#Association of American Indian Farmers

[rodspurethoughts]

Farmers Groups Withdraw Support for Biden Over Foreclosure Crisis

"Farmers groups withdraw support for Biden over failure to address the farm foreclosure crisis. Will this affect his reelection campaign?" #farmers #foreclosurecrisis #Biden

On May 8, 2023, John W. Boyd, Jr., President of the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA), announced that he and the Association of American Indian Farmers (AAIF) would not support President Biden’s reelection campaign due to his failure to protect American farmers from farm foreclosures amid calls for USDA resignations and congressional oversight of IRA Sections 22006 & 22007. President of…

[whencyclopedia]

Sioux War Chief Gall (Eastman's Biography)

Gall (Phizi, l. c. 1840-1894) was a Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux war chief best known for his participation in the Battle of the Little Bighorn in June 1876. He was a close associate of Red Cloud (l. 1822-1909), Sitting Bull (l. c. 1837-1890), and Crazy Horse (l. c. 1840-1877) and was active in the resistance to Euro-American encroachment on Sioux lands.

He participated in raids on white settlers traveling the Bozeman Trail in the early 1860s but assumed a more prominent position beginning with Red Cloud's War (1866-1868) and continuing through the Great Sioux War of 1876-1877. Almost nothing is known of his youth except that he was an orphan, and his childhood name was Matohinsa (also given as Matohinshda, meaning "Bear-Shedding-His-Hair"). He was given his adult name (Phizi – "Man Who Goes in the Middle") in his teens after eating the gall bladder of an animal when he was hungry and later won a wrestling match against Roman Nose (Cheyenne warrior). Gall was adopted by Sitting Bull as a younger brother and trained by him as a warrior.

He was among the Sioux warriors (including Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse) who refused to sign the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 ending Red Cloud's War, continuing the resistance to US expansionist policies. At the Battle of the Little Bighorn, both of his wives and many of his children were murdered by the command under Major Marcus Reno, and he then countered Reno's charge, driving him toward the river and defeating him with the assistance of Cheyenne warriors.

When Sitting Bull retreated into the region of modern-day Canada in 1877, Gall followed, but broke with his mentor/adopted brother in 1881 and returned to the United States to surrender. He was arrested and regarded as a prisoner of war before being sent to the Standing Rock Agency reservation, where he remained the rest of his life as a farmer. He served as a judge and liaison between his people and the US government, converting to Christianity and advocating for peaceful relations with Euro-Americans, but as Eastman notes, his spirit seemed broken.

Text

One of the most important documents on Gall is the account given by Sioux author and physician Charles A. Eastman (also known as Ohiyesa, l. 1858-1939) in his Indian Heroes and Great Chieftains (1916), based on stories he had gathered on the war chief from those who had known him. Although not a first-person account, Eastman's work is regarded as more or less accurate and the closest to an authentic biography of Gall.

The following text is taken from the 1939 edition of Eastman's work, republished in 2016:

Chief Gall was one of the most aggressive leaders of the Sioux Nation in their last stand for freedom.

The westward pressure of civilization during the past three centuries has been tremendous. When our hemisphere was "discovered", it had been inhabited by the natives for untold ages, but it was held undiscovered because the original owners did not chart or advertise it. Yet some of them at least had developed ideals of life which included real liberty and equality to all men, and they did not recognize individual ownership in land or other property beyond actual necessity. It was a soul development leading to essential manhood. Under this system they brought forth some striking characters.

Gall was considered by both Indians and whites to be a most impressive type of physical manhood. From his picture you can judge of this for yourself.

Let us follow his trail. He was no tenderfoot. He never asked a soft place for himself. He always played the game according to the rules and to a finish. To be sure, like every other man, he made some mistakes, but he was an Indian and never acted the coward.

The earliest stories told of his life and doings indicate the spirit of the man in that of the boy.

When he was only about three years old, the Blackfoot band of Sioux were on their usual roving hunt, following the buffalo while living their natural happy life upon the wonderful wide prairies of the Dakotas.

It was the way of every Sioux mother to adjust her household effects on such dogs and pack ponies as she could muster from day to day, often lending one or two to accommodate some other woman whose horse or dog had died, or perhaps had been among those stampeded and carried away by a raiding band of Crow warriors. On this particular occasion, the mother of our young Sioux brave, Matohinshda, or Bear-Shedding-His-Hair (Gall's childhood name), entrusted her boy to an old Eskimo pack dog, experienced and reliable, except perhaps when unduly excited or very thirsty.

On the day of removing camp the caravan made its morning march up the Powder River. Upon the wide table-land the women were busily digging teepsinna (an edible sweetish root, much used by them) as the moving village slowly progressed. As usual at such times, the trail was wide. An old jack rabbit had waited too long in hiding. Now, finding himself almost surrounded by the mighty plains people, he sprang up suddenly, his feathery ears conspicuously erect, a dangerous challenge to the dogs and the people.

A whoop went up. Every dog accepted the challenge. Forgotten were the bundles, the kits, even the babies they were drawing or carrying. The chase was on, and the screams of the women reechoed from the opposite cliffs of the Powder, mingled with the yelps of dogs and the neighing of horses. The hand of every man was against the daring warrior, the lone Jack, and the confusion was great.

When the fleeing one cleared the mass of his enemies, he emerged with a swiftness that commanded respect and gave promise of a determined chase. Behind him, his pursuers stretched out in a thin line, first the speedy, unburdened dogs and then the travois dogs headed by the old Eskimo with his precious freight. The youthful Gall was in a travois, a basket mounted on trailing poles and harnessed to the sides of the animal.

"Hey! hey! they are gaining on him!" a warrior shouted. At this juncture two of the canines had almost nabbed their furry prey by the back. But he was too cunning for them. He dropped instantly and sent both dogs over his head, rolling and spinning, then made another flight at right angles to the first. This gave the Eskimo a chance to cut the triangle. He gained fifty yards, but being heavily handicapped, two unladen dogs passed him. The same trick was repeated by the Jack, and this time he saved himself from instant death by a double loop and was now running directly toward the crowd, followed by a dozen or more dogs. He was losing speed, but likewise his pursuers were dropping off steadily. Only the sturdy Eskimo dog held to his even gait, and behind him in the frail travois leaned forward the little Matohinshda, nude save a breech clout, his left hand holding fast the convenient tail of his dog, the right grasping firmly one of the poles of the travois. His black eyes were bulging almost out of their sockets; his long hair flowed out behind like a stream of dark water.

The Jack now ran directly toward the howling spectators, but his marvelous speed and alertness were on the wane; while on the other hand his foremost pursuer, who had taken part in hundreds of similar events, had every confidence in his own endurance. Each leap brought him nearer, fiercer and more determined. The last effort of the Jack was to lose himself in the crowd, like a fish in muddy water; but the big dog made the one needed leap with unerring aim and his teeth flashed as he caught the rabbit in viselike jaws and held him limp in air, a victor!

The people rushed up to him as he laid the victim down, and foremost among them was the frantic mother of Matohinshda, or Gall. "Michinkshe! michinkshe!" (My son! my son!) she screamed as she drew near. The boy seemed to be none the worse for his experience. "Mother!" he cried, "my dog is brave: he got the rabbit!" She snatched him off the travois, but he struggled out of her arms to look upon his dog lovingly and admiringly. Old men and boys crowded about the hero of the day, the dog, and the thoughtful grandmother of Matohinshda unharnessed him and poured some water from a parfleche water bag into a basin. "Here, my grandson, give your friend something to drink."

"How, hechetu," pronounced an old warrior no longer in active service. "This may be only an accident, an ordinary affair; but such things sometimes indicate a career. The boy has had a wonderful ride. I prophesy that he will one day hold the attention of all the people with his doings."

This is the first remembered story of the famous chief, but other boyish exploits foretold the man he was destined to be. He fought many sham battles, some successful and others not; but he was always a fierce fighter and a good loser.

Once he was engaged in a battle with snowballs. There were probably nearly a hundred boys on each side, and the rule was that every fair hit made the receiver officially dead. He must not participate further but must remain just where he was struck.

Gall's side was fast losing, and the battle was growing hotter every minute when the youthful warrior worked toward an old water hole and took up his position there. His side was soon annihilated and there were eleven men left to fight him. He was pressed close in the wash-out, and as he dodged under cover before a volley of snowballs, there suddenly emerged in his stead a huge gray wolf. His opponents fled in every direction in superstitious terror, for they thought he had been transformed into the animal. To their astonishment he came out on the farther side and ran to the line of safety, a winner!

