So, in thanks, they scurry to prepare a feast fit for a chief: fish, turkey, bread, corn, fruits, and vegetables.  Soon, they hear rustling in the bushes and a tribe of 90 Wampanoag Indians enter the clearing, a great chief leading the pack.  They are dressed in feathers, leather, and beads.  They are a striking group with strong bodies, painted faces, and long flowing hair.  They walk with pride and grace.  Between 12 proud warriors are strung the carcasses of five deer tied to wooden poles.  The poles are perched atop bronzed shoulders and the sight of these plump deer reminds the pilgrims how hungry they are.

Greetings are exchanged – a mixture of hand signals, English, and Wampanoag words – as well as gifts of food, beads, clothing, and tools.  One Wampanoag knows English and he acts as an interpreter between the leaders of the Pilgrims – William Bradford, Miles Standish, Edward Winslow, Stephen Hopkins and John Carver – and the Chief.  The interpreter’s name is Tisquantum (later nicknamed “Squanto”).  On previous visits with the pilgrims, he stated that the Chief’s name was “Massasoit Ousamequin.”  The pilgrims mistakenly think that “Massasoit” is his first name, but it is his title, meaning “great leader.”  This mistake by the pilgrims is further compounded when they write down the chief’s name as “Massasoit” in their journals.  From then on, the chief is known by the name “Massasoit” by the pilgrims – and later by history.

Pilgrim Edward Winslow is awed and a little anxious at the site of this sturdy, striking chief. He describes the leader “in his best years, an able body, grave of countenance, and spare of speech.  His attire is a great chain of white bone beads about his neck, and behind his neck hangs a little bag of tobacco.  His face is painted red and he oils both head and face.” 

The Wampanoags get to work building fires and erecting spits to roast the venison.  The pilgrims help them prepare the carcasses and position them above the flames.  The men then go hunting.  They gather turkey, ducks, deer, and rabbits.  The teenagers scramble along the rocky shore harvesting seafood: mussels, clams, and lobsters.  The woman and children mash corn porridge and fill wooden bowls with berries and nuts.  

The hunting party returns and everyone settles around the spits to smoke, drink, laugh and trade.  The pilgrims show the Wampanoags how to use the tools they brought from England and in turn they show them how to plant native seeds and where to fish.

By midday, the feast is ready and everyone gathers to dine. The venison is juicy and tender.  Never has anything tasted so good to the grateful pilgrims.  Everyone dives into platters of fish and turkey mixed with an array of cranberries, blueberries, and gooseberries.  Hot squash and cooked pumpkin simmer in the chilly afternoon air as a warm treat.  

The men light their pipes and sit around the fire as nighttime descends.  The women and children clear the feast and store the remaining food so that pesky possums and predators will not steal the spoils.  The Native Americans erected tents to use as shelter during the three-day celebration.  Soon sleep overtakes the revelers and everyone retires after a long, busy day.  

The next two days are much the same, filled with hunting and feasting.  On the third afternoon, Chief Ousamequin, Tisquantum, and the warriors head back into the forest, back to their own villages and families.  It has been a truly memorable time for all – and one that will go down in history thanks to President Abraham Lincoln who declares it as the first American Thanksgiving.

We know a lot about the Mayflower pilgrims and their first years in Massachusetts from the journals and manifests they left behind.  But what do we know about Chief Ousamequin and Tisquantum who were involved in this historic Thanksgiving?  

It is believed that Chief  Ousamequin was born around 1581 and was the leader of the Wampanoag people, also known as the Pokanokets, living in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. For years, the Chief had been dealing with epidemics raging through his villages.   Early explorers from Normandy, Brittany, and Bristol arrived on their shores fishing for cod to take back home. The travelers brought diseases with them that quickly swept through the tribes.  The American Indians, having no natural resistance to foreign diseases, quickly succumbed.  

In addition, the Wampanoags were battling the Narragansetts, also from Rhode Island.  With his dwindling tribe, the Chief knew he needed strong allies.  The pilgrims then landed on his shores with healthy men and strong weapons – weapons the Wampanoags did not have. Such as mighty muskets with buckshot that could fly further than tomahawks or arrows.   Chief Ousamequin might have taken this as a sign from the heavens that these new people were here to help him against his enemies, the Narragansett. Or he wisely knew that he could barter with these men.  He could make a peace agreement with them: he and his tribe would not attack the pilgrims and would teach them where to hunt, farm, and fish.  In return, the pilgrims would help him protect his people against the Narragansett.  

But in order to communicate his proposed peace treaty, he needed an interpreter.  He knew someone named Tisquantum who was familiar with the strange language called “English” and he sent him to speak with the pilgrims.

And how did Tisquantum know English?  Well, that is a sad story.  Tisquantum was part of the Patuxet tribe and their summer village was in Plymouth, Massachusetts.  In 1614, when he was in his 20’s or 30’s, Tisquantum was taken captive by an English explorer named Thomas Hunt.  Thomas Hunt was sailing along the New England coast gathering furs and cod to sell in Spain.  He decided that in addition to gathering pelts and fish, he would take captives.  Hunt landed near Plymouth and lured 20 Patuxets onto his boat, including Tisquantum, to discuss trade.  But instead of a friendly discussion, he took them captive and sailed with them to Malaga, Spain, to be sold into slavery.  Some kindly monks took pity on Hunt’s captives and paid for them. The monks then taught them English and religion.  Sometime thereafter, Tisquantum traveled to London, maybe as a worker or a helpmate to a merchant or ship’s captain.

In 1619, Tisquantum returned to America, possibly by convincing London businessmen that he could make them rich with expeditions to America.  He joined a ship bound for America. When they landed, he found that his whole tribe, which once numbered 2,000 members, had died from diseases.  Tragically, he was the last of the Patuxet tribe.  History does not record how or when he met Chief Ousamequin – possibly upon his return from England.  

A year later, in late 1620, the pilgrims arrived at Plymouth and the tribes held a three-day meeting to decide what to do with these new people.  Tisquantum urged Chief Ousamequin to make friends with them.  He told the chief of the great wonders he had seen in England and convinced him that if he befriended the pilgrims and made them their allies, the other Native Americans would have to bow before him.  

In March 1621, Chief Ousamequin sent Tisquantum to speak with the pilgrims on his behalf.  Tisquantum then stayed with the pilgrims for 20 months, teaching them where to fish and hunt, and how to plant and fertilize their seeds for a bountiful harvest.  He also helped rescue a small boy taken captive by another tribe.  Tisquantum introduced the pilgrims to the fur trade and went on sailing and trading trips with them along the Cape Cod coast, acting as a guide and interpreter.  Unfortunately, on one of these trips, Tisquantum fell ill from a fever.  William Bradford stayed by his side for days before Tisquantum passed away on November 30, 1622, two years after the pilgrims’ arrival.  He was approximately 42 years old.  It was a great loss to Chief Ousamequin and the pilgrims, and they dearly mourned his passing. 

As for Chief Ousamequin, he lived a long life and worked to keep the peace between various warring tribes and the expanding colonies.  He was once taken hostage by an enemy tribe, but with the help of Tisquantum and the pilgrims he was released.  He had five children: sons Wamsutta, Pometecomet, and Sonkanuchoo, and two daughters, Amie and Sarah.

In the early 1620’s, Chief Ousamequin became very sick and was nursed back to health by pilgrim Edward Winslow.  The chief was forever grateful and stated, “The English are my friends and love me….and I will never forget this kindness they have showed me.”  And he was true to his word. When he learned about plans by another tribe to attack two pilgrim colonies, Chief Ousamequin warned the pilgrims.

But tensions between the growing colonies and the American Indian tribes only grew worse through the years.  In 1649, Chief Ousamequin sold 14 miles of land to Miles Standish and other pilgrims near Duxbury, Massachusetts, in an effort to keep the peace and give the pilgrims some land of their own.  This site is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Chief Ousamequin passed away between 1660 and 1662 in his 80’s or 90’s.  His eldest son became the leader after his death.  However, he died within a year and the chief’s second son became the next leader.  

During his lifetime, Chief Ousamequin was a dedicated peacemaker, skilled mediator, and honorable leader.  Today, statues in his honor are displayed at Plymouth Rock, Brigham Young University, the Utah State Capitol, the Springville Museum of Art, and in Kansas City, Missouri.  Two places in Massachusetts are named after him: Massasoit Community College and Massasoit State Park. 

Unfortunately, there are no statues for – or even a description of – Tisquantum.  Some say that the peninsula named Squantum in Quincy, Massachusetts, is named after him.  

It is undeniable that the pilgrims, and the generations of immigrants who arrived on America’s shores in the centuries that followed, owe a huge debt of gratitude to Chief Ousamequin, Tisquantum, and the Wampanoag people.  Without their guidance, assistance, and protection, the first colony would surely have perished. These brave humans have provided us with examples of how to live an honorable life: respect nature, keep your word, live as a community, give as much as you receive, and help your fellow man.

It is sad that so little information remains about the life and times of these Native Americans, but maybe when you gather around your Thanksgiving table this year, you will take a moment to give thanks to Chief Ousamequin, Tisquantum, and all of the other Wampanoags.

