Amelia Earwho?

When people talk about women in aviation there is only one name that is spoken of, Amelia Earhart. Sure, she did everything "first," but does that make her the best? Most of the allure of Earhart is the mystery surrounding her fate. But there is another pilot in American History whose untimely death was surrounded by mystery as well. She is quite unknown to most, even to some aviation buffs. She was Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman. She was the first African American female pilot and the first African American to have an international pilot license. What makes Coleman interesting is what she did with an airplane. Unlike Earhart, who flew record setting flights, Coleman was the female Evil Knievel of early 20th century flight. So, it's time that Coleman get the respect she's do and is mentioned in the same conversation as Amelia Earhart.

cutandpastaviation.blogspot.com

Bessie Colman was born January 26, 1892 in the small town of Atlanta, Texas. One of thirteen children, I guess there wasn't much for else for the Colman parents to do in Atlanta, her parenst were George and Susan. Colman spent the majority of her life in Waxahachie, TX. Coleman walked 4 miles, both ways, to her segregated schoolhouse. There she learned to read and write, she loved reading the classics and was an excellent math student. However, education was not the main focus in her life. Every year when the cotton harvest took place, she would join her family in harvesting, as it was major bump in their family income. However, at the age of 9 Coleman's life was turn upside down. Her father who was part Cherokee, became disgusted with the racial segregation that took place in Texas and left for the Indian Territory, present day Oklahoma. At 18, Bessie attended Oklahoma Colored Agricultural and Normal University but could only afford one year of schooling before returning back to Waxahachie. It would be in 1915 that she'd move to Chicago and her life would change in a direction the young girl from Texas could never imagine.

eyesonvintage.blogspot.com

While in Chicago, Bessie worked at the White Sox Barber Shop as a manicurist. There she overheard stories from returning WWI vets, and mainly from return pilots. She became captivated and fell in love with the idea of flying. However, two thing stood in her way of achieving her dream. First, she was a woman and back then women couldn't "do'' anything. Second, she was black. To add insult to injury not even African American pilots would train her. Not being one that was easily discouraged, she took the advice of the publisher of the Chicago Defender, Robert Abbott, and went to France to be trained. She arrived in Paris in November of 1920. Once in Paris, she learned to fly in a Nieuport Type 82. She became a liscened pilot in June of '21. However, the license wasn't enough. She took lessons from French Air Force aces to improve her skills. She returned to the states in 1921 and was an automatic sensation. 

archives.gov

In the cockpit, Coleman was fearless. A true showma...show-woman. She worked as a stunt flier and preformed in front of large but more importantly, paying crowds. She flew a few shows in the states, but returned to Europe in '22 to sharpen her skills and take her abilities to the next level. She trained and learned from some of the top pilots in France, the Netherlands and Germany. When she returned again to the states, this time she returned not as just the top female pilot but as one of the top pilots on the world. Better known to the public as Queen Bess, she was a part of every major flying event in the country. The media couldn't get enough of her and featured her at every chance they had. She was a fan favorite of both men and women, old and young but more importantly blacks and whites. She flew anything she could get her hands only, but she primarily flew the Curtiss JN-4 biplane, better known as the "Jenny."  Her first major American show was in September of '22, held at Curtiss Field on Long Island. The event honored the 369th Infantray Regiment, which was an all African American regiment. Coleman was the main event and dubbed "the world's greatest woman flier."

archives.gov

After the success of the show on Long Island, Coleman preformed in another major American airshow at the Checkerboard Airdome, or better known today as Chicago's Midway Airport. At the show Coleman really stepped up her game. There she cemented herself as not just the greatest female daredevil but maybe one of the greatest daredevils to ever sit in a cockpit. She preformed figure eights, loops, and near-ground dips all to the delight of the crowd on the ground. Her reputation was growing as the best female pilot to ever take to the sky. She was absolutely fearless and not afraid of attempting new and innovative tricks. In February of '23 she crashed her plane at the Los Angeles Airshow and broke her leg and three ribs. However, because of this the press turned on Coleman and called her overly flamboyant  and opportunistic... Umm did they realize she was a daredevil? Of course she is going to be overly flamboyant it comes with the job. It was at this point, after she had conquered the sky, it was time for her to share the joy of flying. Coleman wished to open her own flying school in the states and teach the next generation of adrenaline junkies, but there was a different plan for Queen Bess.

archives.gov

In April of 1926 Coleman purchased another Curtiss JN-4 and began to break it in for a show in Jacksonville. However, her family and friends did not feel comfortable with her flying it and seriously encouraged her not to fly it. It was Coleman and her mechanic William Wills in the plane that day and everything was going fine. It was after about 10 minutes into the flight that something wasn't right. The plane didn't pull out of a dive but instead begin to spin out of control. Coleman was thrown from the plane at about 2000 feet and died on impact. She was thrown because during the flight she was surveying in the land as her next big trick was to parachute from her plane. Wills also died as the plane plummeted to the ground and burst into flames. The cause of the crash, a wrench was left in the gearbox and jammed into it, ultimately causing Coleman's untimely death.

