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Posts Tagged ‘barack obama’

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Black History Month: Painter Kehinde Wiley

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022

 

Former United States President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama (both center) pose next to their portraits at their unveiling at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., in 2018. Barack's portrait was painted by Kehinde Wiley (far left). Michelle's was painted by Amy Sherald (far right). Credit: © Saul Loeb, AFP/Getty Images

Former United States President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama (both center) pose next to their portraits at their unveiling at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., in 2018. Barack’s portrait was painted by Kehinde Wiley (far left). Michelle’s was painted by Amy Sherald (far right).
Credit: © Saul Loeb, AFP/Getty Images

February is Black History Month, an annual observance of the achievements and culture of Black Americans. This month, Behind the Headlines will feature Black pioneers in a variety of areas. 

Until recently, tracksuits, flatbill hats, jeans, Nike T-shirts, and puffer jackets did not appear in many portraits in museums. Now in the National Portrait Gallery and galleries across the world, American painter Kehinde Wiley has livened up modern-day portraits. Wiley is known for his large, highly detailed, brightly colored portraits. His style has been called urban Baroque, a reference to the Baroque art movement of the 1500′s and 1600′s. Baroque art is large in scale and filled with dramatic details.

In 2017, Wiley was selected to paint the presidential portrait of former United States President Barack Obama. Wiley became the first Black American artist to paint an official presidential portrait. Wiley’s portrait of Obama was unveiled in 2018. It hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Wiley was born on Feb. 28, 1977, in Los Angeles, California. He was interested in painting from a young age. Wiley received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1999. He received a Master of Fine Arts degree from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, in 2001.

Wiley served as artist-in-residence at the Studio Museum in Harlem in New York City from 2001 to 2002. It was in Harlem that Wiley developed his unique approach to portraiture. He approached strangers on the street, asking them to pose for him. He photographed the subjects in their street clothes and then painted them in a classical European style. He called this process “street casting.” Wiley continued this process in such places as Morocco, Haiti, and India. Wiley’s signature background depicts flowers and foliage or abstract shapes. The bright, detailed backgrounds are reminiscent of the Baroque style.

Tags: art, barack obama, black history month, kehinde wiley, national portrait gallery, painting
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Portraits of Greatness: Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald

Thursday, June 11th, 2020
Former United States President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama (both center) pose next to their portraits at their unveiling at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., in 2018. Barack's portrait was painted by Kehinde Wiley (far left). Michelle's was painted by Amy Sherald (far right). Credit: © Saul Loeb, AFP/Getty Images

Former United States President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama (both center) pose next to their portraits at their unveiling at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., in 2018. Barack’s portrait was painted by Kehinde Wiley (far left). Michelle’s was painted by Amy Sherald (far right).
Credit: © Saul Loeb, AFP/Getty Images

Today, World Book celebrates two African American artists who gained wider fame when they were chosen to paint official portraits of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Kehinde Wiley painted the portrait of Barack Obama. Amy Sherald painted the portrait of Michelle. Both portraits now hang in the Smithsonian Institution‘s National Portrait Gallery.

Credit: President Barack Obama (2018); oil on canvas by Kehinde Wiley; National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution (© Kehinde Wiley)

Credit: President Barack Obama (2018); oil on canvas by Kehinde Wiley; National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution (© Kehinde Wiley)

Kehinde Wiley is known for his large, brightly colored portraits. His style has been called urban Baroque, a reference to the Baroque art movement of the 1500’s and 1600’s. Baroque art is large in scale and filled with dramatic details. Wiley became the first African American artist to paint an official presidential portrait.

Wiley served as artist-in-residence at the Studio Museum in Harlem in New York City from 2001 to 2002. It was in Harlem that Wiley developed his unique approach to portraiture. He approached strangers on the street, asking them to pose for him. He photographed the subjects in their street clothes and then painted them in a classical European style. Wiley continued this process in such places as Morocco, Haiti, and India. Wiley’s signature background depicts flowers and foliage or abstract shapes. The bright, detailed backgrounds are reminiscent of the Baroque style.