It happened that the wolf's den had been partly covered with snow so that no one had noticed it until the yells of the boys aroused the inmate, and he beat a hasty retreat. The boys always looked upon this incident as an omen.

Gall had an amiable disposition but was quick to resent insult or injustice. This sometimes involved him in difficulties, but he seldom fought without good cause and was popular with his associates. One of his characteristics was his ability to organize, and this was a large factor in his leadership when he became a man. He was tried in many ways, and never was known to hesitate when it was a question of physical courage and endurance. He entered the public service early in life, but not until he had proved himself competent and passed all tests.

When a mere boy, he was once scouting for game in midwinter, far from camp, and was overtaken by a three days' blizzard. He was forced to abandon his horse and lie under the snow for that length of time. He afterward said he was not particularly hungry; it was thirst and stiffness from which he suffered most. One reason the Indian so loved his horse or dog was that at such times the animal would stay by him like a brother. On this occasion Gall's pony was not more than a stone's throw away when the storm subsided, and the sun shone. There was a herd of buffalo in plain sight, and the young hunter was not long in procuring a meal.

This chief's contemporaries still recall his wrestling match with the equally powerful Cheyenne boy, Roman Nose, who afterward became a chief well known to American history. It was a custom of the northwestern Indians, when two friendly tribes camped together, to establish the physical and athletic supremacy of the youth of the respective camps.

The "Che-hoo-hoo" is a wrestling game in which there may be any number on a side, but the numbers are equal. All the boys of each camp are called together by a leader chosen for the purpose and draw themselves up in line of battle; then each at a given signal attacks his opponent.

In this memorable contest, Matohinshda, or Gall, was placed opposite Roman Nose. The whole people turned out as spectators of the struggle, and the battlefield was a plateau between the two camps, in the midst of picturesque Bad Lands. There were many athletic youths present, but these two were really the Apollos of the two tribes.

In this kind of sport, it is not allowed to strike with the hand, nor catch around the neck, nor kick, nor pull by the hair. One may break away and run a few yards to get a fresh start, or clinch, or catch as catch can. When a boy is thrown and held to the ground, he is counted out. If a boy has met his superior, he may drop to the ground to escape rough handling, but it is very seldom one gives up without a full trial of strength.

It seemed almost like a real battle, so great was the enthusiasm, as the shouts of sympathizers on both sides went up in a mighty chorus. At last, all were either conquerors or subdued except Gall and Roman Nose. The pair seemed equally matched. Both were stripped to the breech clout, now tugging like two young buffalo or elk in mating time, again writhing, and twisting like serpents. At times they fought like two wild stallions, straining every muscle of arms, legs, and back in the struggle. Every now and then one was lifted off his feet for a moment, but came down planted like a tree, and after swaying to and fro soon became rigid again.

All eyes were upon the champions. Finally, either by trick or main force, Gall laid the other sprawling upon the ground and held him fast for a minute, then released him and stood erect, panting, a master youth. Shout after shout went up on the Sioux side of the camp. The mother of Roman Nose came forward and threw a superbly worked buffalo robe over Gall, whose mother returned the compliment by covering the young Cheyenne with a handsome blanket.

Undoubtedly these early contests had their influence upon our hero's career. It was his habit to appear most opportunely in a crisis, and in a striking and dramatic manner to take command of the situation. The best-known example of this is his entrance on the scene of confusion when Reno surprised the Sioux on the Little Big Horn. Many of the excitable youths, almost unarmed, rushed madly and blindly to meet the intruder, and the scene might have unnerved even an experienced warrior. It was Gall, with not a garment upon his superb body, who on his black charger dashed ahead of the boys and faced them. He stopped them on the dry creek, while the bullets of Reno's men whistled about their ears.

"Hold hard, men! Steady, we are not ready yet! Wait for more guns, more horses, and the day is yours!"

They obeyed, and in a few minutes the signal to charge was given, and Reno retreated pell mell before the onset of the Sioux.

Sitting Bull had confidence in his men so long as Gall planned and directed the attack, whether against United States soldiers or the warriors of another tribe. He was a strategist, and able in a twinkling to note and seize upon an advantage. He was really the mainstay of Sitting Bull's effective last stand. He consistently upheld his people's right to their buffalo plains and believed that they should hold the government strictly to its agreements with them. When the treaty of 1868 was disregarded, he agreed with Sitting Bull in defending the last of their once vast domain, and after the Custer battle entered Canada with his chief. They hoped to bring their lost cause before the English government and were much disappointed when they were asked to return to the United States.

Gall finally reported at Fort Peck, Montana, in 1881, and brought half of the Hunkpapa band with him, whereupon he was soon followed by Sitting Bull himself. Although they had been promised by the United States commission who went to Canada to treat with them that they would not be punished if they returned, no sooner had Gall come down than a part of his people were attacked, and in the spring they were all brought to Fort Randall and held as military prisoners. From this point they were returned to Standing Rock agency.

When "Buffalo Bill" successfully launched his first show, he made every effort to secure both Sitting Bull and Gall for his leading attractions. The military was in complete accord with him in this, for they still had grave suspicions of these two leaders. While Sitting Bull reluctantly agreed, Gall haughtily said: "I am not an animal to be exhibited before the crowd," and retired to his teepee. His spirit was much worn, and he lost strength from that time on. That superb manhood dwindled, and in a few years he died. He was a real hero of a free and natural people, a type that is never to be seen again.

Continue reading...

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Mark Sumner at Daily Kos:

Tim Sheehy, the Republican Senate nominee in Montana, has been caught using racist stereotypes to refer to Native Americans. According to audio released last Thursday by Char-Koosta News, the news outlet of the Flathead Indian Reservation, Sheehy claimed at a Nov. 6 fundraiser that he likes to brand cattle with tribal members on the Crow Reservation, saying it’s “a great way to bond with all the Indians out there while they’re drunk at 8 AM.” In a second recording, from Nov. 10, Sheehy claimed that Crow members sometimes greet him by throwing beer cans at his head.  “If you know a tough crowd, you want to go to the Crow rez,” he said. “They’ll let you know whether they like you or not if there’s Coors Light cans flying by your head.” If any of the Crow members heard how Sheehy was talking about them, it’s not hard to believe they might throw something. Sheehy is a trust-fund cowboy whom Republicans recruited, thinking he was a great bet against Democratic Sen. Jon Tester. Any candidate who can drop $2.6 million on his own campaign in a state where the total population is just over 1 million is the kind of candidate the GOP loves.

Despite these supposed credentials, and before his leaked racist remarks, Sheehy was beset with problems, like allegedly defrauding his employees out of millions. Then there was the bizarre incident in which Sheehy first said that he had shot himself in the arm while visiting a national park, then later claimed it was a war wound he collected in Afghanistan. Sheehy also had the gall to claim that Tester wasn’t a real farmer, calling Tester’s multigenerational, 1,800-acre farm was just “a weed patch.” But Sheehy’s racist comments are of a different caliber. On Wednesday, the Associated Press reported that the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council, which represents tribes and First Nations in the western U.S. and Canada, has reprimanded Sheehy for perpetuating stereotypes about Native Americans. Council Chairman Bryce Kirk has asked Sheehy to formally apologize.

Montana Senate candidate Tim Sheehy (R) got caught making racist stereotypical tropes about indigenous peoples.

See Also:

HuffPost: Montana GOP Senate Hopeful Peddles Racist Trope About ‘Drunk’ Native Americans

[kemetic-dreams]

Land taken from African Americans through trickery, violence and murder

For generations, African American families passed down the tales in uneasy whispers: "They stole our land."

These were family secrets shared after the children fell asleep, after neighbors turned down the lamps -- old stories locked in fear and shame.

Some of those whispered bits of oral history, it turns out, are true.

In an 18-month investigation, The Associated Press documented a pattern in which African Americans were cheated out of their land or driven from it through intimidation, violence and even murder.

In some cases, government officials approved the land takings; in others, they took part in them. The earliest occurred before the Civil War; others are being litigated today.

Some of the land taken from African families has become a country club in Virginia, oil fields in Mississippi, a major-league baseball spring training facility in Florida.

The United States has a long history of bitter, often violent land disputes, from claim jumping in the gold fields to range wars in the old West to broken treaties with American Indians. Poor European landowners, too, were sometimes treated unfairly, pressured to sell out at rock-bottom prices by railroads and lumber and mining companies.

The fate of African American landowners has been an overlooked part of this story.