The post Osamequin, Tisquantum, and the First Thanksgiving appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

The next day dawns bright and cold and the sea has calmed.  It is November 1^st, the first day of the new year and the official start of the winter season. The father rises and grabs a slice of bread with bacon and cold goat’s milk before heading outside and up the grassy hill to the pasture.  He meets his neighbor at the pasture and they start counting and corralling the sheep that have been grazing on the land all summer. The men whistle and yell, driving the plump beasts down the hill towards the warm and waiting stables. By midday, all the sheep are settled in their wooden stalls with bales of hay for feasting.  The men grab bowls of porridge at the house before walking down the dusty road into town to their landlord’s office.  They need to pay the lease on their lands for another year of farming and sheep grazing.  Next, they stop at a nearby pub for hot ale before heading home to their families.

Inside the homes, women and children talk excitedly.  All day they have been preparing hot soups and meats, fruits and vegetables, for the night’s celebration.  It is the festival of Samhain and the town has been buzzing in anticipation. Evening slowly descends and town folk gather for hearty dinners spread on low tables.  An array of roasted meats, vegetables, potatoes, and soups send wafts of tantalizing aromas into the air.  Everyone gathers around the table, sitting on thick bundles of straw.  They dive excitedly into the feast, laughing and telling tales, both old and new.  Some even break into tender songs of legend and lore – tales of loved ones lost in the mists of time and lovely maidens of the sea.  

Soon, the men gather once more in town, then climb the nearby hillside to light bright yellow bonfires.  The flames dance and swirl on the frosty air, sparking and jumping higher as more logs are added to the fire.  Women and children don thick sweaters and colorful masks made of clay, cloth, leaves, and twine.  They join the men on the hill, laughing and dancing and howling into the wind.  They recite fables and sing songs, making as much noise as possible to scare away evil spirits.  Tonight, all sorts of strange things roam the night: fairies and goblins, witches and demons.  It is also the night that the ghosts of those who have passed come back to visit or those who have died during the year travel to the great beyond.  Masks are worn to ward off any unwelcome apparitions.  No one wants to be recognized by a witch or a hobgoblin – or followed home!  People grab heavy wooden sticks and poke them into the bonfire, walking home with blazing torches to light their hearths for the long winter ahead.

Shortly thereafter, the local soothsayer – or fortune teller – comes to the family’s house for some hot drinks and food. Wrapped in a frayed shawl, the old woman settles her weary bones into a wooden seat next to the fire.  Her wrinkled skin and white hair glow in the firelight. She closes her eyes and calls to the spirits.  Sometimes she simply looks at some crushed tea leaves in the bottom of a cup.  She is said to have the gift of divination – the ability to tell the future – who will marry, who will be healthy or ill, and who will depart in the months ahead.  This year, the news is good.  All in the home will enjoy good health and a bountiful harvest next fall.  The old woman smiles and slowly shuffles out the door to visit the next home on this dark and chilly night.  Samhain has been a special day full of family, food, and festivities.

A year or so later, the Romans invade this lovely Celt island and bring their own customs and traditions with them, such as the festival of Feralia. They hold celebrations to honor Pomona, the goddess of the harvest, as well as their departed loved ones.  They make offerings at family graves in the form of wreaths, grain, salt, bread soaked in wine, and violets.  

And so it goes. The years tick by and the customs continue. The dead are honored and feasts are held every November 1^st.  Then, in 7 AD, Pope Boniface IV decides it is time to throw away the old pagan traditions of roaming spirits and scary hobgoblins.  He proclaims a new holiday, All Saints’ Day, to be held on May 13th to honor Catholic saints in heaven instead of magical fairies and devilish demons. But traditions and customs change slowly; they don’t happen overnight just because a ruler – or a pope – declares it so.  Eventually, by the following century, the celebration of All Saint’s Day is moved to November 1^st to try to merge it with the Celts’ holiday and hopefully take it over completely. It is then declared that the evening before this new All Saints’ Day, or October 31^st, is a holy night to be known as “All Hallows Eve” or “Hallowed Eve” – which later becomes “Halloween.”  

More years pass and by the Middle Ages the pagan – or non-religious – rituals and the saintly celebrations have merged. On “Hallowed Eve,” some people, such as those in Britain or of the Protestant faith, celebrate the harvest but do not acknowledge the saints. The Catholics honor the saints but deny the pagan beliefs in witches, ghosts, and goblins.

Thus, when the first pilgrims from England sailed to America in the 1600s and later the Irish in the 1800s, they brought their customs and beliefs with them, including Halloween.  These early settlers didn’t celebrate the religious aspects of “Hallowed Eve,” such as honoring the saints, but rather celebrated the harvest and held feasts. Over the years, these Halloween traditions grew and evolved in America.

Today, many people still gather at this time of year every fall, but instead of lighting bonfires or enjoying big meals on the night of November 1st, they have incorporated new twists on old customs.  In the United States and other places around the world, children still wear masks at night but they do it on October 31^st, “Halloween,” instead of the Celts’ new year of November 1^st.  They carve pumpkins (instead of turnips like their ancestors) and bob for apples – maybe as a nod to the goddess Pomona and a bountiful fall harvest.  They walk the streets and beg for candy, similar to their ancestors who allowed the poor to beg for food called “soul cakes.” Children now wear elaborate costumes instead of just masks and dress as things their ancestors tried to scare away – witches and goblins, ghosts and fairies. Some dress as skeletons, not realizing that this harkens back to the Celts centuries ago who would gather around blazing bonfires to send dearly departed loved ones on their way or welcome older ancestors home.  Feasting today is mainly for children in the form of mounds of candy instead of fruits and vegetables.  Some may play tricks on neighbors, acting as little “devils” or “demons” roaming the night just as their ancestors feared many centuries ago across the wild and raging sea.

So, what do you think of the Halloween holiday? Did you know about the old Celt traditions that started it all?  What do you like to do on Halloween and what are your favorite costumes?  Do you display witches, skeletons, and ghosts in your home or do you honor another tradition of your faith?  If you enjoy feasting instead of scary celebrations, what is your favorite food to eat during Halloween?

I think it is amazing how customs follow us down through the centuries and change over the years as people travel to new places or grow in their beliefs. 

The post Story of Halloween for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Imagine standing on the center court of the biggest tennis match in the World, The US Open, facing your toughest opponent yet. The sun beats down on your skin, and the crowd’s roar fills your ears as you prepare to serve the ball.

As you toss the ball into the air, your mind flashes back to all the hours you’ve spent practicing, training, and pushing yourself to become the best tennis player in the world. You remember the countless sacrifices you’ve made, the injuries you’ve overcome, and the doubts you’ve silenced.

With a powerful swing of your racket, you send the ball flying over the net and into your opponent’s court. The crowd erupts into cheers as you begin the intense rally that will decide the fate of the match.

As the ball flies back and forth between you and your opponent, you stay focused and determined, using every ounce of your strength, speed, and skill to keep the rally going. You hear your opponent’s breaths getting heavier, see her movements slowing down, and you know you’ve got her where you want her.

In a sudden burst of energy, you make a bold move, charging forward to the net and delivering a stunning volley that catches your opponent off guard. The ball flies past her, landing squarely in the corner of the court, and you raise your arms in triumph as the crowd explodes with excitement.

You’ve done it again. You’ve proven yourself to be the best tennis player in the world, and nothing can stop you. As you bask in the glory of your victory, you can’t help but feel grateful for all the hard work, dedication, and passion that have brought you to this moment. 

You are Serena Williams in a tennis match and it’s nothing short of exhilarating.

Serena Williams is one of the most famous tennis players in the world. She has won countless championships and is known for her incredible athleticism, strength, and skill on the court. But before she became a tennis superstar, she was just a little girl with a big dream.

Serena was born in Saginaw, Michigan with 6 siblings, in 1981 to parents Orancene and Richard Williams who worked hard to keep their big family happy. 

One day while watching a tennis tournament on TV Richard Williams, had an amazing idea. The winner of the tennis tournament received a large amount of money, and Richard believed that his daughters could also become tennis champions. He decided to learn everything he could about the sport and coach his daughters to become superstars. He even wrote a book outlining what they needed to learn about tennis and how he would teach them. He was determined to make his daughters into tennis champions. 

When Serena was just three years old, her father started teaching her and her older sister, Venus, how to play tennis. He would take them to the public courts in their neighborhood and give them lessons on the basics of the game.

Serena learned to play on old and cracked tennis courts in Compton. These courts were not like the ones found in fancy tennis clubs. The nets were held up by chains and ropes, and the fence surrounding the courts was broken in some places. The area around the courts was also not very safe. There were often gang members causing trouble, and sometimes the girls even heard gunshots nearby! It was definitely not an easy place to practice and play tennis.

As the young girls kept practicing their tennis skills, something amazing started to happen. The court began to feel like a safer place to be. Some people who lived nearby even remember seeing gang members standing outside the courts, keeping an eye on the girls and their dad while they played.

Serena and Venus quickly fell in love with tennis. They would practice for hours every day, hitting balls back and forth and working on their technique. They also played other sports, like basketball and track and field, but tennis was always their favorite.

The girls continued taking tennis lessons from their dad and kept improving their skills. 

Serena’s older sister Venus was around nine years old when she started playing in tennis tournaments against other kids her age and Serena was only 8! She was so eager to compete that she surprised her dad by secretly filling out forms to enter a tournament without telling him. He only found out when he saw Serena win her first match!

During that same tournament, her dad got to see both of his daughters play against each other for the first time in the tournament final. Venus was nine and Serena was eight. It was a big moment for the family!

