I never made it to the excavation of the spot on Independence Mall in Philadelphia a couple years ago where the first president had a home back in the 18th century. As a newspaper online editor…
Slaves in George Washington’s house
Posted in history
Category: history
I had walked past that spot several times, but had never glanced to my right or left to see the headstone. If I had, I would’ve remembered it from two weeks ago. Even then, it…
Why no one wants my dark-skinned doll
Posted in Black history, Dolls, and history
She has sat through several flea markets, this dark-complexioned wooden doll I got at auction a few years ago. She has watched as her companions – two light-colored fabric dolls in dresses with Asian script –…
Your Boomer childhood in one email
Posted in collectibles, and history
My auction buddy Janet sent me one of those chain emails that urges you to pass it on to other people. She apologized, noting that she doesn’t usually forward these but she couldn’t resist because…
Discovering the identity of a Tuskegee airman
Posted in Black history, history, and Photos
Back in November, on Veterans Day, I wrote about some photos I had found at auction of 10 African American soldiers, apparently taken during World War II. Since the photos had been done by the…
I had my eye out for mile marker 116.7 as we drove along the Pennsylvania Turnpike headed west last week. At that point, I would be in the vicinity of Negro Mountain Tunnel, though I…
A bad taste for Nazi memorabilia
Posted in collectibles, history, and Personal items
I don’t get the allure of Nazi memorabilia. Hitler and his SS forces were some of the most vilest people on the face of the earth. So why would anyone want to even touch the…
Lawn jockey, Underground Railroad and a collection
Posted in Books, collectibles, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, history, and Photos
I met the historian and bibliophile Charles Blockson some years after I arrived in Philadelphia. I had gone to his enclave at Temple University, a small space that housed the thousands of books, manuscripts and artifacts…
A dream book of lottery numbers
Posted in Books, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, history, and Religion
I get a lot of requests from readers wanting to know where to buy a dream book and asking me to look up numbers for them. Please Google “dream book” to find an online store that sells…
Scottsboro Boys in a minstrel show
Posted in history
I wasn’t sure what to expect as I sat there Saturday in the Vineyard Theater in New York waiting for the “Scottsboro Boys” production to begin. A minstrel show about one of the most tragic…