You Won't Believe How Many Special Days Are On The U.N. Calendar
The answer: 129 (give or take). They range from serious (victims of slavery day) to seemingly silly (toilet day). Do the days really make a difference?
History
Slocum Massacre Highlights Historical Double Standard In The South
On Saturday in Slocum, Texas, the state will officially recognize the Slocum Massacre of 1910 — the attack on a black community in east Texas by white residents. The recognition comes over the objections of the white county officials.
Long After Armenian Genocide, Retracing A Grandfather's Steps To Survival
For The Hundred-Year Walk, author Dawn Anahid MacKeen visited the sites of her grandfather's escape. Like him, she says she found a haven in Raqqa, Syria, a city currently controlled by ISIS.
Norway's National Library Discovers Rare Atlas — With A Little Help From Reddit
The Cedid was one of the first printed atlases from the Muslim world. There were 14 known copies in existence — until a Norwegian reference librarian with a fondness for /r/MapPorn noticed something.
The Accidental Wheelman Of Martin Luther King Jr.
In the mid-'60s, Tom Houck left high school to join the civil rights movement. But he never expected he'd become the personal driver to the movement's leader — mostly because he had a license.
Herman Wouk Says He's A 'Happy Gent' At 100
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of beloved blockbusters like The Winds of War is celebrating his milestone with a new memoir, Sailor and Fiddler, that sums up his thoughts on what it means to write.
The Failed Coup That Led To Hitler's 'Mein Kampf'
Adolf Hitler wrote his famous manifesto while serving time for an attempted coup that started in a German beer hall. Author Peter Ross Range says, "There was an obvious need to get his message out."
Super Bowl Commercial Inspires Maraniss To Write About Detroit's Better Times
David Greene talks to journalist David Maraniss about a key moment when Detroit seemed to rule the world. Maraniss has written a history of Detroit's commerce and culture called Once in a Great City.
For Some African-Americans, Gun Ownership Underscores Segregated Past
African-Americans are disproportionately affected by gun violence, and many black leaders are among the most vocal advocates of gun control. But there is a segment of the black community that believes gun ownership has helped keep them alive through several generations, and won't give them up.
How An 1871 Disaster Helped To End America's Whaling Dynasty
David Greene talks to Peter Nichols, author Oil and Ice, a book about a fleet of 33 whaling ships trapped in Arctic ice. Whalers and their families had to escape in tiny rowboats through miles of ice.