The AP -- in an investigation that included interviews with more than 1,000 people and the examination of tens of thousands of public records in county courthouses and state and federal archives -- documented 107 land takings in 13 Southern and border states.

In those cases alone, 406 African American landowners lost more than 24,000 acres of farm and timber land plus 85 smaller properties, including stores and city lots. Today, virtually all of this property, valued at tens of millions of dollars, is owned by Europeans or by corporations.

Properties taken from Africans were often small -- a 40-acre farm, a general store, a modest house. But the losses were devastating to families struggling to overcome the legacy of slavery. In the agrarian South, landownership was the ladder to respect and prosperity -- the means to building economic security and passing wealth on to the next generation. When African American families lost their land, they lost all of this.

"When they steal your land, they steal your future," said Stephanie Hagans, 40, of Atlanta, who has been researching how her great-grandmother, Ablow Weddington Stewart, lost 35 acres in Matthews, N.C. A European lawyer foreclosed on Stewart in 1942 after he refused to allow her to finish paying off a $540 debt, witnesses told the AP.

"How different would our lives be," Hagans asked, "if we'd had the opportunities, the pride that land brings?"

No one knows how many African American families have been unfairly stripped of their land, but there are indications of extensive loss.

Besides the 107 cases the AP documented, reporters found evidence of scores of other land takings that could not be fully verified because of gaps or inconsistencies in the public record. Thousands of additional reports of land takings from African American families remain uninvestigated.

Two thousand have been collected in recent years by the Penn Center on St. Helena Island, S.C., an educational institution established for freed slaves during the Civil War. The Land Loss Prevention Project, a group of lawyers in Durham, N.C., who represent blacks in land disputes, said it receives new reports daily. And Heather Gray of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives in Atlanta said her organization has "file cabinets full of complaints."

AP's findings "are just the tip of one of the biggest crimes of this country's history," said Ray Winbush, director of Fisk University's Institute of Race Relations.

Some examples of land takings documented by the AP:

After midnight on Oct. 4, 1908, 50 hooded European men surrounded the home of a African farmer in Hickman, Ky., and ordered him to come out for a whipping. When David Walker refused and shot at them instead, the mob poured coal oil on his house and set it afire, according to contemporary newspaper accounts. Pleading for mercy, Walker ran out the front door, followed by four screaming children and his wife, carrying a baby in her arms. The mob shot them all, wounding three children and killing the others. Walker's oldest son never escaped the burning house. No one was ever charged with the killings, and the surviving children were deprived of the farm their father died defending. Land records show that Walker's 2 1/2-acre farm was simply folded into the property of a white neighbor. The neighbor soon sold it to another man, whose daughter owns the undeveloped land today.In the 1950s and 1960s, a Chevrolet dealer in Holmes County, Miss., acquired hundreds of acres from African American farmers by foreclosing on small loans for farm equipment and pickup trucks. Norman Weathersby, then the only dealer in the area, required the farmers to put up their land as security for the loans, county residents who dealt with him said. And the equipment he sold them, they said, often broke down shortly thereafter. Weathersby's friend, William E. Strider, ran the local Farmers Home Administration -- the credit lifeline for many Southern farmers. Area residents, including Erma Russell, 81, said Strider, now dead, was often slow in releasing farm operating loans to Africans. When cash-poor farmers missed payments owed to Weathersby, he took their land. The AP documented eight cases in which Weathersby acquired African-owned farms this way. When he died in 1973, he left more than 700 acres of this land to his family, according to estate papers, deeds and court records.In 1964, the state of Alabama sued Lemon Williams and Lawrence Hudson, claiming the cousins had no right to two 40-acre farms their family had worked in Sweet Water, Ala., for nearly a century. The land, officials contended, belonged to the state. Circuit Judge Emmett F. Hildreth urged the state to drop its suit, declaring it would result in "a severe injustice." But when the state refused, saying it wanted income from timber on the land, the judge ruled against the family. Today, the land lies empty; the state recently opened some of it to logging. The state's internal memos and letters on the case are peppered with references to the family's race.

In the same courthouse where the case was heard, the AP located deeds and tax records documenting that the family had owned the land since an ancestor bought the property on Jan. 3, 1874. Surviving records also show the family paid property taxes on the farms from the mid-1950s until the land was taken.

AP reporters tracked the land cases by reviewing deeds, mortgages, tax records, estate papers, court proceedings, surveyor maps, oil and gas leases, marriage records, census listings, birth records, death certificates and Freedmen's Bureau archives. Additional documents, including FBI files and Farmers Home Administration records, were obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

The AP interviewed black families that lost land, as well as lawyers, title searchers, historians, appraisers, genealogists, surveyors, land activists, and local, state and federal officials.

The AP also talked to current owners of the land, nearly all of whom acquired the properties years after the land takings occurred. Most said they knew little about the history of their land. When told about it, most expressed regret.

Weathersby's son, John, 62, who now runs the dealership in Indianola, Miss., said he had little direct knowledge about his father's business affairs. However, he said he was sure his father never would have sold defective vehicles and that he always treated people fairly.

Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman examined the state's files on the Sweet Water case after an inquiry from the AP. He said he found them "disturbing" and has asked the state attorney general to review the matter.

"What I have asked the attorney general to do," he said, "is look not only at the letter of the law but at what is fair and right."

The land takings are part of a larger picture -- a 91-year decline in African American landownership in America.

In 1910, African Americans owned more farmland than at any time before or since -- at least 15 million acres. Nearly all of it was in the South, largely in Mississippi, Alabama and the Carolinas, according to the U.S. Agricultural Census. Today, Africans own only 1.1 million of the country's more than 1 billion acres of arable land. They are part owners of another 1.07 million acres.

The number of European American farmers has declined over the last century, too, as economic trends have concentrated land in fewer, often corporate, hands. However, African American ownership has declined 2 1/2 times faster than white ownership, the U.S. Civil Rights Commission noted in a 1982 report, the last comprehensive federal study on the trend.

The decline in African American landownership had a number of causes, including the discriminatory lending practices of the Farmers Home Administration and the migration of Africans from the rural South to industrial centers in the North and West.

However, the land takings also contributed. In the decades between Reconstruction and the civil rights struggle, black families were powerless to prevent them, said Stuart E. Tolnay, a University of Washington sociologist and co-author of a book on lynchings. In an era when African Americans could not drink from the same water fountains as European and African men were lynched for whistling at white women, few Africans dared to challenge Europeans. Those who did could rarely find lawyers to take their cases or judges who would give them a fair hearing.

The Rev. Isaac Simmons was an exception. When his land was taken, he found a lawyer and tried to fight back.

In 1942, his 141-acre farm in Amite County, Miss., was sold for nonpayment of taxes, property records show. The farm, for which his father had paid $302 in 1887, was bought by a European man for $180.

Only partial, tattered tax records for the period exist today in the county courthouse; but they are enough to show that tax payments on at least part of the property were current when the land was taken.

Simmons hired a lawyer in February 1944 and filed suit to get his land back. On March 26, a group of Europeans paid Simmons a visit.

The minister's daughter, Laura Lee Houston, now 74, recently recalled her terror as she stood with her month-old baby in her arms and watched the men drag Simmons away. "I screamed and hollered so loud," she said. "They came toward me and I ran down in the woods."

The Europeans then grabbed Simmons' son, Eldridge, from his house and drove the two men to a lonely road.

"Two of them kept beating me," Eldridge Simmons later told the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. "They kept telling me that my father and I were 'smart niggers' for going to see a lawyer."

Simmons, who has since died, said his captors gave him 10 days to leave town and told his father to start running. Later that day, the minister's body turned up with three gunshot wounds in the back, The McComb Enterprise newspaper reported at the time.

Today, the Simmons land -- thick with timber and used for hunting -- is privately owned and is assessed at $33,660. (Officials assess property for tax purposes, and the valuation is usually less than its market value.)

Over the past 20 years, a handful of African families have sued to regain their ancestral lands. State courts, however, have dismissed their cases on grounds that statutes of limitations had expired.

A group of attorneys led by Harvard University law professor Charles J. Ogletree has been making inquries recently about land takings. The group has announced its intention to file a national class-action lawsuit in pursuit of reparations for slavery and racial discrimination. However, some legal experts say redress for many land takings may not be possible unless laws are changed.

As the acres slipped away, so did treasured pieces of family history -- cabins crafted by a grandfather's hand, family graves in shaded groves.

But "the home place" meant more than just that. Many Africans have found it "very difficult to transfer wealth from one generation to the next," because they had trouble holding onto land, said Paula Giddings, a history professor at Duke University.

