Arlington Public Library

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From Cataloging, with Love

The First Stop a Library Book Makes on its Way to You

Valentine created by the Library's Cataloging department, using a card from our retired card catalog, and inspired by the book "The Card Catalog."

When the Library closed last March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our Cataloging team teleworked during the stay-at-home order, preparing our records for the upgraded catalog and library accounts system.

By early June, we were ready to return to our normal work space at Central Library and resume our normal operations. But like everything else in a pandemic, operations were anything but normal. We moved desk space to maintain a 6-foot distance, and took to Microsoft Teams for group meetings and trainings on our new catalog.

Our book vendors had issues with supply and demand, and we were eager to receive four months' worth of new book orders. By early July, book vendors were able to start delivering materials, and huge pallets of books began arriving.

Photo of two huge pallets of books, with hearts drawn on top.

Double pallet delivery in the receiving room at Central Library in August, 2020. (Orange and pink hearts drawn on top of photo.)

In the month of July we received almost 3000 books.

During one especially busy week we received two deliveries of huge pallets, filling our receiving room with boxes. By August, our vendors had ramped up staffing and delivered 6,200 items in one month - double our normal monthly volume.

huge pallet of boxes moving off the delivery truck.

Pallet delivery

huge pallet of boxes moving into the shipping and receiving room.

Pallet delivery

Laurie standing next to a stack of books as tall as she is.

Boxes stacked taller than Laurie

book carts lined up as far as the room is long.

So many books...

On our busiest day, we received 615 new items! Our stacks of boxes were taller than some of the cataloging staff.

Mercedes

Rhiana

Keisha

Lisa

Rebecca

Travis

The publishing "shoulder season," or slow season, is summer and winter, which is normally our time to accomplish big projects. This year, our pandemic winter project has been focused on closing out our backlog of materials from the summer, catching up on training and refining our pandemic workflow.

Because new information never stops, we have been updating the reference collection by replacing the "pocket parts" - the inserts published periodically to amend printed volumes such as the Virginia State Code.

We're also working on cataloging the Center for Local History's collection of periodicals and VHS tapes.

We can’t wait to share what the always busy new Spring publishing season brings us - stay tuned!

Edmund Campbell: Speaking Out

Graphic image of a megaphone

Join us for a new series of stories from the Center for Local History highlighting members of our community who made a difference in ways that helped shape our history and created positive change. 

Their voices were not always loud, but what they said or did had a significant impact on our community.

Edmund Campbell

Edmund Douglas Campbell (1899–1995) was a lawyer, social activist, and Arlington County Board member who advocated for civil rights, school desegregation, and state representation according to population. Campbell vehemently opposed Virginia’s policy of “Massive Resistance” which occurred in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in Brown v. Board of Education. In 1954 and 1955, along with his wife Elizabeth, Campbell fought to ensure that Arlington's public schools remain open by organizing the Save Our Schools Committee (comprised of parents and citizens from across Virginia) in defiance of Senator Harry F. Byrd and his allies.

Edmund Campbell sitting at his desk, date unknown

Among his other accomplishments, in 1955, Campbell won a case that overturned a Virginia law prohibiting racially integrated seating in public places. In 1958, following the closure of schools in Norfolk, Charlottesville, and Front Royal, he successfully argued as the lead attorney in James v. Almond, finally ending Virginia's “Massive Resistance" laws that had forced the closing of all public schools which Federal courts had ordered to integrate. Following that decision, the first Black students entered Stratford Junior High School on February 2, 1959.

In the lawsuit Davis v. Mann, the Supreme Court decided in 1964 that Campbell successfully argued that Arlington and Fairfax counties were illegally under-represented in the Virginia legislature, finding that legislative apportioning gave less populated rural areas more legislative influence per voter than more densely populated Northern Virginia as a result of the 1960 census.

In his memoir “Musings of a 95-Year-Old”, Campbell said, "I could not live with myself if I did not stand up publicly for what I knew was right."

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Poetry by Earlene Green Evans

Earlene Green Evans grew up and attended public schools in Arlington, Virginia, graduating from Hoffman-Boston High School. She received a B.S. degree from Saint Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Virginia, and an M.S. degree in Library Media from Virginia State University. She worked as a middle and high school librarian until she retired.

Earlene authored a children’s book, "I Love You, Ugly Old Hag," and co-authored three educational books. They are "A Step Beyond: Multimedia Activities For Learning American History"; "Hidden Skeletons and Other Funny Stories," and "3-D Displays For Libraries, Schools, and Media Centers."

