Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw is an art historian, curator, and professor of American art at the University of Pennsylvania. She has curated major exhibitions and published several books on African American art. She joins us on Kids Corner monthly to spotlight some artists that we might know - but definitely should know!

FEBRUARY ARTISTS 

 View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts,
after a Thunderstorm—The Oxbow / Thomas Cole 1836

Long known as "The Oxbow," this work is a masterpiece of American landscape painting, laden with possible interpretations. In the midst of painting "The Course of Empire" (New-York Historical Society), Cole mentioned in a letter dated March 2, 1836, to his patron Luman Reed that he was executing a large version of this subject expressly for exhibition and sale.

Watts Towers of Simon Rodia State Historic Park

A work of monumental architectural sculpture, the Watts Towers are constructed of a structural steel core, wrapped in wire mesh which has been covered with mortar, and inlaid with tile, glass, shell, pottery, and rocks. Set in only a fourteen-inch foundation, the tallest of the towers is ninety-nine and a half feet tall. The west tower, begun in 1921, contained the longest reinforced concrete columns in the world upon its completion, an important record in the history of architecture. The stability of the entire monument is ensured by its innovative architectural design embodying universal structural principles found in nature.

This integrated series of works, combining artistic elements of sculpture and architecture, is an unparalleled example of an art environment constructed by a single, self-taught artist. Since coming to the world’s attention in 1959, the site has become the focus of cultural and aesthetic movements addressing issues of social and economic justice. To this day, the Watts Towers serve as a symbol of freedom, creativity, and initiative for the local African-American and Latino community and beyond.

Snap the Whip / Winslow Homer 1872

Snap the Whip celebrates the pleasures of childhood in a rough-and-tumble game. Homer’s barefoot boys are in and of nature—determined, rugged, and exuberant—an optimistic symbol of the nation’s future. The teamwork and coordination involved in their pursuit were seen as essential qualities for reuniting the country after war, though Homer hints at the challenges ahead through the child at the end, flung from the chain. The scene is infused with nostalgia, immortalizing the little red rural schoolhouse just as the nation was shifting away from its agrarian past toward a future of increased urbanization.

Yoko Ono / The Wish Tree

Every summer through Labor Day, visitors are invited to the sculpture garden to tie their written wishes to the branches of Yoko Ono’s Wish Tree for Washington, DC. For most of the year, visitors may whisper their wishes to its branches, but during warmer months, the tree ‘blooms’ with thousands of paper tags, an archive of the hopes and ambitions of visitors from around the world. Hirshhorn staff ‘harvest’ the wishes throughout the summer, and send them to join more than 1 million others at Ono’s “Imagine Peace Tower” in Reykjavik, Iceland as part of her global art installation. A gift from the artist in 2007, the Hirshhorn’s tree has collected more than 100,000 wishes over the past fifteen years.

As we all know, a family comes together in many ways. Kathy’s longtime friend Nathen Wurzel is an early childhood educator and a harm reduction advocate. Kathy has known Nathen just about forever and considers him part of her family. In this first of a series of conversations, Kathy and Nathen explore being trans in 2022. We hope our chats will encourage dialogue in your family as well, no matter how it comes together.

Acclaimed oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle chats with Kathy about her decades exploring and preserving our oceans and ocean life. 

Leila Cartier –Executive Director of CraftNOW Philadelphia - works to showcase Philadelphia as a national center of craft and making and chats on the importance of crafting.

Donna Jo Napoli believes that traditional stories are about passing on wisdom that can help us move through our daily lives. Her new collection 'Treasury of Magical Tales from Around the World' showcases some of her favorites - available now on National Geographic press. DonnaJoNapoli.com

Lou Harry has been playing board games since he was a kid. Now he loves writing about them for magazines and websites, including an annual “Best Games of Gen Con” piece featuring great new games from the world’s largest tabletop gaming convention. louharry.com

Kathy Chats with Gari Julius Weilbacher who has made a career helping others dig out - both physically and emotionally - from all the stuff they've collected. wildbrookcoaching.com

Each Tuesday on Kids Corner, Kathy and the kids nominate people in history that we feel should be recognized for their efforts. The only guideline is that it needs to be a 'public figure' and not a friend or family member. Other than that, we encourage kids to think about people in history that inspired them, or perhaps intrigued them. Maybe they learned about them in school or from a TV show or movie. Each week Kathy and the kids nominate more people to add to our Who's Who in History Wall of Fame! 