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Elizabeth Coleman is one of the most overlooked women in, not only aviation history, but American History. She did things with an airplane that men then and not even now would be willing to do. But what is more impressive than being able to master flying a plane the way she did was her drive. Coleman never stopped pushing herself and never settled for anything. She always set the bar higher for herself every time she surpassed her set goals. She never gave up her childhood dream of amounting to something. Coleman is an under credit person in American History and it is a shame. She died at 34 years of age and it is unknown what doors she would have opened for not just women, but for African Americans as well. I think it might be fair to say that when we look at the timeline of women in aviation history that Coleman really paved the way for the most famous female pilot of all time Amelia Earhart. The truth is Coleman may be the greatest female pilot of all time, setting the standards not just for herself but for everyone that sat in a cockpit during that time. She is an American hero that has been forgotten for to long.

Why Doesn't Anyone Talk About This Guy!?!

It's Black History Month and again one man is not mentioned. We always hear about Martin Luther King Jr., Harriett Tubman, George Washington Carver, Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglass and many other influence African Americans and rightfully so. But every year there is one name that is never mentioned and I have no idea why. He was at the start of the American Revolution and in fact was the first man killed in the Revolution. The name Crispus Attucks may not be familiar to most outside the city of Boston, but he is a familiar character in the story of America and should be honored during Black History Month as all the other great African Americans in our history are. 

ushistory.org

On the evening of March 5, 1770 Crispus Attucks would become cemented in History as the first man killed in the American Revolution. But before we get to that, who was Crispus Attucks? Not much is known about Crispus but what is known is pretty interesting. Born in Framingham, Massachusetts on oddly enough, March 5, 1723. His father, a slave, was Prince Yonger. His mother was Nancy Attucks, a Natick Indian and descendant of John Attuck who was hung during King Philip's War back in 1670s, but that is another story for another blog. Attucks had a desire for freedom, so at the age of 27 he ran away from his owner, William Brown in 1750. Looking to make an escape Attucks turned to the sea and worked on several different ships. Mainly working on whaling ships, Attucks spent the remainder of his life sailing from port to port and ship to ship until March of 1770, when he found himself in Boston, awaiting the next ship to leave.

archives.org 

Now we all know the story of the Boston Massacre. The British presence in the city was growing more and more unwanted. The Stamp Act and Townshend Acts were really pissing off the Bostonians and that radical group called the Sons of Liberty were stirring the pot and whipping the city into a frenzy. With  the Sons of Liberty doing their thing and the British being, well just being British it was only a matter of time before the city would see everything boil over. That boiling point came on that cold March night in 1770. The lobster backs were the main target that night, specifically members of the 29th Regiment of Foot. It all started with some innocent snowball throwing and name calling. But then there was that one guy, who is always at these kind of things and forces things to escalate, and who started throwing chunks of ice at the Redcoats. Now, the Redcoats were agitated and the growing crowd jeered and the situation continued to get worse. By this time a group of men, including Attucks, armed with clubs and other weapons made their way to the Old State House. Now this is where things get spotty. Some say Attucks himself struck a solider, while others say he was just in the crowd. It was at this point that the freedom and liberty hating British troops opened fire on the crowd and hit five Americans. The first to be hit was Crispus, shot twice in the chest and died within minutes. That night, March 5, 1770 saw the first to fall in America's fight for Independence. A no name, runaway slave, shot twice and left to die on a street in Boston, would be the first casualty of the American Revolution. But why is Crispus not celebrated today? Not just during Black History Month, but during any talk of American History.

 graymorrow.blogspot.com

When talking about African Americans in American History, especially those who lived prior to the 20th century and even those who lived in the 20th century, it is impossible not to talk about good old fashion American racism. Even in the immediate wake of the Boston Massacre, a racist attitude could be seen. When John Adams was defending the British soldiers he referred to the group, including Atttucks, as "a motley rabble of saucy boys, negros and molattoes, Irish teagues and outlandish jack tarrs," I don't know about you but personally I think John Adams is kind of a jerk, so I don't put much value into anything he says but this line shows how even then Attucks was viewed, just a nameless person only to be described as racial term. Even depictions of the event are bias towards Attucks, as some show him, while others conveniently leave him out. From 1770 until the 1850 Attucks was an urban legend of sorts. Nothing celebrating him, nothing honoring his sacrifice, he's got nada, niente, nicht, zero. That is until 1858. It was then that "Crispus Attucks Day" was established by Boston abolitionists. Throughout History, Crispus has made momentary emergences. In 1888, a monument was dedicated to the victims of the Boston Massacre, in 1964 Martin Luther King Jr. referenced him in a speech, in 1976 Stevie Wonder mentioned him in his song "Black Man," in 1998 the U.S. Treasury released the "The Black Revolutionary War Patriots Civil Dollar" which had Attucks on the reverse side, in 2002 he was added to the 100 Greatest African Americans and he has several places that bear his name today, from schools to roads & parks to associations. I think James Neyland best sums up Crispus Attucks best and the reason why we need to remember him as "the first defy, the first to die;"

