This Week in History- April 21st – April 27th

(2000s – Present) Leading Change: Earth Day Every Day, 2015

 

Earth Day takes place every year on April 22nd, and has for decades been a day for people to get outside and help Mother Nature. Many communities will come together to plant trees or pick up trash alongside the highways to celebrate. One writer at The Times Record, published in Fort Smith, Arkansas, applauded the efforts of Earth Day, but raised the idea of making every day Earth Day. By this, they don’t mean that every day needs to be full of organized events and tree planting. Instead, they encourage people to take these sustainable activities and initiatives daily.

Pick up trash when you see it, not just on a specific day, or turn off the water from your sink while you brush your teeth. By making these little changes every day, the impact of Earth Day can continue longer than just a day. I think this is a great idea, and we can make many small changes every day to benefit the environment. After all, the earth is our only home, and we should take care of it like it takes care of us. 

(1980s – 2000s) Ship Ya Later, Alligator: No Alligator Mail, 1989

 

You’ve heard of snail mail, but have you ever thought about alligator mail? If not, it’s probably a good thing, because on April 26th, 1989, the Concordia Sentinel in Ferriday, Louisiana, informed its readers that the shipping of live alligators was to be prohibited. This includes any international shipping of live alligators or alligator eggs from Louisiana. The decision was made by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission to protect both Louisiana and international ecosystems. The decision did not come from a lack of alligators in Louisiana to share; in fact, their populations have been managed through an annual harvest season to keep ecosystems under control. Instead, they expressed concern that allowing alligator shipping practices could lead to confusion about federal trade regulations. They also advised that introducing alligators in non-native environments could lead to an ecological disaster. Alligators are considered apex predators and would easily become an invasive species if introduced elsewhere, potentially wiping out entire ecosystems and populations of animals. So if you were hoping to send your love in the form of a live alligator, maybe think of another idea!

(1945 – 1980s) Survey Says: Pocatello Family on Family Feud, 1979

 

Have you ever dreamed of being on a television game show like Family Feud? This dream came true for a family in Pocatello, Idaho, in 1979. On April 27th, The Idaho State Journal announced that the Ioannide Family would be competing on one of the most popular tv game shows of all time. Family Feud is a game where two teams compete against each other, guessing the most popular answers of a survey taken. Being on the show had been a dream of the mom Candy’s for three years, and after taking it upon herself to call the producer in charge of casting families, they were picked! They shared that to prepare for the game, they would be playing the board game version of it until they had to leave to film. I tried my best to find out if they won, but couldn’t track down any mentions of their family on the show. There were also no follow-ups in the paper about their performance, so their time on Family Feud remains a mystery to me. The most I could find about the family was that in the years after the family feud article, they welcomed two babies into their family. Maybe one day we will see these kids on Family Feud, and can finally get the full story!

By April 1943, the United States had fully entered World War II. Just under a year before, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which caused the forced relocation of Japanese Americans into internment camps. This decision was sparked by the perceived national security threat they may have had after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Despite many of these Japanese Americans being fully integrated into the rest of American society, sometimes portraying even greater patriotism than their white counterparts, they were forced into camps simply for their ancestry. It wasn’t until the end of the war that the internment camps where they were forced to relocate to were closed down. 
Despite this discrimination, many Japanese Americans still fought in the United States military and helped with the war effort. While their efforts were applauded, they still weren’t seen as equal, and this is something I noticed was demonstrated within the pages of The Jerome North Side News published in Jerome, Idaho, on April 22nd, 1943. On page 6, in the center, you will find a poster promoting US war bonds, encouraging people to purchase them to support their efforts abroad. Below, they included a short biography of the poster’s artist, a 19-year-old Japanese American named Eddie Sato. Eddie’s poster was one of three entries he made for the National Defense poster contest being sponsored by his local Japanese American Citizens League. Eddie Sato, along with his father and younger brother, were forced to ‘relocate’ to Camp Harmony. Even though they had been kicked out of their homes, Eddie still shared his dream of joining the military so he could fight for the American allied cause. His commitment to helping his country was applauded in the pages of the newspaper.

However, on page 12, the discriminatory rhetoric about Japanese Americans returned. The news thought it crucial to announce that the War Relocation Administration was not in fact purchasing land to relocate “loyal Japanese”. Apparently, the very idea that the government is purchasing land for Japanese Americans is causing great concern locally. Many feared that allowing groups of ‘loyal Japanese’ to move in would still cause trouble, misunderstandings, and distress. They were very relieved to learn that instead the land was being offered for sale to caucasian landowners, who could then rent to Japanese farmers at their discretion. 

I think that this dissonance is one of the most interesting parts of researching history, because you have the foresight to know the kinds of biases happening, allowing them to become clearer. Many would celebrate Japanese Americans if they were actively helping the United States, but then disregard them the second they were done. This is not to say that all Americans discriminate against Japanese Americans; rather, simply to point out that the language we use has real effects on the stories we tell, and that groups can be represented in so many different ways while their struggles are ignored. 

For our last story, we are going to end on a lighter note, with something that doesn’t seem quite newsworthy in this day and age, but made the front page of The Elgin Advocate on April 23rd, 1887. I think it’s safe to say we have all experienced a time when our focus was distracted by the chatter of a nearby group. Most of us will just tune them out, put headphones in, or move somewhere else rather than confront them. However, a man simply referred to as “the president” reportedly lost his temper with them and ordered the doorkeeper of his reception in Washington City to kick them out if they didn’t quiet down. Despite my best efforts, it wasn’t clear who the president in this story was, but I am inclined to believe it could have been President Grover Cleveland. The story comes from Washington City, which was how Washington, DC was commonly referred to at that time, and Cleveland was the president in 1887. While Cleaveland does not have a reputation for being short-tempered, he was known to be a hard-working individual, and it seems plausible that he could have been frustrated by reporters who weren’t doing their job. Either way, this ‘president’ was annoyed with them, but managed to get them to turn down the volume without having to be kicked out. 

I hope you learned something new this week, I know I did! Join me again next week to discover more of history’s hidden gems and timeless tales.