The Espy family in Vero Beach, Fla., lost its heritage in 1942, when the U.S. government seized its land through eminent domain to build an airfield. Government agencies frequently take land this way for public purposes under rules that require fair compensation for the owners.

In Vero Beach, however, the Navy appraised the Espys' 147 acres, which included a 30-acre fruit grove, two houses and 40 house lots, at $8,000, according to court records. The Espys sued, and an all-white jury awarded them $13,000. That amounted to one-sixth of the price per acre that the Navy paid European neighbors for similar land with fewer improvements, records show.

After World War II, the Navy gave the airfield to the city of Vero Beach. Ignoring the Espys' plea to buy back their land, the city sold part of it, at $1,500 an acre, to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1965 as a spring training facility.

In 1999, the former Navy land, with parts of Dodgertown and a municipal airport, was assessed at $6.19 million. Sixty percent of that land once belonged to the Espys. The team sold its property to Indian River County for $10 million in August, according to Craig Callan, a Dodgers official.

The true extent of land takings from African families will never be known because of gaps in property and tax records in many rural Southern counties. The AP found crumbling tax records, deed books with pages torn from them, file folders with documents missing, and records that had been crudely altered.

In Jackson Parish, La., 40 years of moldy, gnawed tax and mortgage records were piled in a cellar behind a roll of Christmas lights and a wooden reindeer. In Yazoo County, Miss., volumes of tax and deed records filled a classroom in an abandoned school, the papers coated with white dust from a falling ceiling. The AP retrieved dozens of documents that custodians said were earmarked for shredders or landfills.

The AP also found that about a third of the county courthouses in Southern and border states have burned -- some more than once -- since the Civil War. Some of the fires were deliberately set.

On the night of Sept. 10, 1932, for example, 15 Europeans torched the courthouse in Paulding, Miss., where property records for the eastern half of Jasper County, then predominantly African, were stored. Records for the predominantly white western half of the county were safe in another courthouse miles away.

The door to the Paulding courthouse's safe, which protected the records, had been locked the night before, the Jasper County News reported at the time. The next morning, the safe was found open, most of the records reduced to ashes.

Suddenly, it was unclear who owned a big piece of eastern Jasper County.

Even before the courthouse fire, landownership in Jasper County was contentious. According to historical accounts, the Ku Klux Klan, resentful that African were buying and profiting from land, had been attacking African-owned farms, burning houses, lynching African farmers and chasing African American landowners away.

The Masonite Corp., a wood products company, was one of the largest landowners in the area. Because most of the land records had been destroyed, the company went to court in December 1937 to clear its title. Masonite believed it owned 9,581 acres and said in court papers that it had been unable to locate anyone with a rival claim to the land.

A month later, the court ruled the company had clear title to the land, which has since yielded millions of dollars in natural gas, timber and oil, according to state records.

From the few property records that remain, the AP was able to document that at least 204.5 of those acres had been acquired by Masonite after African American owners were driven off by the Klan. At least 850,000 barrels of oil have been pumped from this property, according to state oil and gas board records and figures from the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council, an industry group.

Today, the land is owned by International Paper Corp., which acquired Masonite in 1988. Jenny Boardman, a company spokeswoman, said International Paper had been unaware of the "tragic" history of the land and was concerned about AP's findings.

"This is probably part of a much larger, public debate about whether there should be restitution for people who have been harmed in the past," she said. "And by virtue of the fact that we now own these lands, we should be part of that discussion."

Even when Southern courthouses remained standing, mistrust and fear of white authority long kept Africans away from record rooms, where documents often were segregated into "white" and "colored." Many elderly Africans say they still remember how they were snubbed by court clerks, spat upon and even struck.

Today, however, fear and shame have given way to pride. Interest in genealogy among African families is surging, and some African whispered stories.

"People are out there wondering: What ever happened to Grandma's land?" said Loretta Carter Hanes, 75, a retired genealogist. "They knew that their grandparents shed a lot of blood and tears to get it."

Bryan Logan, a 55-year-old sports writer from Washington, D.C., was researching his heritage when he uncovered a connection to 264 acres of riverfront property in Richmond, Va.

Today, the land is Willow Oaks, an almost exclusively European American country club with an assessed value of $2.94 million. But in the 1850s, it was a corn-and-wheat plantation worked by the Howlett slaves -- Logan's ancestors.

Their owner, Thomas Howlett, directed in his will that his 15 slaves be freed, that his plantation be sold and that the slaves receive the proceeds. When he died in 1856, his European relatives challenged the will, but two courts upheld it.

Yet the freed slaves never got a penny.

Benjamin Hatcher, the executor of the estate, simply took over the plantation, court records show. He cleared the timber and mined the stone, providing granite for the Navy and War Department buildings in Washington and the capitol in Richmond, according to records in the National Archives.

When the Civil War ended in 1865, the former slaves complained to the occupying Union Army, which ordered Virginia courts to investigate.

Hatcher testified that he had sold the plantation in 1862 -- apparently to his son, Thomas -- but had not given the proceeds to the former slaves. Instead, court papers show, the proceeds were invested on their behalf in Confederate War Bonds. There is nothing in the public record to suggest the former slaves wanted their money used to support the Southern war effort.

Moreover, the bonds were purchased in the former slaves' names in 1864 -- a dubious investment at best in the fourth year of the war. Within months, Union armies were marching on Atlanta and Richmond, and the bonds were worthless pieces of paper.

The Africans insisted they were never given even that, but in 1871, Virginia's highest court ruled that Hatcher was innocent of wrongdoing and that the former slaves were owed nothing.

The following year, the plantation was broken up and sold at a public auction. Hatcher's son received the proceeds, county records show. In the 1930s, a Richmond businessman cobbled the estate back together; he sold it to Willow Oaks Corp. in 1955 for an unspecified amount.

"I don't hold anything against Willow Oaks," Logan said. "But how Virginia's courts acted, how they allowed the land to be stolen -- it goes against everything America stands for."

[bronzecats]

Happy Thanksgiving, Canada: Background

There really isn't a lot of information out there about Thanksgiving in Canada, so it's harder to tie it directly to a colonial narrative. An often mentioned pre cursor is the 1606 L'Ordre le Bon Temps (Order of Good Cheer), and various festivals of thanksgiving celebrated by several different Indigenous communities. The date of colonial Thanksgiving in Canada has varied over the years

Here's a couple of excerpts from the Canadian Encyclopedia:

In 1606, in an attempt to prevent the kind of scurvy epidemic that had decimated the settlement at Île Ste. Croix in the winter of 1604–05, Samuel de Champlain founded a series of rotating feasts at Port Royal called the Ordre de Bon Temps (“Order of Good Cheer”). Local Mi'kmaq families were also invited. The first feast was held on 14 November 1606 to celebrate the return of Jean de Biencourt de Poutrincourt from an expedition. Having attended the festivities, Marc Lescarbot remarked that they consisted of “a feast, a discharge of musketry, and as much noise as could be made by some fifty men, joined by a few Indians, whose families served as spectators.” .... The first national Thanksgiving in Canada was celebrated in the Province of Canada in 1859. It was organized at the behest of leaders of the Protestant clergy, who appropriated the holiday of American Thanksgiving, which was first observed in 1777 and established as a national day of “public thanksgiving and prayer” in 1789. In Canada, the holiday was intended for the “public and solemn” recognition of God’s mercies. As historian Peter Stevens has noted, some citizens “objected to this government request, saying it blurred the distinction between church and state that was so important to many Canadians.” The first Thanksgiving after Confederation was observed on 5 April 1872. A national civic holiday rather than a religious one, it was held to celebrate the recovery of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) from an illness. Thanksgiving was first observed as an annual event in Canada on 6 November 1879. The date for each of the following years, as well as a unifying theme for which to give thanks (usually concerning the harvest, though anniversaries related to the British monarchy were also common), was determined annually by Parliament. The holiday occurred as late in the year as 6 December and even coincided several times with American Thanksgiving. The most popular date to observe Thanksgiving was the third Monday in October, when the fall weather is generally still amenable to outdoor activities. ... ... It was not until 31 January 1957 that Parliament proclaimed the observance of the second Monday in October as “a day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed.” E.C. Drury, the former "Farmer-Premier" of Ontario, lamented later that “the farmers’ own holiday has been stolen by the towns” to give them a long weekend when the weather was better. Thanksgiving is an official statutory holiday in all provinces and territories except Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. It is called Action de grâce in Quebec and is celebrated to a much lesser extent there than in the rest of the country, given the holiday’s Protestant origins and Anglo-nationalist associations.

