Erasing the past

This remarkable animation and  story from Story Corps relates the wiping out of a black school in Sheridan, Arkansas:

At StoryCorps, we use animations as a tool to help us share and listen to stories that often go unheard. Last week, we released our latest animation, School's Out.

In School's Out , Reverend James Seawood shares a brief, but significant piece of his story growing up as an African American child in the 1950s. It's stories like James's that shed light on America's recent history and brings our history to life so that future generations might understand more about the lives of Sheridan, Arkansas, and communities impacted by "urban renewal."

Click here to watch School's Out and learn about how James's childhood days affected his perspective as an adult.

Labor Day on Main Street

Actually, we usually aren't on Main Street on Labor Day or at least NOT the Main Street by our houses.  We're off to the shore, the lake, the river, the mountain.  A last taste of summer before the harvest of fall and the travails of winter.  But Labor Day, which is about "we" the working people, and Main Street, which is about "we" the working people are intertwined in some way not at all obvious.  The Day and a Street aren't easily overlaid.  A Day is 24 hours, maybe a parade, certainly time off.  A Street is 24/7, maybe houses a parade, but is not about time off, but time being ON, on Main Street.  Some holidays get scant attention.  We've become so ambivalent about Columbus Day, hardly anyone takes it off any more.  No so with Labor Day -- everyone wishes a good holiday, last of summer, fun time, down time.  It's a really big deal.  And so it should be.