As the sisters began to win more and more games everyone in the tennis community began to notice them. What made Venus and Serena stand out was that they didn’t come from a fancy tennis club. They wore regular clothes without designer labels and they played differently from most young players. Instead of just trying to hit the ball where their opponents couldn’t reach it, they used power and slammed the ball so their opponents couldn’t even see it! The Williams sisters’ success didn’t just stay in California. It caught the attention of people all over the country. The sisters were interviewed and during the interview, Venus said that if she didn’t become a tennis player, she wanted to be an astronaut or an archaeologist and Serena said she wanted to be a gymnast or a veterinarian. 

Their dad had been teaching them all he knew about tennis, but soon he realized that his daughters needed more help to improve their skills. That’s when he decided to hire a professional coach named Rick Macci, a coach in Florida who had trained other young champions like Jennifer Capriati, the youngest player ever to reach the top ten in the world rankings at age fourteen in.

Macci flew to Compton, where the Williams family lived, to see the girls play. Macci was surprised by the run-down courts that the sisters were practicing on, but he was even more impressed by how well the girls played. He saw that they were not only strong, but also fast and graceful. After he watched them play he explained to Serena and Venus that they needed better coaching to take their game to the next level.

Macci saw that Venus and Serena had a burning desire to win, and he believed that they had the potential to become champions. But to do so, the family would have to leave California and move to Florida, where Macci’s tennis academy was located. 

In 1991, the Williams family packed up an RV and drove across the country to start a new life in Florida.

The move was not easy for some of the older sisters to pack up and leave their home, but their parents knew that it was the best decision for Venus and Serena’s tennis future. 

In Florida, the girls practiced six hours a day, six days a week for four years, hitting hundreds of serves every day. They also attended a private school that was part of the tennis academy, where they focused on both tennis and school every day.

Soon after turning fifteen, Serena played in her first professional tournament. And once she started playing professionally the German shoe company Puma offered her a lot of money to wear their name and logo while she played in tournaments, this is called being a sponsor. When you are really good at something like playing tennis, racing cars, or skating, businesses will give you money to wear their logo!

Making money while playing tennis was a big deal for Serena’s family because it helped them to have a better life. It allowed them to pay for travel expenses to tennis tournaments around the world. 

Serena and Venus worked very hard to become professional tennis players, and their success allowed them to support their family and live a more comfortable life.

The sisters were able to  move their family to a big house in Palm Beach, Florida. The house had two tennis courts that were in perfect condition, which was much different than the tennis courts they grew up playing on. 

Serena’s dad started coaching her and her sister again, and they hired tutors to help them with their schoolwork. On the way to the courts, Richard put up signs with encouraging messages for his daughters. One sign said that Venus needed to take control of her future, while another told Serena to use more top spin on the ball.

When Venus and Serena started playing in professional tournaments, they sometimes ended up playing against each other. Venus won against Serena in their first match at the Australian Open in 1998, but Venus said it wasn’t fun to eliminate her little sister. They both celebrated when they won tournaments, and in 1999, they made history by becoming the first sisters to each win a tournament on the same day! Venus won in Oklahoma, while Serena won in Paris.

Serena was only 14 years old when she turned pro in 1995. Over the years she has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, which is more than any other player in recent history! That means she’s won the biggest and most important tennis tournaments in the world many times over! She’s also won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister Venus, and four Olympic gold medals too!

Serena’s powerful serve and aggressive style of play are famous around the world. She’s been ranked No. 1 in the world eight times by the Women’s Tennis Association.

Her success hasn’t come without challenges though. She’s had to overcome injuries, setbacks, and tough opponents. But through it all, she’s shown us that with hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude, anything is possible!

Serena is an inspiration to millions of people around the world. She’s not only an amazing athlete, but she’s also a businesswoman, a fashion designer, and a philanthropist who gives back to her community. Serena is proof that you can achieve anything you set your mind to, and she’s a true champion both on and off the court!

The post Serena Williams Story for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Tell us about your favorite holiday traditions!

Every December, people all over the world gather to celebrate the holiday season with family and friends.  In the United States, in the days leading up to Christmas we decorate Christmas trees, string lights on our houses, bake gingerbread cookies, attend church, or go caroling through the streets. One of our favorite traditions is to drive around and look at all of the Christmas lights. Inflatable decorations of Santa Clause, the Grinch, or other beloved holiday characters can also be found on people’s lawns. 

On Christmas Eve, children hang stockings close to the Christmas tree before going to bed.  They leave out milk and cookies and even sometimes carrots in anticipation of a visit from Santa Clause. This is the bearded, cheery Old Saint Nick of the Western tradition, who flies through the sky in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer. He stops at every house to put candy and toys in each stocking.

On Christmas day there are presents and music and Christmas delicacies.  We nibble on candy canes, fruit cakes, puddings, or Three Kings Cake.  For dinner, we feast on turkey, beef, ham, or seafood with all the delicious desserts – pies, cakes, and cookies of every description!

Now let’s talk about other countries because there are lots of fun and unique festivities happening all over the globe, too!

Around the world during Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, people gather with family and friends, giving gifts for not just one night – but eight!  They light candles on Menorahs, attend religious services, sing songs, and make wonderful dishes like matzah ball soup and fried potato pancakes.  So delicious!

In Africa, as well as the US and other parts of the world, Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26 through January 1^st.  Kwanzaa highlights African-American culture and history.  Seven candles are lit on a Kinara to honor their seven principles of African Heritage, including unity, purpose, creativity, and faith.  Feasts are held with a bounty of fruits, nuts, and vegetables.  And there are performances, too – drumming, dancing, singing, and poetry.  This wonderful tradition fairly recently, in 1966.

In England, they celebrate Christmas similar to the United States and many people like to put a “Christmas Cracker” by their plates at dinner time.  What is a Christmas Cracker?  It’s a cardboard tube filled with little candies and prizes.  It is wrapped in paper and ribbons and when you pull the ribbons, it cracks open like a pinata, with all the goodies spilling out.  To me, it sounds like a fun way to start a Christmas meal – like blowing whistles at a birthday party.  The United Kingdom also celebrates “Boxing Day” on December 26, when gifts are given to tradespeople, helpers, and the less fortunate.

In Germany, they celebrate St. Nicholas Day, who is the patron saint of children.  Every year, on the night of December 6^th, children place their shoes outside their house – or by a door or fireplace – and wake to find them filled with candies and toys left by Jolly Old Saint Nicholas.  Perhaps the United States took this German tradition and changed it a bit, hanging stockings for Santa instead of leaving shoes for Saint Nicholas!  Either way, it’s a fun tradition!

But of all of these, Iceland is the winner, for nightly visits by Christmas characters!  Icelandic children put their shoes by their window for 13 nights leading up to Christmas.  They are then visited each night by one of “13 Yule Lads” –  who look more like trolls or elves – with crazy names like Doorway-Sniffer,Spoon-Licker,Sausage-Swiper,Candle-Stealer, Curd-Gobbler, and Window-Peeper!  These little men put candy in the shoes of good children or rotten potatoes in the shoes of naughty ones.   I sure wouldn’t want rotten potatoes in MY shoes – would you? 

In the Philippines, they hold a giant lantern festival called “Ligligan Parul” every December in San Fernando, the “Christmas Capital of the Philippines.”  These lanterns – which are said to symbolize Jesus’s Star of Bethlehem – are not little lanterns that sit on a table.  They are HUGE and round – almost as big as Ferris wheels – with hundreds of colorful, blinking lights.  These lanterns are displayed in various cities throughout December and thousands of people gather to see them every year.  If you love going to fairs to see the Ferris Wheel and all the lights, this lantern festival must be AMAZING!

And what about Christmas in Australia and New Zealand?  In December, they also have stockings, presents, and Christmas trees, but since it’s so warm there in their part of the world, they hold barbecues and go swimming instead of skiing or building snowmen!

On the other side of the globe, Mexico has a festival called “Las Posadas,” meaning “the inns.”  It honors Mary and Joseph’s search for an inn before the birth of Jesus.  This festival involves a parade through the streets led by “Mary and Joseph,” and ends with a feast at a new house every night for nine nights.  They also celebrate Las Posadas with music, prayer, pinatas, and fireworks – kind of like an American Christmas and Fourth of July rolled into one!

In Sweden, they build an immense straw goat and place it in the middle of town in honor of the Swedish Yule Goat.  This straw goat can be taller than a house, with big horns and bright red ribbons wrapped around its legs, nose, stomach, and horns.  At first glance, it reminds me of a huge Christmas reindeer with a beard!  But why do they celebrate a goat?  Well, some say it comes from an old pagan religion honoring Saturn, the god of good harvests.  Back then, the people would sacrifice young goats to Saturn as part of their winter celebration.  Others say the goat honors the Norse god Thor, who rides through the sky in a sleigh pulled by two goats.  This is very similar to the tradition of Santa Claus and his reindeer – and that’s why you will see goat decorations hanging on Christmas trees in Sweden.

But be careful in Austria!  I hear they have a spooky creature called a “Krampus.”  This beast looks like a wooly yak – or bull – with large horns and a red face, that parades through town on the night of December 5^th, called “Krampusnacht.”  He waves a wooden stick and carries a basket, asking children if they’ve been good or bad.  If they have been good, they get a treat like nuts, fruit, or apples, but if they have been naughty…well, let’s just hope we never find out!

