Congressman writes letter wanting slaves aknowledged in constructing the white house

Dear President Obama:

I write to request your help in recognizing the contribution of enslaved African-Americans who helped build the White House. In one of our history’s tragic ironies, slaves helped build the capital of the free world. From the U.S. Capitol Building to the White House, our national symbols that represent freedom to so many of us, were built by people who were anything but free. While the larger injustice of slavery can never be adequately corrected, the continuing failure of properly informing visitors to Washington of the history of slaves building our national structures—including the White House—should be remedied.

In July, I was proud to join a bipartisan group of Members of Congress that dedicated plaques placed outside the House of Representatives’ visitor galleries to properly inform visitors of the role slave labor played in constructing the Capitol building. I was also proud that a section of the Capitol Visitors Center was named Emancipation Hall to honor the contributions of slave labor. These injustices were first called to my attention by my constituent, Mandingo Tshaka. It is long past time that similar measure also be taken in the White House to inform its visitors of the role slaved labor played in constructing the Executive Mansion.

Slaves helped dig the foundation for the White House. They quarried stone that would be used for the walls, dug up clay for thousands of bricks, cut timber, sawed lumber, and performed carpentry inside the White House. Even after White House construction was completed, slaves continued to support White House operations. Slaves served in White House domestic staff from 1800 through the Civil War. 

While slavery is no moment worthy of national pride, the American way has always been to acknowledge our wrongs and constantly strive for better. It is wrong not to acknowledge wrongs. An acknowledgment of the role of slave labor displayed in the White House would be an important symbol that the United States does not run from its history, but rather learns from it. That is something of which all Americans can be proud.

I urge you to take steps to have an appropriate representation acknowledging the role of slave labor in constructing the White House in an area of public viewing.

Sincerely,

Gary L. Ackerman

Member of Congress

Marcus Atkinson

In two months Urban Meyer, the new head football coach of The Ohio State University has made waives not only within the confines of Columbus, but around the Big Ten and in 11 months, most likely the country.

In two months Meyer took Ohio State’s recruiting rankings from the mid 30’s to anywhere between 3 and 5, depending on which recruiting system you follow.  The combination of Meyer’s championship history and the recruiting class he completed has caused Michigan State head football coach, Mark Dantonio to share his thoughts on Meyer’s recruiting strategy.

The USAToday put together a succinct article showing the timeline of events including the statements from former Ohio State assistant, Dantonio when mentioned defensive end Se'Von Pittman, who verbally committed to Michigan State, but changed his mind and signed with Ohio State.

"[Ohio State’s] got a new coach, and it's different," Dantonio told The Detroit News. "I would say it's pretty unethical, in the end."

But the Dantonio was not the only head coach to voice his unhappiness with the recurring practices of Meyer, after Kyle Dodson from Wisconsin switched commitments to enroll in Columbus.

"There are a few things that happened early on that I made people aware of that I didn't want to see in this league, that I had seen take place in other leagues," Bret Bielema, head coach of Wisconsin told CBS Chicago. "Other recruiting tactics, other recruiting practices that are illegal.

Meyer was also able to deter Penn State verbals to come to Ohio State in All-USA defensive lineman Tommy Schutt and linebacker Camren Williams.

Eventually the Big Ten commissioner called a coaches meeting to discuss the concerns to “hash out” things, but apparently Coach Meyer was not happy with the comments made by Dantonio or Bielema.  Thursday on Cleveland’s92.3TheFan and Cleveland’s WKNR 850am, Meyer said he was “beyond angry”.  One thing is for sure, Michigan State and Wisconsin are on Meyer’s “list” for next year.

Valentine’s Day 2012: Feb. 14

Expressing one’s love to another is a celebrated custom on Valentine’s Day; whereby sweethearts and family members present gifts to one another, such as cards, candy, flowers and other symbols of affection. Opinions differ as to who was the original Valentine, but the most popular theory is that he was a clergyman who was executed for secretly marrying couples in ancient Rome. In A.D. 496, Pope Gelasius I declared Feb. 14 as Valentine Day. Esther Howland, a native of Massachusetts, is given credit for selling the first mass-produced valentine cards in the 1840s. The spirit continues today with even young children exchanging valentine’s cards with their fellow classmates.

 Candy

1,177                                      

Number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced chocolate and cocoa products in 2009, employing 34,252 people. California led the nation in the number of chocolate and cocoa manufacturing establishments, with 135, followed by Pennsylvania, with 111.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2009, NAICS code (31132) and (31133), <http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/>

409

Number of U.S. establishments that manufactured nonchocolate confectionary products in 2009. These establishments employed 16,974 people. California led the nation in this category, with 45 establishments.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2009, NAICS code (31134)

<http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/>

$12.6 billion

Total value of shipments in 2009 for firms producing chocolate and cocoa products. Nonchocolate confectionery product manufacturing, meanwhile, was a $7.4 billion industry. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 Annual Survey of Manufactures

<http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/IBQTable?_bm=y&-_skip=0&-ds_name=AM0931VS101&-_lang=en>

3,386

Number of confectionery and nut stores in the United States in 2009.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code (445292),

<http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl>

24.7 pounds

Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2010.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Industrial Reports, Confectionery: 2010 <http://www.census.gov/manufacturing/cir/historical_data/ma311d/index.html>

  

Flowers

$375 million

The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut flowers in 2010 for all flower-producing operations with $100,000 or more in sales. Among states, California was the leading producer, alone accounting for more than three-quarters of this amount ($286 million). Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1072>, <http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/FlorCrop/FlorCrop-04-21-2011_new_format.pdf>

$17 million

The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut roses in 2010 for all operations with $100,000 or more in sales.

