Pearl Harbor Day

Today, December 7, 2011 is the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was a day that changed the nation as a whole and Americans as individuals. It shook the nation up much as another attack on the United States did in 2001. Whatever your political views on the attack on Pearl Harbor (did the President know it was coming? Was it a well conceived plot to get us into the war?) it is a good time to sit back and remember what we lost and gained as a nation and as individuals.

It is also a time to give your thanks to those that served the nation in the years that followed that attack. Many of those people have passed on, and that generation will soon be gone. If you are still lucky enough to know a veteran of that war, now is a good time to sit down and talk and listen to their story. I have been privileged to know men and women who served in that war, including some Pearl Harbor and Bataan survivors, Marines who served in the South Pacific and dearest to me of all, my father who was an Army Aircorps veteran. Take a moment and remember this important day in our history.

by KS @LF

From a different perspective

I've always loved history, but as much as I read about it, dates and places don't always stick in my head. What I like about history are the stories, and part of me feels that no matter what time and location these stories took place in, there's something about the best stories of history that we can all relate to.

Another way of looking at history is through objects and artifacts. Museums of all stripes specialize and excel at presenting a physical retelling of a story, whether its of art, technology, eating, music, or growing up. While we have exceptional museums here in Santa Fe, it's also neat to see how other museums tell the human story.

The British Museum and the BBC have collaborated on A History of the World, a timeline using objects from as long ago as 2 million years ago to the present day. You can swoop through the timeline on a grand scale, or filter the objects by limits such as location, culture, and material. You can even limit by color, in case you want to gauge the popularity of purple throughout the ages. When you find objects of interest, you can click and get more information about the society and times that formed it.

While this site might not be the most useful if your history project is due tomorrow morning, it's a fantastic way to explore a certain time period, civilization, or just all of human history at once. You might even find yourself remembering some of those dates as well!

Image is Stone handaxe from Pontnewydd Cave, Denbighshire. © Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales

Thanks to the Santa Fe Community College Library for the tip about this great resource!

True Brit Book Signing

Artemesia Publishing is proud to announce the release of its tenth book in print and Rosemary Zibart's first installment of the Far and Away series, True Brit: Beatrice, 1940, about young people displaced and relocated during World War II.

What would it be like for an English girl to come from rainy, war-torn England in 1940 and arrive in sunny bohemian Santa Fe? In True Brit: Beatrice, 1940, a spoiled English girl, Beatrice Sims, comes to Santa Fe to live with a practical, hard-working nurse, Clementine Pope. At first, the twelve-year-old hates the dusty little town, and is accused of being “faceta” – stuck up. But soon Beatrice makes friends with goofy Arabella, develops a crush on handsome Esteban, aids Ana, a shy Indian girl, and learns that she has more courage and ability than she ever imagined.

Join Artemesia Publishing and Ms. Zibart for a book signing and special presentation of book excerpts on Sunday, October 30 from 2-4 pm as part of the Dia de los Cuentos (Day of Stories) at the Santa Fe Children's Museum on 1050 Old Pecos Trail. Admission is free with museum entry.

For more information, call 505-603-2656.

How women won the vote

Few people know the term “Iron jawed angels” or to whom it refers, but it is a testament to strong women and about one of the most compelling times in America. My mother could have told you as she first got to vote at 21, the year after the women’s right to vote amendment was passed, and never missed voting the rest of her life. She got the vote because of these brave women.

Who were the iron-jawed angels? Just women. Just like your mother, grandmother and sisters. Just women who gave up a lot to get the vote. Many people do not even know that women were not allowed to vote until the Constitution was amended—and it did not come easily.

There are protests today against Wall Street and banks, but this protest was for basic rights for women and it was not pretty. Few today know of the brutal tactics that were taken toward mothers, grandmothers and young women in their fight for the Vote.

A group of women picketed the White House and were defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for carrying signs asking for the vote.

On November 15, 1917 they were arrested and by the end of the night, they were barely alive. Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'

They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.

They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.

Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror', when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote. For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it worse than pig slop--was infested with worms.

When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.

In the new HBO movie, Iron Jawed Angels, a reporter stated that it was jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy. The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'

The 19th Amendment passed in 1920—New Mexico was the thirty-second state to ratify it.

So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because…? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work? Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining? If nothing else, vote because of Alice Paul, Lucy Burns and Dora Lewis. It is the least we can do to honor them.

By PCH at Main. With thanks to HBO.


Photo of Alice Paul courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Santa Fe 400 and Still Counting

A Presentation By
City of Santa Fe Historian José Garcia

Thursday, August 25
6:30 - 7:30 pm
Main Library Community Room
145 Washington Ave.