Earlene Green Evans and Godfrey Moore, date unknown

Earlene is a member of Pi Lambda Theta International Honor Society, Virginia Museum of History and Culture, Northwoods Civic Association, Virginia State Alumni Association, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and several committees at her church. In addition to writing, Earlene enjoys reading, sewing, and playing the flute. She lives in Henrico County, Virginia with her husband, Alga. They have two adult children and a grandson.

First AKA Cotillion 1958. Image Caption says "Sponsored by Zeta Chi Omega (Arl. VA) First Cotillion, 1958. Earlene Far Right. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Earlene Green Evans started writing the poems about four years ago, and continued to add others to the collection as time went by.  Her latest poem was written in 2019, and she still gets ideas for other poems to this day. Ms. Green writes with wit and charm about what it was like growing up during the fifties in Johnson’s Hill (now Arlington View), a predominantly African American neighborhood at that time.  

She describes the general feeling of cooperation and respect among neighbors and the good manners expected from every child; reflects on the influence that radio and television had on families, describes what school was like, popular fashion trends, what was important in the news both locally and nationally as well as what young people did for fun.

In the following poems from her upcoming poetry book, learn what it was like to go to Hoffman-Boston during "School Desegregation", what it was like to attend a high school “House Party,” and having the first “Neighborhood Television" set.

School Desegragation

The eyes of the world are on D.C.,
This side of the ocean, land of the free.
Home of the United States Supreme Court,
Where monumental decisions are not a sport.

Will black and white kids attend the same schools?
Or will they live by the laws of fools?
Black lawyers work to present their case . . .
Of segregation, a national disgrace.

Separate, but equal cannot proceed,
Equality, regardless of race or creed.
Spottswood Robinson, Thurgood Marshall and Harold Boulware,
Aim to reverse racial laws, declaring them unfair.

They are key lawyers to Brown versus the Board,
This terrible situation will not be ignored!
A decision is made by the nine in black,
That segregationists are on the wrong track.

Now, every black child in any public school,
Will benefit from this constitutional rule.
Thanks to the judges of the highest court,
Thanks to the lawyers who challenged and Fought.

House Party

There’s a teen house party on Friday night.
We move to music under a blue light.
Mary’s basement is a cozy place,
The room downstairs has limited space.

Will that stop us from “cutting a rug?”
Not as long as the cord stays in the plug.
We bump each other, but we don’t mind,
During the “Mashed Potatoes,” and the forbidden “Grind.”

The “Uptown,” and the “Bird Land” are favorites too,
Performed by members of a Rock and Roll crew.
A scratched record makes an ugly repeat,
Moving the head forward makes the song complete.

Refreshments are provided by Pam and Jade,
We have homemade cookers and lime Kool-Aid.
Everyone stops for a kissing game,
“Spin the Bottle” and hope for your “flame.”

Dancing continues, fast and slow,
Cheers to the couple who “takes the floor.”
The party is fun until Mary’s parents appear,
And remind us that the end is near.

On the last record, we do a slow-moving dance,
And steal a little kiss, taking a chance.
Then tell Mary, our house party host,
We enjoyed the evening to the utmost!

Neighborhood Television

The Greens bought a television set.
It cost so much, they are deep in debt.
A wooden box, with a small round screen.
Showed pictures like a movie machine.

No other family in our neighborhood,
Can see stars in Hollywood.
We received the Greens’ invitation,
To join a viewing celebration.

We gladly accepted and rushed next door.
Neighbors were sitting all over the floor.
The large crowd squeezed one another,
Lacking air, we thought we would smother.

Bodies were twisted, and turned just right,
To behold a show in black and white.
Eyes bulged and mouths dropped wide.
To see what a TV would provide.

The Lone Ranger chased a mean outlaw.
We joined the action with a big, “Hurrah!”
He took out his lasso, aimed it, and threw,
As zigzag lines interrupted our view.

Mr. Green turned knobs from left to right,
The lines on the screen were an awful sight.
We were calm and patient; we had to wait.
After a minute, the picture was straight.

The lasso missed as the picture started to roll,
This interruption was harder to control.
Frustrated, Mr. Green turned different knobs.
We shifted, squirmed, and suppressed our sobs.

When the rolling stopped, we read on the screen,
Words that could spark a mad mob scene.
The message was clear, it made us shriek . . .
“Tune in to The Lone Ranger again next week!”

