How did Eastern European Jewish immigrants come to be in South Carolina in the first place? What kinds of communities did they form once they got there? And how did a Jewish deli come to serve barbecue ham? Olivia Brown’s got the answers.
Author: Caroline
This is My Fight Song, This is Your Fight Song
Why do all college football fight songs sound the same?
It Started With The Whiskers
In case you wanted more reasons to appreciate the lovable old uniter-in-chief, in 1860 he took the fashion concerns of an 11-year-old girl very seriously.
Jugtown, USA
The South’s jugtowns – centers churning out artistic and functional pottery for decades in the early 20th century – are no longer. Their wares aren’t hitting the shelves at Wal-Mart. There’s not an app where you can swipe right on your fave jugs. There’s no Bruce Springsteen song, “Born in a Jugtown, USA.” You won’t catch Sam Hunt crooning over your radio about what happens “When You Break Up In A Jugtown.”
Crimes Against Chastity
Until 1972, it was illegal for unmarried couples to access birth control. No pill, no contraceptive devices – unless you put a ring on it.
Squad Goals: Can A Girl Get a Monument?
Whether or not women could serve in the Canadian senate came down to whether women were considered “persons” in the eyes of the state. These five ladies – the Spice Girls of Canadian politics – thought they should be.
Ever Since The Civil War I Been Poppin My Paper Collars
At first I LOLed (by myself, on the street, like a loser) because I thought that in 1985 the U.S. government put up a plaque commemorating a factory that produced reversible collars, which to me was like sooo eighties. And in a sense I was right – that is what happened – but it wasn’t how I had pictured.
Dedicated to the Diffusion of Knowledge
In 1896, Washington had private libraries, and subscription libraries, but no public library. The path to get one required a cool quarter mil, a debate over century-old blueprints, and bureaucratic delays (of course). And now, it’s going to become an Apple store.
Shipping the Nuts out of Georgia: The Radical Roots of Habitat for Humanity
What our family dog Jack has in common with the 39th President of the United States may surprise you. Plus, the story of the origins of Habitat for Humanity is as fascinating (and as true) as the story of how Jack once ate an entire stick of butter off the dining room table before our very eyes.
Don’t Go Chasing (Fame in) Waterfalls
There are better ways to create a financial safety net than going over Niagara Falls in a barrel… probably.
When America Didn’t Have a Square to Spare
How Johnny Carson and *fake news* caused a toilet paper shortage in 1973.
Bridge-It Jones’s Diary, Part 3: The Harvard Bridge
The third in our series of interesting bridge histories. How many Smoots does it take to get across the Harvard Bridge? What – you’ve never heard of a Smoot?
The Boy Who Never Grew Up (Or Out of Copyright)
The author of Peter Pan has managed to hold onto a copyright license far longer than is ever typically granted. All of the proceeds benefit a children’s hospital. But were his motivations for this a sign of some deeper issue?
Dear Father, You Are A Thief
John Roosevelt was only five when his father contracted polio in 1921. The disease robbed the future president of the use of his legs and left him mostly wheelchair-bound.
And John, the youngest child, was not having it.
Bridge-It Jones’ Diary, Part 2: The Waterloo Bridge
Women stepped up to fill construction roles during World War II and built the Waterloo Bridge. So why have they been left out of the story?
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