[byneddiedingo]

A Martinez and Gary Farmer in Powwow Highway (Jonathan Wacks, 1988)

Cast: A Martinez, Gary Farmer, Amanda Wyss, Joanelle Romero, Geoff Rivas, Roscoe Born, Wayne Waterman, Margo Kane, Sam Vlahos, John Trudell, Wes Studi, Graham Greene. Screenplay: David Seals, Janet Heaney, Jean Stawarz, based on a novel by Seals. Cinematography: Toyomichi Kurita. Production design: Cynthia Sowder. Film editing: Jim Stewart. Music: Barry Goldberg. 

If you like the series Reservation Dogs, you ought to like Powwow Highway. To my mind (white, male, aged) these comic works get closer to capturing the Native American experience than do more earnest movies like Dances With Wolves (Kevin Costner, 1994) and Killers of the Flower Moon (Martin Scorsese, 2023), which rely too heavily on the white man's point of view. As the title suggests, it's a road movie, and as with any good road movie, the travelers are an odd couple. Buddy Red Bow (A Martinez) is a hot-tempered activist, trying to stymie the latest corporate takeover of land on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. Philbert Bono (Gary Farmer) is a corpulent, easy-going eccentric, enthralled by Native American myths and legends. When Buddy's sister is arrested on trumped-up charges in Santa Fe, New Mexico, he persuades Philbert to drive him there to get her released. Philbert has recently acquired (via a trade for some marijuana) an ancient wreck of a car that he refers to as his "pony" and calls Protector. Despite Buddy's insistence on going straight to Santa Fe, he can't keep Philbert from getting sidetracked onto locations associated with Native American history. The result is an engaging blend of farce and travelogue, with a provocative, sometimes bittersweet point of view. Farmer's creation of the endearing Philbert, a fine blend of sweet and stubborn, of naive and canny, is a remarkable performance. Martinez has just the right hair-trigger quality as Buddy, and the supporting cast, which includes bit parts for the then-unknown Wes Studi and Graham Greene (particularly good as an aphasic Vietnam veteran), is wonderful. The "happy ending" is by-the-book, but well-deserved nevertheless. 

[willkdawson]

Who is The Biggest Producer of Cotton?

Cotton, often referred to as white gold, has been a cornerstone of the textile industry for centuries, woven into the fabric of our daily lives. As demand for cotton and textile products continues to surge, it's crucial to understand the dynamics of global cotton production and identify the leading players in this vital industry. In this exploration, we delve into the question: Who is the biggest producer of cotton? Additionally, we'll discuss the significance of Bulk cotton and wholesale towels in the expansive world of textiles.

The Global Cotton Landscape

Cotton cultivation is a global affair, with numerous countries contributing to the vast supply chain. However, the title of the world's largest cotton producer has been hotly contested over the years. As of the latest available data, China, India, and the United States stand out as the primary contenders for the crown.

China: The Silk Road of Cotton Production

China has historically been a major player in the cotton industry, boasting a long-standing tradition of cotton cultivation. The country's vast agricultural landscape, particularly in regions like Xinjiang, has made it a powerhouse in cotton production. The mechanization of farming practices and advanced technologies have further solidified China's position as a global cotton giant.

India: The Cotton Hub of the East

India, with its diverse agro-climatic zones, is another heavyweight in the world of cotton production. States like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh are major contributors, fostering the growth of high-quality cotton varieties. Indian farmers have adopted modern farming techniques, driving increased yields and enhancing the overall quality of cotton produced in the country.

United States: A Cotton Empire in the West

In the Western hemisphere, the United States has long been a dominant force in cotton production. The cotton belt, stretching across southern states like Texas, Mississippi, and Georgia, has favorable climatic conditions for cotton cultivation. American farmers benefit from cutting-edge technologies and efficient farming practices, ensuring a steady supply of high-quality cotton.

Bulk Cotton: The Backbone of Textile Manufacturing

As the demand for textile products continues to surge, the importance of bulk cotton cannot be overstated. Bulk cotton refers to large quantities of raw cotton, harvested and processed for distribution on a massive scale. The economies of scale associated with bulk cotton make it a cost-effective option for textile manufacturers and contribute significantly to the affordability of cotton-based products.

Within the expansive realm of textiles, wholesale towels carve out a niche of their own. Towels are everyday essentials, and the hospitality, healthcare, and retail sectors rely heavily on a steady supply of high-quality, affordable towels. Wholesale towels meet this demand by offering bulk quantities at competitive prices, catering to businesses and consumers alike.

The Biggest Producers and the Cotton Trade

While China, India, and the United States are the primary contenders for the title of the largest cotton producer, the global cotton trade is a complex network involving numerous countries. Cotton-producing nations engage in international trade to meet domestic demand, and the competition is not just about production quantity but also about the quality of the cotton produced.

China, for instance, not only leads in production but also plays a significant role in cotton imports. The country's textile industry, one of the largest in the world, demands a consistent supply of high-quality cotton, and it sources from both domestic and international markets.

Impact of Technological Advancements on Cotton Production

Technological advancements have revolutionized cotton farming, leading to increased yields and improved efficiency. Mechanized harvesting, precision agriculture, and the use of genetically modified cotton varieties resistant to pests and diseases have become common practices. These innovations have not only boosted production but also addressed environmental concerns associated with traditional farming methods.

Environmental and Ethical Considerations

The cotton industry has faced criticism for environmental and ethical concerns, including the use of pesticides, water consumption, and labor practices. In response, many countries and stakeholders in the cotton supply chain are actively working towards sustainable and ethical practices. Initiatives promoting organic cotton, fair trade practices, and water-efficient farming are gaining traction, reshaping the landscape of cotton production.

Conclusion

The biggest producer of cotton remains a dynamic and ever-evolving competition between China, India, and the United States. The global cotton market continues to adapt to changing demands and challenges, with technological advancements and sustainability efforts shaping the industry's future.

In the midst of this vast cotton kingdom, bulk cotton and wholesale towels emerge as crucial components, supporting the textile industry's demand for large quantities of high-quality raw material. As consumers become more conscious of the environmental and ethical aspects of production, the cotton industry is poised to undergo further transformations, ensuring a sustainable and responsible future for this essential commodity.

FAQs

1. Who is the biggest producer of cotton globally?

The biggest producer of cotton worldwide is currently China, closely followed by India and the United States. These three countries consistently rank as the top contributors to global cotton production. China has maintained its position as the leading producer due to its extensive cultivation and efficient agricultural practices.

2. How does India contribute to global cotton production?

India is a significant player in the global cotton market and is often the second-largest producer after China. The country's diverse climate and large agricultural sector contribute to its substantial cotton output. Indian cotton production is supported by widespread cultivation across different states, with states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh being major contributors.

3. What factors contribute to the United States being a major cotton producer?

The United States is a key player in global cotton production, ranking among the top producers. Factors contributing to its success in cotton cultivation include advanced agricultural technology, favorable climate conditions in states like Texas and Mississippi, and a well-established infrastructure for cotton farming. The U.S. also has a history of investing in research and development to enhance cotton yields and quality, further solidifying its position in the global cotton market.

[priytoshtradologie12]

Which Countries Are Best to Import Sugar?

Are you a sugar importer looking to import sugar in bulk? It can’t be denied that sugar is one commodity which is widely used globally both in households and B2B food industries. It finds applications in diverse industries such as food production, and even in the manufacturing of drugs. There is an increasing demand for sugar around the world, hence businesses are always searching for new suppliers. If you are into the food and beverages business, or any other associated with sugar, determining the right country for import is very important.

So, who are the top sugar exporters, and from where can you source the highest quality at the best price? Let’s look into the key countries leading the global sugar market and why they stand out.

1. Brazil: The Giant of Sugar ExportIt will not be an overstatement to say that Brazil is the number 1 country in terms of the production and export of sugar– about 40 to 50% of sugar exports belong to this centre of production. The country makes use of good weather conditions and a lot of acres of land which supports farming activities of sugarcane on a large scale. Another attractive feature is the new sugar cane mills located in Brazil, embracing modern technologies with efficient production and quality of sugar. The main advantage among those who buy sugar in Brazil is its cost-effective production which offers affordable rates to foreign buyers. 