Credit: First Lady Michelle Obama (2018), oil on linen by Amy Sherald; National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution (© Amy Sherald)

Credit: First Lady Michelle Obama (2018), oil on linen by Amy Sherald; National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution (© Amy Sherald)

Amy Sherald is also known for her paintings of African Americans, particularly for her use of grayscale in these paintings. Grayscale images consist exclusively of shades of gray. Sherald’s use of grayscale undercuts traditional notions about skin tone. Her paintings also feature bright accent colors and graphic patterns.

Sherald began specializing in painting African Americans during her graduate studies at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. She believed that African American subjects had been underrepresented in the art world. In 2016, Sherald won first prize in the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition.

Tags: african americans, amy sherald, barack obama, kehinde wiley, michelle obama, national portrait gallery, portrait
Posted in Arts & Entertainment, People | Comments Off

A Night at the Oscars

Wednesday, February 12th, 2020

February 12, 2020

On Sunday, February 9, the 92nd Academy Awards—commonly known as the Oscars—were held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. The Oscars celebrate the past year’s achievements in filmmaking. As happened in 2019, the award ceremony went without a host. Instead, the comedians Steve Martin and Chris Rock opened the show, and a variety of celebrities introduced and handed out the awards.

Kang-ho Song, Hye-jin Jang, Woo-sik Choi, and So-dam Park in Parasite (2019). Credit: CJ Entertainment

Parasite, which won best picture at the 2020 Academy Awards, stars (from left) Choi Woo Shik, Song Kang Ho, Chang Hyae Jin, and Park So Dam. Credit: CJ Entertainment

The biggest headline on Oscars night was the naming of the South Korean black comedy Parasite as best picture. Black comedy is characterized by bizarrely or morbidly humorous plots and situations. Directed by Bong Joon Ho, Parasite is the first movie in a language other than English to win best picture. Parasite also won best original screenplay and best international film. Bong too made history as the first South Korean to win best director. The World War I drama 1917—the favorite to win best picture before the ceremony—missed out on the top award but took home the best cinematography, best sound mixing, and best visual effects Oscars.

Renée Zellweger won the best actress award for her portrayal of the former Hollywood star Judy Garland in the biopic Judy. Joaquin Phoenix earned best actor for his leading role in the origin story of the Batman villain Joker. Brad Pitt won best supporting actor for his stuntman sidekick role in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Laura Dern was named best supporting actress as a divorce lawyer in Marriage Story. Toy Story 4 won best animated feature, and American Factory won best documentary. American Factory, the story of a Chinese-run glass factory in Ohio, was the first film made by Higher Ground Productions, a company run by former United States President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. The World War II satire Jojo Rabbit earned the Oscar for best adapted screenplay.

Each trophy given out at the ceremony (there were a total of 24 this year) is officially called an Academy Award of Merit, but the small golden statues have been known as “Oscars” since the 1930′s. The origin of the nickname is uncertain, but most histories center on Margaret Herrick, a former director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Apparently, upon seeing the statuettes for the first time in 1931, Herrick remarked that they looked a lot like her Uncle Oscar. Oscar came into common usage for the award soon after.

Tags: academy awards, barack obama, Bong Joon-ho, film, hollywood, motion pictures, movies, oscars, parasite, south korea
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Cuban Revolution 60

Wednesday, January 2nd, 2019

January 2, 2019

On Jan. 1, 1959, 60 years ago yesterday, Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista fled Havana for the Dominican Republic, leaving control of Cuba to rebel forces led by Fidel Castro. Batista’s exit marked the end of the Cuban Revolution, which had started in 1953, and the beginning of the Communist Castro Era in the Caribbean island nation. 

