Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement in the Jewish calendar, begins today at sundown and concludes tomorrow at sundown. This “Sabbath of Sabbaths” is spent fasting, praying, and meditating. Children could read Days of Awe: Stories for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, by Eric A. Kimmel.
Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan began the voyage that would take his ship around the world in 1519. He left Spain with five ships and around 265 men. He died before the voyage was over, but the ship Vittoria and about eighteen men did complete the journey on September 6, 1522. Children could read Who Was Ferdinand Magellan? by S. A. Kramer.
Walking Purchase
Walking Purchase in Pennsylvania was completed in 1737. William Penn maintained friendly relationships with the Native Americans who lived in the territory granted to him by the king. However, his sons, John Penn and Thomas Penn, were not so amicable. They produced a document that stated they were entitled to land starting around Easton, Pennsylvania, that a man could walk to in a day and a half. The Lenape figured a man could cover about 40 miles in that time period. However, John and Thomas hired three men to run the distance. The “walk” started on September 19. When the “walk” was concluded on September 20, the Penn sons claimed 1,200,000 acres. The Lenape were outraged, but the Penn family pressed their claim. Children could learn more at: Walking Purchase.
Miska Petersham (born near Budapest, Hungary, 1888; died May 15, 1960) was, with his wife Maud, an early pioneer in children’s literature. They illustrated more than 60 books written by other authors. Then they began writing and illustrating their own works (about 100 books). They received a 1942 Caldecott Honor Award for An American ABC and then the 1946 Caldecott Medal for The Rooster Crows. Children could learn more at: Miska Petersham.
Upton Sinclair (born Baltimore, Maryland, 1878; died Bound Brook, New Jersey, November 25, 1968) was a novelist. One of his most well-known books is The Jungle. Older children can read many of his books, including The Jungle, at: Project Gutenberg.
Angie Thomas (born Jackson, Mississippi, 1988) has written at least four books for young adults. Her book the The Hate U Give received numerous awards, including a 2018 Coretta Scott King Honor Award and a 2018 Michael L. Printz Honor Award. Children can learn more at: Angie Thomas.
Dorothy Vaughan (born Kansas City, Missouri, 1910; died Hampton, Virginia, November 10, 2008) was one of the first Black female mathematicians and human computers to work for NASA. She taught herself FORTRAN and was one of the first Black supervisors of computer programming. She was featured in the film Hidden Figures. Children can learn more at: Dorothy Vaughan.
Zero Emissions Day is today! The day reminds us to try to be free of fossil fuels; it also suggests we try to use alternative energy sources, such as wind power and solar energy. Ken Wallace in Nova Scotia, Canada, founded the day in 2008 when he created a website to commemorate the day. Basically his plan was to “give the planet a day off.” Idea: Children could walk or bike instead of ride in cars.
International Day of Peace is sponsored by the United Nations. Created in 1981, the event calls on all factions to cease fire. This year’s theme is “End racism. Build peace.” Children could learn more at: http://internationaldayofpeace.org/.
Flag of Belize
Belize celebrates Independence Day. It left British rule in 1981, but it is still part of the British Commonwealth. This small country (slightly smaller than the state of Massachusetts) is located on the northeastern coast of Central America. Tourism is the most important contributor to the economy. Around 340,000 people live in Belize, and Belmopan is the capital.
Flag of Malta
Malta celebrates Independence Day. In 1964 it broke away from the United Kingdom. The area of the islands, located in the Mediterranean Sea, is a bit less than twice the size of Washington, DC. Much of its economy is based on tourism and shipping. Over 400,000 people consider Malta home, and Valletta is the capital. Children could learn more at: Malta.
Flag of Armenia
Armenia celebrates Independence Day. It broke away from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1991. Located in the Middle East, Armenia dates its history back to the sixth century BC. This landlocked country is a bit smaller than the state of Maryland. Almost three million people live in Armenia, and Yerevan is the capital. Children could learn more at: Armenia.
National Museum of the American Indian opened on the National Mall, Washington, DC, in 2004. Children can visit its website at: http://www.nmai.si.edu/.