He is one of the most important figures in African-American history, not for what he did for his own race but for what he did for all oppressed people everywhere. He is a reminder that the African-American heritage is not only African but American and it is a heritage that begins with the beginning of America.

-James Neyland

And the Most Awesomest Nickname Ever Goes To....

Nicknames, they have been around forever and everyone has one. For my entire life I've been referred to a Mick, my brother Sean as Lumpy and my fiancée used to called Hueso (literal Spanish translation is bone) by her parents when he was younger. The point is most nicknames will stick with a person for life, whether they like them or not. All of our American President from Washington to Obama have a nickname, as do most other famous Americans that make up our history. But one man stands alone as the holder of the greatest nickname ever. He may be unknown to most of you but the man was a true blue hero through and through. His name Eugene Bullard.

americancitizenstogether.org

Now I know what your thinking, what nickname could a guy name Eugene have? Well let me tell you,it is awesome. Born Eugene Jacques Bullard on November 9, 1895 in Columbus, Ohio, he was one of the ten children between William O. Bullard (whose nickname was Big Chief Ox) and Josephine Thomas. Growing up in Columbus was not an ideal place for a child of African and Native American mix to grow up. His father at one time was even a victim of an attempted lynching. So it didn't take him that long to decide to leave. He stowed away on a ship heading for Scotland where he sought to start a new life, free from racial segregation. Once in Scotland he made his way to Glasgow and started a career as a boxer and during that day worked as a stage hand. His life in Scotland wasn't so bad, he was working, not at risk of being lynched, getting a pay check, life was good. But for Bullard and everyone else living during the late 1910s, everything was about to change.

africanamericancollection.com

Bullard was visiting Paris when the Great War broke out. At the time I am willing to bet he was the toughest guy in all of France, so being the toughest guy in the country Bullard joined the French Foreign Legion. he was fearless in battle, almost unstoppable as he charged across No Man's Land. In 1916, at the Battle of Verdun he was wounded and instead of being like the rest of his French comrades, Bullard picked up he rifle and kept firing at the enemy. For his bravery he was awarded the Croix de Guerre. After sticking it to the Germans on the ground Bullard was transferred to the Lafayette Flying Corps this way he could reign terror down from above. In August of 1917 he was assigned to the 93rd Spad Squadron, and becomes the first African American fighter pilot ever to take to the sky. Once in the sky he was a nightmare for the Germans. Everytime they thought they had him he'd somehow escape. He seemed to hit everything that moved too. He flew 20 different combat missions and is credited with taking down 2 German planes. It was because of his bravery in on ground, his skill in the cockpit and his imposing persona that he was nicknamed the Black Swallow of Death. I know it is the most awesomest nickname ever. A guy named Eugene is the Black Swallow of Death.

aarkangel.com

By the fall of 1917 the U.S. had entered the war. The U.S. Army Air Service was plucking the best pilots from the British & French ranks. Bullard was the best and he passed the medical exam which should have cleared him to fly and continue blasting Red Baron wanna bes out of the sky. Unfortunately, that smug known as racism that is dotted across American History reared its ugly head. Bullard was "overlooked" or in other words, not allowed because he wasn't a Caucasian. But that didn't deter Bullard, he the Black Swallow of Death, you think racism scared him? He kept fight for the French and racked up more street cred as being the toughest guy flying over the trenches. However, in January of 1918, Bullard was involved in an altercation with a French officer. Naturally, Bullard beat the croissants out of him but because of the fight he was transferred back to the infantry, never to fly again. He stayed in the war until Armistice Day and was always held in the highest of regards amongst his fellow soldiers.

glamamor.com

After the war the Black Swallow stayed in Paris and did what any average retired fighter pilot would do, he opened a night club. While living in Paris and rubbing elbows with the likes of Louie Armstrong, Josephine Baker, Langston Hughes and fellow pilot Charles Nungesser, Bullard found love. He married the daughter of a French Countess and they had two beautiful daughters. The club, Le Grand Duc, was one of the hottest spots in Paris. At the out break of WWII, Bullard spied on Germans who visited his club. However, once the Germans invaded France, Bullard picked up his family and made a run for Spain. But don't think he didn't stick it to the Germans one more time. He joined a group of French soldiers that were defending Orléans. Unfortunately, Bullard was hit and suffered a spinal injury. He returned home to the states in July of 1940 and recovered from his injuries in New York.

