on his co-conspirator.

Burr was arrested on February 19th 1807.  While tried, Burr was not convicted.  According to the Constitution his acts were not “overt,” and therefore, technically, not treason.  After being acquitted he traveled to Europe for a few years before returning to New York City.  And we think modern politicians were bad…

Image credit:

Happy Birthday, Toni Morrison!

Toni Morrison was born today in 1931.  She was born in Loraine, Ohio, before moving on to study humanities at Cornell and Howard universities.  She made her debut in 1970 with The Bluest Eye.  In 1993 she became the first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.  No American has won this prestigious prize since.  According to the Nobel committee, Morrison has “…epic power, [an] unerring ear for dialogue, and poetically charged and richly expressive depictions of Black America.”  1993 was a year with ups and downs for the author.  Her home burned down while she was writing a manuscript that would turn into her future novel Paradise.  Thankfully, the manuscript was located in her office at Princeton University.

Besides Morrison’s breadth of work, the Library Journal has some great reading recommendations for African-American history month.  As always, you can cross reference these titles with the Rebecca Crown Library’s catalog to find them.

The Snowiest Winters Ever In Chicago

Campus is closing at 4pm today, February 17. All evening classes are cancelled. Take a look at some of these snowfall statistics in Chicago.

Ralph Bunche: First African American Noble Peace Prize Winner

Ralph Bunche was born August 7, 1904 (or 1903 depending on the source) in Detroit, Michigan. Bunche relocated several times before he settled down in Los Angeles, California. Bunche graduated from Jefferson High School as valedictorian and continued to the University of  California where he became a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and graduated in 1927 as class valedictorian once again!  At Harvard University he received both his M.A. in 1928 and  his Ph D. in  1934 in governmental/international relations, earning the honor of being the first African American to earn a political science doctorate.

Through his work in the National Defense Program during World War II and his involvement in the U.S. State Department played a vital role in the establishment of the United Nations.  After joining the Global Organization’s Secretariat during 1947 and 1949 his preeminent accomplishment was through his involvement in his work to achieve peace in Palestine.

The following year, in 1950, Ralph Bunche was awarded the Noble Peace Prize  for his meditation endeavors during the 1940’s the Middle East, making him the first African American to be bestowed for the Nobel Peace Prize.

To view a Ralph Bunche work, click here for Rebecca Crown Library’s selection of his work.

Sources

http://www.biography.com/people/ralph-bunche-9231128

IMAGE CREDIT: Van Vechten, Carl, photographer. Portrait of Ralph Bunche, 1951. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. Reproduction NumberLC-USZ62-109113.

One Earth Film Festival at Dominican

Dominican is once again part of the the One Earth Film Festival, the “Midwest’s premier environmental film festival, creating opportunities for understanding climate change, sustainability and the power of human involvement.”

On Tuesday, February 18, at 7pm in the Lund Auditorium, we are hosting a free pre-screening of Growing Cities: A Film About Urban Farming in America.  A panel discussion with local experts on urban farming will take place after the film.

Before the film, from 6pm-7pm, we will host an indoor farmers’ market in the Fine Arts Building.  Local vendors will be selling coffee, soap, desserts and more.

Be sure to check out the Library Media Center’s booth at the market for information on our collection of films on sustainability, and to take home an upcycled bookmark made from old cassette tapes.

The Film Festival continues with pre-screenings into March and ends with the full festival March 7-9.