In South Wales, Christmas is like trick-or-treating in America.  Every December, they put a horse’s skull on a stick and then drape a sheet over it to make it look like a ghostly horse. People then carry this horse figure around town, knocking on doors.  They sing part of a song at a person’s door and the person needs to finish the song, then give them food or drink. Sounds a bit scary but also fun, unless you don’t know the song.  I wonder what happens then?  Is a trick involved? Maybe someone from Wales can tell us!

In Italy, their Christmas celebrations involve a witch!  Twelve days after Christmas, on January 5^th, children leave wine and sausages out for La Belfana, a witch who zooms down chimneys on a broom and leaves treats for all the good children – or coal for the naughty ones.  It is said that La Belfana received an invitation to see the birth of Jesus centuries ago but didn’t attend.  She now feels bad about missing this momentous birthday and roams the Earth every year looking for baby Jesus while leaving gifts for children.

And one other Halloween custom has made it to Christmas – the custom of carving vegetables.  Here in America, we carve pumpkins for Halloween.  In Oaxaca, Mexico, they carve radishes for Christmas!  But not ordinary radishes…no, these are HUGE radishes as big as our pumpkins!  It is quite a contest to see who can carve the most amazing radishes – everything from monsters to Christmas characters.  What a great event in Oaxaca.   

In Ukraine, they put spider decorations – called “pavuchky” – on their trees!  Why?  Well, a legend states that once there was an old widow with small children.  The children grew a Christmas tree from a small pine cone but couldn’t afford any decorations.  That Christmas, they went to sleep, and in the morning found their tree covered in spider webs.  When the sun hit the spider webs, they turned into silver and gold.  Some believe this is how the custom of hanging shiny tinsel on trees became a popular Christmas tradition.  Pretty neat, don’t you think?

What Christmas traditions do you observe with family and friends?  Which tradition is your favorite? Would you like to try some of these other traditions?  If so, which ones?  I think it would be fascinating to travel around the world to see these unique traditions, festivities, and decorations. With the help of your parents, you’ll have to look up pictures and videos on the Internet to learn more about them. I would love to hear from you and learn how you celebrate the season. 

If you want to share, click on the link in the show notes and tell me what you do with your family and friends during the holiday season.  With your parent’s permission, share your tradition, your first name, and your country.  And you just might hear your name and story featured in our next episode!

Until then, from my family to yours, we wish you a happy holiday season this year!

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Imagine you are floating in a spacecraft…

You are weightless! It feels so strange, yet amazing at the same time. You push off the wall and float down a long room. You feel like Superman flying across empty space. You duck your head and do a quick flip before landing against the other wall, then push off it to soar in the opposite direction. At the end of the next room, you grab a handle and stop to look out the round bubble window. Far below you see a glittering blue ocean, clouds, and brown land. You are 200 miles above earth on board the International Space Station.

Speed and Orbit

Have you ever heard of the International Space Station? Right now it’s circling the earth above you at 17,000 miles per hour (28,000 kilometers per hour). It is going so fast that it orbits the earth every 90 minutes — that means 15 ½ times a day! That’s incredibly fast! Some people think the Space Station is floating in space, but it’s actually falling around the earth in what is known as an orbit. 

The International Space Station, also known as the ISS, is special because it’s not owned by a single country, but by many countries who worked together to build it. It started off as a single module and has grown piece-by-piece into the larger station it is now. In 1998 Russia launched the module Zarya into low earth orbit as the first piece. Low-earth orbit means it is still within the earth’s orbit, not far off in space beyond the earth’s strong gravitational pull. 

Construction

Two weeks after Zarya was launched, the United States launched its own space shuttle with the Unity module and its astronauts onboard. The next step was connecting the first two modules. The astronauts did this by floating out into space and attaching them. And that is how the International Space Station began!  After that other pieces were slowly added to the ISS until it grew and grew. In 2000 came the Russian module Zvezda, then NASA’s Destiny module. Canada’s space program contributed a robotic arm for spacewalks and to make remote controller repairs. The Harmony module came in 2007, then the European Space Agency sent up the Columbus module. Japan sent up its own module in 2008. Next came NASA’s Tranquility module, then Europe’s Leonardo module and finally the Bigelow module sent up by a private company. One reason ISS is amazing is that it is a team effort!

Space Station Activities

Usually, around 3 to 6 astronauts live and work on the ISS at a time. It was made for many reasons, but one of them was to do research. Since humans plan to go to Mars someday, they are using the ISS to see how space will affect the astronauts during their journey to Mars. For example, what will space flight do to their bodies? What kind of foods will they need to eat? What kind of exercise will they need? Will they be able to grow plants? They’ve also tried out the different devices they’ll need in space such as 3D printers and coffee makers.

On the ISS the crew’s days are very busy and besides doing experiments, they spend a lot of time doing maintenance — which means keeping the station running smoothly. Each astronaut has different responsibilities, sort of like you might have doing chores at home. Only by working together will the ISS continue to work properly. Often the astronauts climb into their space suits and space walk — which means going outside of the ISS and floating around to make repairs. This can be dangerous work, so they always attach themselves to the ISS for safety. The astronauts have also been testing a robot that they can use to fly around the ISS and make repairs for them.

The other important part of an astronaut’s day is taking care of themselves, making sure they eat the right foods, showering, brushing their teeth, and getting exercise. They also do things like video chat with schoolchildren and talk about what they’re doing with people around the world. They do this to get others excited about the space station and space research. 

Eating in zero gravity can be very tricky! Their food has to be strapped down to a table and utensils and water bottles have magnets on them to keep them from floating away. If you look on the internet you can find some funny videos of the crew doing flips, floating around and dancing, and playing with water. In zero gravity water floats around in blobs!

Space Station Crew

People from 19 different countries have visited the ISS. These include the United States, Russia, Japan, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Now you see why they call it the International Space Station. International means “many countries.” At the ISS it’s exciting to see people from many different countries working together. It’s a perfect example of how working together with people across the world can accomplish amazing things! 

Space Tourism

Many people dream of visiting space someday and some companies promise that someday anyone who can pay for it will be able to do it. Right now it can be very expensive (and at times not even possible) to visit places like the ISS, but someday space vacations may be available to everyone. Can you imagine visiting a place like the ISS or a far-off hotel on the moon? This is called space tourism and a few very wealthy people have been able to visit the ISS by paying for it. It costs them many millions of dollars! 

Anousheh Ansari

One of these people was Anousheh Ansari. Anousheh was born in Iran and moved to the United States when she was little. She was interested in engineering and graduated from college to become an engineer. She and her husband later started a company that grew and grew until they were very wealthy. She’d always dreamed of going to space and became interested in visiting the space station. When she found out they were allowing some to visit the ISS if they paid, she jumped on the chance. First Anousheh trained for the journey, then took a Russian rocket up to the ISS and lived and worked there for a short while. There Anousheh helped do experiments and later wrote a book about her amazing journey. 

Chris Hadfield

One of the most well-known astronauts to live on the ISS is Chris Hadfield. Chris was born in Ontario, Canada. He grew up on a farm with his family where they grew corn. When Chris was little he became interested in flying and later saw the Apollo 11 moon mission, which made him want to be an astronaut like Neil Armstrong. Later, he went to college, then joined the Canadian Air Force. This eventually led to training as an astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency and working on the International Space Station. On the ISS Chris shared his day-to-day activities on Twitter and Facebook and later made a music video on YouTube while playing the guitar in space! This brought even more attention to the important work they were doing on the ISS. 

Records

Many records have been set by the crew of the ISS — such as most consecutive days in space by an American, which was 340 days by astronaut Scott Kelly. The other cool thing about Scott’s trip to the ISS is he is a twin, so they were able to study how space affected Scott versus his twin brother who stayed on Earth. 

Another record was the longest spaceflight by a woman at 289 days by Peggy Whitson. 

The ISS also holds the record for most people in space at once, which was a crew of 13 in 2009.

How do you see the space station?

Did you know you can see the space station from earth? With the help of your parents, if you go to spotthestation.nasa.gov you can sign up to receive text messages or emails whenever the space station is visible above you. Recently, my kids and I did this and it was amazing to see it float across the night sky like a star. 

It Takes Teamwork!

One of the best lessons we can learn from the International Space Station is that by working together people all over the world can do amazing things. Isn’t this so much better than focusing on our differences and fighting? One problem in the world is when people look at those who are different and think there is something wrong with them because they aren’t the same. But differences are what keep the world interesting and there is so much we can learn from each other, from our different experiences and customs, and beliefs. The space station shows that even though we have differences we have common goals, like visiting space and learning about space and the Earth. As we focus on what is common, we can work together to do great things. 

Conclusion

A couple of years ago I worked with a man from India. I’d never met someone from India, so it was very interesting listening to his homeland, what it was like to grow up in India, and his different beliefs. He celebrated different holidays and had different ideas about the world, but it fascinated me to try and see the world through his eyes. As we got to know each other we became friends and I look back on our talks with fondness.

Take a moment to think of someone you know who is different than you. They might be from a different country, look different, talk differently or act in a different way. Take the leap and ask them a few questions and try to get to know them better — because chances are you’ll learn something interesting and possibly make a new friend in the process!