2. Thailand: Quality and Consistency

Thailand is the country that stands second in the list of sugar exporters globally, and all sugar produced here is of high class with a stable export chain. Thai sugar is always in demand because of its premium quality and the country manufactures various types of sugar to fulfil the market's demands, such as raw, refined, and white sugar. The government also plays a great role in ensuring that the sugarcane farmers are well supported to maintain their well-being and competitiveness of the industry on the global market.

Thailand’s location in Southeast Asia gives it a logistical advantage, particularly for sugar importers from nearby countries like China, Japan, and India. Importing sugar from Thailand is ideal if you're seeking consistent quality and a well-regulated supply chain.

3. India: A Growing Export Power

While India is the largest consumer of sugar, it is also a significant global exporter. This is because of government support and the strong agriculture sector. Indian sugar is known for its cost-effectiveness and is famous among countries that are looking forward to a budget-friendly option. However, the Indian government has recently put a ban on its exports to ensure sufficient local supplies and support ethanol production. However, it is expected that the export ban might be lifted soon given India is such a big player in the market. 

One of the significant advantages of importing sugar from India is its wide variety. This agriculturally rich country produces a wide variety of sugar such as jaggery, brown sugar, refined sugar, and many more. It is also worth noting that India has a strong trade relationship with countries like Africa, the Middle East, and Asia that ensures a reliable and steady supply chain.

4. Mexico: Proximity for North American Importers

For businesses in North America, particularly the United States and Canada, Mexico is an immediate choice for sugar imports. As among the top sugar producers in the world, Mexico has capitalised on its geographic proximity to North America, significantly reducing transportation costs for importers. 

Mexico produces both cane and beet sugar, and the quality is well-regarded in the international market. The country benefits from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), now known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), making cross-border trade easier and less expensive. This is a prime location for companies that prioritise quick deliveries and lower shipping costs.

5. Australia: Reliability and Sustainability

Australia is not one of the largest producers of sugar, but is rather a significant one: it exports most of what it produces to the rest of Asia-Pacific. Australian sugar producers are particularly known for good environmental and labour practices, and importers often look for other ethical sources. Environmental standards and labour law violations have shut businesses in Australia's sugarcane industry.

The country is highly convenient for importers in Asian countries like Japan and South Korea, mainly due to physical closeness and reliability. The Australian sugar industry is known for the quality of the sugar it produces with sustainable standards as its first choice in concentrating on environmental production standards.

6. Guatemala: Small but Mighty

Guatemala is a relatively small player compared to giants like Brazil or Thailand, but its sugar industry has been gaining prominence in recent years. The country produces high-quality sugar and has established itself as a trusted supplier to markets in the United States, Europe, and other Latin American nations. One of the key advantages of importing sugar from Guatemala is the competitive pricing, coupled with good quality.

Guatemala’s sugar producers focus on innovation and sustainability, using advanced technology in cultivation and production. This focus makes Guatemalan sugar an attractive option for importers looking for affordable yet premium-quality sugar.

Conclusion

The country to import sugar from involves so many factors: quality, price, and physical distribution aspects. Brazil is the world leader: good sugar with competitive prices have a well-established export network. Thailand and India both offer kinds of sugar and maintain a strong supply line around the world. Mexico benefits from proximity advantages in North America. Australia is a very 'green' country, so for the country-conscious importer, Australia is an excellent choice, while Guatemala offers great value-for-money with good quality sugar.

For sugar importers looking to secure a reliable and cost-effective supply, these countries offer the best options depending on your specific needs. Careful consideration of factors such as shipping logistics, quality standards, and sustainability practices can help you make the most informed decision, ensuring a steady flow of sugar to meet your business requirements.

By evaluating these top sugar-exporting nations, businesses can strategically position themselves in the global market, ensuring a continuous and high-quality sugar supply for their operations.

[mahometchristian]

The Origin of the Mahomet Community Name

Texas origin story: Over the years, the name Mahomet has been associated with three different locations in southeastern Burnet County. The first was two miles northeast of Bertram, near the source of Bear Creek. George Ater, who settled in the area in 1853 and managed a stage coach stop on the Austin to Lampasas route. The stage carried the mail and he named the site and its post office for the town he came from - Mahomet, Illinois. 

Later, after the railroad was built, it stopped at a new town called Bertram. The mail transport was changed from the stage coach to the train. George decided to close down his Mahomet post office at the Ater place and just get his mail in Bertram. 

The farmers to the east, not wanting to go all the way to Bertram to get their mail, adopted the Mahomet name and the Mahomet Post Office was relocated to Alex M. Ramsey's place near Sycamore Springs in January of 1883. This post office was located near where County Road 214 meets FM 243 on the Louis Insall place. Guess it was easier to move a post office than create a new one. (-: It was later moved to the Williams Store that was located on FM 243 and Burnet County Road 284 across from Tiny Breedon's place.

Illinois origin story: Mahomet is a village in Champaign County, Illinois. The town's own published account credits their founder Daniel T. Porter, who had Connecticut roots, as the one who denominated both the new village as Middletown (after Middletown, Connecticut) and the post office as Mahomet (after Mahomet Weyonomon, a Mohegan sachem from Connecticut). With the arrival of the railroad, the town embraced the name of its post office in 1871 because there already was a Middletown, Illinois.

Who are the Mohegans: The earliest clans of the Delaware Tribe were part of the Pequot people and included the Wolf clan, or Mohegans. They settled in upstate New York and later migrated to Connecticut. They gradually became independent and served as allies of the English Puritan colonists in the Pequot War of 1636, which broke the power of the formerly dominant Pequot tribe in the region. A "sagamore" or "sachem" among the Mohegans is a chief or eminent leader. Sachem Uncas, a Christian convert and sagamore Wequash Cooke were instrumental in leading their people to prevail in the war of 1636.

Who is Mahomet Weyonomon: Mahomet Weyonomon was a Mohegan Sachem, grandson of Sachem Oweneco and well-educated, writing several languages including English and Latin. The Mohegans became allies of the English, helping the first settlers in New England survive the bitter cold and repel Indian attacks. But the English began to steal tribal lands. Queen Anne’s Commissioners granted the return of Mohegan lands by an order of 1705 but this was ignored by the Connecticut government. Mohomet sailed to London in 1735 with three supporters to petition King George II for the return of the stolen lands. While awaiting an audience, Weyonomon contracted smallpox and died in the City of London but foreigners could not be buried in the City, so he was carried across the river and buried near St Saviour’s Church, now Southwark Cathedral.

In 2006 the Queen of England ...

In 2006 this young Native American brave's life, who died in 1735, was celebrated when a party of Mohicans, dressed in deer skins and eagle feathers went to England and took over the vaulted Southwark Cathedral that was built on his grave site for an authentic 'Red Indian' funeral service presided over by none other than the Queen Elizabeth II of England, or 'nonner', as female chieftains are known. On the site, a memorial sculpture to Mahomet Weyonomon Sachem of the Mohegans of Connecticut created by Peter Randall-Page was then unveiled by Her Majesty the Queen.

-30-

[sa7abnews]

Tim Walz’s unflagging devotion to erasing US history tore down Minnesota's state banner

New Post has been published on https://sa7ab.info/2024/08/16/tim-walzs-unflagging-devotion-to-erasing-us-history-tore-down-minnesotas-state-banner/

Tim Walz’s unflagging devotion to erasing US history tore down Minnesota's state banner