ALEX HALEY

Haley was an American writer and the author of the 1976 book Roots: The Saga of an American Family. ABC adapted the book as a television miniseries of the same name and aired it in 1977 to a record-breaking audience of 130 million viewers. (nominated by Kathy)

ALEXANDER THE GREAT

Alexander III of Macedon, commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon and a member of the Argead dynasty. He was born in Pella in 356 BC and succeeded his father Philip II to the throne at the age of 20. (nominated by Mark)

ALEXANDER HAMILTON

Hamilton was an American statesman, politician, legal scholar, military commander, lawyer, banker, and economist. He was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and the country's first Secretary of the Treasury. (nominated by Luna & William)

BABE DIDRIKSON ZAHARIAS

Didrikson set four world records, winning two gold medals and one silver medal for track and field in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. Babe is the only Olympian ever to win individual medals in running, throwing and jumping events. (nominated by Kathy)

BARBARA JORDAN

Lawyer, educator and politician whose election to the House of Representative from Texas in the 1970’s was historic. Jordan was an eloquent speaker and effective teacher whose historic keynote address at the 1976 Democratic convention was the first time an African American woman had served that role. (nominated by Kathy)

BOBBI GIBB

Gibb is the first woman to have run the entire Boston Marathon. She is recognized by the Boston Athletic Association as the pre-sanctioned era women’s winner in 1966, 1967, and 1968. (nominated by Porter)

CLARA BARTON

In the times before there was formal nursing education, Clara Barton taught herself nursing, and then became a remarkable teacher to generations of nurses. As an educator, she opened the first free school in New Jersey (in Bordentown). During the American Civil War, she worked on the battlefields, bringing supplies and assistance. She is best known for starting the American Red Cross, based on the Red Cross she observed in Switzerland. (nominated by Kathy)

CLAUDETTE COLVIN

Colvin is a pioneer of the 1950s civil rights movement and retired nurse aide. On March 2, 1955, she was arrested at the age of 15 in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat to a white woman on a crowded, segregated bus. This occurred nine months before the more widely known incident in which Rosa Parks, secretary of the local chapter of the NAACP, helped spark the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott. (nominated by Kathy)

CLEOPATRA

Cleopatra was a queen of ancient Egypt. She wanted to make her country more powerful. To do so, she got the help of two leaders of ancient Rome: Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. However, a third Roman leader, Augustus, defeated her. (nominated by Lilly)

CAPT EDWARD SMITH 

Captain Smith served as master of numerous White Star Line vessels. He was the captain of the RMS Titanic, and perished when the ship sank on its maiden voyage. Captain Smith was an experienced seaman who had served for 40 years at sea, including 27 years in command. Sadly, this was the first crisis of his career. (nominated by William)

ELIZA HAMILTON

Married to American founding father Alexander Hamilton, she was a defender of his works and co-founder and deputy director of Graham Windham, the first private orphanage in New York City. Eliza is recognized as an early American philanthropist for her work with the Orphan Asylum Society. (nominated by Lucy)

ELIZABETH BLACKWELL

Elizabeth Blackwell was a British physician, notable as the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States, and the first woman on the Medical Register of the General Medical Council. (nominated by Grant)

FIORELLO H. LAGUARDIA

LaGuardia was a Republican mayor of New York City, whose popularity crossed party lines, and he was a big supporter of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal plan for recovery. Mayor LaGuardia implemented many of FDR’s social policies in his City. (nominated by Kathy)

FLORYNCE KENNEDY

In her cowboy hat, pants, and pink sunglasses, Kennedy gained a reputation as a flamboyant activist who stood up to authority and did not care what people said about her. Only the second African-American woman to graduate from Columbia Law School, Kennedy fought for the rights of Black Panther members and African-American singers discriminated against by music companies. Disgusted by the racism in the courts, Kennedy turned her energy to activism for the remainder of her life. (nominated by Kathy)

FRED ROGERS

Several generations of kids and families were comforted by watching Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood on public television. Fred Rogers’ program ran from 1968-2001. Mr. Rogers Neighborhood often focused on difficult subjects in an uplifting way. Fred Rogers’ comforting delivery and emphasis on children’s emotional well being was a source of joy for generations. (nominated by Kathy)

FRIDA KAHLO

Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. In addition to belonging to the post-revolutionary Mexicayotl movement, which sought to define a Mexican identity, Kahlo has been described as a surrealist or magical realist. She is known for painting about her experience of chronic pain (nominated by Stella & Frida)

GABBY DOUGLAS

Douglas is the 2012 Olympic all around champion and the 2015 World all-around silver medalist. She was a member of the gold-winning teams at both the 2012 and the 2016 Summer Olympics, dubbed the "Fierce Five" and the "Final Five" by the media, respectively. She was also a member of the gold-winning American teams at the 2011 and the 2015 World Championships. Douglas is the first African American to become the Olympic individual all-around champion, and the first U.S. gymnast to win gold in both the individual all-around and team competitions at the same Olympics. (nominated by Alice)