Santa Fe has recently finished the formal commemoration of its founding and, to continue the theme of the Culture, History and Traditions, Santa Fe's first ever City Historian will present a special approach to these three elements that make the City Different a choice destination for visitors from all over.

José Garcia will mention persons that were active during the Colonial, Territorial and present era along with events that helped form the character of today's Santa Fe.

As a Northern New Mexico historian and genealogist, Mr. Garcia has researched the history of New Mexico extensively. He is particularly well-versed in the history of Santa Fe from the colonial era to the present and has completed research in local archives as well as archives in Spain.

This program is free and open to the public.

Brownbag Lectures!

The wildly popular Brainpower & Brownbags lecture series sponsored by the Fray Angélico Chávez History Library starts its new season on Wednesday, July 13 at noon. These free lectures are now being held in the New Mexico History Museum's Meem Community Room, but you should still get there early if you want a seat. Enter the Museum at 120 Washington Ave., and feed your brain while feeding your belly!



Can't make it to the lecture of your choice? The Library has audio recordings of older lectures on this site, and videos from 2011 onward. For more information, contact the Fray Angélico Chávez History Library at 505-476-5090 or email historylibrary@state.nm.us

Rescheduled: Van of Enchantment at Main

Due to mechanical difficulties, the Van of Enchantment from the New Mexico History Museum is cancelled for Thursday, June 9, at Main Library. It has been rescheduled for Tuesday, August 2, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

You can also catch the Van of Enchantment at:

Southside Library
6599 Jaguar Dr.
Tuesday, June 14
10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Please check our Summer Reading page for a full schedule of children's activities!

Van of Enchantment

The traveling museum known as the Van of Enchantment will be visiting the Santa Fe Public Library over the next few weeks. The current exhibit is Riding the Rails, exploring both the Santa Fe Trail and the railroads and their effect on New Mexico's development. Exploring the Van of Enchantment is free, open to all ages, and you don't need to register.

The Van will be in the parking lots of the respective libraries between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. The Van will be closed for the lunch hour midday at each location.

The dates of the Van's visit are:

La Farge Library
1730 Llano St.
Tuesday, June 7

Main Library
145 Washington Ave.
Thursday, June 9

Southside Library
6599 Jaguar Dr.
Tuesday, June 14

Primary Sources

Last week, the New Mexico State Library Facebook page asked some interesting questions about the first governor of the New Mexico Territory, Charles Bent. The Santa Fe Public Library, aka me, was the only one to attempt the answer to their questions. I won't step on their toes in the local history quiz category, but I will share where I got the (correct) answers from. Hint: I didn't get them from reading a book or article about Charles Bent.

For years, Taos, NM, has been one of my favorite locations for both weekend mini-cations and day trips. There's always a lot of art, culture, poetry, cuisine, history, and natural beauty to explore up there. On my last visit, I did the double-whammy of visiting Kit Carson's house and Charles Bent's house on the same day. While the two men were quite related in their time, their homes and how history is currently presenting them could not be any more different. Mr. Carson's house is more of a hands-off museum, with the information about his life carefully edited and doled out. Mr. Bent's house is more of a jumble, a warts-and-all presentation about a still-controversial figure. I learned more about New Mexico history and culture in that juxtaposed museum day than I had in more than a dozen years of residency and study.

If you're looking for an incredibly entertaining and educational way to spend a day, I highly recommend visiting both places in Taos, with a tasty lunch between the two. It will not only give you a lot of food for thought, but hopefully it will give me some healthy competition in local history quizzes.

Portrait of Charles Bent from Find A Grave.

Poetry is not a luxury...

With political revolutions currently sweeping many parts of the world, I'm reminded of another revolution that occurred almost a century ago. In the week after Easter in 1916, a revolt in Dublin, Ireland, started. While many people refer to it as the Easter Rising, others refer to it as the Poets' Rebellion, due to the six poets and writers who were its leaders, including Patrick Pearse and James Connolly. It was a different world, where poetry was not merely acknowledged for one month each year.

The uprising was not popular among the Irish people, and was put down somewhat easily in a week. While not a stellar example of either military strategy or political statesmanship, the Easter Rising has inspired some fantastic literature and cinema. Roddy Doyle's A Star Called Henry is a humorous and heart-breaking fictional portrayal of a typical soldier on the Irish side. Leon Uris's lengthy Trinity also covers this period of Irish history. The independent film, The Wind that Shakes the Barley, should not be attempted without a box of tissues handy.