Oral History: The First Students to Desegregate Arlington Public Schools

Interviews with Lance Newman and Michael Jones

Arlington Voices the Oral History Collection

Oral histories are used to understand historical events, actors, and movements from the point of view of real people’s personal experiences.

This week marks the 62nd anniversary of the desegregation of Arlington Public Schools. On February 2nd, 1959, four students – Lance Newman, Michael Jones, Ronald Deskins, and Gloria Thompson – entered Stratford Junior High School, making them the first students to desegregate any public school in Virginia.

This 1959 article from the Anti-Defamation League describes the first day of integrated school at Stratford Junior High School in Arlington and the preparations that had been made to make a smooth transition.

This momentous event was the culmination of decades of work from activists and community members who navigated both legal action and other acts of protest to reach this landmark decision.

In the following oral history interviews, Lance Newman (1946-2018) and Michael Jones describe their experiences attending Stratford, what the preparation leading up to February 2nd looked like, and their experiences growing up in the close-knit community of Hall’s Hill. In this segment, Newman and Jones discuss their first days at Stratford.

Narrator: Lance Newman
Interviewer 1: Judith Knudsen
Interviewer 2: Joanna Dressel
Date: February 13, 2016

From left to right, Michael Jones, Lance Newman, Ronald Deskins, and Gloria Thompson entering Stratford Junior High School on February 2, 1959.

Judith Knudsen: Let’s go back to that first day and describe the first day.

Lance Newman: Okay. Let’s see. I remember getting up, getting ready, and I think my mom was—she was probably—she told me later she was a nervous wreck.

JK: I’m sure.

LN: Yeah. And I was kind of. I wasn’t—because I was there with my buddies. Actually, Ronnie and Michael and I were really good friends because we played softball together. Gloria—I knew Gloria, but I kind of felt sorry for her because she was the only girl. But so, we went down, and we all gathered at Ronnie Deskin’s house. And there were reporters there and then all the people—community leaders. And then, we sat around and they took pictures. We got some pictures, then we piled into Mr. Jones’ car and went down to Stratford, and I guess on Old Dominion Drive they let us out, and we went—we actually went in the back of the school, not the main entrance at the front. I remember going down and getting off—crossing Old Dominion Drive. They had blocked it off—and then walking down the long pathway near the football field and tons—well, it seemed like just a gauntlet of Arlington County police. They were in their riot gear with helmets and their riot gear.

LN: And actually, we were walking in by ourselves. They purposely had us come after school started, so we just went in. We went into the central entrance near the flagpole in the back, went to the principal’s office, Mr. Richmond. They sort of had—they had a conference and they told us what to expect and all of this, tried to calm us, I guess. And then we were escorted down to our first class, and I remember going into—well, he was—my math teacher was Mr. Marks—and going into the class and seeing about thirty or—thirty all-white faces, and it was kind of tense. He was pretty good because he shook our hands and stuff and said, “Kids, this is—” and had us sit down. He had a seat and a desk for us. It was right upfront.

LN: And that was a Monday, I believe. Yeah, it was a Monday. And then, the next day—I mean it went okay. That class—and then I remember the first-period bell ringing and going out in the hallways, and Stratford was a lot bigger than HB*. I went to HB first. And I was going out in the hallway and seeing this mass of humanity changing classes, and people were kind of—pretty much—I think they were kind of staring. People were kind of—you know—wanted to ignore us. But it was tense, and then that day after school, we went back to—I guess actually we went back to my house, and then we had this press conference with the—and I remember the Washington Post and the local television stations were there and had big cameras set up, and a guy interviewed us.

*Note: Hoffman-Boston was, until 1964, the only high school for African American students in Arlington. It remained open until its final graduating class in 1964 and reopened as an elementary school in 2000.

Narrator: Michael Jones
Interviewer: Judith Knudsen
Date: July 17, 2016

Stratford Junior High School, 1959. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Judith Knudsen: So, what do you remember about the day when you—when it happened? What was—?

Michael Jones: You know, the further we get away the furthest—the more I forget. The only thing I remember is getting up early that morning and crossed my mind—they dressed me and made my hair and all that—made sure my hair and everything was looking good—nice long coat and everything. We were to meet at Ronnie’s house, and then—our house is right where I stayed—my mother lives now. So, Ronnie’s house is in apartments. Well, I’m two minutes away—just across the street—and you go down to his apartment there. So, we went to his apartment, and someone drove us around—drove us to the school. Now, my recollection—and I talked to Ronnie and Lance, and they think it’s different. I always thought—and it’s too bad it’s not to the day where I could—where it would be on YouTube. I could just look it up.