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1072>, <http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/FlorCrop/FlorCrop-04-21-2011_new_format.pdf>

                       

17,124

The number of florists nationwide in 2009. These businesses employed 75,855 people.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code (453110)

<http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl>

Jewelry

24,973

Number of jewelry stores in the United States in 2009. Jewelry stores offer engagement, wedding and other rings to couples of all ages. In February 2011, these stores sold $2.27 billion in merchandise. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code (448310), <http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl> and Monthly Retail Trade and Food Services <http://www.census.gov/retail>

The merchandise at these locations could well have been produced at one of the nation’s 1,547 jewelry manufacturing establishments.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code (339911), <http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/cbpnaic/cbpdetl.pl>  

“Please Be Mine”

2.1 million

The number of marriages that took place in the United States in 2009. That breaks down to nearly 5,800 a day.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, <http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/nvsr.htm>,

<http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr58/nvsr58_25.htm#tableA>

108,150                                                          

The number of marriages performed in Nevada during 2009. So many couples tie the knot in the Silver State that it ranked fifth nationally in marriages, even though its total population that year among states was 35th. (California ranked first in marriages.)

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, <http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/nvsr.htm>,

<http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr58/nvsr58_25.htm#tableA> and population estimates, <http://www.census.gov/popest/>

28.7 and 26.5 years

Median age at first marriage in 2011 for men and women, respectively.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements: 2011, <http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hh-fam/ms2.xls>, Table MS-2

                              

53.1%

The overall percentage of adults who reported being married.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements: 2011,

<http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam/cps2011.html> Table A1

69%

Percentage of people 15 and older in 2011 who had been married at some point in their lives — either currently or formerly.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements: 2011,

<http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam/cps2011.html> Table A1

  

74.5%

 Among women who married for the first time between 1990 and 1994, the percentage who marked their 10th anniversary. This compares with 83 percent of women who married for the first time between 1960 and 1964.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Number, Timing, and Duration of Marriages and Divorces: 2009,

<http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p70-125.pdf>, Table 4

6.2%

As of 2009, the percentage of currently married women who had been married for at least 50 years. A little more than half of currently married women had been married for at least 15 years.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Number, Timing, and Duration of Marriages and Divorces: 2009 <http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p70-125.pdf>, Table 9

 Looking for Love

393

The number of dating service establishments nationwide as of 2007. These establishments, which include Internet dating services, employed 3,125 people and pulled in $928 million in revenue.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007 Economic Census <http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ECN&_submenuId=&_lang=en&_ts=>      

Try Looking Here . . .

 Romantic-sounding places to spend Valentine’s Day:             

Rose City, Texas                            Rose City, Mich.                                 South Heart, N.D.

Loveland, Colo.                               Darling, Minn.                                      Loveland, Ohio

Romeo, Colo.                                   Sacred Heart, Minn.                            Loveland Park, Ohio  

Lovejoy, Ga.                                    Heart Butte, Mont.                               Love County, Okla.

Loves Park, Ill.                               Valentine, Neb.                                     Loveland, Okla.  

Lovington, Ill.                                  Lovelock, Nev.                                      Lovelady, Texas

Romeoville, Ill.                                Loving, N.M.                                          Loving County, Texas

Rosemont, Ill.                                  Lovington, N.M.                                     Valentine, Texas  

Romeo, Mich.                                   Love Valley, N.C.                                   Rose Hill Acres, Texas

Rosemont, Md.                                  

           

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American FactFinder <http://factfinder2.census.gov>

  

Giving Love a Second Chance

19%

Percentage of people married twice as of 2010. Five percent have married three or more times. By comparison, 75 percent of people who have ever been married have made only one trip down the aisle.

Source: 2010 American Community Survey <http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1YR_B12505&prodType=table>

8

Median length, in years, of first marriages that ended in divorce.

Source: Number, Timing, and Duration of Marriages and Divorces: 2009 <http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p70-125.pdf>, 

Table 8

3.8 and 3.7

The median time in years between divorce and a second marriage for men and women, respectively.

Source: Number, Timing, and Duration of Marriages and Divorces: 2009 <http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p70-125.pdf>, 

Table 8

9% and 8%

Among people 15 and older in 2009, the percentage of men and women, respectively, who had married twice and were still married.

Source for the data in this section, unless otherwise noted: Number, Timing, and Duration of Marriages and Divorces: 2009 <http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p70-125.pdf>

Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features series:

Spanish ballots are needed at the polls

This past Friday the Moring Journal published a story concerning the Spanish ballots that will be available for those who wish to vote, and thus express their government protected right.  Unfortunately the online comments shared by Journal readers were unveiled and the perspectives some people believe to be in the past came to the forefront.

The comments, which stated the Spanish ballots should not be available, centered around one basic argument that Spanish reading citizens should learn to read and comprehend English if they want to vote or, the government should not be spending tax dollars on providing Spanish ballots.

In fact, the Lorain County Board of Elections is only conforming to what is law, enforced by the Department of Justice.  The Voting Rights Act, signed into law by then President Lyndon B. Johnson had a small provision in it, which allowed those of Puerto Rican descent living in the United States to have voting materials in their native language.  During that time, a flood of Puerto Ricans came to the United States, including Lorain County; they were recruited by steel mill management to work along the great lakes for lower wages and longer hours during a time when people like Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were in the news protesting civil rights injustice.  Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, and others of Spanish ancestry have made steel based cities like Chicago, Lorain, and New York what it is today.  

In 1917, the Jones-Shafron Act gave the natives of Puerto Rico U.S. citizenship, which was the first heavy migration to the states.  Not only are Spanish ballots needed, not only is it law, the implementation of Spanish ballots is a moral statement that should remind people of the origins of our country and the original purpose of its existence.