The Dressmaker of Khair Khana (2011) and
Ashley’s War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield (2015) in 2016, when a source tipped her off that an all-female militia was advancing the cause of women’s rights in Syria as they battled the Islamic State. Serving with the YPJ, the Kurdish Women’s Protection Units, the women were effective fighters and tacticians, widely respected by the men who served with them; yet, their story was largely unknown beyond the frontlines of the Syrian war. Lemmon is as fearless as her subjects, and her account of researching this story over three years in northern Iraq and northeastern Syria is an education in conflict reporting; her own story, connected to that of these women, makes for an incredibly compelling read.
Since 1908, the American Library Association’s (ALA) Midwinter Meeting has taken place 107 times, with only a few pauses. Held virtually, this year’s Midwinter was the last in its current format; next year ALA will launch LibLearnX, a learning, networking, and collaboration experience scheduled for January 21–24, 2022, in San Antonio.
Though this year’s event was the final meeting, it was a consequential one with more than 7,100 participants and marquee speakers such as Ruby Bridges, Ethan Hawke, Ziggy Marley, Cicely Tyson, Emmanuel Acho, US Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and new US First Lady Jill Biden. Many sessions centered on two major themes: equity, diversity, and inclusion; and library responses to the coronavirus pandemic.
Black History Month celebrations continue with these digital events
Virtual concerts, livestream lectures, and other digital activities offer a chance to celebrate Black History Month from home.
Image: Getty Images
2021-02-02 19:41:05 UTC
The first week of Black History Month is here, and so are a variety of online events â from book talks to Facebook livestreams to online concerts â Â intended to educate, uplift, and rejoice in Black history. While the ability to gather in person isn t an option this year, that hasn t stopped the month s overarching purpose: to recognize the contributions of Black communities and celebrate their often untold histories.
Yesterday marked the first day of Black History Month. Letâs honor that with recognition and education.
Every U.S. president since 1976 has officially declared February as Black History Month, but its origins are far older. The month grew out of what was originally called âNegro History Week,â seven days of recognition established in the early 20th century.
Historian Carter G. Woodson and minister Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915, now named the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, and by 1926 the group was sponsoring the week during the second week of February.