Recommended Books

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Coronation

Imagine you are in a beautiful old church in England.  The year is 1827 and you are at the coronation, or royal crowning ceremony, of a new monarch.  All around you, rich people are dressed in beautiful clothing.  As the music starts, in enters the princess who is about to be crowned queen.  She is only 18 years old and as she enters the room, you can see that she is very short.  But she is poised and calm.  She has the confidence of someone who knew this is her path.  She is Queen Victoria.

Early Life

Queen Victoria was born in 1819 in London, England.  When she was born, her name was Alexandrina Victoria, but she was called “Victoria” as her nickname.  Victoria was the daughter of Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent and Strathearn and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, who was the sister of the King of Belgium, Leopold the First.  

Sadly, when Victoria was only eight months old her father died. After that, her mother became a domineering influence in her life. Domineering means bossy and controlling She was raised by her mother and her mother’s accountant, John Conroy.  Because her family was wealthy, Victoria had a very privileged childhood.  This means as a child, she had very nice things and lived in luxury. She had the best food, the nicest clothes, everything you’d imagine a princess to have. But Victoria was said to be kind, warm-hearted and lively. She loved dolls and had over 100 of them in her playroom!  

Despite all of her toys and nice things, Victoria was not allowed to play with other children in a normal way, so she had very few friends.  This made her sad.  But her best friend and constant companion was her nanny, Louise Lehzen. Victoria’s nanny taught her at the Royal Palace.  She learned all the subjects that a wealthy child who may one day become queen would need to learn, including languages and politics.  Victoria had a talent for drawing and painting, and Governess Louise encouraged her to pursue these hobbies.  Victoria also really enjoyed journal writing.  She started writing as a child and continued to write in her journal for the rest of her life.

While she was growing up, Victoria’s mother and John Conroy kept a very close eye on Victoria. They knew that she may one day become the queen of England, and they wanted to keep their influence over her to themselves.  Influence means to control and impact.  While she was a child, they never let Victoria be alone without one of them present.  Victoria slept in the same room as her mother until she was 18 so that she wasn’t on her own.  Her mother and John Conroy were worried that if Victoria was left alone, that other people might try to influence her and might turn her against them. 

Despite her mother’s influence, Victoria had a feisty temperament.  This means that she had high energy and was very independent in nature.  She had a big personality but physically Victoria was famously very short.  As an adult, she was only 4 feet 11 inches tall!

At the time of her birth, Victoria was fifth in line to the throne.  But over the course of her childhood and early teenage years, Victoria’s uncles, her father’s three brothers, all died without having living children.  This meant that when Victoria turned 18, in 1837, she knew she would become the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. 

Queen of England

One of the first things that Queen Victoria did after becoming queen was to claim her own control and authority over her life and her rule.  She moved out of her mother’s bedroom into her own room.  She distanced herself from her mother and John Conroy, which means that she broke away from them and their constant advice and influence.  She had seen how much they were controlling her and trying to tell her what to do and she didn’t like it. 

Instead, the young Queen Victoria turned to her friend, the prime minister at the time, Lord Melbourne, to teach her about government and her role as a queen.  A Prime Minister is similar to a President in England.

Lord Melbourne was Queen Victoria’s first prime minister, who served for 7 years from 1834 to 1841. Lord Melbourne helped teach Queen Victoria about the details of being a queen and the role she plays in government at the time.  Lord Melbourne acted as the Queen’s advisor on politics and was the person she could speak to openly and get advice during the early years of her reign.

Marriage

In 1840, Victoria married her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She met Albert when she was just 16.  Since Victoria was queen, Albert couldn’t propose to her. So she proposed to him on October 15, 1839!

At first, the British public didn’t like Prince Albert because he was not from the United Kingdom, but from Germany.  At first, he was not allowed to be involved in politics at all.  But eventually, people realized that he was a good person and Queen Victoria started to rely on his advice and he helped her to rule. 

During the early part of their marriage, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert fought quite a bit.  They both had strong personalities and didn’t like to be wrong.  However, they loved each other very much and were committed to being successful together. Over time they started to get along better and Prince Albert started to give Queen Victoria advice and helped her make difficult decisions during her reign. And together they had nine children!  Their palace was a busy and noisy place with so many kids. 

Prince Albert also brought a number of German traditions to the United Kingdom that became popular for the British people.  This included the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree at the holidays.  Prince Albert had put a Christmas tree up for a celebration at their royal home and a picture was taken of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and their children in front of the tree.  The picture was in a popular newspaper at the time and afterward many people in the UK and other parts of the British Empire started putting up Christmas trees. 

Victorian England

Life in Britain during the 19th century was known as Victorian England because of Victoria’s long reign and the stamp it and her personality placed on the country. 

During Queen Victoria’s reign, Great Britain grew its industry more than ever before.  They built railways, bridges, underground sewers and power or energy networks throughout much of the empire. This is also known as industrialization. 

During her reign, Britain also expanded the size of its territories, doubling in size and taking over Canada, Australia, India and a number of other places in Africa and the South Pacific. The Queen loved the British Empire and felt that it was for the good of the world that Britain grew to take over so much of it. Because Britain controlled so many different parts of the world during her reign, people started saying a famous expression: “The sun never sets on the British Empire.”

During Queen Victoria’s reign, she also supported scientists to do research and learn more about the world.  There were great advances in science as a result, including Darwin’s theory of evolution, the telegraph, and the popular press, or common newspapers. The main cities in England grew very large and more and more people learned to read. The “Victorian-era” was a great time of development for the British people. 

However, not everyone always liked the decisions that Queen Victoria made.  During her life, there were seven assassination attempts made on Victoria’s life.  This means that her enemies tried to kill her so that she would no longer be in charge. But they did not succeed in their attempts.

After several years of suffering from a sore stomach, Victoria’s beloved Albert died of typhoid fever in 1861 at the age of 42. Victoria was very sad.  She had a plaster cast made of his hand and she kept it by her side for the rest of her life.  She also went into a 25-year seclusion, which means hiding on her own.  For the rest of her reign, she wore black.

Queen Victoria died on January 22, 1901.  When she died, she had been the longest-reigning woman monarch in the world.

Conclusion

While Queen Victoria was queen her country saw great cultural expansion, advances in industry, science, and communications, and the building of railways and the London Underground.  And the expansion of the British Empire during her reign continues to have a great impact on the world and the cultures of the various places that were British colonies under her rule. 

Can you imagine being born into a royal family and knowing that you will one day be queen or king?  This would be a great amount of pressure for a child.  Even though she had nice things and was very wealthy, she still cared about other people. She took great pride in her country and wanted to use your power to do good things. With all of her money, she could have just had a good time, but instead she rose to the challenge to be a great queen to her people.

If you were the king or queen of a country, what are some of the things that you would focus on?  Where you live, what are some of the things you would do to make it better?

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Do you know what a judge is or a lawyer? Judges and lawyers are jobs people have where they work to make laws. Laws are used to keep us safe and keep order in the world, but sometimes laws are made that are unfair. And sometimes new laws need to be made to help people be treated equally. In this episode, we will talk about one of the most important people in the fight for women’s equality: Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Ruth was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1933.  When she was born, her name was actually “Joan Ruth Bader” but when she was in first grade, there were many “Joans” in class. Her mother told her teacher that everyone could call her “Ruth” instead.  So from then on “Joan Bader” was called “Ruth”. 

Her parents were hard-working, but they were not rich.  They were Jewish and brought her to the synagogue, or Jewish temple, regularly to study the Torah or Jewish holy book.  From a young age, Ruth was annoyed to learn that women were not allowed to read from the Torah, only men could. She was unhappy that she was treated differently.

Ruth’s mom was a very independent woman.  Independent means to do things on your own. She was very close with Ruth and taught her that it was important for Ruth to get a good education and be independent, too.  She took a close interest in her education. Although her mother had gotten excellent grades in high school, she finished when she was 15 and wasn’t able to go to university.  Instead, she had to go work in a clothing-making factory to help pay for her brother to go to college.  Ruth’s mother wanted to help Ruth get into university and study to become a high school history teacher. 

Ruth liked studying with her mother and it helped her to excel, or do really well.  She was also inspired by what her mother had done for her brother.  Working in a factory to help pay for his education was an act of selflessness that stuck with Ruth.  An act of selflessness is something that someone does to help another person without any thought of what it will do for themself. 

Ruth worked very hard in high school and got excellent grades. Sadly, Ruth’s mother got sick with cancer when Ruth was in high school and died the day before Ruth graduated. 

Ruth had studied so hard and gotten such good grades that she got into Cornell University.  This is one of the best universities in the United States so it was a huge accomplishment.  

While she was at Cornell, Ruth studied government.  Very early in her time there, she met a young man named Martin Ginsburg. They started dating and fell in love.  Martin was studying law and he told Ruth about what he was learning.  She started thinking that she might also want to study law.  First, however, she needed to finish her other degree.  She did so in 1954 and graduated at the top of the class, which means that she had the best grades of anyone in her entire university class that year.  

Martin and Ruth decided to get married and they had their wedding one month after Ruth graduated. Ruth added Martin’s last name to hers and her new name became “Ruth Bader Ginsburg”.  

Shortly after they got married, Ruth got pregnant and had a baby girl named Jane. Very soon after, Martin was drafted into the US military.  Drafted means when someone is told that they have to join the army.   Martin served for two years in the army before he was allowed to go back to regular life. 

