unhistorical:

September 25, 1957: Little Rock Central High School is integrated.

In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in the monumental case Brown v. Board of Education that separate but equal facilities are “inherently unequal”, setting down the legal foundation for the end of de jure segregation. The actual integration of schools, however, would not be achieved by a simple court ruling. 

Three years after the Brown v. Board decision, nine black students (a group known as the Little Rock Nine) attempted to enroll in Central High after the Little Rock School District completed its plan for the integration of its schools. Although the school board of Little Rock agreed to comply with the decisions of the federal courts, Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus, reportedly a moderate who adopted a more hardline position to win the support of staunch segregationists, ordered the state National Guard to block the students from entering the high school; they were accompanied by crowds of protesters, who jeered the students as they attempted to attend school. Elizabeth Eckford (pictured in the bottom photograph in one of many iconic images of the Civil Rights movement), who was fifteen at the time, describes a moment as she walked through the chaos:

I tried to see a friendly face somewhere in the crowd—someone who maybe could help. I looked into the face of an old woman and it seemed a kind face, but when I looked at her again, she spat on me.

Grace Lorch, a white teacher who attempted to protect Eckford from the crowd, later faced bomb threats and harassment because of her actions. Lorch was one of the two white individuals who attempted to help Eckford, the other being Benjamin Fine, a reporter for The New York Times.  

Governor Faubus, when asked about the conflict between the state and Federal authorities, replied that he was not defying Federal court orders but merely “carrying out [his] obligation to preserve the peace”. The school remained blocked by troops until the mayor of Little Rock requested assistance from President Eisenhower, who placed the Arkansas National Guard under federal control and sent Army troops to escort the students to school (Executive Order 10730). On September 25, the Little Rock Nine were admitted to the high school. But even after their admittance, they faced a constant stream of verbal and even physical abuse - one girl had acid thrown in her face; another was expelled after fighting back against her abusers. 

(via chocolatehighhh)

Boss-Through and Through

Mayor Tom Kane played by Kelsey Grammer.

Ian Todd played by Jonathan Groff.

fuckyeahfamousblackgirls:

Kerry Washington in the photo booth at the 2012 Emmy Awards

The Women of My DREAMS!!!!!!! 

(via ashleybabycakes90)

(via mac--ry23-deactivated20130529)

thepoliticalnotebook:

It’s the anniversary of the Occupy movement, a movement which I made an effort to document over the course of this year through photography submissions from people who had witnessed or participated in rallies and protests across the US (and even across the pond, I received a few Occupy Londons, an Occupy Bristol, and even an Occupy Dublin). Above are just a handful of the photographs I collected from people. If you want to see the full collection, it’s housed here on The Political Notebook and also here on Pinterest. 

Here are some longreads, old and new, on Occupy, its origins and its future.

• “Inside Occupy Wall Street.” By Jeff Sharlet for Rolling Stone. 10 Nov. 2011.
• ”’We Are the 99 Percent’ Creators Revealed.” Interview by Adam Weinstein for Mother Jones. 7 Oct. 2011.
• “Occupy Year Two.” By Nick Pinto for the Village Voice. 29 Aug. 2012.

Photos: [1] Occupy Philadelphia Day 59. Eviction protests. Michael Albany. [2] Zuccotti Park. Fall 2011. Jack Massey. [3] UC Davis. Pepper spray cop. Brian Nguyen. [4] Occupy London, October 2011. Tahlia Hein. [5] Zuccotti, Fall 2011. Luis Antonio Thompson. [6] Zuccotti, Fall 2011. Bianca Farrow. [7] NYC, Fall 2011. Ceridwyn Asher. [8] Occupy Dallas, Fall 2011. Chris Wang. [9] Occupy London, November 30th. Allan Shaw.

engagedelectorate:

Policy Basics: Where Do Our Federal Tax Dollars Go?

The federal government collects taxes in order to finance various public services. As policymakers and citizens weigh key decisions about revenues and expenditures, it is instructive to examine what the government does with the money it collects.

In fiscal year 2011, the federal government spent $3.6 trillion, amounting to 24 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). While the level of 2011 expenditures - as a share of GDP - remains high due to the economic downturn, the composition of the budget largely resembles the patterns of recent years. Of that $3.6 trillion, $2.3 trillion was financed by federal tax revenues. The remaining $1.3 trillion was financed by borrowing; this deficit will ultimately be paid for by future taxpayers. 

destroythegop:

joetomcollins:

stfuconservatives:

Every time someone says Obama has ruined the country, show them this.

Reblog until Conservatism is declared a crime or mental illness.

I declare Conservatism to be both a crime and a mental illness, ergo Republicans are criminally insane.

(via 18-15n-77-30w)