Fidel Castro stands in front of a Cuban flag in a photo from 1966. Castro headed his country's Communist government from 1959 to 2008. Credit: AP Photo

Fidel Castro speaks before a Cuban flag in 1966. Castro led a rebel movement that took control of Cuba 60 years ago on Jan. 1, 1959. Credit: AP Photo

On July 26, 1953, Fidel Castro, a young lawyer, tried to start a revolution against Batista by leading an attack on the Moncada army barracks in the city of Santiago de Cuba. Fidel and his brother Raúl were captured and imprisoned. Many of their followers were either imprisoned or murdered.

Click to view larger image Cuba. Credit: WORLD BOOK map

Click to view larger image
Cuba. Credit: WORLD BOOK map

The Castro brothers were released from prison in 1955. They then traveled to Mexico, where they met the Argentine revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara. In 1956, while in Mexico, the brothers organized the 26th of July Movement, named for the date of their first revolt. The revolutionary forces landed in Oriente Province in late 1956. Most of the rebels were imprisoned or killed. However, the brothers and about a dozen of their followers escaped to the nearby Sierra Maestra mountains.

In 1957, the rebel forces began to wage a guerrilla war against the Cuban government. The same year, university students stormed the presidential palace in an attempt to assassinate Batista. Government efforts to crush dissent increased the people’s support of the rebels. Continued poor economic conditions also led to growing support for the rebels, particularly among workers, peasants, students, and the middle class. By mid-1958, Batista’s government had lost the support of the United States and most Cubans.

U.S. President Barack Obama meets with Cuban President Raúl Castro at the Revolution Palace  on March 21, 2016, in Havana, Cuba.  Credit: © Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP Photo

U.S. President Barack Obama meets with Cuban President Raúl Castro in Havana in 2016, the year after diplomatic relations were restored between the two nations. Credit: © Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP Photo

After the revolution, Fidel Castro became prime minister and later president of Cuba. Under Castro, U.S.-Cuba relations quickly became strained, and Cuba developed stronger ties with the Soviet Union. War between Cuba and the United States was narrowly averted during the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion and the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Decades of hostility finally eased during the U.S. presidency of Barack Obama, and U.S.-Cuba diplomatic relations were restored in 2015. Fidel Castro died in late 2016, and his brother Raúl, who had succeeded Fidel as president, stepped down in April 2018, ending 59 years of Castro rule in Cuba.

 

Tags: barack obama, cuba, cuban revolution, fidel castro, fulgencio batista
Posted in Current Events, Government & Politics, History, Military Conflict, People | Comments Off

Painting the Presidents

Thursday, August 16th, 2018

August 16, 2018

In 2018, the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding in 1968. The National Portrait Gallery exhibits likenesses of people who have contributed significantly to the history, development, and culture of the United States. As part of its 50th anniversary program, the museum updated and relaunched its celebrated collection of presidential portraits in late 2017. The collection kicked off 2018 with the February unveiling of its two newest works: portraits of former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Barack Obama. Credit: Barack Obama (2018), oil on canvas by Kehinde Wiley; Smithsonian Institution

The National Portrait Gallery unveiled its new painting of President Barack Obama on Feb. 12, 2018. Credit: Barack Obama (2018), oil on canvas by Kehinde Wiley; Smithsonian Institution

The National Portrait Gallery has the only complete collection of U.S. presidential portraits outside the White House. The gallery’s revamped collection, called “America’s Presidents,” differs from the White House’s, offering alternate versions of portraits and presenting them in a much grander style. It is not all just paintings, either. Bas-reliefs, busts, coins, death masks, hand casts, photographs, sketches, videos, and newspaper articles accompany the portraits, offering multiple and sometimes tactile bridges between art, history, and reality. The presidential exhibition’s thorough modernization includes improved lighting, new labels and wall texts, and the addition of interactive touch screens allowing visitors to explore the context of each president’s time in office.