But the masterpiece that came from the Poets' Rebellion is itself a poem by W. B. Yeats. It expresses all the ambivalence and sorrow of the Rising and that period of Irish history. Like Ireland, Yeats poignantly expresses how his contradictory feelings tear him apart. The text can be found here, but hearing it is highly recommended:



Having trouble with the video? Click here.

Roots and Branches

The popular TV show Who Do You Think You Are? seeks to find the family tree for various celebrities. Fun as it is to watch and find out that Ashley Judd’s gr-gr-gr-gr-gr grandfather came to America on the Mayflower, or that Brooke Shields is related to the French King Louis the 14th, searching your own family tree can be even more interesting.

Recently a staff person at the Library found out her gr-gr-gr grandfather Donaciano Vigil had been the Governor of the New Mexico Territory from 1847-8. Another Library staffer is the gr-gr-gr granddaughter of LeBaron Bradford Prince, another New Mexico Territorial Governor, 1889 to 1893. Both Governors were active in ensuring the status of New Mexico in the American nation and serving the Territory.

Governor Vigil was the first Hispanic governor of the Territory. He personally took on the preservation of historical records and made it his cause to preserve New Mexico history. His first speech to the Territorial Legislature emphasized, “And it is particularly important in a country where the right of suffrage is accorded and secured to all, that all should be instructed and that every one should be able to read to inform himself of the passing events of the day…” That must be in the genes, living proof of his heritage is in the Library where his gr-gr-gr granddaughter works. While this time period may seem like distant history, the Vigil home is still standing on Alto Street today. Although we can’t discern a likeness to the staff person’s children, Vigil has a pleasant, determined countenance in the photo found online.

My gr-gr-gr grandfather was in the Revolutionary War, and his father and uncles are listed in the rolls of the Connecticut military in the French and Indian War, which predates the American Revolution. All of that came from one online search for Thaddeus Bow. Now my grandfather John Wilson is a much harder search—he might as well be called John Smith, a name that is not distinctive. However I had enough information to find his Civil War records. He served in the Michigan 13th Volunteers, Company B, and had joined up as a 17 year old. His regiment was in the March to the Sea with Sherman. (Yes, that was my grandfather, not great-grandfather or great-great-grandfather.) As the Civil War started 150 years ago in April, that is a particularly important date to relate to.

Who is hiding in your family genealogy? Maybe not presidents and princes and governors will be found. But the information on the relatives who worked day after day to feed their families and just do their jobs are just as important; maybe just not as glamorous. Although the Santa Fe Public Library does not have funds to lease the genealogy Ancestry.com database, it is available free to all at the NM State Library. To get started on your own, just Google the oldest relative you know of in your family and the more unusual the name the better. You will be amazed at what can be found.

by PCH @Main

A Somber Anniversary

This past month, I've taken time off work without worrying that my job wouldn't be mine when I came back. I've been able to see my nieces and nephews while they were on their spring break from school, instead of spending their teen years working in a factory. I've had work-free weekends to catch up on errands, chores, and hobbies. Many of my friends and family also enjoy things such as sick leave and safe working conditions.

I wish I could say that these workplace standards erupted spontaneously over the years as the hallmarks of an advanced and humane society. However, the sad truth is that most protections have been fought for bitterly since the Industrial Revolution, and this struggle is not without its martyrs. Today is the one hundredth anniversary of the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. The incident of March 25, 1911, is the "deadliest workplace accident in New York City’s history" with 146 casualties, many of them teenage girls sewing blouses in a factory to support or supplement their families' income.

Two years earlier in 1909, the Triangle Factory workers were leaders in an effort to unite the employees of all the city's garment factories, leading to a lengthy strike of 20-30,000 workers. As a result of the strike, employees at other factories were granted improvements in hours, wages, and conditions, and the right to form unions for collective bargaining. The Triangle workers earned modest gains in wages and conditions, but their union was not recognized by the factory owners.

While labor reforms were already on the national radar at this time, the horror of the Triangle Fire enabled the general public to understand the plight of factory workers and the need for basic worker protections. Thankfully, many of these protections have not only survived these last hundred years, but more have been added in that time. OSHA, FMLA, worker's compensation, unemployment insurance, and discrimination and harassment protections are things that the workers of the Triangle factory hadn't even dreamed of.

Would you like to find out more about this pivotal moment in United States history? The PBS series, American Experience, has an excellent page with an hour-long film that is a must-see. Cornell University's site, Remembering the Triangle Factory Fire, has timelines, interviews, photographs, and commemorative events. The Santa Fe Public Library has several books and films for different age levels about the fire, and many novels have been written about this event as well.

If nothing else, take a moment today to ponder this avoidable tragedy, and be thankful for the protections it gave us.