JK: Exactly.

MJ: Yeah. But I always thought we went into our—Vacation Lane—went in that way, straight down that little street there and went up the steps. But they said we went in the other way. But I don’t know. I guess somebody’d go to—but anyway, went in there and we met with Mr. Claude Richmond for a while.

JK: He was the principal.

MJ: He was the principal at the time. He met with us maybe—I guess less than a half an hour before we went into class, and Ronnie and Lance were together, and me and Gloria were together. I think now that’s because Ronnie and Lance went to the Methodist church at the time. Gloria and I went to the Baptist church. So, I think that’s why they put us together in classes. And we went to the first class and—

JK: What was that like?

MJ: I don’t know. You know what? I can not—I don’t remember anything that stood out negative. So, to me, it was just a normal class. We went in there, and I guess I didn’t know anybody, which was difficult when you go—most classes—

JK: Of course. New class.

MJ: Yeah, yeah. I mean, I didn’t know anybody, so when we went into class, I guess we sat pretty close to each other, and that was it. Came out. I guess we had a ride home that first week or so—something like that. Or maybe first—maybe—I don’t know. Came home and it was—it was up. Fairly uneventful year. The only thing that I can think about that first year is some guys used to call us names in the hall, and that’s it. But nothing even bad as you see today—getting beat up or anything—and I guess because the focus—everybody knew the focus was on us at the time. If anything happened, it would be negative on not only them but the school, the state, and everybody else. So, nothing happened, it was uneventful except for those.

JK: And did—my understanding was that you stayed in the same class for all the classes. I mean, you changed classes, but you had the same group, so it was the same group all the way through the day.

MJ: Yeah. Correct. Right. I don’t remember me being in the class by myself that first year. I think Gloria was in all my classes I had.

From left to right, Michael Jones, Ronald Deskins, and Lance Newman at the February 2, 2016, County event, “An Evening to Celebrate Arlington’s History Makers.” Photo by Blake Tippens.

A plaque dedicating the Stratford Auditorium, February 2, 2016. Photo by Blake Tippens.

Learn more:

”The Story of Arlington Public School Desegregation,” tells a detailed narrative about the history of the desegregation of APS

”Oral History: Desegregation of Arlington’s Public Schools” and “A Fight for Educational Equality: Civil Rights Activist Dorothy Hamm” both detail the life and work of Dorothy Hamm, who led the efforts to desegregate APS

Project DAPS is a digital exhibit featuring nearly 2,000 digitized documents and stories related to the desegregation of Arlington Public Schools from the Arlington Public Library’s Community Archives

”Back to Stratford: Honoring Arlington’s History Makers” features a panel discussion with Michael Jones, Lance Newman, Ronald Deskins, and other community members about the desegregation process and it's legacy

The goal of the Arlington Voices project is to showcase the Center for Local History’s oral history collection in a publicly accessible and shareable way.

The Arlington Public Library began collecting oral histories of long-time residents in the 1970s, and since then the scope of the collection has expanded to capture the diverse voices of Arlington’s community. In 2016, staff members and volunteers recorded many additional hours of interviews, building the collection to 575 catalogued oral histories.

To browse our list of narrators indexed by interview subject, check out our community archive. To read a full transcript of an interview, visit the Center for Local History located at Central Library.

Introducing Flipster Digital Magazines

Our new Flipster Digital Magazines platform provides access to 12 best-selling digital magazines including People, Sports Illustrated, Real Simple, The Atlantic, and more.

You can check out and/or download as many issues of digital magazines as you want and read them anytime, anywhere on your phone, devices, and/or computer. Access to current and older issues of digital magazines are also available.

How Borrowing Works

  • Most weekly digital magazines expire in 2 days; most monthly digital magazines expire in 7 days.
  • Digital magazines can be checked out and downloaded again once they expire.
  • There is no limit on the number of titles you can borrow at one time, although certain titles do have limits on the number of simultaneous users allowed.

How to Get Started

You can read Flipster Digital Magazines on your phone, tablet, or computer via your web browser or by downloading the Flipster App to your mobile devices. The Flipster app is available for download from the iTunes store for the iPad and iPhone, and on the Google Play Store for Android mobile devices.