George Washington. Credit: George Washington (Lansdowne portrait) (1796), oil on canvas by Gilbert Stuart; Smithsonian Institution

Gilbert Stuart’s full-length portrait of George Washington welcomes visitors to the America’s Presidents exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. Credit: George Washington (Lansdowne portrait) (1796), oil on canvas by Gilbert Stuart; Smithsonian Institution

America’s Presidents showcases the first 44 presidents, starting with Gilbert Stuart’s full-length “Lansdowne” portrait of George Washington. Recently restored for the exhibition’s relaunch, Washington’s portrait stands tall at the entrance, beckoning people within. Stuart’s famous unfinished “Atheneum” portraits of Washington and his wife, the first First Lady Martha Custis Washington, flank the Lansdowne painting to each side. 

Abraham Lincoln. Credit: Abraham Lincoln (1887), oil on canvas by George Peter Alexander Healy; Smithsonian Institution

This portrait of Abraham Lincoln shows him as he looked in 1860. Credit: Abraham Lincoln (1887), oil on canvas by George Peter Alexander Healy; Smithsonian Institution

Inside, visitors experience a walking timeline of U.S. history, passing from president to president as if they were there to shake your hand and personally tell you the glories and trials of their administrations. The exhibition is divided into chronological sections: 1789-1827: Building the Presidency; 1828-1860: Democracy and Expansion; 1861-1900: The Crisis of the Union; 1901-1932: Social Reform; 1933-1989: Negotiating World Peace; and 1990-2017: Contemporary Presidency.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Credit: Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1945), oil on canvas by Douglas Chandor; Smithsonian Institution

This unique portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt is part of the “1933-1989: Negotiating World Peace” section of the America’s Presidents exhibition. Credit: Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1945), oil on canvas by Douglas Chandor; Smithsonian Institution

Not every president gets equal time, however. Six presidents are given extra attention because of their significant impact on the office: George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan.

Ronald Reagan. Credit: Ronald Reagan (1991), oil on canvas by Everett Raymond Kinstler; Smithsonian Institution

This portrait is one of three of President Ronald Reagan included in America’s Presidents. Credit: Ronald Reagan (1991), oil on canvas by Everett Raymond Kinstler; Smithsonian Institution

Tags: abraham lincoln, art, barack obama, franklin roosevelt, george washington, national portrait gallery, presidents, Ronald Reagan, smithsonian institution
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Nelson Mandela 100

Wednesday, July 18th, 2018

July 18, 2018

On July 18, 1918, 100 years ago today, activist and politician Nelson Mandela was born in the Transkei territory (now the Eastern Cape province) of South Africa. Mandela, the first black president of South Africa, was instrumental in ending apartheid, a policy of strict racial segregation, and he helped unify a very fragmented nation. His efforts earned him international admiration and a Nobel Peace Prize. Mandela is remembered as the father—or tata—of modern South Africa, where July 18th is celebrated annually as Mandela Day. Commonly called by his clan name, Madiba, Mandela died on Dec. 5, 2013, at age 95.

Nelson Mandela was the first black president of South Africa. He had long been a major figure in the struggle for racial justice. Credit: © AP Photo

Nelson Mandela was the first black president of South Africa. He was born 100 years ago today on July 18, 1918. Credit: © AP Photo

To honor Mandela on what would have been his 100th birthday, South Africa issued a special set of bank notes and gold coins depicting Mandela’s upbringing in rural Eastern Cape; his 27-year incarceration; and the end of apartheid. Yesterday, on July 17, 2018, former United States President Barack Obama delivered a Mandela Day speech before 15,000 people in Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city. The United Nations is sponsoring centenary events for its Nelson Mandela International Day and hosting a “Building on the Legacy of Nelson Mandela” exhibit at its headquarters in New York City. The Nelson Mandela Foundation is dedicating this year’s anniversary to Action Against Poverty, an independent development organization that helps poverty-stricken people in northeastern Africa.

Click to view larger image South Africa Credit: WORLD BOOK map

Click to view larger image
South Africa
Credit: WORLD BOOK map

Mandela had a long history of protesting against apartheid, and he paid a heavy price for it. In 1962, he was imprisoned on charges of conspiring to overthrow the white minority government. While in prison, Mandela became a global symbol of the struggle for racial justice. After his release in 1990, he led negotiations with white leaders that eventually brought an end to apartheid and established a nonracial system of government. From 1991 to 1997, Mandela served as president of the African National Congress (ANC), a group that helped win political and civil rights for the country’s blacks.

