Archive for September 2022
History of Coffee: International Coffee Day
HISTORY OF COFFEE: INTERNATIONAL COFFEE DAY Yesterday, September 29, was National Coffee Day in the US and 16 other countries. But tomorrow, October 1, is International Coffee Day, shared by the National Coffee Day in 12 countries.
Read MoreHistory of Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year
HISTORY OF ROSH HASHANAH Rosh Hashanah designates the beginning of the Jewish new year, starting tomorrow — which, according to the Jewish calendar, begins at sundown tonight. “Rosh” is Hebrew for “head,” and Rosh Hashanah refers to the head of the year on the 1st day of Tishri, the seventh month of the Jewish ecclesiastical…
Read MoreHistory of Fall: What is the Autumnal Equinox?
History of the Fall: how does it relate to the Autumnal Equinox?
Read MoreHistory of Talk Like a Pirate Day: Avast Ye!
HISTORY OF TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY The International Talk Like A Pirate Day began not back in the “Golden Age of Pirates” in days of yore but in 2002. It was celebrated each year on September 19; though it started in the United States, it is now celebrated internationally across the Seven Seas.
Read MoreFuneral of Queen Elizabeth II: Tomorrow, from England
FUNERAL OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II As I write this from Keswick, in the north of England, on the day before the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, the feeling of national mourning is palpable around me. The country grieves for the loss of their Queen, everyone’s ”gran.” One rarely passes by a shop window…
Read MoreHistory of Oktoberfest: Why is it in September?
HISTORY OF OKTOBERFEST Why is the famous German beer festival held in September if it’s called Oktoberfest? Officially, the beer festival starts on the third Saturday in September and through early October for 16 to 18 days. And it’s back this year; Oktoberfest 2020 and 2021 were canceled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Let’s look…
Read MoreHistory of the Constitution of the United States: 235 Years Ago
HISTORY OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES On September 17, 1787, the U.S. Constitution was created. Though it would take until June 21, 1788, to be ratified and until March 4, 1789, to be effective In a very real sense, it was the founding document of the federal governmental system of the United States…
Read MoreHistory of Ethiopian New Year: What is Enkutatash?
HISTORY OF ETHIOPIAN NEW YEAR: WHAT IS ENKUTATASH? Why is your friendly neighborhood historian writing about the Ethiopian New Year? A couple of years ago, the Washington Post interviewed me for an article they were publishing on the subject. The Washington D.C. area has over 200,000 Ethiopian-Americans who celebrate the holiday this year on September 12.
Read MoreHistory of 9/11, Twenty-one Years Ago: Patriot Day
HISTORY OF PATRIOT DAY: 9/11 On 9/11, twenty-one years ago, more Americans were killed on American soil in one day than in any attack since Pearl Harbor in 1941. A series of terrorist airplane highjacking attacks occurred in New York City, Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon… and the world changed. As the events of December 7,…
Read MoreThe Passing of Queen Elizabeth II
THE PASSING OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II BALMORAL, Scotland, Sept 8 (Reuters) – Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, the nation’s figurehead and a towering presence on the world stage for seven decades, died peacefully at her home in Scotland on Thursday aged 96. “The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment…
Read MoreHistory of Star Trek: 56 Years Ago and Today
HISTORY OF STAR TREK Star Trek premiered on NBC TV on September 8, 1966… 56 years ago. It is my favorite show; I was glued to the TV for the first episode and every one after that. It significantly influenced my life and my choice of a career in technology.
Read MoreHistory of the Fall of the Roman Empire: the Short Version
HISTORY OF THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE On September 4, 476 AD, Odoacer captured the city of Ravenna and deposed Emperor Romulus Augustus, marking the Fall of the Roman Empire. What do we mean by the Fall of the Roman Empire?
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