This article reports on the findings of a study of college presidents released by the American Council on Education. Although more members of minority groups and women lead higher-education institutions today than in the past, the study shows the rate of diversification in the president's office has been slow, particularly since the late 1990s.…

This article starts with the view that most poets believe that poetry should be understandable and accessible to everyone. The article then introduces the poetry and ideas of Ted Kooser, a famous poet born in Iowa. Following the stories of Ted Kooser, the article introduces what a poet laureate is, how long they serve, how they are chosen, how…

"Lessons in American Music," by Debra Kay Robinson Lindsay, is a collection of lessons covering William Billings, Stephen Foster, Scott Joplin, and "The Star-Spangled Banner." This book is an all-in-one resource for teachers, offering lesson plans, activities, sheet music, and assessments. The set of lessons on William Billings will let your…

Kunkel and Dennis (2003) established a framework for the examination of contemporary eulogia drawn from the comforting and social support paradigms found in psychology and communication literatures. Dennis and Kunkel (2004) applied the framework to eulogies for fallen national heroes (e.g., victims of terrorism and space shuttle astronauts)…

The odyssey of the Lewis and Clark Expedition continues to capture the hearts of those who love tales of adventure and unknown lands. In light of the bicentennial celebration that began in 2003 and continued through 2006, the popularity and aggrandizement of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and their Corps of Discovery has never been greater.…

America's reputation abroad has never been so abysmal. That is the inescapable conclusion of countless books, newspaper and magazine articles, and public-opinion polls that have documented the growth of anti-Americanism during the Bush administration. Yet outside Europe and the Middle East, the loathing for Bush and the bitterness toward America…

This article presents an interview with 38-year-old writer Matthew Tobin Anderson. In the interview, Anderson talks about his experiences, passion for writing, teenage interests, and his relation to the distinguished writer Mark Twain. He also states the importance of liberty and what it takes to be a patriot and a loyalist. Furthermore, Matthew…

Drawing on a range of sources in the history of play, this article discusses how play for all ages mirrors social change, especially but not exclusively in America. The article explores three broad themes from colonial times to the present: first, how play was shaped by changes in work and time at work; second, how play activities were transformed…

This article discusses the degree to which early childhood practitioners in the United States attend to cultural differences and social injustice in their pedagogy, with a particular reference to indigenous peoples. The article has three major sections. The first describes an indigenous perspective regarding "improvement" and "quality" with…

This article explores the scholarship of Asa G. Hilliard III on the theme of student academic and cultural excellence and the development of teachers. Throughout his career, Hilliard questioned the nation's commitment to ensuring the academic success of all children. The premise "Do we have the will to educate all children?" is reflected…

This article provides a conceptualization for including African and African American history in early childhood classrooms. An example of a kindergarten teacher's efforts to counter negative depictions and frequently omitted information in her classroom is shared. While many early childhood educators avoid discussions of history because the…

This study investigated social studies achievement as a result of utilizing a multimedia-based American history software program (Ignite Early American History, 2003) to augment textbook and lecture materials for seventh-grade middle school history students in an ethnically and linguistically diverse urban school district. The instructional…

The United States' civil rights history provided the impetus for changes in schools regarding multicultural education. However, definitions and theoretical perspectives of multicultural education remain convoluted. No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the legislation in place purported to equalize achievement, and the National Council for the…

This essay explores factors creating Missouri's minimum attendance laws for black students from the end of the Civil War to the enactment of compulsory education in the state in 1905. It argues that, although blacks made notable efforts at educational advancement, they were caught in a crossfire of opposing forces stemming from wartime…

Few scholars have achieved the level of recognition and respect among the wider public as Howard Zinn. This should not come as a surprise, given the "unconventional" ways that Zinn embodied and enacted his scholarship. He often took his teaching and writing into those seemingly restricted spaces of popular protest, converting words into…