Photo of Triangle Fire Coffins courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

He's a character, alright!

Several years ago, a co-worker suggested that I blog about Charles Lummis around his birthday, March 1. I knew a couple of catchphrases about him: writer, librarian, editor, Indian Rights activist. March can be a busy month in Libraryland, so the poor guy has been languishing in my to-do file since then.

After reading a few brief histories of this extraordinary man and his work, I'm glad to finally catch up with him. Born in 1859, in Lynn, Massachusetts, Lummis' life stands out from many of the stories about Yankees who made their way West at that time. For one thing, he walked out here. Yes, when given a job as a reporter for the nascent Los Angeles Times, he decided to take a stroll from Cincinnati and write about his travels along the way. It was on this tramp that he fell in love with New Mexico, despite almost freezing to death in a snowstorm.

The rest of his life was spent divided among Los Angeles, travel, and San Mateo and Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico. As a Yankee who also migrated out West—with the help of modern transportation— I can't help but be entertained by this character. I don't want to give anything else away about this extraordinary man, so I'll just point you to some sources if you're intruigued:

• New Mexico Office of the State Historian: Charles F. Lummis
• Charles Fletcher Lummis, 'Apostle of the Southwest,' 1859-1928
• Library Books about Charles Fletcher Lummis
• Library Books written by Charles Fletcher Lummis

Santa Fe: 400 Years??

A Presentation By City of Santa Fe Historian Jose Garcia

Thursday, March 3
7:00 pm
Main Library Community Room
145 Washington Ave.

Do we really assume that 2010 was Santa Fe’s 400th Anniversary? Jose Garcia will present his own special approach to the telling of Santa Fe’s long and fascinating history in his second presentation at the Santa Fe Public Library as City Historian. The presentation will feature the persons that played special roles in creating the history that has made Santa Fe the City Different.

Some of those personalities include Juan de Oñate, Juan Martinez y Montoya and Cristobal de Oñate.

As a Northern New Mexico historian and genealogist, Mr. Garcia has researched the history of New Mexico extensively. He is particularly well-versed in the history of Santa Fe from the colonial era to the present and has completed research in local archives as well as archives in Spain.

This program is free and open to the public.

Santa Fe: From the Beginning

A Presentation by City of Santa Fe Historian Jose Garcia

Thursday, October 14, 2010
7:00 pm
Main Library Community Room
145 Washington Ave.

More than a decade before Plymouth Colony was settled by the Mayflower Pilgrims, Santa Fe, New Mexico was established with a small cluster of European type dwellings. A number of cultures played key roles in Santa Fe's development: Native Americans who settled long before 1610, Hispanic, European and African Americans of diverse backgrounds. The influences from these groups have contributed to make Santa Fe one of the most diverse and culturally rich communities anywhere.

Now as it is commemorating its 400th Anniversary, Santa Fe has selected Jose Garcia as its first official City Historian. Join Mr. Garcia as he presents his own special approach to the telling of Santa Fe’s long and fascinating history.

As a Northern New Mexico historian and genealogist, Mr. Garcia has researched the history of New Mexico extensively. He is particularly well-versed in the history of Santa Fe from the colonial era to the present and has completed research in local archives as well as archives in Spain.

This event is free and open to the public.

New Mexico State Fair

We are about to celebrate and enjoy our State Fair this September 10-26 …. so here’s a bit of its early history.

The inaugural fair opened October 3, 1881, ran for five days, and was termed “New Mexico Agricultural, Mineral and Industrial Exposition.” Originally, the fairgrounds were located at what's now Rio Grande Boulevard and Central Avenue in Albuquerque. Exhibits consisted of fruits, vegetables, wines, liquors, harnesses, hardware, sewing machines, furniture, shoes, boots, crafts, paintings, photography, taxidermy, minerals, Indian pottery and jewelry, cigars, tobaccos, stock pens, horse track and refreshments.

The next year, the Fair was renamed “New Mexico Exposition and Driving Park Association” and included a three-ring circus, a four-mile foot race by Zuni Indians, and the Republican Territorial Convention. Baseball, which was quickly becoming the national pastime, was also showcased at the fair.

Over the ensuing years, the area was flooded when the Rio Grande overflowed; more than one unsuccessful attempt at hot air ballooning transpired; varieties of agriculture increased; gambling flourished along with burglaries and bar brawls. A few notable celebrities who have performed over the years include: Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Trigger, Arthur Godfrey, Andy Griffith, Red Skelton, Pat Boone, Andy Williams, Clint Eastwood, Oak Ridge Boys, Barbara Mandrell, George Strait, Reba McEntire, the Beach Boys, Huey Lewis, Bob Hope, Brooks & Dunn, Martina McBride, and Tim McGraw.