After Martin was finished with the army, Ruth and Martin returned to Harvard so that he could complete his law studies.  Ruth continued to be interested in studying law as well, so she also started law school at Harvard. 

When Ruth started law school, it was a difficult time for her.  She had to find time to study and she also had to take care of her baby Jane.  It was hard to do both!  But Ruth was very hard working and found a way, together with Martin’s help.  

Ruth also had to deal with challenges at law school.  She was one of only 8 women students in a class of more than 500.  All the other students were men and many did not like that there were women joining the program. They tried to make it uncomfortable for the women students that were studying with them by teasing them and making it harder for them to do well in class. Back then, many people thought that only men should go to law school, so they directed their anger toward Ruth and her female classmates.

But Ruth pressed on and studied very hard.  And it all paid off in the end!  As always, Ruth did very well in her courses.  She also became the first female member of the Harvard Law Review, which is one of the most famous legal journals in the world.  This was a very difficult role to get.  

In 1956, Ruth’s husband was diagnosed with cancer.  He needed to go to the hospital for surgery and Ruth needed to take care of him.  She was at a crossroads, or the point of a big decision, in her life.  Should she stay in law school or take time off with her family? Should Martin take time off as well, even though he had already had to take time off before?  They talked it through and decided that they would both stay in school and finish their degrees together, even when Martin was sick.  Ruth continued to go to class and she took notes for Martin in class.  Martin started doing more around the house to help out, including doing the cooking.  This was not common at the time: for the man of the house to be at home full time caring for children and taking care of the housework.  But it helped to shape how Ruth thought about equality and what is expected of women in society. 

With medical treatment and Ruth’s help, Martin got better and he was able to return to school and finish his studies.  He graduated from law school and got a job as a lawyer in New York.  Because Martin’s job was in New York, Ruth moved to Columbia Law school in New York and finished her degree there.  Ruth graduated first in her class in 1959. 

Next, Ruth looked for a job, but she found many law firms didn’t want to hire her because she was a woman.  It is hard to believe now, but back then in America, it was not common for women to work outside of the home.  And there were really not many women in professional jobs like law.  So Ruth was really doing something new and when that happens, often people resist or fight against, it.  Big changes in society, like women’s equality, take years to change. 

Eventually, Ruth found a job as a law clerk, which is a researcher who works for a judge.  After two years in that job she became a university law professor.  Despite being very busy, as a professor and mom, Ruth also volunteered her time to the Women’s Rights Project.  To volunteer means to do something for free because you want to make a difference.  Ruth’s volunteer work for this project involved winning 6 very important trials in U.S. courts on cases about women’s equality. 

In 1980, Ruth was awarded a very important job: President Jimmy Carter appointed her to be a Judge with the Court of Appeals.  She continued to work very hard and to work for equality for women and others.  In 1993, she was appointed to be a judge on the U.S. Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton.  The Supreme Court is the highest level of court in America and makes decisions about the most important cases from around the country.

As a judge, Ruth’s decisions favored a moderate approach.  She was a big supporter of equality between men and women and of the rights of workers and the separation of church and state.  This means that she believed that the government should not be influenced by religion.  She wrote an important decision that said that the military could not refuse to allow women to join.  She won awards for her work and what she did to help defend peoples’ rights.  She worked hard in the coming years to be an excellent judge and to provide lots of reasoning that have been very influential on American laws. 

In 2016, Ruth released a book about her life memories called “My Own Words.”  She became famous for her thoughtful attitude and her style, as well as her famous expression, “I dissent.”  Later in her life, people made t-shirts with her image and this expression and she became an icon, or symbol, for her beliefs.  People began calling her RBG, her initials for Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Ruth’s health started to get worse in the later years of her life.  She had cancer a few times and had surgery for each.  However, she continued to fight each time and grow healthy so she could continue her important work.  

In July 2020, Ruth revealed that her cancer had returned. She died in September of that year. She was laid to rest in the state in the Capitol on September 25.  She was the first woman and the second Supreme Court Judge to have this honor. 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is remembered for her hard work throughout her life, arguing for the fair treatment of women.  There are many things we can learn from Ruth, including hard work and resilience.  Resilience means the ability to carry on even when life is hard.  She was also determined, which means that she was focused on her goal and positive that she would make it happen.  Once she decided she wanted to become a lawyer, she worked very hard to make that happen, even though she had to take care of her husband and her young child.  She was also brave.  At law school, she was teased and sometimes bullied by her male classmates.  But she still worked hard to finish and become a lawyer.

What are some things in society that you think are unfair?  Who are people that you would like to see helped more by society or treated with more fairness and kindness?  Becoming a judge or a lawyer is one way to support others who need help.  What are some ways you can spend time helping others who need help?  

Spend some time thinking about the things that others have done that are good and help others. Think about some of the things Ruth accomplished in her life.  What can you learn from her life about your own future path? No matter what you decide to do, Ruth would encourage you to work hard, stick with what you believe and treat everyone with equal respect. 

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Rosa Parks was born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. When she was a child she was often sick and sadly had to spend a lot of time in bed. Then when she was two their family moved to live with their grandparents on a farm in a town called Pine Level. Rosa loved being on the farm with her family. It gave her and her siblings lots of room to play and spend time with each other. They explored the woods and streams nearby and she enjoyed the school there. 

Rosa was safe in Pine Level, but this wasn’t the case in other places in Alabama. Rosa and her family were African American and this was a time when black people were treated poorly in Alabama. They were forced to attend separate schools, used separate bathrooms, and to drink from different drinking fountains. This is called segregation. They were often called mean names or abused.

When Rosa was eleven, she moved to Montogomery, Alabama to go to a better school. It was called the Montgomery Industrial School for Girls. The head of the school was a white woman named Alice White. She didn’t go easy on the girls, but this wasn’t because she was mean, it was because she wanted them to learn and grow. Often people who love you, do this because they want to see you be your best you. This motivated Rosa to try her best in school and learn as much as she could. She wanted to become a teacher like Ms. Alice someday. 

Rosa stayed at the school until her grandmother became sick, so she moved back to Pine Level to help. There she found jobs to help earn money for her family. She worked very hard to support them. 

When Rosa was 28, she met a young man named Raymond. Raymond inspired her to take even more interest in the problems black people were facing in Alabama and other places in the South. He was part of the NAACP, the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People. Rosa was proud of Raymond’s interest in helping this cause. He often put himself in danger for it. Rosa and Raymond fell in love and were married in 1932.

In 1934 Rosa finished high school, then started working as a nurse’s assistant and later at an army air force base. On her way home from work she rode a bus, but like all African Americans at the time she had to ride in the back of the bus. It made her very upset to be treated differently. She didn’t say anything at the time, but she was very angry deep inside. 

Around this time Rosa joined the NAACP and helped as a secretary for several years. She also registered to vote. At the time the government in Alabama made it very hard for black people to vote. Rosa had to take a difficult test and pay a tax that was very expensive. When she was finally able to vote she was very happy but also upset that so many of her friends and family were prevented from voting.

Rosa worked very hard for her family through these years and continued to help the NAACP. She was never able to have her own children, but helped the youth through the NAACP. She wanted them to have good lives and took the time to care for them. 

To get to and from work, Rosa rode the bus every day. Like other buses in Alabama, this one was segregated which means anyone who was black had to enter the bus from the back and sit at the back of the bus. This day, Rosa took courage and got on the bus through the front. The driver told her to get off and get on through the back. Rosa refused! The driver told her to get off again. She said she would not. The driver grabbed her by the coat and pulled her toward the front of the bus. She sat down again. The driver continued to yell at her. Rosa finally got off the bus, but she had stood up for herself and made her point.

In 1954 Rosa made friends with a white woman named Virginia Durr, who wanted to help her and other African Americans. Virginia encouraged Rosa to attend a workshop in Tennessee that trained people to fight for equal rights for blacks and workers who were treated unfairly. People of all races and different states came together to learn how to make the world a better place. There she met Martin Luther King and Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. a black congressman from New York City. There she began thinking about ways to fight racism in her own city.

On December 1st 1955, Rosa left home to catch the Cleveland Avenue bus to go to work. When she got on the bus she realized the driver was the same one who had forced her off the bus a few years earlier. Rosa went to the back of the bus and sat down. As the bus went drover further and more people got on the bus, the bus driver told Rosa and the others in the back to stand up so the white passengers could sit down. Rosa refused to get up. The driver yelled at her to get up, but she did not. The driver threatened to have her arrested. “You may do that,” Rosa replied. Soon, the police officers arrived and took Rosa to jail! She was very afraid. Fortunately, her friends at the NAACP were able to pay to have her released until her trial. She was going to be put on trial for not giving up her seat. Can you believe that?

Rosa and lawyers at the NAACP decided they would sue the bus company for not letting her sit down. Suing is when lawyers use the law to try to punish a company like the bus company by getting money from them. If they won the lawsuit then hopefully the unfair laws would be done away with. 

Rosa and her friends also decided to boycott buses that treated them unfairly. A boycott is when you refuse to use something and pay for it, so it punishes the company. If no one paid for bus rides, the bus company would see how much it cost to treat African Americans unfairly. During the days leading up to the boycott, Rosa and others passed out notes urging others to not ride buses on December 5th. If enough people didn’t ride the buses it would send a message to the bus companies. Rosa was nervous about whether it would work.