archives.gov

Bullard never found the fame he had in Paris in New York. The Black Swallow of Death was unknown outside of France which is a shame, since he was a true American hero. Bullard worked odd jobs to support his family, from a perfume sales rep to an interpreter for his old friend Louie Armstrong. Once the dust settled from World War II, Bullard wanted to go back to his nightclub in Paris. The club had been leveled during the war, probably because the Germans were terrified of his return. He did receive a settlement from the French government, as because they to were afraid of him, and he used that money t buy a home in Harlem. Bullard's life from here on out was that of most African Americans, a time of uncertainty. For example, Bullard was attacked during the Peekskill Riots, a riot started ironically by the Veterans of Foreign Wars & the American Legion. The reason, Paul Robeson was performing to benefit the Civil Rights Congress, but Robeson was considered a pinko commie, so obviously the right thing for them to do was to attack innocent concert goers. By the 1950s, the Black Swallow was not even a memory, practically an unknown hero in his own country, even in his own neighborhood.

airspace.com

In 1954, Bullard was invited back to France to light the Tomb of the Unknown Solider. Because of this The Black Swallow's exploits during the war were made aware to those in the states. He was paraded around France and under the Arc de Triomphe. Later in 1959, he was made a Chevalier, in the Legion d'honneur. Bullard would die of stomach cancer in October of 1961. He received a full military funeral and is buried in the French War Veterans' section of Flushing Cemetery in Queens. Bullard was one of the greatest heroes of WWI. He never shied away from a fight, never afraid during a battle or while flying through the sky. A man who was practically indestructible, bullets, grenades, bombs, nothing seemed to be able to stop him. His actions during battle were the stuff of legend. he was a successful business man. But more importantly a good husband and father. Bullard is the kind of guy we should still look up to today. The Black Swallow of Death, he once terrorized the skies, would party all night long, and love his family. The word hero is often used incorrectly when referring to some people, but when calling Eugene Bullard a hero is a understateme.

Reusing, Reducing and Recycling Since 1776

Today, there are countless monuments throughout the city of New York. Monuments celebrating achievements by individuals & groups, some honoring the memory of those whole have given the ultimate sacrifice and others that display the grandeur of the city. These monuments are dedicated to New York natives, American heroes and events that have dot the landscape of our past. Heck, there is even an entire street dedicated to being a monument, it's better known as the Canyon of Heroes. But there is one monument that is perhaps the most famous New York City monument, and no one has seen it for the last 237 years. The site where this monument once stood is passed by thousands of people on a daily basis, the painting that depicts the monument is also just as famous and it is the first example of recycling in American History. The monument I am talking about is that of King George III's monument that once stood at Bowling Green. Never heard of it? Well there's a reason, it's called the American Revolution.

kingsacademy.com

So in short here is why there was a gigantic statue of King George in Bowling Green; he was the God damn King of England that's why. But seriously, he was the King and New York was the crown jewel of his American colonies. The statue was built in 1770. Why? Well after Parliament placed some big time taxes on the colonies the discussion of Independence began to grow across the colonies. So, the jolly ol' King decided he'd try to curb some of that Independence rubbish, and had parliament repeal the Stamp Act. In return the colonists, mainly those dirty Tories, felt the need to honor the King with this ridiculous statue. The statue itself was pretty impressive though. Roughly weighing around 4,000 pounds and stood a little over 2 stories high.It depicted the King in Romanesque garb and mirrored the famous Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius.  However, as we know the chummy relationship between us and them, didn't last too long.

 connecticutsar.org

By 1773 the statue became a prime target 18th century versions of Banksy and other graffiti artists. The powers that be quickly passed anti-graffiti laws to stop the vandals, and even put up a protective cast-iron fence, which is the actual fence still at Bowling Green today. Yet over the next few years angry colonists would hop the fence, climb up the statue and draw a mustache on the King George's gold clad face. The statue's days were number as 1776 rolled around. The War of Independence was getting started, the colonies were being swept by the inspiration of Thomas Paine's Common Sense, the British evacuated Boston, there were skirmishes and battles throughout the colonies, the Second Continental Congress was in session, the Liberty Bell rang for the first time and oh yea, there was that little thing written by Thomas Jefferson storming out of Philadelphia, you've probably heard of it, the Declaration of Independence. Now, it did take some time for the Declaration to spread through the colonies, but it hit New York first. So to inspire the city of New York and mainly his troops George Washington had the Declaration read aloud on July 9, 1776, where today New York City Hall is located. And this was the beginning of the end for Georgie Boys statue.

