Twentieth Century
The Great Flu Epidemic of 1918
It is the time of year when reminders about getting a flu shot begin to appear in my inbox. At first I ignore them. In fact, if the only reminders came via email, I probably wouldn’t bother, even though a long history of chronic bronchitis puts me on the hot list. But My Own True…
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Shin-kickers from History: Samuel Gompers and the American Federation of Labor
It’s Labor Day here in the United States. A day that many of us celebrate by firing up the grills, hitting up sales, and attending outdoor festivals. In short it is a day off. Something we can thank the American labor movement for, along with child labor laws, the forty-hour week, paid vacations, etc. (1)…
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Shin-kickers From History: Margaret Chase Smith
A blog post about Senator Margaret Chase Smith (1897-1995) could easily consist of nothing more than a collection of the trenchant remarks with which she skewered political opponents, reporters, and occasionally herself: Speaking against Senator Joseph McCarthy’s scare tactics: “I don’t want to see the Republican Party ride to political victory on the four horsemen…
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