On December 5, 1955, to Rosa’s excitement, she saw that the buses were empty and thousands of people were walking to work and school instead of riding the buses! They were inspired by Rosa’s actions! Rosa set the example by refusing to give in to the unfair treatment of the city and bus companies. And the boycott didn’t only happen for a day — it went on for an entire year! Never before had so many people in the community come together to fight for civil rights. And the bus companies lost money because very few people rode the buses. 

Rosa’s trial also started on December 5, 1955. She lost the trial, but didn’t mind because they wanted it to go to a higher court. People around the country were watching the boycott and knew about Rosa’s trial. They started to send money to her and to the NAACP to support their fight for equality. She began spending all of her time writing and speaking about civil rights. She met other famous leaders and Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was also believed in her cause. 

On November 13, 1956 Rosa’s trial went all the way to the United States Supreme Court, the most important court in the country. The Supreme Court is located in Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court judges ruled that not allowing people sit where they want on a bus because of their race was against the Constitution — and not legal. Rosa Parks and her friends had scored a huge victory!

Soon after the trial, Rosa rode in the front of the bus and a famous photograph was taken of her to memorialize the event and her bravery in standing up to an unfair system. 

While there was still much work to do, Rosa’s act of courage and the result of the trial is often considered one of the first big events in the Civil Rights Movement. In August 1963 over 200,000 people marched in Washington, D.C. to show their support for Civil Rights. There Dr. Martin Luther King gave his famous “I Have a Dream Speech.” Rosa was excited to see so many others speaking out about Civil Rights. Then in 1964, the President signed the Civil Rights Act that made it illegal to treat people differently because of their race.

Eventually, Rosa and her husband moved to Detroit and lived a quiet life there. In 1966 Rosa was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton. She received many other awards over the years for her bravery. She wrote books and spoke about her life and passed away at the age of 92. 

Spend some time thinking about Rosa and her decision to stand up for herself and for her rights. She was afraid and knew that she might get in trouble for it, but doing what was right was more important than her feelings. She refused to move when the driver told her to move. She knew it was wrong and didn’t back down. There will be times in your life when you will have the chance to stand up for yourself and others. Take courage even when you are afraid. Speak up when something wrong is happening! If not you, then who? You can make a difference in the world by speaking up and taking action. 

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You may be aware of a very historic event that took place this last week. Queen Elizabeth II of The United Kingdom passed away on Thursday at the age of 96 after reigning as queen for 70 years! The next longest-reigning king of queen of England was Queen Victoria, her great-great-grandmother who reigned for 63 years.

In this episode, we’re going to take a journey to the home of Queen Elizabeth to visit for a very special event that happened in June of this year. So grab your raincoats and umbrellas and follow us to what in many ways is a magical island of fairytales filled with queens and castles, princes, and princesses.  An island of magnificent beauty and wondrous tales.  A land where King Arthur and his round table were born, where Robin Hood pranced through the forests and Shakespeare scribbled great plays by candlelight.  It is an island of green meadows and majestic cities. 

Arrival at The Palace of Queen Elizabeth II

We are arriving now, and it is foggy and cold – and a bit wet, too!  We touch down in a lush green park.  In front of us is a large white palace.  Behind us is a pond filled with squawking ducks hunting for their breakfast.  A fine mist rises from the wet grass and floats slowly to the sky.  Now we are in the city of London, England. The very same city of storybook characters such as Mary Poppins and Sherlock Holmes!

And why are we in London, England on this cold, June morning?  To see Queen Elizabeth II!  It is June and every June the Queen celebrates with a big birthday party, called the “Trooping of the Color.”  It is called the “Trooping of the Color” because hundreds of brightly dressed soldiers march, or troop, past the Queen as she stands on the balcony of Buckingham Palace enjoying the parade.  They march in tight formation in their red jackets and big, fuzzy black hats, called Bearskin hats.  Other soldiers ride on beautiful horses and wear shiny gold helmets and carry golden swords.  Still, other soldiers march in tight lines and play marching tunes on shiny instruments.  At the end of their marching, they stop and yell “Long Live the Queen!”  What a wonderful birthday party!

But in June 2022, the Queen is holding an even bigger party!  It is called a “Platinum Jubilee” and it is being held to honor her 70 years as Queen!  Can you imagine doing one job for 70 years?  It’s hard to envision, but she has done just that!  She is the only monarch – meaning king or queen – in British history who has ruled for 70 years.  Truly historic!   This event has never happened in Britain before so the party will be HUGE!  

Watching the Festivities

Let’s hurry and find a place to watch all the festivities.  Ah, here’s a nice patch of grass beside the “Mall,” the long street leading up to Buckingham Palace.  More and more people are gathering along the Mall, waiting to see the Queen.  They are here to honor her dedication to her country and her people.  She has been a queen since she was only 25 years old.  She used to be a princess and her father was King George VI. 

We talked about King George VI, the king with a stutter, in one of our previous shows.  He was a very shy, honorable king who ruled during World War II.  Unfortunately, he got very sick after the war and died while Princess Elizabeth was in Africa on a royal trip.  She left Britain as a princess and returned as a Queen.   As the oldest child of King George VI, she instantly became Queen when he passed away.  Can you imagine how difficult it must have been for her to lose her father, and then have to rule a country at only 25 years old?   

When she turned 21 and was still a princess, she made a speech on the radio and stated:  “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, will be devoted to your service.”  That means that she would work for them and help them her entire life.  And she kept her promise!  She is now 96 years old.

The Reign of Queen Elizabeth II

During her long reign, she has advised her government, provided aid during times of trouble, offered support and guidance in times of uncertainty, and acknowledged the accomplishments of her people throughout the decades.  She has knighted her finest men and honored her bravest women.  She has opened hospitals and libraries and schools.  She has toured factories and towns and cities to listen to her people and understand their needs.  She has met with presidents and emperors, popes, and kings from around the world to build relationships and unite countries in the name of peace. 

She was the first monarch to address the US Congress.  This was a big moment in history and an act of true friendship that no other king or queen had accomplished – because remember, the US fought a war to gain their independence from England!  And in 2013, she passed the Crown Act, which means that the oldest child of the monarch, whether it is a girl or a boy, will be the next ruler.  Before, only males were allowed to rule even if they had an older female sibling.  Queen Elizabeth II never seems to stop!  She works 365 days a week, reading documents and signing papers that arrive every day in a bright red leather box to the palace.

Celebration Sights and Sounds

But it is getting very crowded on the Mall.  People surround us and we are packed in like sardines!  Everyone is laughing and joking and waving red-white-and-blue flags and wearing funny hats!  Some people are wearing red-white-and blue pom pom headbands or headbands with miniature British flags!  Others wear suits, shoes, sunglasses, and hats in the design of the British flag – they are wrapped in British pride from their head to their toes!  

And the noise!  Suddenly a loud drum booms a rhythm down the Mall, followed by the brassy sounds of a marching band playing a happy tune.  The band comes into view wearing bright red coats and big fluffy bearskin hats.  They look exactly like the guards of the Wicked Witch in the Wizard of Oz – but these are called Grenedier Guards, and they guard the British queen.

The band is followed by rows and rows of soldiers in gleaming helmets riding shiny black horses.  The horses look so proud and strong as they prance past.  They are not bothered by all the noise around them – they have been trained to ignore the loud bands and cheering crowds.   And what is that clatter we hear?  It is the sound of 20 trotting horses pulling heavy cannons on wooden carts.  The horses’ hooves clatter loudly on the pavement as the carts rumble by like a roll of thunder rushing down the Mall.  What a glorious sound.  It must have sounded very fierce in battle hundreds of years ago!

And then a huge roar follows the soldiers down the street.  People yell, “The royals are coming!”  Seconds later, a beautiful carriage comes into view pulled by gleaming horses.  Duchesses Catherine and Camilla, plus the royal children, George, Charlotte, and Louis, smile and wave to the crowd from the open carriage.  A second carriage rolls by with Edward and Sophie, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, smiling and waving.  The Earl is the youngest son of the Queen.  Soon, another marching band comes into view and is followed by the senior royals on gleaming black stallions.  Prince Charles rides in front in a beautiful red uniform and bearskin hat, followed by Prince William and Anne, Princess Royal, both dressed in military uniforms.  They sit ram-rod straight on their horses as they trot down the Mall.  The crowd roars in excitement – these two men are the future kings of England!  

More bands, bagpipers, and soldiers march by, each stepping in unison, arms swinging back and forth in time to the beating drum.  The air is filled with horns and bagpipes, clopping horses and marching soldiers, cheers and whistles!  The crowd is anxious to follow them down the mall to Buckingham Palace to see the Queen!  

Finally, the police open the gates and the crowd surges down the street.  Hundreds of thousands of royal fans flow down the mall like a tsunami – a big ocean wave!  We must be careful as we join them – we don’t want to fall down in this mad rush or lose each other in the crowd.  We rush along for blocks until the crowd slowly comes to a stop in front of the palace.  

The Queen Makes Her Appearance

We are now packed tightly together.  We crane our necks and raise our phones to try to catch a glimpse of the balcony.  Suddenly the balcony doors swing open and the Queen steps out!  She wears a pale blue suit and hat and white gloves.  She walks to the edge of the balcony, followed by her family.  A huge roar erupts from the crowd and the Queen beams a big smile and waves in every direction. 