 

nyhistory.org

By now the crowd was all hopped up on Liberty & Freedom, so naturally they went looking for British stuff to trash. Lead by the Sons of Liberty, the crowd marched down Broadway, unopposed of course, and had their eyes squarely locked on that disgustingly gaudy monument to that British swine sitting on his big pile of money that he wrongfully took through the unjust taxes levied on the Americans. Ok, maybe I just got a little carried away, but come on how could I not. So as the crowd  gathered at Bowling Green the goal was to topple the statue as a sign of defiance. Once the two ton statue was pulled down, the head of King George was removed and marched through the streets of New York on a pike, but at the end of the day is was recovered by those despicable Loyalists. The fate of the statue is somewhat of a mystery surrounded by folklore. Legend has it the statue, along with the decorative post finials that surrounded the monument, were shipped to a Connecticut foundry and was turned into 42,000 musket balls, all which would be used by the Continental Army. The monuments pedestal  was then used as a tomb and later be used as part of two different mansions front steps. So you can see that nothing from the statue was left to waste, making this perhaps the first steps of the going green movement. But is there anything left today of the statue? And if so, where is it?

madamepickwickartblog.com

Today, not much is left of the statue. The base was rediscovered in 1880 during renovations to one of New York's finest homes, that of Cornelius Van Vorst . Upon discovery it was handed over to the New York Historical Society. The statue itself only remains in a few fragments, also located at the NYHS. Roughly eight pieces survived.  The pieces are made up of parts from George's sash, the horses body and also part of the horse's tail. The parts all have traces of the gold gilding that once covered its lead base.That is all that's left. A few small lead pieces of lead, a slab of 18th century concrete, and the memory of a memory. Today, Bowling Green is one of New York's oldest parks, visited by daily by tourists from around the world, crisscrossed by people working downtown in the financial district and a hang out spot for students in the local schools, but do any of them know what took place there in the summer of 1776, or it's importance? It was a true act of defiance by the citizens of New York, an example of the toughness of the citizenry and defines a turning point in which the Revolution would then never be stopped. Again, the events that took place that day are slowly being forgotten today, however that day defines Revolutionary America's attitude towards the British and how the Declaration & the events of 1776 really sparked and fueled the Revolution, put more important the citizens of New York and the long road the city had ahead of it.

Grover Cleveland and His Baby Momma Drama

When people think about Grover Cleveland, which probably isn't often, the first thing to come to mind is that he was the only non consecutive two term President. Aside from that, Grover Cleveland is one of those Presidents that is being lost to history. His Presidency was lack luster at best. The Presidential Succession Act (1886), the Interstate Commerce Act (1887) and the Dawes Act (1887) are the main highlights of his career as President. Cleveland was also at the dedication of the Statue of Liberty, even though he was weary of immigrants of Asian ethnicity, but that is a different story for another day. The real juicy stuff about Cleveland happened before he was President, when he was just emerging on the political scene of the great city of Buffalo.

state.nj.us

On a freezing December night in 1873, Grover Cleveland was taking an evening walk on Swan Street. While he was out and about he ran into the very attractive Mary Haplin, a 38 year old sales clerk. Now this was not a chance encounter, Cleveland had the hots for Haplin and was in the process of courting her for the last few months. As they chatted Cleveland invited Haplin to dinner at the Ocean Dining Hall & Oyster House, fancy shmancy. The dinner was fine, they laughed, conversed, wined and dined. After Cleveland picked up the check he walked Haplin home. It is here that things get ugly. According the Haplin, Cleveland forced himself on her, aka raped her. Afterwards, Haplin demanded Cleveland leave and never see her again. Six weeks later, you guessed it, Haplin was pregnant.

 thedaily.com

Haplin gave birth in September of 1874. She named her son Oscar Folsom Cleveland, on a side note the boy was named after Grover's BFF, who Grover would then ironically marry his daughter even though he was 27 years older than her...moving on. Once Cleveland caught wind that the boy was born he turned his sights on sweeping everything, the baby, Haplin, the attack, etc, under the rug. Cleveland had little Oscar forcibly removed from Haplin and placed in the Buffalo Orphan Asylum. Then he had Haplin thrown in the loony bin, even though the doctors at the Providence Lunatic Asylum found nothing wrong with her. Haplin was later released as the incarceration was just forced by the abused of political power. After this Cleveland and Haplin's lives would go in complete opposite directions.