Nelson Mandela is a picture book biography of South Africa's first black president. The book tells about Mandela's long struggle to win equality for the black people of South Africa after many years of oppression by the country's white minority. Credit: © Kadir Nelson, Harper Collins

This illustration is from Nelson Mandela, a picture book biography by African American illustrator and author Nelson Kadir. Credit: © Kadir Nelson, Harper Collins

Mandela and then-President Frederik Willem de Klerk of South Africa shared the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize. They were honored for their work to end apartheid and to enable the country’s nonwhites to fully participate in the South African government. In 1994, South Africa held its first elections in which people of all races could vote. Blacks won a majority of the seats in a new National Assembly, and the Assembly selected Mandela to be president. The election marked the beginning of a new era in South Africa. Mandela served as president until 1999, when he retired from public service.

Tags: apartheid, barack obama, centenary, nelson mandela, south africa
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The End of Castro Cuba

Wednesday, April 25th, 2018

April 25, 2018

Last week, on April 19, 59 years of Castro rule ended in the Caribbean Island nation of Cuba. In January 1959, Communist revolutionary leader Fidel Castro took control of Cuba. Castro dominated Cuban life and politics until February 2008, when he handed power to his younger brother, Raúl. Raúl Castro continued his brother’s legacy, ruling Cuba until his planned retirement last week at age 86. Miguel Díaz-Canel, the 57-year old first vice president, became Cuba’s new president.

The Castro brothers together controlled Cuba’s government for about 59 years. Fidel, right , ruled the nation from 1959 to 2008, when Raúl, left , succeeded him. Raúl stepped down as president in 2018. Credit: © Reuters/Landov

The Castro brothers controlled Cuba’s government for about 59 years. Fidel, right, ruled the nation from 1959 to 2008, when Raúl, left, succeeded him. Raúl stepped down as president in 2018. Credit: © Reuters/Landov

The end of Castro Cuba is significant historically, but it does not represent a significant change for the nation or its people. Díaz-Canel has promised to continue longstanding Castro policies as well as the nation’s one-party Communist system. Raúl Castro will continue as leader of Cuba’s Communist Party until 2021.

Miguel Díaz-Canel Credit: Public Domain

Miguel Díaz-Canel became president of Cuba in April 2018. Credit: Public Domain

The Castro era in Cuba began in 1953, when Fidel, a young lawyer, started a revolution against the military dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. The rebellion failed, however, and Fidel and Raúl were captured and imprisoned. The Castro brothers were released from prison in 1955, and they started another revolution in 1956. In 1957, the rebel forces gained momentum in Cuba as Batista’s power faltered. By mid-1958, Batista’s government had lost the support of most Cubans as well as the government of the nearby United States.

Click to view larger image Cuba. Credit: WORLD BOOK map

Click to view larger image
Cuba. Credit: WORLD BOOK map

On Jan. 1, 1959, Batista fled Cuba. Castro’s rebel forces then took control of the government and Fidel Castro became prime minister (and later president). Communist reforms and Castro’s dictatorial rule soured Cuba’s relations with the United States. A U.S. economic embargo on Cuba began in 1960, and diplomatic relations between the countries were severed in 1961. Tensions between Cuba and the United States then remained high for many years. No real attempts were made to reconcile the countries while Fidel Castro remained in power. After Raúl Castro became president in 2008, U.S. President Barack Obama encouraged friendlier ties with Cuba, and the two countries officially resumed diplomatic relations in 2015.

Tags: barack obama, cuba, fidel castro, miguel diaz-canel, raul castro
Posted in Current Events, Government & Politics, History, People | Comments Off

Protection for Bears Ears and Gold Butte

Thursday, January 12th, 2017

January 12, 2017

On Dec. 28, 2016, President Barack Obama created two new large protected areas in the southwestern United States: the Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah and Gold Butte National Monument in southern Nevada. To do so, the president used the executive power provided by the 1906 Antiquities Act. The act, meant to stop looting and destruction at prehistoric American Indian sites, gives the president the power to establish national monuments on federal land. Obama’s December actions protected some 2,500 square miles (6,475 square kilometers) of fragile and important desert landscapes, adding to his legacy of environmental protection.