For more information, including a getting started guide, visit our Flipster Digital Magazines page.

Flipster Digital Magazines

Flipster Digital Magazine App Views

George Melvin Richardson: Taking a Stand

Graphic image of a megaphone

Join us for a new series of stories from the Center for Local History highlighting members of our community who made a difference in ways that helped shape our history and created positive change. 

Their voices were not always loud, but what they said or did had a significant impact on our community.

George Melvin Richardson

George Melvin Richardson (1913-2015) was an African-American educator, school principal, WW II U.S. Army officer, and civic leader. Born in Oklahoma, Richardson graduated from Langston University, Oklahoma’s only historically Black college, and then attended Columbia University in New York where he obtained a master’s degree.

A subsequent series of positions in education and public schools in Oklahoma helped lay the groundwork for what was to become a lifetime of educating and mentoring students in his community. After being drafted during WW II, Richardson was stationed in Italy, where he was an Army lieutenant and captain.

Upon returning to the U.S., Richardson and his wife moved to Arlington County where he served as principal of the all-Black Hoffman-Boston High School from 1951 until its closure in 1964. Noticing that Hoffman-Boston lacked many of the facilities and resources of other Arlington County schools, Richardson worked tirelessly to improve and expand the school. In an oral history conducted by staff of the Center for Local History, Richardson said that Hoffman-Boston “wasn’t equipped as well as other schools. Our science department wasn’t equipped as well...We didn’t have an auditorium – the building was not adequate.” His air of quiet authority and steely determination deeply impacted both colleagues and students.

“Hoffman-Boston School,” Richardson said, “There’s a golf course there. The kids will leave their lunch period and won’t come back…They’d go there (and caddy) and get little sandwiches and so forth… I said “You’re here for school. And you’re here for this number of hours.”… I went to the golf course and I told them that I didn’t want them to employ these kids…they belong in school and not at a golf course. So they stopped that.”

George Richardson talking with several younger Hoffman-Boston students.

Richardson was also a pivotal figure in helping to create the Arlington View Neighborhood Conservation Plan (one of the first in the county) and was a member of the executive board of the Arlington Committee of 100. After Hoffman-Boston closed in 1964, Richardson became an assistant principal at Wakefield H.S. and served as an educator in Montgomery County, MD. before retiring to Oklahoma.

Richardson received the Charles P. Monroe Civil Rights Award from the Arlington branch of the NAACP, was inducted into the Wakefield High School Hall of Fame, and received the Outstanding Community Service Award from the Greater Washington Urban League.

George Richardson, right, with the Assistant Principal and councilor at Hoffman-Boston, seated at a table.

Do you have a question about this story, or a personal experience to share? 

Use this form to send a message to the Charlie Clark Center for Local History.

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John Robinson: Taking a Stand

Graphic image of a megaphone

Join us for a new series of stories from the Center for Local History highlighting members of our community who made a difference in ways that helped shape our history and created positive change. 

Their voices were not always loud, but what they said or did had a significant impact on our community.

John Robinson

John Robinson (1934-2010) was a dedicated community activist who chose to stay and work in the Green Valley neighborhood where he was born and grew up.  He attended Howard University, served in the U.S. Army, and worked briefly with Martin Luther King.  Inspired by King and his work, he founded and was director of the Dr. Marth Luther King Jr. Community Center in Green Valley for over 40 years.

A strong believer in equal rights for all, Robinson provided help to those in need whatever their race or age, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.  The Center organized clothing and food drives, provided counseling on drug abuse and assistance for low-income people living in Green Valley, as well as other educational programs.

He was there for the community whether it involved drug-related issues, gang violence, or neighborhood conflicts, and his door was always open, sometimes even providing shelter for the homeless in the Center, especially during the winter.

For four decades, Robinson published the Green Valley News, often distributing it door-to-door himself, to help keep residents informed of events in this predominately African-American neighborhood.

John Robinson

Over the years Robinson was recognized for his many achievements from organizations such as the Northern Virginia Branch of the Washington Urban League, Arlington Branch of the NAACP, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and was a recipient of the William L. Winston Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Arlington County Bar Foundation.  He was also instrumental in the planning of the Arlington County Action Program in the 1960s.

Robinson died in 2010 at age 75. In. 2020, the Arlington County Board officially named the town square in Green Valley the John Robinson, Jr. Town Square in his honor.

