Articles by Steven Gilchrist

Published in 1997, The Color of Politics: Race and the Mainsprings of American Politics written by Michael Goldfield is a political science/labor-studies book about class, economics, political, and racial issues within American society.   The book is divided into three parts: Critical Turning Points in Early U.S. History; Twentieth Century Politics; and Part III – Conclusion. In part 1 of the book, Goldfield explores the contradictory nature of early American leaders.   For example, 5 of the first 7 presidents and the majority of the presidential cabinet members & Supreme Court justices were slave owners.   Although he hated slavery, President Abraham Lincoln still held racist beliefs, Goldfield writes.   In Part 2, Goldfield argues that present-day racial segregation can be attributed to policies that existed decades ago.   On page 205, Goldfield writes: “The high degree of segregation in many U.S. cities in the present period can, at least in part, be traced to f

B oston, MA. Horace Mann (May 4, 1796 – August 2, 1859) was born in Franklin, Massachusetts.   Mann was a well-known advocate for education in the United States.   In 1819, Mann graduated from Brown University where he was the school valedictorian.   Mann served as a Massachusetts state representative from 1827 – 1837.   After serving as a state representative, Mann served as the Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education.   He also served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1848 – 1853.   Historian Ellwood P. Cubberly said of Horace Mann: “No one did more than he to establish in the minds of the American people the conception that education should be universal, non-sectarian, free, and that its aims should be social efficiency, civic virtue, and character, rather than mere learning or the advancement of sectarian ends.” Mann was also known as the “Father of the Common School Movement.” The Antioch College school motto is a quote from Mann which st

In August 2015, thousands of Malaysians gathered in Kuala Lumpur to rally for the ouster of Prime Minister Najib Razak.   The animosity toward Razak stems from the Malaysian general election in 2013 where it was eventually discovered that Razak embezzled nearly $700 million into his personal bank accounts.   Razak remains in office despite the calls for his ouster. The southeast Asian country is composed of two regions that are separated by 640 miles in the South China Sea.   Malaysia is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation with 13 states and three federal territories.   Malaysia is a major tourist destination. Facts about the Federation of Malaysia: Population: 30,513,848 (July 2015 est.) Area: 127,355 sq. miles Capital: Kuala Lumpur Major languages: Malay (official), English, Chinese dialects, Tamil Major religions: Islam, Buddism, Taoism, Hinduism Timeline: 1826: British settlements of Malacca, Penang, and Singapore unite; British begin to esta