Valley of the Gods - The 1.35 million-acre Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah protects one of most significant cultural landscapes in the United States, with thousands of archaeological sites and important areas of spiritual significance. Abundant rock art, ancient cliff dwellings, ceremonial kivas, and countless other artifacts provide an extraordinary archaeological and cultural record, all surrounded by a dramatic backdrop of deep sandstone canyons, desert mesas, and forested highlands and the monument’s namesake twin buttes. These lands are sacred to many Native American tribes today, who use the lands for ceremonies, collecting medicinal and edible plants, and gathering materials for crafting baskets and footwear. Their recommendations will ensure management decisions reflect tribal expertise and traditional and historical knowledge. Credit: Bureau of Land Management

Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah protects one of the most significant cultural landscapes in the United States, an area with thousands of archaeological sites and other areas of beauty and importance. Credit: Bureau of Land Management

Bears Ears National Monument contains numerous sites considered sacred by Native American groups. The monument protects ancient petroglyphs (rock carvings), cliffside dwellings, and lands traditionally used by Navajo and other native groups to forage for wild plants used for food and herbal remedies. The protected lands will remain open for livestock grazing. The monument is to be administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service, in conjunction with an association representing native groups.

Gold Butte National Monument covers nearly 300,000 acres of remote and rugged desert landscape in southeastern Nevada, where dramatically chiseled red sandstone, twisting canyons, and tree-clad mountains punctuate desolate stretches of the Mojave Desert. The brightly hued sandstone provides a stunning canvas for the area’s famously beautiful rock art, and the desert provides critical habitat. The area is popular for outdoor recreation, and visitors to the monument can hike to rock art sites, drive the Gold Butte Backcountry Byway to the area’s namesake mining ghost town, hunt desert bighorn sheep, or tour the area’s peaks and canyons on horseback. Credit: Bureau of Land Management

Gold Butte National Monument protects a beautiful and culturally significant desert landscape northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. Credit: Bureau of Land Management

Gold Butte National Monument in southern Nevada contains striking rock formations, forests of Joshua trees, ancient Native American sites, rare fossils, and a number of ecologically sensitive areas. The monument, known to many as “Nevada’s Piece of the Grand Canyon,” will continue to allow such recreational activities as hunting and fishing.

Conservationists, Native American groups, and many others applauded the president’s actions. Opponents of the monument designations included state legislators and county leaders who preferred the lands be used for mineral and fossil fuel exploration.

Theodore Roosevelt was the first president to use the Antiquities Act when he protected Wyoming’s Devils Tower in 1906. In 1908, Roosevelt also set aside 1,250 square miles (3,200 square kilometers) in Arizona’s Grand Canyon, creating a forerunner of the popular national park. Since taking office in 2009, Obama has used the Antiquities Act more than any other president, establishing or expanding more than two dozen new national monuments.

Throughout Obama’s presidency, his administration has taken numerous steps to combat global climate change, promote energy efficiency, and create or extend protections in areas of scenic, historic, and ecological importance.

Tags: barack obama, bears ears, conservation, environmental protection, gold butte, national monument, nevada, utah
Posted in Ancient People, Animals, Conservation, Current Events, Environment, Government & Politics, History, Law, People, Plants, Prehistoric Animals & Plants, Recreation & Sports | Comments Off

Obama in Hiroshima: Death Fell from the Sky

Friday, May 27th, 2016

May 27, 2016

Earlier today, Barack Obama became the first sitting United States president to visit Hiroshima, Japan, site of the world’s first atomic bombing in 1945. Accompanied by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the president visited the haunting Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum before laying a wreath at the Memorial Cenotaph at the center of the Peace Memorial Park. The park—situated near the bombing’s hypocenter (area immediately below the atomic explosion)—was once the site of the city’s bustling commercial district. The saddle-shaped cenotaph bears the names of people killed in the attack.

