Why Voting Matters
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
—15th Amendment
Representative John Lewis encouraged his constituents to vote. His message, however, is appropriate for all U.S. citizens. When citizens vote, democracy is protected, is more representative and, therefore, is more alive. Public schools teach students the characteristics of good citizenship: civility and respect, trustworthiness and fairness, cooperation, and voicing opinions in positive ways. Good citizenship requires individuals to become informed, active voters. This is not just a fundamental right but a civic responsibility.
Who can vote in our country? Well, it is a long story: Continue reading “Why Voting Matters”
Say Their Names
Say their names: Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley.
On September 15, 1963 four Black girls were murdered at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. I was 13 years old; and I was horrified by the tragedy. The pictures of the girls and the blast still remain embedded in my brain. My response to the shocking murders was personal because I found many similarities between me and Addie Mae, Denise, Carole, and Cynthia.
We were young girls who had sisters. I shared a name with Carole. We sang in the choir at church. We went into the bathroom and fussed with our hair before church. We all went to school and had homework. I wondered whether we listened to and enjoyed the same music on the radio—“Heat Wave” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” There seemed to be so many similarities, but our skin color difference was immeasurable.
As I wrote my book, Dr. King, The Rabbi, and Me: A Connecticut Journey, I learned so much about how those differences permeate my perspectives and my writing. Initially, as I detailed the events of that day, I wrote the four girls were “killed.” My editor corrected me. Say the words, she said: They were murdered.
Say their names: George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery. Say the words. They. Were. Murdered.
Video Replay of Morgenstern Books Talk with Bloomington Author Carol-Anne Hossler
Live Author Talks Video
Dear friends:
Yesterday evening, we went live on Facebook and Zoom! The topic was “Race in America.” Our conversation with documentary filmmaker Mitch Teplistky and long-time Bloomington educator and author Carol-Anne Hossler was timely and thought-provoking. In case you missed it (or want to watch it again!), here’s the video replay!
Our talk was inspired by Carol-Anne’s book, Dr. King, The Rabbi, and Me: A Connecticut Journey, which you can find on the Morgenstern Books online store OR her website, mlkandme.com. (If you purchase on her site, select the Bookshop option so your purchase supports our indie bookstore!)
Continue reading “Video Replay of Morgenstern Books Talk with Bloomington Author Carol-Anne Hossler”
Live Author Talk with Carol-Anne Hossler
Your Special Invitation
Dear friends of Carol-Anne Hossler:
Welcome to the Morgenstern Books community! We are excited to have Carol-Anne on our LIVE Author Talk event this Friday, September 11, at 5:00 P.M. I hope you can join us and support Indiana authors! This is your special invitation on behalf of Carol-Anne.
Listen in on a live chat with documentary filmmaker Mitch Teplitsky and our guest, Carol-Anne Hossler. Carol-Anne is the author of Dr. King, The Rabbi and Me: A Connecticut Journey, a story about race in America and her unforgettable meeting with Martin Luther King Jr. as a young teen.
WHEN: Friday, September 11, at 5:00 P.M.
WHERE: Listen in on Zoom or Facebook Live*
*Facebook live will appear on our Facebook page when the event begins
June 14: It’s “Flag Day”
“Pandemic virus.”
“I can’t breathe.”“
“No justice, no peace.”
These words are forever linked to our collective history. Isn’t it ironic that “2020” suggests clear and perfect vision? Most people would agree that the year 2020 has been—at the very least—replete with more questions than answers, especially regarding the future of our democracy. It seems that civil unrest is a daily occurrence. The vision of our country as the UNITED States of America appears to be out of reach, and some fear that it is slipping away. And what about “freedom and justice for all”? In these times, what does it mean to raise the flag on June 14, Flag Day? Continue reading “June 14: It’s “Flag Day””
A Little History
Lessons from My Early Years of Teaching
Before I was hired as a “real teacher” with my own classroom in 1973, I worked as a classroom aide in Thousand Oaks, California, which is a rather affluent community. My 22-mile commute from Thousand Oaks to Oxnard, California, was in many ways, and on some days, worlds apart.
My first-grade students—27 of them—were a rich tapestry of cultures: black, white, Hispanic, Vietnamese, and Cambodian. They spoke English, Spanish and Spanglish, Vietnamese and Cambodian. Some parents were “blue-collar” workers, some moms did “daycare,” some parents worked in the fields of the Oxnard plain, one family owned a Mexican restaurant just down the street from the school, and I think there were some parents who—for whatever reason—did not work. “Family” was defined in a variety of ways: two-parent families, single-parent families, and kids being raised by grandparents. Although I had a teaching license, I was not fully prepared for this classroom setting! Continue reading “A Little History”
Toward Kinder Classrooms
Greetings and Welcome!
And thank you for visiting my website.
When I began my college education in 1968, I knew I wanted to be an English major, but had absolutely no idea what I “wanted to be when I grew up.” Fortunately, as a freshman at California Lutheran College—and in need of a job—I managed to land a position at a local elementary school.
Imagine my surprise to discover that I actually looked forward to going to work! Every day was fun for me as I talked with kids during their lunchtime and at recess. Before long I was “hooked” and so dedicated myself to doing everything in my power to earn the privilege of having my very own classroom. Continue reading “Toward Kinder Classrooms”