Rendered image of the John Robinson, Jr. Town Square 

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Edible Books: Cookie Bookie Contest Winners

Sugar, Spice and Oh That Book Looks Nice!

We loved seeing all the delicious creations - it was hard to choose the winners, as we adored so many!

Thanks to everyone who submitted, and who attended the virtual decorating programs with the folks at the library.

Best Creation: Kids Up to Grade 5

"The Very Hungry Catepillar" by Brahm

We had fun foraging through the fridge and pantry for this, but at the end, realized we were missing the pie. The McDonalds drive through came through with the apple pie “slice” assist!
Brahm, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" - We had fun foraging through the fridge and pantry for this, but at the end, realized we were missing the pie. The McDonalds drive through came through with the apple pie “slice” assist!

Best Creation: Grade 6-12

"Jurassic Park" by Hunter

Jurassic Park was one of the first long books I read. I wanted to try to recreate a similar picture of what is on the cover of the copy that I own.
Hunter, "Jurassic Park" - Jurassic Park was one of the first long books I read. I wanted to try to recreate a similar picture of what is on the cover of the copy that I own.

Best Creation: Adult

"My Favorite Books!" by Adriana

My son is only 13 but he is an avid reader. When I told him about the edible book contest he was very excited. He couldn't choose just one book so we settled on FOUR of HIS favorite books and their iconic covers. In the end he didn't help much with making the actual cookies but he gave me a lot of support and encouragement while I was making these and he will definitely help me eat them!
Adriana, "My Favorite Books!" - My son is only 13 but he is an avid reader. When I told him about the edible book contest he was very excited. He couldn't choose just one book so we settled on FOUR of HIS favorite books and their iconic covers. In the end he didn't help much with making the actual cookies but he gave me a lot of support and encouragement while I was making these and he will definitely help me eat them!

Honorable Mention

"(Return of the) King Cake" by Maria

This is a Galette des Rois decorated with marzipan. The design is based on Houghton Mifflin 1999 edition cover of "The Ring Sets Out," the first part of the Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien. My title is a pun on the English name of the cake--King Cake--and the title of the final volume of the Lord of the Rings, Return of the King.
Maria, "(Return of the) King Cake" - This is a Galette des Rois decorated with marzipan. The design is based on Houghton Mifflin 1999 edition cover of "The Ring Sets Out," the first part of the Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien. My title is a pun on the English name of the cake--King Cake--and the title of the final volume of the Lord of the Rings, "Return of the King".

Check out these other scrumptious, bookish creations we loved!