history.com

By 1881, Cleveland was elected mayor of Buffalo, on a platform based on clean-government. In 1882, he made his way to Albany, as he was elected Governor of New York. By 1884 he was dubbed "Grover the Good" by the Democrats, who in all fairness were probably unaware of his scandalous past. it was in 1884 that things got even worse for Haplin. Because Cleveland was now in the national spotlight, everything about him came out. However, Cleveland's people described Haplin as "a sexual plaything" with a drinking problem. Oh yea and on top of that, that she slept with three to four married men, who were all cronies of Cleveland. The Cleveland PR team even saved his image stating, "Cleveland saw the matter through in the most courageous way, and that his indifference to the boy was due to doubts about his fatherhood." Nice save Grover, but not everyone bought the story. Throughout Cleveland's Presidential campaign he was taunted with the jeer, "Ma, Ma, Where's my Pa, Gone to the WHite House, Ha, Ha, Ha"

zimbio.com

So we know what happens to Cleveland, go to DC, becomes President, marries a girl 21 years younger than him and then get re elected and sails off into the sunset. But what about Halpin? Well, Haplin lived out her life as a widowed mother of two. A church going woman who was well respected by her peers. She died in 1902 with barely $200 to her name. But what can we take away from the events between Haplin and Cleveland? Well first we see that not much has changed. Politicians are still using their positions to have sexual escapades. From Bill Clinton, to John Edwards, Newt Gingrich, Arnold Schwarzenegger and so on, men in power are still having affairs and then trying to hide them for as long as they can. I guess what we can learn is that it is impossible to hide things like that, the truth always makes its way out. We can see that these women are always the ones blamed and usually are the ones to carry the burden for the rest of their lives. Mary Haplin said on her deathbed, "Do not let the funeral be too public. I do not want strangers to come and gaze upon my face. Let everything be very quiet. Let me rest." I think that best sums up how these women feel, while Cleveland's last words were "I have tried so hard to do right." You can see how Cleveland moved on as if nothing happened, while Haplin relived it everyday. So next time your out discussing the worst person in American History, don't be afraid to through Grover Cleveland's name in the conversation.

El Viejo Luchador!!! What I Learned on My Vacation.

That's right I took an actual vacation this year. I was able to get away over the holidays to the tropical country of Ecuador. Why Ecuador you may ask? Well it just so happens to be the country my beautiful fiancée Emily was born in. During my trip (which actually was my third time there) I enjoyed amazing food, good people, cheap alcohol and the finest beaches in South America, but enough about my trip. The nation of Ecuador has a rich and deep history, but one person reigns supreme in the history of Ecuador. Across the nation: streets, schools, military bases, hotels and so on all bear his name. His face is everywhere, and he is unmistakably the Ecuadorian hero. His name, José Eloy Alfaro Delgado, or Eloy Alfaro for short. He was an Ecuadorian President but more importantly he was a man of the people, and is often an overlooked figure in South American History.

taringa.net

Alfaro was born in the small town of Montecristi, June 25, 1842. Aside from being his birth place of the great Alfaro, the town is also famous for its production of Panama Hats, which now you know don't actually come from Panama, but from Ecuador. Now Alfaro's life would be the life of a political mover and shaker, which was most likely an influence from his father. His father was don Manuel Alfaro y González.
 Mr. Alfaro Sr. was originally from Spain, but lived in Ecuador as a political exile. Eloy was locally educated in Montecristi and would assist in his father's business after schooling. Alfaro was a rebel. He was a anticlerical liberal and was quite fearless. He partook in several armed combat excursions throughout Ecuador. Alfaro's "balls over brains" characteristics are exemplified at the Battle of Alajuela. There, while fighting the Conservative Government, Alfaro was engaged in a naval fight, his ship sank and saved himself by holding on  to a barrel for dear life, while another version states he swam back to shore after the ship sank. Either way Alfaro was a man who lived by his convictions and his quest for freedom and liberty. It would be from here on out that Alfaro would cement himself into Ecuadorian History as perhaps the greatest of all the Ecuadorian leaders.

intitutotecnologicosuperioreloyalfaro.blogspot.com

Alfaro would quickly learn that fighting tyranny was no easy feat. He would have many ups and downs in his war for liberty. His fight was long, roughly from about 1860 until 1895 he fought against the oppressive government,  and because of that Alfaro would become known as the "Viejo Luchador" or for those not familiar with the Spanish language, the Old Warrior. Alfaro would eventually work his way through the minefields of 19th century Ecuadorian politics and find himself on the verge of becoming President. Riding a wave of liberal policies and progressive thought, he'd find himself in Quito. In 1895, the Ecuadorian Liberal Revolution took place and Alfaro was leading the charge. During the revolt, Alfaro personally showed then sitting President Vicente Lucio Salazar the door and assumed leadership of the nation. Alfaro would the lead the country from January of 1897 until September of 1901. In that short time he would take the small nation of Ecuador from old world thinking and put it on the path to being an example of 20th century progressiveness, liberal thought and all around utopian society.

