Category Archives: Uncategorized

A Reflection: Fifty Years, A Father

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Fred Zilian

(Note: This essay was originally published in the Newport Daily News on April 17, 2021.) In the early morning hours fifty years ago, serving as a young Army officer in then West Germany, I became a father. On April 18, … Continue reading →

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Dorothea Lange and “Migrant Mother”

Posted on April 8, 2021 by Fred Zilian

(Note: A version of this essay was originally published by the Newport Daily News on April 5, 2021. It is the sixth in a series on Notable Women.) Eighty-five years ago this month, in the middle of the Great Depression, … Continue reading →

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Women as Warriors Have Long History

Posted on March 18, 2021 by Fred Zilian

(Note: This essay was originally published by the Newport Daily News on March 1, 2021, and by the History News Network on March 14, 2021.) The American experience with true women warriors—not just our wonderful Hollywood Wonder Woman—has only recently … Continue reading →

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King’s Final Book: Both Political Roadmap and Passionate Sermon

Posted on February 19, 2021 by Fred Zilian

(Note: This essay was originally published in two segments by the Newport Daily News, RI, on February 1 and February 2, 2021. It was subsequently published on the History News Network on February 14, 2021.) In his final book before … Continue reading →

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Princess Red Wing – Shining Light of the Original Americans

Posted on January 21, 2021 by Fred Zilian

(Note: This essay was originally published by the Newport Daily News on January 10, 2021. Note: This is the fourth essay in a series on Notable Women.) Princess Red Wing of the Seven Crescents—educator, historian, artist, and storyteller—spent her life … Continue reading →

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250th Anniversary of Beethoven’s Birthday: A Cause for Celebration and Music

Posted on January 1, 2021 by Fred Zilian

(Note: This essay was originally published by the Newport Daily News on December 28, 2020.) Nine months after the “Boston Massacre” here in the New World, Ludwig van Beethoven was born in the Old, and Western music would never be … Continue reading →

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The Plague in Ancient Athens: A Cautionary Tale for America

Posted on December 24, 2020 by Fred Zilian

(Note: This essay was originally published by the Newport Daily News on December 7, 2020, and by the History News Network on December 20, 2020.) Twenty-four hundred fifty years ago the ancient Greek city-state of Athens—Western civilization’s first democracy and … Continue reading →

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Zora Neale Hurston: Harlem Renaissance Writer

Posted on November 27, 2020 by Fred Zilian

(Note: This essay was originally published in the Newport Daily News on November 16, 2020, and at the History News Network on November 22, 2020.) Against the strong headwinds of racism and resistance against women’s rights, Zora Neale Hurston forged … Continue reading →

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Battle of Salamis Opens Door for Ancient Greece’s Golden Age

Posted on November 17, 2020 by Fred Zilian

(Note: This essay was originally published in the Newport Daily News on October 5, 2020, and at the History News Network on October 11, 2020.) Twenty-five hundred years ago in the Battle of Salamis, the ancient Greeks defeated the invading … Continue reading →

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In Removing Confederate Symbols, US Military Follows German Military’s Example

Posted on November 14, 2020 by Fred Zilian

(Note: This essay was originally published by the History News Network on August 23, 2020.) By moving to eliminate all Confederate names on military installations and banning the display of the Confederate flag, the U.S. military is following the example … Continue reading →

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