I used this book to teach the alphabet (both in english and spanish), and the difference between majuscules and minuscules to my sons when they were toddlers. We always sang the text instead of simply reading it out loud. I also teach "Typography" as a GMU adjunct faculty, so I'm always surrounded by letters. I dream of having a home-based baking business (IG: @love_at_350).
Jessica, "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" - I used this book to teach the alphabet (both in english and spanish), and the difference between majuscules and minuscules to my sons when they were toddlers. We always sang the text instead of simply reading it out loud. I also teach "Typography" as a GMU adjunct faculty, so I'm always surrounded by letters. I dream of having a home-based baking business (IG: @love_at_350).
This edible book is based on the book The Big Field by Mike Lupica and I will tell you some things about how I made it. The grass I made by putting green gel icing on cardboard and sprinkling green sugar sprinkles on top. Then for the baselines I put white cookie icing along the baselines and pitchers mound and then sprinkled very crushed up graham cracker shards and let it dry. Then for the bases, pitchers mound and home plate, I cut marshmallows and shaped them to look like first, second, third base, home plate and the pitchers mound. Then, for the foul lines, I put white cookie icing on top of the grass to make it 3-D. For the foul poles, I used fettuccine pasta noodles and I cut it and put it in a marshmallow, and then I iced the marshmallow to the ground. Then for the fence I cut up a tortilla into strips and microwaved them for about 30 seconds. After that, I shaped them and iced them to the grass. Finally for the dugouts I broke gram crackers into squares and rectangles and iced them to the grass. Then I took a Hershey square and melted a half Hershey square to it using a warm plate to melt the chocolate and I did that on each side to make one bench. Then because it was too wide, I melted it so it was half the width. Then I put some more liquid chocolate on the cardboard and stuck the benches to it. I did the same process for the second one. For the fence behind home plate I used some leftover microwaved tortilla to make it and iced it to the cardboard. Finally for the baseball I rolled a mini marshmallow and put icing on it rolled it in red sprinkles. It is detached and it can roll around. This is how I made the field. Now I will tell you why I made a baseball field. So I chose the book the big field by Mike Lupica but it could really have been any of the Mike Lupica baseball books because he wrote a lot of them and I have read The Big Field and another one but the big Field is about a boy named Hutch who plays shortstop on his travel baseball team and his dad also played and he was about to be in the minors but they said he wasn’t good enough and that kind of broke his heart so he basically never played baseball with Houchin very much but part of its about really him trying to get his dad to play with him but it’s mostly about him playing baseball and the main setting is a baseball field so that’s why I thought that I should make a baseball field. Some of the baseball books that I know Mike Lupica has written are Heat, The Big Field, The Bat Boy, Strike Zone, and Team Players. I hope you enjoyed this and happy judging!
Loren, "Baseball Field" - This edible book is based on the book "The Big Field" by Mike Lupica and I will tell you some things about how I made it. The grass I made by putting green gel icing on cardboard and sprinkling green sugar sprinkles on top. Then for the baselines I put white cookie icing along the baselines and pitchers mound and then sprinkled very crushed up graham cracker shards and let it dry. Then for the bases, pitchers mound and home plate, I cut marshmallows and shaped them to look like first, second, third base, home plate and the pitchers mound. Then, for the foul lines, I put white cookie icing on top of the grass to make it 3-D. For the foul poles, I used fettuccine pasta noodles and I cut it and put it in a marshmallow, and then I iced the marshmallow to the ground. Then for the fence I cut up a tortilla into strips and microwaved them for about 30 seconds. After that, I shaped them and iced them to the grass. Finally for the dugouts I broke gram crackers into squares and rectangles and iced them to the grass. Then I took a Hershey square and melted a half Hershey square to it using a warm plate to melt the chocolate and I did that on each side to make one bench. Then because it was too wide, I melted it so it was half the width. Then I put some more liquid chocolate on the cardboard and stuck the benches to it. I did the same process for the second one. For the fence behind home plate I used some leftover microwaved tortilla to make it and iced it to the cardboard. Finally for the baseball I rolled a mini marshmallow and put icing on it rolled it in red sprinkles. It is detached and it can roll around. This is how I made the field. Now I will tell you why I made a baseball field. So I chose the book the big field by Mike Lupica but it could really have been any of the Mike Lupica baseball books because he wrote a lot of them and I have read The Big Field and another one but the big Field is about a boy named Hutch who plays shortstop on his travel baseball team and his dad also played and he was about to be in the minors but they said he wasn’t good enough and that kind of broke his heart so he basically never played baseball with Houchin very much but part of its about really him trying to get his dad to play with him but it’s mostly about him playing baseball and the main setting is a baseball field so that’s why I thought that I should make a baseball field. Some of the baseball books that I know Mike Lupica has written are Heat, The Big Field, The Bat Boy, Strike Zone, and Team Players. I hope you enjoyed this and happy judging!
I love TWINS because they are twin sisters who, at first, are really close, then one runs for school president (like I want to one day!). The other runs against her. They become really angry and mad at each other. At the end, they talked and became inseparable again. My older sister and I fight a lot, but I always love her.
Mila, "Twins: A Graphic Novel" - I love TWINS because they are twin sisters who, at first, are really close, then one runs for school president (like I want to one day!). The other runs against her. They become really angry and mad at each other. At the end, they talked and became inseparable again. My older sister and I fight a lot, but I always love her.