U.S. President Barack Obama, right, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands after laying wreaths at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, western, Japan, Friday, May 27, 2016. Obama on Friday became the first sitting U.S. president to visit the site of the world's first atomic bomb attack, bringing global attention both to survivors and to his unfulfilled vision of a world without nuclear weapons. Credit: © Kimimasa Mayama, Pool Photo/AP Photo

U.S. President Barack Obama, right, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands after laying wreaths at the cenotaph in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Japan on May 27, 2016. President Obama was the first sitting president to visit the site of the world’s first atomic bomb attack. Credit: © Kimimasa Mayama, Pool Photo/AP Photo

President Obama then addressed a large, somber, and silent crowd: “Seventy-one years ago, on a bright cloudless morning, death fell from the sky and the world was changed,” he began. “A flash of light and a wall of fire destroyed a city, and demonstrated that mankind possessed the means to destroy itself.” He later added: “We come to mourn the dead, including over 100,000 Japanese men, women and children, thousands of Koreans, and a dozen Americans held prisoner. Their souls speak to us.” The president did not apologize for the bombing, which was done by the United States near the end of World War II. He painted the Japanese as neither victims nor aggressors, but merely called for an end to senseless wars. He also reiterated the need to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

Following his speech, President Obama met with survivors of the bombing. He embraced a visibly moved Shigeaki Mori, a 79-year-old survivor who helped create a memorial to the 12 American prisoners of war killed in the bombing.

On Aug. 6, 1945, a U.S. Army plane, the Enola Gay, dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The explosion and aftermath killed an estimated 140,000 people. Three days later, on August 9, another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. These were the first and last times that nuclear weapons were used in warfare. The United States dropped the bombs to convince Japan to surrender—and it worked. World War II unofficially ended a few days later with Japan’s agreement to stop fighting on August 14. The official surrender came on September 2.

Tags: atomic bomb, barack obama, hiroshima, japan, shinzo abe
Posted in Current Events, Government & Politics, History, Military Conflict, People | Comments Off

President Obama in Cuba

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016

March 22, 2016

On Sunday afternoon, March 20, U.S. President Barack Obama arrived on Air Force One with the First Family for a three-day visit to Havana, Cuba. Obama’s arrival made him the first sitting U.S. president to visit the country since Calvin Coolidge in 1928. The historic visit is the latest step in the accelerating rapprochement (renewal of friendly relations) between Cuba and the United States. The president and his family toured Old Havana in the rain and met with Cardinal Jaime Ortega, who has been a key part of the negotiations bringing the nations back together.

U.S. President Barack Obama meets with Cuban President Raúl Castro at the Revolution Palace  on March 21, 2016, in Havana, Cuba.  Credit: © Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP Photo

U.S. President Barack Obama meets with Cuban President Raúl Castro at the Revolution Palace on March 21, 2016, in Havana, Cuba.
Credit: © Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP Photo

On Monday, Obama laid a wreath at the memorial to Cuban national hero José Julián Martí in the Plaza de la Revolución. A military honor guard then welcomed Obama to the Revolution Palace, where he met Cuban President Raúl Castro. The two leaders discussed trade and political reforms aimed at lifting longstanding U.S. sanctions against the Communist island country. Obama pressed Castro to provide greater Internet access for Cubans, while the Cuban delegation repeated the goal of reclaiming Cuba’s Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, which has been under formal U.S. control since 1903.

Today, March 22, Obama is to address the Cuban people on live television before joining President Castro for an exhibition game between the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Cuban National Team at Havana’s Estadio Latinoamericano. The Rays’ visit to Cuba is the first by an MLB team since the Baltimore Orioles played a similar exhibition in 1999. President Obama will then fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for his first visit with President Mauricio Macri.

 

Tags: barack obama, baseball, cuba, raul castro
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