She stands and waves for many minutes.  Then we hear a roar behind us.  The Queen looks towards the sky and we all follow her gaze.  High in the sky, zooming towards us with a deafening roar is a formation of fighter jets!  They are flying in the formation of the number 70 – marking her 70 years on the throne.  They rush over us with a huge roar of engines.  It is amazing how they can keep in the same tight formation as they fly by so quickly!  Everyone waves their flags and cheers loudly.  We hear another roar and turn to see another formation of jets, this time in an arrow formation.  They whiz by us in a rush of air and exhaust and sound, streaming plumes of red, white, and blue smoke!  The crowd goes crazy!  How exciting! 

Next come an array of planes, jets, and helicopters filling the sky above the palace.  What a glorious site.  The crowd breaks into song, singing happy birthday to the Queen as she stands and waves at us all, beaming with pride and happiness.  

Wow, what an amazing sight – and such a fun day!!!  This has been the best party EVER!

But the party is now over and the Queen and her family go back inside the palace.  It is time for us to leave as well.  This has been a truly historic day because we will not see another woman on the throne of England for a long, long time.  Next in line is Prince Charles, then Princes William and George.  There will be many kings on the throne for years to come.  We are very lucky to see Queen Elizabeth II and celebrate her Platinum Jubilee.

Aspirations of Royalty

What do you think about Queen Elizabeth II?  Would you like to be a king or queen of a country?  If you were a ruler, what would you do to help your country?  Is there a law you would like to pass to help other people?  What country would you like to rule?  Doing one job for 70 years is very hard.  If you could do only one job for your entire life, what would you do?

A huge thanks to Susan Webb for writing this episode after her visit to England for Queen Elizabeth the 2nd’s platinum jubilee. Susan has written a book about Elizabeth’s father King George VI called Bertie: The Best Stuttering King. We bought a copy and read it as a family and sincerely enjoyed it. We recommend purchasing it on Amazon or The Book Patch.

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Early Days of Wangari Maathai

This is the world Wangari Maathai knew as a child. Born in the rainy season in the highlands of Kenya to a farming family, she spent a lot of time outdoors. She learned to observe the natural world: the rains, the rocks, the plants, and animals. She grew her own garden, diligently tending her crops. She fetched water from a spring where it bubbled up out of the ground and found hideaways behind forest plants. She learned how the rain fed her family’s crops, which fed her family and provided them with income when they sold the excess. She learned how that rain flowed down to rivers, providing clean drinking water for people and animals. 

She learned to respect nature because it could be dangerous. Animals hid in the forest – leopards and elephants. She learned to care for it because it could also be fragile. Human beings could easily throw things out of balance by taking more than they needed from them, or not protecting what they gave them.  

When she was eight, Wangari left her little farming village. Her mother took her and her older brothers to the nearby town of Nyeri so her brothers could go to school. In the 1940s, girls in Kenya rarely went to school. Wangari went along so that she could help her mother around the house with cooking and cleaning. But within weeks of their arrival, it became clear that this plan would never work. Wangari asked her older brothers about what they were learning each day when they got home from school. Soon, one of the brothers asked their mother why she couldn’t just go to school too.  Her mother decided this wasn’t a bad idea, and soon, Wangari was going off to school each day too.

Wangari loved school and did well. She especially loved learning about the living world, the plants, and the animals that had been her constant companions when she lived in her small farming village. She graduated high school in 1959 but didn’t want to stop. As unusual as it was for a girl to finish high school in Kenya at that time, it was almost unheard of for one to go on to college. But Wangari heard about a program that sent Kenyan students to the United States for college. She applied and got a scholarship! Wangari was off to study at Mount Saint Scholastica College in Kansas. 

Educational Adventures of Wangari Maathai

The 1960s were a time of big social changes in the United States. Women and African Americans were fighting for rights that they had been denied for a long time. They wanted equal opportunities to work and go to school, and they wanted unfair laws to be struck down. It was an exciting time, and Wangari embraced the ideals of equality and freedom. She went on to get a Master’s degree in biology at the University of Pittsburgh before returning to Kenya.

While she was gone, Kenya had gone through some big changes of its own. The country had been controlled by the British empire since the 1920s, but in 1963, it gained its independence. When Wangari returned, she came back to a country that was finally run by its own people. Wangari was excited to be a part of her country’s history. She hoped she could help it become a place where all people have equal rights and opportunities.

But, Wangari still wasn’t done learning. She began studying to become a veterinary doctor at the University of Nairobi. She became the first woman in East Africa to earn such an advanced degree! She began working as a professor at the university, teaching others about veterinary medicine. 

Working Towards Democracy

Even though she was busy working at her job and starting a family by this time, Wangari kept thinking about how she could help make her country reach the ideals of democracy and equality. She took time to notice the problems facing the people of Kenya. One thing she noticed was that the lush, green hillsides she had explored as a child, the forests that had first taught her about the natural world, had changed. So many trees had been cut down that the land looked bare. Under British rule, people had cut down huge swaths of forest to make way for crops that could be sold for lots of money overseas, like coffee and tea. For someone who loved nature, like Wangari, this was a sad thing, but she knew it wasn’t just a problem for the trees. This deforestation was a problem for people too. 

Trees help the land in many ways. They provide shade on hot days and grow fruit that people and animals eat. With their deep, spreading roots, they keep the soil on mountainsides from washing away in the rain. With so many trees gone, the rainy season no longer meant good crops and drinking water. Instead, the rain washed all the best soil down the hillsides, and into the rivers below. This made it harder to grow crops, so farmers couldn’t earn enough money to support themselves. It also made the rivers dirty, so the water wasn’t good to drink. With fewer trees, people had to walk farther to find firewood, which made it harder to cook meals.

These problems especially affected women, because they were the ones who went to fetch water and firewood. They had to walk further and further to find clean water and large trees. 

Wangari wanted to help return her country to the beautiful, green landscape she’d known as a child, and, at the same time, fix the problems that deforestation had caused. If she could help people plant trees, they would also be able to grow more crops, so they could earn enough money to live off of. They would be able to find clean water and firewood nearby. 

Wangari worked with a women’s group to pay women in rural areas of the country to plant trees. This helped with both deforestation and poverty since these women now earned a little bit of money to help their families. She taught women all over Kenya how to plant trees in nurseries, then transplant them into wild areas. At the same time, she taught them about how trees helped keep the land and their communities healthy. She called this project the Green Belt Movement because they planted trees in rows that would look like long, green belts across the land.

At first, the Kenyan government didn’t like Wangari’s movement. Didn’t like that a woman was taking charge, didn’t like that people planting trees weren’t professional foresters, and didn’t like that she helped poor people take control of their lives. Many in the government thought it would be better to make money for themselves by selling the deforested land to people who wanted to build on it. Wangari was attacked, beaten, and arrested.  But she never gave up. The Green Belt Movement planted millions of trees in Kenya. Hillsides became green again. Trees helped hold soil in place so it didn’t wash away into the rivers, making them mucky and brown. 

Wangari was even elected to Kenya’s parliament in 1997. She got 98% of the vote, which is very unusual for an election! Later, she was made minister of the environment. She helped make policies that would ensure long-lasting change and protection for the environment. Wangari felt that protecting the environment was a critical part of keeping people healthy and provided for. She had seen how the trees planted by the Green Belt Movement helped people out of poverty, cleaned up rivers, and made the soil healthy again. 

Over time, Wangari’s movement started to mean more than just trees. People started to see that it was about helping people who were suffering, and when you do that, you create a more peaceful society. When people have what they need, they can help others too. They also saw that the small act of tree-planting, when many people did it, had a huge impact. This is how democracy works too: when enough people vote or speak out, small acts can amount to big changes.  Kenya was working towards becoming a democracy during this time, so this was an important idea to spread. The trees planted by the Green Belt Movement became symbols, reminding people of how they could overcome their differences, make better decisions together as a country, and live in peace.

Nobel Peace Prize

In 2004, Wangari received a huge honor. She won the Nobel Prize for Peace. The Nobel Peace Prize recognizes someone who has done big things to support peace between countries or help people who were suffering. With her trees, Wangari had helped end suffering for people in Kenya and create a healthy environment where they could live peacefully for years to come. She did this even while she faced serious opposition from her own government. She worked not only to improve the natural environment but to guide her country towards democracy so that everyone could have a voice in how things were run. 

Wangari became ill and passed away in 2011, but the movement she started continues. They still plant trees in Kenya, but also partner with other groups around the world to plant trees and tackle other problems like climate change and inequality. Even though the world faces a lot of big problems, it’s important to remember that even small acts can lead to big change, if enough people do them. There are so many things you can do to help, too! Plant a tree, donate food to a food pantry, or just say a kind thing to someone.  If you do it, maybe someone else will too. All these little acts add up, bringing us closer, as Wangari put it, to “a time when we have shed our fear and give hope to each other.” 

Sources

https://www.climatestotravel.com/climate/kenya

http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/ 

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2004/maathai/lecture/

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1860/14.%20Kenya%20Country%20Profile.pdf

Crayton, Lisa A (2020). Wangari Maathai: Get to Know the Woman Who Planted Trees to Bring Change. Capstone, North Mankato, MN

Maathai, Wangari (2006) Unbowed. Random House, New York.

Swanson, Jennifer (2018) Environmental Activist Wangari Maathai. Lerner Publishing, Minneapolis.

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