Earlier this year, Minnesota scrapped its historical state flag and replaced it with a new, more “inclusive” one. “Our [previous] flag is problematic,” said vice president hopeful and current Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who led an expedited, 17-person commission to remove an image of a farmer and a Native American from the flag and replace it with an eight-point starburst often associated with a Babylonian goddess named Ishtar. Despite about half of Minnesotans reportedly disagreeing with the switch, they had little say in the matter. The commission reportedly changed the state flag without giving constituents an opportunity to vote. I discovered this shocking fact while filming an educational children’s “unboxing” video about Minnesota’s history, citizens and unique contributions to America. When I found out that a small group of individuals changed a historical state flag without the consent of the people of Minnesota, I was outraged. As an Armenian-American mom, I also can’t help but recognize that Minnesota’s newly featured eight-point star is identical to the star on the Ottoman Empire’s flag during the late 1800s — the flag that was active when Islamic Ottoman Turks began committing genocide on Christian Armenians in the area. Another flag that touts this same eight-point star? Azerbaijan — whose military ethnically cleansed indigenous Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh as recently as 2023.  TIM WALZ PREVIOUS FAR-LEFT STATEMENTS COME TO LIGHTMinnesota’s previous flag featured a Native American on horseback to pay homage to indigenous people whose roots are deep and rich in the region. While advocates for the change accused the Native American depiction to be racist and controversial, retired Marine Lt. Col. Donna Bergstrom — a Minnesotan who happens to be of American Indian descent — stated on record that the new flag felt like an assault on her heritage’s historical and current contributions to the land and state. How will children learn about the value and importance of Native Americans in the United States if their presence is removed from our most revered state symbols? They won’t.  The motto “L’Etoile du Nord” — the only French state motto in our nation, meaning “Star of the North” — was also included on the previous flag since Minnesota was once the northernmost state in the union and had deep French roots.  CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONAdvocates who replaced the words “L’Etoile du Nord” with the eight-point star claim the nickname and motto are still represented — but, the actual symbol of the North Star is visually very different from the equal eight-points we see flying at St. Paul’s capitol building today. Why replace America’s five-point star tradition with eight points now?  Minnesota isn’t the only state to eradicate its own history. Utah, Maine, Illinois and Massachusetts are also reportedly exploring ditching traditional designs that convey each state’s unique story for vague color blocks that are reminiscent of, well, totalitarian regimes. Those of us who preserve and teach American history, with all its faults, triumphs, and complexities, are alarmed as we discern the underlying reasons for these kinds of changes. Yanking historical beauty and stories from our culture undermines each state’s uniqueness, dumbs kids down, damages the education of our citizenry, and ushers in a dangerous eradication of history.  Teaching the true diversity between states (landscape, history, cultural values and resources) is vital to our nation’s connectedness — which is why my PragerU Kids’ series “Unboxed, USA” teaches elementary students about federalism, America’s motto of “E Pluribus Unum” (“Out of Many, One”), and why the varied histories of every state are meaningful. Do the people, places, and things that make each one of our states irreplaceable and important not matter to us as a nation anymore? Some may argue that drastically changing historical symbols are a form of a coup d’etat. I agree. Our only hope? Teach traditional history … the one they’re trying to erase, flag by flag.  CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM JILL SIMONIAN

[lboogie1906]

Junius G. Groves (April 12, 1869 - August 17, 1925) a successful, self-educated farmer, landowner, and entrepreneur, became one of the most prosperous African American men in the early twentieth century. He was born enslaved in Green County, Kentucky to Martin Groves and Mary Anderson Groves. He made his way to eastern Kansas during the time of the Exoduster Movement of ex-slaves from the South. He began farming by sharecropping near Edwardsville, Kansas. He married Matilda E. Stewart (1880). They began purchasing their land.

Much of his success was due to his forty-six years of devotion to the science of agriculture. He earned the title “Potato King of the World” for growing the most bushels of potatoes per acre than anyone else in the world up to that point. The couple’s twelve surviving children helped with the farm and family holdings.

He bought and shipped potatoes, fruits, and vegetables throughout the US, Mexico, and Canada. The family owned and operated a general merchandise store in Edwardsville, possessed stock in mines in Indian Territory and Mexico, stock in Kansas banks, and a majority interest in the Kansas City Casket and Embalming Company. He co-founded the State Negro Business League and served as its President. He founded the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Society. He was elected secretary of the Kaw Valley Potato Association and Vice President of the Sunflower State Agricultural Association as well as a cofounder of both organizations.

He employed up to fifty mostly Black laborers. He founded Groves Center, an African American community near Edwardsville in the early 1900s. He established a golf course for African Americans, perhaps the first in the US.

He was one of the wealthiest African Americans in the nation by the first decade of the 20th Century. The family mansion, a 22-room brick home, complete with electric lights, two telephones, and hot and cold running water in all of the bedrooms, was the largest in the area and had its railroad spur. He was inducted into the Bruce W. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center Hall of Fame. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[premiumsweetss]

Crafting Culinary Perfection: Your Guide to Wedding Catering

A wedding is a momentous occasion, a day of love, joy, and celebration. Ensuring that this special day is a memorable one involves careful planning, from choosing the perfect venue to picking out the right wedding attire. However, one aspect that can truly elevate the wedding experience is the catering. Let's explore the world of wedding catering and how it can make your big day even more special.

The Role of Wedding Catering

Catering is more than just providing food; it's about creating an unforgettable experience. It plays a vital role in setting the tone and ambiance for your wedding. Whether you dream of an elegant black-tie affair or a rustic outdoor celebration, your catering choices can help bring that vision to life.

Cuisine to Match Your Style

One of the first decisions you'll make is the type of cuisine you want at your wedding. Many couples choose a menu that reflects their cultural backgrounds or personal tastes. From classic American fare to international cuisine like Italian, Mexican, or Indian, the options are virtually limitless. Customizing your menu ensures that the food served mirrors your unique style and preferences.

Buffet or Plated Service

Wedding catering typically falls into two categories: buffet-style and plated service. Buffet service offers a wide variety of dishes, allowing guests to choose their favorites. It's an excellent choice for a casual, social atmosphere. On the other hand, plated service provides an elegant touch with professionally presented meals. This formal option can be tailored to match your wedding's aesthetic.

Local and Seasonal Ingredients

The trend of using locally sourced and seasonal ingredients in wedding catering has grown in popularity. Not only does this support local farmers and reduce your wedding's carbon footprint, but it also ensures that your food is fresh, flavorful, and in harmony with the time of year.

Customizing Your Menu

Your wedding day should be a reflection of your unique love story. Caterers can work with you to create a menu that tells that story. Whether you have fond memories associated with a particular dish or you want to incorporate family recipes, customization allows for a deeply personal touch.

Dietary Restrictions and Allergies

In today's world, it's essential to consider the dietary needs of your guests. Many catering services are well-equipped to accommodate various dietary restrictions, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or allergen-free options. Making sure every guest can enjoy the meal is a thoughtful gesture.

Professional Caterers

Choosing a professional catering service is vital to the success of your wedding. They have the experience, staff, and resources to ensure that the food is not only delicious but also served efficiently. Their expertise can alleviate stress, allowing you to enjoy your special day to the fullest.

Tasting Sessions

Many caterers offer tasting sessions, which allow you to sample the dishes you're considering for your wedding. It's an opportunity to ensure that the flavors align with your expectations and to make any necessary adjustments.

In conclusion, wedding catering is a chance to create a culinary experience that mirrors your style and tells your love story. From selecting the cuisine to accommodating dietary needs, and ensuring that the service matches your wedding's ambiance, professional wedding caterers can transform your reception into a feast to remember. When planning your wedding, remember that the food you serve can leave a lasting impression on your guests, making your special day even more unforgettable.

For more info visit here:-

Live Chaat Catering

[whencyclopedia]

Anthony Wayne

Anthony Wayne (1745-1796), better known by his nickname 'Mad Anthony', was a brigadier general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). After the war, he briefly served in Congress before resuming his military career, winning a victory over a coalition of Native American nations at the Battle of Fallen Timbers.

Born in Pennsylvania to a family of Irish immigrants, Wayne worked as a land surveyor before joining the Continental Army in 1776. Within a year, he had become a brigadier general, serving with distinction in the Philadelphia Campaign. His finest moment came in July 1779, when he led a nighttime raid against the British garrison at Stony Point, New York, capturing the fort even after sustaining a bullet wound to the head. After the American Revolution, Wayne won election to the House of Representatives as a member of the Federalist Party, working to help strengthen the authority of the federal government. In 1792, he became Senior Army Officer and defeated the Northwestern Confederacy of Native American nations that were contesting the United States' control of the Northwest Territory (modern Ohio). Wayne died shortly after his victory at Fallen Timbers on 15 December 1796, at the age of 51.

Early Life

Anthony Wayne was born on 1 January 1745 at his family's estate of Waynesborough in Easttown, Pennsylvania. He came from a family of Irish Protestants, and his grandfather had fought for the Williamites at the Battle of the Boyne (1 July 1690). In the early 1700s, the Wayne family emigrated from Ireland to the British colony of Pennsylvania, where Anthony's father, Isaac Wayne, found work as a tanner; over the decades, his tannery became the largest in Pennsylvania. In 1739, at the age of 40, Isaac Wayne married Elizabeth Iddings. The couple would have four children, of whom Anthony was the eldest. During the French and Indian War (1754-1763), Isaac served as a captain and raised a company of provincial soldiers. He participated in the 1758 Forbes Expedition to capture Fort Duquesne, in which he served alongside a young Colonel George Washington.

