Booker T. Washington was born a slave on a Virginia plantation in 1856. From those humble beginnings, he became one of the most prominent African American leaders in the United States. Washington founded Tuskegee University in 1881 to help disadvantaged minorities learn marketable skills and the National Negro Business League to promote Black entrepreneurship. President […]
Monuments and Memorials
A Perfect Fall Day in Bennington, Vermont
For a small shire town, Bennington, Vermont is packed with interesting things to do. This is thanks in part to its storied past. Founded in 1749, Bennington was the first town in what would eventually become the State of Vermont. (Hence the town slogan, “Vermont Begins Here!”) At the time, however, America was a set […]
36 Hours in Hobart, Tasmania
My introduction to Tasmania was altogether too brief. Due to a scheduling snafu and delayed flight, I had just 36 hours in Hobart, the capital of Australia’s southern island state. But, as ever, I was determined to make the most of my visit. While I didn’t climb to the top of Mount Wellington or go […]
Surprising Sarajevo: Three Days in the Bosnian Capital
Growing up in the 90s and watching disturbing coverage of the Bosnian War on television, Sarajevo was not a destination I ever thought I’d visit. Yet a mere 20 years later, I found myself walking down the street once known as “Sniper Alley” in a city under siege. It’s incredible how much things can change […]
Essential Poland: Warsaw, Krakow, and Auschwitz
Poland is a nation of incredible beauty and terrible tragedy. Rarely have I felt so many conflicting emotions in one destination. But to travel there and overlook the past is impossible. As a Polish friend told me, everyone she knows has been affected in some way by war and occupation, whether through the loss of […]