America is celebrating its 250th birthday this July 4, and the White House has released a full itinerary of events to commemorate this momentous occasion. Several federal agencies have already kicked off events and ongoing programs associated with the anniversary celebrations. The next major event is a prayer gathering on the National Mall in May,… Source link
Three bison statues cast in bronze have taken up a permanent display outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington. The pieces — which are larger than real-life bison — made their public debut in the nation’s capital on Friday. The bison earned its official status as the nation’s mammal under a law signed by former President Obama in 2016. Millions of bison once roamed the Great Plains but were nearly driven to extinction in the 1800s. “It’s a wonderful story of conservation working, it’s a story of people seeing a need and getting behind that to conserve an animal that is specific to North America,” said Gary Staab, a paleoartist who made the statues. Staab designed and sculpted the statues in Kearney, Missouri, where he works full-time to create sculptures of animals and historical artifacts for museums around the world. For the bison, Staab sculpted the full-size statues in foam and clay before they were cast in bronze and assembled at a foundry in Colorado. The three statues depict a bull, a …
Clockwise from top left: Las Comadres Para Las Americas founder Nora de Hoyos Comstock; military veterans Benny Aleman; Frank Maldonado and Chris Sanchez. Ilana Panich-Linsman for NPR hide caption toggle caption Ilana Panich-Linsman for NPR AUSTIN – At a recent potluck in Austin, Texas, pots of chicken and creamy potato soup simmer on the stove. It’s the monthly meeting of Las Comadres Para Las Americas, or Godmothers for the Americas, where Latinas gather to connect. About two dozen show up carrying salads, cheese and fruit platters. The group was founded by Nora de Hoyos Comstock 25 years ago. Back then, she says, she was searching for her Mexican roots. “I didn’t feel included in the Latino community. I always felt left out,” she says. Las Comadres has since become a national nonprofit organization. De Hoyos Comstock, petite with a warm smile, describes Las Comadres as a “Latina culture club.” The current political rhetoric, characterized by the most aggressive immigration enforcement in modern history, is forcing many U.S. citizen Latinos to question whether they belong. De …
The seal of the Federal Communications Commission hangs between two American flags; the FCC is urging broadcasters to air more “patriotic” content in the run-up to the country’s 250th celebrations this summer. Mark Wilson/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Mark Wilson/Getty Images The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is urging broadcasters to air more “patriotic, pro-America” content in honor of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In a statement issued on Friday, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr described the “Pledge America Campaign” as a way for broadcasters to align themselves with the Salute to America 250 Task Force, the group created by President Trump to oversee the 250th anniversary celebrations at the federal level. Carr said the country’s broadcasters should use their national reach and ability to inform and entertain audiences by upping programming that “celebrates the American journey and inspires its citizens by highlighting the historic accomplishments of this great nation from our founding through the Trump Administration today.” Bemoaning the decline of civics education across the country, Carr cited the …