wikipedia.org

Under Alfaro's guidance Ecuador's theocratic government was dismantled and a separation of church and state took place. He also pushed for education reforms including all the high schools within the city of Quito and at the Escuela Politecnica Nacional, where an emphasis on the sciences and technology had been implemented under the new President. After his term was over Alfaro continued to stay active in making Ecuador a better nation. In 1906, he again led a revolt and retook power with not only the support of the military but of the people. This time Alfaro would hold office from 1906 until 1911. In that time he continued to change the face of Ecuadorian politics, the standard of living and continued to extend personal freedoms. Again, education was a main focus. He ordered construction of numerous schools throughout the nation, both free and private. He gave the people freedom of speech, a right previously unknown to the Ecuadorian people. Along with that, civil marriages and divorces were also legalized. There was a constant suppression of the religious influence on government, especially the Catholic Church. Under Alfaro, no new monasteries or convents were built and much of the Church's land was seized and given back to the people or used for public works programs. The crowning jewel of the Alfaro administration may have been the Ferrocarril Transandino. This was a railroad project connecting Ecuador's two largest cities, Quito and Guayaquil. With Alfaro at the helm, times were good in Ecuador. Education, work, civil liberties and advancements all took place under the watch of Alfaro, but dark days were in Alfaro's future. 

voxpopuli-diario.blogspot.com

In 1911 Alfaro was removed from office, due to pressure from the Catholic Church. Not being one to walk away from a fight, again Alfaro made a push for the Carondelet Palace. However, it didn't exactly go according to plan and he was captured in Guayaquil. In a weird ironic twist, Alfaro was transported as a prisoner to Quito on the same railroad system that he ordered constructed. Once in Quito, President Carlos Freile Zaldumbide showed mercy on Alfaro, mainly due to his popularity with the people, and had him exiled to Panama. Again, Alfaro thumbed his nose at the opposition and returned to Ecuador in January of 1912 and again attempted another coup, but was stopped by General Leonidas Plaza and jailed. It was then on the night of January 28th that a group of pro-Catholic soldiers attacked the prison Alfaro was held in. Under the motto "Viva la religión y mueran los masones" (Long live religion and death to the Freemasons.), they enraged a mob and lead a charge for Alfaro. And of course even in South America, the Freemasons are thought to be the root of all things evil. After the prison walls were breached, Alfaro and his men were dragged to death through the cobble stone streets of Quito. Once the mob had their fill of vengeance for Alfaro anticlerical views, they then piled the corpses and burnt then in what is present day El Ejido. A few days later remains believed to be Alfaro's were buried in Quito, in the middle of the night by his supporters and friends. Later they were exhumed and transported to Guayaquil in the 1940s. It wouldn't be until 2007 that Alfaro would finally rest in peace, as current President Rafael Correa would exhumed some of Alfaro's ashes and have them interred in his home town of Montecristi.

graffiti.org

So is Eloy Alfaro Ecuador's Che Guevara? A face on a t-shirt that teenagers wear as a rebellious statement?  Or is he a symbol of liberty? Or even Nationalism? It seems that in Ecuador he is all that and more. He is the most overlooked icon in the subject of liberalism. He believed in a separation of church and state, freedom of religion, industrialization & modernization, workers rights and the rights of indigenous peoples. He enacted these ideas through reforms led by the government. It was during this time that the Ecuadorian identity was found, no longed would the people be held under the thumb of the Catholic Church. However, in the steps Alfaro took to take power, he rewrote the playbook for Ecuadorian politics. After Alfaro, others tried to duplicate him yet never could get the support Alfaro had, thus leading them to take different and ineffective routes.  Yet in the end, Alfaro is held in the highest of regards amongst Ecuadorians. His legacy within the country parallels that of our own American progressives, Wilson, Roosevelt, Taft and so on, but without the tragic ending of being dragged through the street. The ideas of Alfaro are now again resurfacing not just in Ecuador, but through Latin America and the world. Again, the life and times of Alfaro are another example of humanity's struggle and fight for equality, freedoms and liberty.

The" Bear Jew" is Based on a Real Person!?