If this has piqued your interest, call any of our information specialists for facts from the fair’s past and for information on this year’s extravaganza. You also can go to the New Mexico State Fair website!

by VB @SS

400th Anniversary Time Capsule

The Main Library welcomed the 400th Anniversary Time Capsule to the Library on September 2, 2010. The 3 x 3 foot steel container will be on display at the Main Library, 145 Washington Avenue, until September 16th in the Southwest Room.

The capsule was delivered to the Library by Fire Chief Barbara Salas and The 400th Committee head Maurice Bonal. A contingent of fire fighters escorted the box into the Library. They were welcomed by Library Director Patricia Hodapp who provided a library card for placement in the time capsule. The library card has the tinwork art of Jimmy Romero on the card, which was particularly appropriate as Mr. Romero passed away in August.

The public can make recommendations for items to be placed in the time capsule by filling out a form which will be available at the Main Library until September 16.

The children’s staff were photographed with some of the SF Firefighters prior to the arrival of the time capsule:

Fur, Fortune, and Empire:

The Epic History of the Fur Trade in America

A Presentation by Eric Jay Dolin

Sponsored by the New Mexico History Museum and the Santa Fe Public Library

Wednesday, August 18, 2010
12:00 - 1:30 pm
Meem Room
New Mexico History Museum
113 Lincoln Ave.

From the establishment of the first trading posts by the Dutch East India Co. to the dissolution of the American Fur company and the near destruction of the buffalo, Eric Jay Dolin shows us in Fur, Fortune, and Empire: The Epic History of the Fur Trade in America how the fur trade was one of the key motivating forces in the imperial struggle for the colonies, and later the driving inspiration for America’s westward expansion.

Eric Jay Dolin’s previous book, Leviathan: The History of Whaling in America, was chosen by the Los Angeles Times and the Boston Globe as one of the best books of 2007.

This event is free and open to the public.

Celebrating the Bicentennial of Margaret Fuller:

A Presentation By Michael Barnett

Thursday, August 5, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
Main Library Community Room
145 Washington Ave.

Margaret Fuller (May 23, 1810 – July 19, 1850) was an American journalist, critic, and women's rights advocate associated with Emerson, Thoreau, and the American transcendentalism movement. Her book Woman in the Nineteenth Century is considered the first major feminist work in the United States, and today she’s considered one of the guiding lights of the first-wave of feminism.

The Bicentennial hopes to raise awareness of Margaret Fuller, so that her story may inspire people of all ages to think independently, express their thoughts clearly, defend their convictions with courage, learn through dialogue and the free exchange of opinions, believe in the equality of all people, and be open to change.

Michael Barnett works as a theologian, educator, and teaching artist/poet. For nine years, Michael has spoken and taught on the Transcendentalists in Unitarian Universalist and liberal churches in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and New Mexico. His article, "The Awesome Pen of Sarah Margaret Fuller", was published in the Winter 2010 issue of the Universalist Herald.

This event is free and open to the public.

Daguerreotype of Margaret Fuller by John Plumbe, 1846

Historical Project

for the San Miguel Church (Mission Church)

On Old Santa Fe Trail, just south of DeVargas Street, sits the San Miguel Church, also known as the Mission Church. This past year the Church has begun a renovation—much of it done by volunteers. Currently volunteers are making adobe bricks and also putting clay on walls—not the easiest job in 90 plus degrees, as my husband can tell you. Each brick consists of sand and straw, mixed to just the right proportions with water. Then the adobe is hauled in wheelbarrows to the adobe forms. There the adobe is pressed in, all by hand of course, and checked for any gaps. After the first drying, the brinks must be inspected for cracks, and if okay, are turned over to dry evenly. Oh, did I tell you each brick weighs about 40 lbs?

Coordinated by Cornerstones Community Partnerships, they work to preserve architectural heritage of community traditions in New Mexico and the Southwest. If you haven’t visited the Church, take time this summer for a tour. Often Brother Lester will be there to tell you of all the historical artifacts on the walls and altar and the ghosts that have been observed. A beam in the ceiling is carved with the date of 1598.

Better, sign up for a stint helping to preserve this amazing Mission—they have volunteers in their teens to seniors, so you have no excuse. And if you've ever wanted to learn how to make adobe bricks, this is your opportunity! Be a part of history — volunteer.


Photo on top: volunteer on scaffold - - Photo on bottom: Interior from 1880

by PCH @Main
Photos courtesy of Cornerstones Community Partnerships