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The Betsy Ross House
Nov 04, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
Chapter # 2: Minerva D
The Betsy Ross House (opened 1937 )
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
“I am not certain if I can. At least I’ll gladly try.” Betsy Ross
Within the stripes of the American flag lies a treasure trove of history, mystery, and controversy. “Old Glory” appears in fifty states and on the moon; thousands have died fighting for or against it. The Marines raised the Stars and Stripes to commemorate the victory in the Pacific; the draft-dodgers burned it in protest of the military in Southeast Asia. As the Twin Towers crumbled, three New York City firefighters rigged a makeshift flagpole and hoisted the symbol of resilience. Millions visit the Betsy Ross Home to pay homage to the universal icon.
“Quand Même” (1844)
Oct 22, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
“Slow down? Rest? With all eternity before me?”
Used a letter holder named Sophie made from a human skull? Check. Accessorized with a stuffed bat? Check. Slept in a coffin? Check. And the woman who could answer in the affirmative to these questions was also the possessor of the honorific “Divine.”
Warmed the World (Val- Kil Cottage Museum opened in 1984)
Oct 11, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
When the World’s First Lady-the honorific President Harry S. Truman bestowed upon Eleanor Roosevelt- needed a refuge “far from the maddening crowd” of Washington, D.C., she escaped to Val-Kill, her Hudson Valley hideaway. Of her beloved home she stated, “Val-Kill is where I used to find myself. At Val-Kill, I emerged as an individual.”
Hike! (1936)
Oct 07, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
The poet, A. E. Housman wrote, “In the spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.” In the world of football, a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of the Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious in college sports. But what even the most fanatic of fans may not know is the namesake of the award: Coach John Heisman, (nicknamed Doc.)
This Little Light of Mine (1917)
Oct 06, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
As Susan B. Anthony lay dying, she spoke to her fellow suffragettes, “With women such as you, failure is impossible.” A year after her passing, in 1920, women were allowed into the polling station, an act that had oncce led to Anthony’s arrest. However, in the Deep South, despite the 15th Amendment, Jim Crow prevented the disenfranchised from voting, determined to keep poor blacks in their place-the bottom of the social hierarchy.
Pick Up Your Feet (1955)
Oct 02, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
Geoffrey Chaucer’s 14th century The Canterbury Tales revolves around a motley crew of pilgrims who share salacious stories to pass the time on their pilgrimage. One of their number, the Wife of Bath, had outlived five husbands though she had managed to elude motherhood. Emma “Grandma” Gatewood served as her diametric opposite: the only commonality is that she was also a pilgrim on a journey that made her the first woman to conquer-unaccompanied- the Appalachian Trail.
Lobster (1994)
Sep 22, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
“Oh, I’m sorry. Did my back hurt your knife?”
The 18th century Tivoli Fountain in Rome is forever associated with the image of Anita Ekberg frolicking in its water in a scene from Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. A far different, but equally iconic fountain appears in the opening credits of the television series Friends in which six Manhattan Musketeers sport in the water to the backdrop of the lyric, “I’ll be there for you.”
After All (1970)
Sep 19, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
In 1967, Mary Tyler Moore starred in the movie Thoroughly Modern Millie. Her television series, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, could similarly have had the title Thoroughly Modern Mary, as its eponymous heroine threw off the shackles that kept 1970s women imprisoned in a shag-carpeted cage.
Mr. Bojangles (1928)
Sep 19, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote, “There are no second acts in American lives.” His words proved a self-fulfilling prophecy when the hand that penned The Great Gatsby shook so much from alcoholic tremors he could no longer hold a pen. In contrast, other artists have reinvented themselves in their later years, a fact manifested by a woman who proved there was life post The Good Ship Lollipop.
Viva La Causa (1930)
Sep 14, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
Ironically, the World War II poster of Rosie the Riveter and its caption, “We can do it!” was the brainchild of a man though it became a symbol of female empowerment. In contrast, the slogan of the United Farm Workers, attributed to Cesar Chavez, was authored by a woman-one who history regulated to a footnote due to an amalgam of sexism and ageism.