Growing up, Anthony Wayne was expected to inherit the 500-acre Waynesborough and work the fields as a farmer. But Wayne had other plans for his future; having listened to heroic tales of his grandfather's and father's military service as a child, the young Anthony dreamt of winning military glory himself. An insatiable reader, Wayne read all the military histories and classical works he could get his hands on and was soon able to recite both Julius Caesar and William Shakespeare. After completing his education at the College of Pennsylvania, Wayne became a land surveyor. In 1765, he and several of his associates were commissioned by Benjamin Franklin to survey 100,000 acres of land in Nova Scotia. After Wayne surveyed the land, which became the township of Monckton, it was settled by eleven Pennsylvania families of mostly German origin.

In 1763, Wayne married Mary Penrose. The couple had two children: a daughter Margarette (b. 1770) and a son, Isaac (b. 1772). Wayne and his growing family continued to live at Waynesborough, where he split his time between helping his father at the tannery and his own work as a surveyor. But, as relations between the Thirteen Colonies and Great Britain continued to deteriorate, Wayne found that he was being drawn toward the Patriot movement, which opposed the 'unjust' policies of the British Parliament such as taxation without colonial representation. In 1775, a year after the death of his father, Wayne was nominated to the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety, a shadow government run by American revolutionaries; on this committee, he served alongside prominent Patriot leaders like Benjamin Franklin and John Dickinson.

In this position, Wayne became increasingly radical in his disdain for the British, leading his primarily Quaker constituents to remove him from the committee in October, for fear that he had become too war hawkish. By now, the American Revolutionary War was underway and rapidly escalating. With his brief foray into politics over, Wayne could now follow his childhood dream and enter the military.

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[newnewz]

Kashmir fruit growers up in arms against Centre's duty cut on American apples

India has reportedly removed the retaliatory duty of 20 per cent but will keep the existing 50 per cent duty on apples under the most favoured nation category.

SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI: Fruit growers of Kashmir as well as opposition parties have expressed strong objections to the Centre’s decision to allow some relaxations on duty on apples imported from the United States, saying it will spell doom for the local industry.

Earlier In 2019, India had imposed a 20 per cent extra duty as a retaliatory measure on agricultural products, including apples, lentils and chickpeas, after the USA raised the duty on India’s aluminium and steel and exports on the grounds of national security in 2018.

In June this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the USA and reached an agreement to remove the retaliatory measures of increasing duty which led to six litigation disputes at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

India has reportedly removed the retaliatory duty of 20 per cent but will keep the existing 50 per cent duty on apples under the most favoured nation category. Also, the US government reciprocated the same by removing the raised duty on metals. About 22 lakh tonnes of apples are produced in Kashmir annually and thousands of families are directly or indirectly associated with the apple industry in the Valley.

Mohammad Ashraf, president of Fruit Mandi in Shopian, said: “The reduction in custom duty on import of US apples will make it cheaper in Indian markets and the apples from Kashmir, Himachal and Uttarakhand can’t compete with cheaper US apples. The growers cannot get the cost of premier apples in such a scenario and will incur heavy losses.”

Ashraf also remarked that many countries, including Japan, charge 100 per cent cess to protect their own fruit and agriculture industry.

Opposition parties in J&K have slammed the Centre for the relaxation in import duty. Former J&K and NC president Farooq Abdullah said: “When the concessions were announced during the G20 summit, it wasn’t thought of what impact it would have on our economy. Not only J&K but it will impact Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.”

Senior CPI(M) leader and former MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said dropping import duty on Washington apples is PM Modi’s G20 gift to Joe Biden. Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Himachal Pradesh lashed out at the Centre saying the decision will harm apple growers.

Defending the Central government’s decision, the Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce Peeyush Kumar said the removal of 20 per cent retaliatory customs duty on imported American apples will have “zero impact” on Indian farmers as the government has sufficient policy space to support growers if there is any implication of the move.

[professionaltimes001]

The Man Who Is Using Cameras To Revolutionize Agriculture In India

Here’s how Digital Green is enabling farmers to become video filmmakers, which is turning them into more productive farmers and more confident human beings. All of this has been made possible by Rikin Gandhi, an Indian-American aerospace engineer, who had not even seen a village before 2006! https://theprofessionaltimes.com/2023/01/20/the-man-who-is-using-cameras-to-revolutionize-agriculture-in-india/

Agriculture is the only thing we do for income generation and if we are not even doing it properly, how will we survive? I got associated with a local self-help group (SHG) in my village and they connected me to a team which taught us amazing things through videos.

Right from guiding us on farming techniques to irrigation, Digital Green has helped us a lot. You won’t believe that earlier I used to get 50-55 kgs harvest on my farm, but after learning from the videos, I now manage to harvest around 70 Kgs. Snehlata Sinha, one of the beneficiaries of Digital Green in Sardar Bigha village of Nalanda.

All thanks to Rikin Gandhi and his NGO Digital Green, many villagers like Sanehlata are following better farming practices.

[whitepolaris]

A Famous Market’s Spirits

by Jefferson Davis 

Seattle’s world-renowned Pike Place Market grew from an act of outrage in 1907, when the price for a pound of onions went from ten cents to one dollar. On August 17, 1907, eight farmers parked their wagons at the corner of First and Pike streets and sold directly to their customers. While the market that took root expanded to several buildings, some of the traditional shops have occupied the same stalls for ninety-plus years. 

If there was a place that reminds me of a doorway into an alternate universe, it’s Pike Place Market. I always find a surprise just around the corner or down another narrow stairway. Sometimes I walk down stairs that end at solid walls. Other passages open into galleries. Many tourists assume the market is limited to the main building, but it actually extends through many buildings on and around Pike Place Way.

An Assortment of Ghosts

The throngs of shoppers and tourists who browse the countless stalls aren’t the only presences in Pike Place Market. Three or four resident ghosts haunt the shops and corridors, if numerous shopkeepers and visitors are to be believed. Over the years, I took it upon myself to investigate, and in the process I heard stories of the following cast of characters. 

The American Indian. This female ghost is the most well-known spirit at the market. She spends a lot of time in the “down under” shops below the ground floor of the Main Market building. Some people believe she is Princess Kickisomlo, the daughter of Chief Seattle. (The Susquamish princess died in 1896 at the age of 85 and was buried at nearby Lake View Cemetery.) Witnesses describe the ghost as elderly, with her gray hair tied up in long braids. One person reported that she glowed with a white light. 

The merchants say the ghost has been seen everywhere-often only yesterday, and not just in the lower level. She’s been spotted at the Sound View Café, in the Leland building, along Flower Row, and in the Craft Emporium in the Main Market building. In the past she was associated with the Old Friend Memorabilia Shop, the former Goodwill Store (now the Market’s childcare facility), and the Shakespeare & Company bookstore (now Lionheart Books). 

The Craft Emporium is also known as the Bead Shop. Several years ago the owner, Lynn Roberts, saw an elderly Indian woman looking at the collection of seed beads. When Roberts asked if she could help her, the woman disappeared. 

The Little Boy. The Craft Emporium had a second ghost who spent time there-a small boy. One day he walked up to proprietor Roberts, tugged on her sleeve to get her attention, and then suddenly disappeared. The next day, a radio turned on all by itself. Roberts unplugged it, but even without power it kept playing. Was the tyke easily aggravated? Possibly so, because he also had a tendency to throw beads at employees and customers. 

When I visited the shop in 1998, I was told that a shaman had performed an exorcism there, and that most of the strange goings-on had stopped. Maybe the ghosts just moved on to another shop? 

The Large Woman. Sightings of the ghost of an obese woman date to a time when an overweight female customer fell through a weak floor and onto a table or floor below. However, I haven’t been able to find anyone who knows where-or even if-the incident actually happened. 

The Tall African American. The ghost of a tall black man was said to have haunted the Vitium Capitale restaurant. This contention cannot be further investigated, however, because of the Vitium Capitale is no longer at Pike Place Market. The mystery became even more elusive when no one I spoke with seemed to know which building or space the restaurant occupied. 

More Strange Happenings?

There are a few hauntings at Pike Place Market that aren’t associated with a specific spirit. Here are two examples: 

- At a candy store in the Main Market building, employees put the candy scoops are back with the candy. 

- At Left Bank Books, located in the Corner Market building, some employees have said that when they’re alone in the store, they’ve heard footsteps in the empty aisles. 

However many ghosts wander the shops and corridors and sidewalks of Pike Place Market-or ever floated through in the past-it somehow makes sense that this sprawling complex would become their residence of choice. It could be said that the life and colorful atmosphere that made the market famous make it that much more attractive to the spirits of the dead.