Ok, so maybe Sergeant Sonny Donnowitz wasn't a real person, but there was someone tougher and more battle hardened than the "Bear Jew." His name was Sam Dreben and he was a complete bad ass. Completely fearless and commanded respect from everyone around him. Known as the "Fighting Jew" Dreben fought in several different and unrelated theaters of battle on every continent except Africa. But why? Was it because he was a dare devil? Loved the thrill of war? Or perhaps just had a death wish? I think it is more than that, something maybe from his childhood that made him always want to fight the good fight, maybe he just had a sense a duty which has since fell by the way side. 

worldwar1.com

Sam Dreben was born June 1, 1878 in Poltava Russia, present day Ukraine. Born to Jewish parents Sam's future in Russia was not promising. Knowing this he made two attempts at running away, the furthest he ever made it was Germany. At 18, he made his way to London, hung out for a bit and then made his way to the states by the winter of 1899. By that summer Dreben had enlisted in the U.S. Army and was being shipped to the Philippines with the 14th Infantry Regiment. The mission, restore and keep order in the new acquired land. The rebellion was led by Emilio Aguinaldo who wanted the United States out of the Philippines. There Dreben fought amongst some of America's greatest military heroes, Teddy Roosevelt, Arthur MacArthur and John Pershing. In the end the, the American forces suppressed the rebellion, officially making the Philippines a territory of the United States. Yet that was Dreben's first taste of battle and I guess he liked it because this would be the beginning of an illustrious military career.

american-buddha.com

After seeing action in the Philippines, Dreben was sent to Beijing during the Boxer Rebellion. There he was part of a protection detail for American business interests in the area. While there Dreben was released from military service. Working odd jobs and finding everyday life a little dull, he looked to enlist with a Japanese recruiter to fight in the Russo-Japanese War, but was called back to Fort Bliss in Texas, in 1904. There Dreben would train with the newest and latest piece of military equipment, the machine gun. Dreben took  the machine gun like a duck to water. He remained in Fort Bliss until 1907 when he was released from service for a second time. Looking for work he made his way to the Panama Canal Zone. Unable to get anything going, Dreben's reputation as a tough guy landed him several gigs fighting with several revolutionary causes. Mainly through Central America, he fought in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Mexico. In Guatemala, Dreben received a million dollar wound, he was shot in the buttocks. Oddly enough that would be the only time he was wounded in combat.

shootingtimes.com

Dreben would eventually make his way back to the states and re-enlist back into the army. His next major action was when he took part in the Punitive Expedition (1916). The Expedition goal was to go into Mexico and capture (or kill) Pancho Villa for a raid he orchestrated in New Mexico. This would not be the first time Dreben would be involved with Villa. Prior to the Expedition, Dreben and Villa worked together in Mexico. They spent several months in Mexico looking for Villa but the search was fruitless.  Then in 1917 with the U.S.'s entry into WWI, you could bet Dreben was one of the first in line to sign up. He enlisted with the 141st Infantry Regiment of the 36th Infantry Division. Before leaving Dreben took a wife, Helen Spence and started a family. Sadly as Dreben was leaving for France, news reached him of the passing of his daughter. It is unknown how Dreben reacted to the news, but he continued on to France.

netdotcom.com

When in France, Derben continued to do what he did best, kick some serious tail. He took part in the battle of St. Etienne (1918). He served under General Jack Perishing and he was held in his highest regards. By the end of the war Dreben went home with some serious hardware, and left a bunch of Krauts crying for their mutters. Aside from the miles of street cred he continued to grow, he was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Croix de Guerre and the Medaille Militaire. After the war Dreben was looking to get some R&R. He did have to deal with a cheating wife, which he then divorced. However, aside from the marital issue, Dreben ran a successful insurance business in El Paso, Texas. But just when life seemed to slow down a bit, Dreben's achievements called him back into action. In 1921, Dreben and several other men were deputized by the El Paso P.D. to illegally extradite a prisoner from Juarez, Mexico. The plan ran a rye and Dreben and his merry men were arrested by Mexican authorities, only to be released three days later after Uncle Sam flexed a diplomatic little muscle. After the spat in Mexico, Dreben remarried and moved to California for a new start. Then in 1925 Dreben tragically died from an accidental dose of medicine. As news of his death spread all the major newspapers ran articles honoring the hero.

 unm.edu

Sam Dreben is a true American hero. A man who symbolizes heroism with every bone in his body. His service to his county was never forced and always selfless. He built a reputation as a tough guy and his bravery was world renowned. Today we would call men like Dreben, soldiers of fortune, a gun for hire or even a mercenary. But Dreben is a unique character and exemplifies that sense of adventure not really seen anymore.You can see that perhaps Dreben could have been an inspiration not just for Sergeant Sonny Donnowitz character, but for all the characters in Inglorious Bastards. But what does that say about Dreben? The characters in that film are larger than life, and so was Dreben. Today, Dreben is still on of the most unknown people in military history. The man from Russia, whose mother had hopes he'd become a rabbi, is one toughest men to ever step onto a battlefield. Whether it on a field in France, a dock in Beijing or a jungle in Honduras, Dreben never shied away from the service for others.Today, Sam Dreben should be up there with our other military heroes and in equal or great standings. An American hero through and through, but is slowing becoming another casualty to History and his achievements only belonging to the ages.