I Will What I Want (2015)
Sep 10, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
Dance Moms, a Lifetime Network Chanel television show, features stage moms on steroids, endlessly exhorting their rhinestone-clad daughters to lift the barre on their competitors. In contrast to the dancing divas is Misty Copeland, the first African-American woman to be named a principal dancer at the prestigious American Ballet Theatre (ABT).
Triumph of the Will (1902)
Sep 08, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
The ancient Greek Menader wrote, “Whom the gods love die young.” The quotation applies to a 20th century woman who lived for over a century-the latter half under the cloud of colluding with the most evil regime in history. This raises the philosophical question: should we judge art on its own aesthetic or does its creator’s ethics come into play? Those who believe that a canvass should be divorced from the painter could make the argument the pyramids were constructed at the cost of the lives of thousands of Jewish slaves yet remain one of the Seven Wonders.
White Feather (1968)
Aug 30, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
“Na, na, na, na na na na na na na na, Hey Jude…” Generations of Beatles’ fans rock to the lyric although many might be mystified as to the identity of Jude. The allusion refers to Julian Lennon; the reason for the name change—Paul McCartney felt “it sounded better.”
A Joyful Noise (1963)
Aug 28, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
The dust will never settle on stirring lines from speeches such as “Ain’t I a Woman?” “Four score and seven years ago,” and “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.” One iconic quotation would not have been delivered if not for the Queen of Gospel.
Still Somewhere
Aug 27, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
The Story Bank (opened in 2019 )
Maryborough, Queensland, Australia
“Sorrow lies like a heartbeat behind everything I have written.” P. Travers
If the east wind blows you into the town of Maryborough, visit The Story Bank to partake of heaping spoonfuls of sugar. The museum was the birthplace of P. L. Travers, the Australian-born author of British nanny, Mary Poppins.
Still Somewhere
Aug 27, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
The Story Bank (opened in 2019 )
Maryborough, Queensland, Australia
“Sorrow lies like a heartbeat behind everything I have written.” P. Travers
If the east wind blows you into the town of Maryborough, visit The Story Bank to partake of heaping spoonfuls of sugar. The museum was the birthplace of P. L. Travers, the Australian-born author of British nanny, Mary Poppins.
The Storm (1875)
Aug 27, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
Crowned heads usually walk the prescribed path of sumptuous palaces, eye-popping jewelry, envy-worthy travels. A royal woman took this road, but along the way, her life also intertwined with Count Dracula, a Dorothy Parker poem, a revolution-and that was merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Failure is Impossible
Aug 26, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
Susan B. Anthony House (opened 1971)
Rochester, New York
“Men, their rights, and nothing more; women their rights, and nothing less.” Susan B. Anthony
The unwavering friendship between Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Antony formed the foundation of the American suffrage movement. Elizabeth supplied the speeches that Susan delivered, “I forged the thunderbolts and Susan fired them!” For those desperately seeking Susan, one should make a pilgrimage to the Susan B. Anthony House.
I Do Not Give a Damn (1893)
Aug 17, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
“The first thing I do in the morning is brush my teeth and sharpen my tongue.”
Legions of literary ladies entertain the dream of heading for New York City to become another Dorothy Parker, the rapier wit who achieved renown as the Guinevere of the Algonquin Round Table, a group of Manhattan writers and critics. Would-be Parker acolytes might reconsider walking in her pumps if they understood the pain behind Mrs. Parker’s wisecracks.
I Still Believe
Aug 04, 2023 by Marlene Wagman-Geller
“I want to go on living after my death.” – Anne Frank
The Anne Frank House (opened in 1960)
Prinsenghracht 263, Amsterdam, Holland
As Romeo walked the streets of Verona, he observed, “Here is much to do with hate but more with love.” The self-same words apply to an Amsterdam building that receives over a million annual visits. The hate emanated from the mustached madman of Berlin; the love stemmed from the shared devotion of the Frank family.