I’ve always loved David Wiesner’s wonderfully illustrated picture books and my daughter loves every story about the three little pigs. I thought it would be fun to do an edible spoof on Wiesner’s version, The Three Pigs, in which the pigs change into a different style of illustration when they step out of their story.
Kelley, "3 Little Pigs" - I’ve always loved David Wiesner’s wonderfully illustrated picture books and my daughter loves every story about the three little pigs. I thought it would be fun to do an edible spoof on Wiesner’s version, The Three Pigs, in which the pigs change into a different style of illustration when they step out of their story.
This little donut caterpillar just make us so hungry!
Nicholas & Maria, "The Very Hungary Caterpillar" - This little donut caterpillar just make us so hungry!
This gingerbread is a tribute to the book Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi. In Gingerbread, Harriet makes gingerbread. She is from the country of Druhástrana. Reading the book made me want to eat gingerbread, so I'm glad that could come to fruition!
Nikki, "Druhástrana" - This gingerbread is a tribute to the book Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi. In Gingerbread, Harriet makes gingerbread. She is from the country of Druhástrana. Reading the book made me want to eat gingerbread, so I'm glad that could come to fruition!
Writers & Lovers, by Lily King, was my favorite book I read this year. Like many of us, I struggled with reading throughout the spring, but hit a better stride over the summer, when I read this book. Geese play a role in the book (which I will not spoil), and this is my tribute to them. May we all take flight in 2021!
Amanda, "The Geese (aka minor characters in Writers & Lovers)" - Writers & Lovers, by Lily King, was my favorite book I read this year. Like many of us, I struggled with reading throughout the spring, but hit a better stride over the summer, when I read this book. Geese play a role in the book (which I will not spoil), and this is my tribute to them. May we all take flight in 2021!
Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie knows dinosaurs are extinct - and tries desperately to convince everyone in town. Despite his railing against the darling Edwina for page after page, she bakes him cookies and listens patiently to his excellent arguments. SHE LISTENS. Suddenly, those arguments seem meaningless. Edwina is free to continue living her best dinosaur life and an unshackled Reginald can tilt at new windmills. An important reminder at the power and gift of just being heard.
Rachael, "Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct" - Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie knows dinosaurs are extinct - and tries desperately to convince everyone in town. Despite his railing against the darling Edwina for page after page, she bakes him cookies and listens patiently to his excellent arguments. SHE LISTENS. Suddenly, those arguments seem meaningless. Edwina is free to continue living her best dinosaur life and an unshackled Reginald can tilt at new windmills. An important reminder at the power and gift of just being heard.
Thank you for the opportunity to combine a seasonal treat with one of my most loved books.
Bronson, "Walden" - Thank you for the opportunity to combine a seasonal treat with one of my most loved books.
Keira, "Arnie the Doughnut"
My entry for the Arlington Library’s 2020 edible books contest is inspired by “The Last Leaf”, a short story by O. Henry. The story is set against the backdrop of a pneumonia epidemic in Greenwich Village in the early 1900s. Briefly, it is the story of a failed old painter who sacrifices his own life, in order to gift his young female neighbor dying from pneumonia, the urge to continue living. This simple but elegant tale published more than a century ago, offers in these tough times, a powerful and fitting reminder of the redemptive powers of altruistic kindness, hope, and renewed resolve in the face of adversity.
Sucharitha, "The Last Leaf by O. Henry" - My entry for the Arlington Library’s 2020 edible books contest is inspired by “The Last Leaf”, a short story by O. Henry. The story is set against the backdrop of a pneumonia epidemic in Greenwich Village in the early 1900s. Briefly, it is the story of a failed old painter who sacrifices his own life, in order to gift his young female neighbor dying from pneumonia, the urge to continue living. This simple but elegant tale published more than a century ago, offers in these tough times, a powerful and fitting reminder of the redemptive powers of altruistic kindness, hope, and renewed resolve in the face of adversity.
Gabriel, "Harry Potter"
Inspired by my 3-year-old's newfound love of the Grinch!
Anne, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" - Inspired by my 3-year-old's newfound love of the Grinch!

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Video: Multiracial Coalitions in the Civil Rights Era

The Poor People’s Campaign, held in Washington, D.C., during the spring of 1968, has long been overshadowed by the assassination of its architect, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the political turmoil of that year.

But while the campaign did not achieve its lofty goals — including a rededication to the War on Poverty and an end to rampant police brutality — it did prove to be an illustrative moment of a “long” civil rights movement that highlighted the essential yet oft-forgotten objective of economic justice and everything that entailed. This multiracial campaign also shed lights on the interdependent relationship between racial identity and political coalition among African Americans and Mexican Americans. While the fight against poverty held great potential for Black-Latino cooperation, such efforts also exposed the complex dynamics between the nation’s two largest minority groups.

Presenter Gordon K. Mantler is Executive Director of the University Writing Program and Associate Professor of Writing and of History at the George Washington University. Mantler has taught writing and history since 2006 at GW, Duke University, and Guilford College in North Carolina. Since 1999, Mantler has specialized in the history and rhetoric of 20th century social justice movements and the African American and Latino experience in the United States, as well as public, oral, and film history. He has received numerous awards and grants, including financial support from the Mellon Foundation, the American Council of Learned Societies, the Black Metropolis Research Consortium, and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library.



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