GAYLORD NELSON

As a Senator from Wisconsin, he encouraged President John F. Kennedy in 1963 to consider environmental/conservation issues and their impact on future generations. He founded Earth Day, an annual day devoted to environmental protection issues. (nominated by Kathy)

GEORGE WASHINGTON

A military general, statesman, and Founding Fathe, George Washington served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Previously, he led Patriot forces to victory in the nation's War for Independence. He presided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, which established the U.S. Constitution and a federal government. Washington has been called the "Father of His Country" for his manifold leadership in the formative days of the new nation. (nominated by Henry)

GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER

African American agricultural scientist invented ways of farming that helped conserve the earth and nourish the soil. Carver’s many inventions and discoveries centered on alternatives to growing cotton and growing nutritious food that can be easily available to people who were formerly enslaved Americans. (nominated by Kathy)

GIFFORD PINCHOT

Gifford Pinchot was an American forester and politician. He served as the 4th Chief of the U.S. Division of Forestry, as the 1st head of the United States Forest Service, and as the 28th Governor of Pennsylvania. (nominated by Kathy)

GRANDMA MOSES

Anna Mary Robertson Moses began painting at age 78, inspiring her nickname “Grandma Moses.” She always had an interest in art. Her style of painting was colorful and clear…never abstract. Her paintings showed American country life. When she died, President Kennedy said “Both her work and her life helped our nation renew its pioneer heritage and recall its roots in the countryside and on the frontier.” (nominated by Kathy)

HARRIET TUBMAN

Tubman was an American abolitionist and political activist. Born into slavery, Tubman escaped and subsequently made some 13 missions to rescue hundreds of others, using the network of antislavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. During the American Civil War, she served as an armed scout and spy for the Union Army. In her later years, Tubman was an activist in the movement for women's suffrage. (nominated by Natalia & Mya) 

HAZEL JOHNSON

An urban environmentalist, Johnson founded the People for Community Recovery in Chicago in 1979 to address environmental issues in cities. She is the Mother of Environmental Justice for her role in bringing about environmental awareness in communities of color. (nominated by Kathy)

JANE ADDAMS 

As a child she was inspired by reading the books of Charles Dickens that spoke of terrible conditions for poor people in England, including illness spread through conditions of poverty. As an adult she traveled to settlement houses in Europe, where people from all levels of society mixed equally and learned about each other with the common goal of making a better world. She developed a community of women supporters to build Hull House, which introduced poor people to experiences they had never had in art and music along with educational programs. (nominated by Kathy)

JACQUES COUSTEAU

French oceanographer who studied the seas in all her forms and introduced film and television audiences to the wonders he found. His work helped improve and modernize the design of the aqua-lung used by scuba divers for undersea exploration.

JOHN ADAMS

Adams was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before his presidency, he was a leader of the American Revolution that achieved independence from Great Britain, and he served as the first vice president of the United States. (nominated by Willow)

JOHNNY APPLESEED

Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman 1774-1845): Early American environmentalist who introduced apple trees to large parts of the new United States. He believed trees were the gift that kept on giving. (nominated by Kathy)

JOHNNY CASH

A Grammy Award-winning American musician, actor and author, Cash is considered one of the most important musicians of the 20th century. He is well known for his country music, his music spanned many other genres, including gospel, folk and rock and roll. Because of this, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. (nominated by Gabriel)

JOHN MUIR

Also known as "John of the Mountains" and "Father of the National Parks", Muir was a naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, botanist, zoologist, glaciologist, and early advocate for the preservation of wilderness in the United States of America. His activism helped to preserve the Yosemite Valley and Sequoia National Park, and his example has served as an inspiration for the preservation of many other wilderness areas. (nominated by Kathy)

JOHN PHILIP SOUSA

You may not know his name, but you know the melodies John Philip Sousa composed. The “March King” composed songs played at every American parade like "The Stars and Stripes Forever" (National March of the United States of America), "Semper Fidelis" (official march of the United States Marine Corps) and "The Liberty Bell.” (nominated by Kathy)

JULIA MORGAN

Throughout the American West Coast and Hawaii, you can see buildings designed by Architect Julia Morgan. She was the first woman to be licensed as an architect in California. Julia Morgan’s reputation grew when her use of reinforced concrete on buildings made them survive earthquakes. (nominated by Kathy)

JULIETTE GORDON LOW

Low was the founder of Girl Scouts of the USA. Inspired by the work of Lord Baden-Powell, founder of Boy Scouts, she joined the Girl Guide movement in England, forming her own group of Girl Guides there in 1911. In 1912 she returned to the States, and the same year established the first U.S. Girl Guide troop in Savannah, Georgia. In 1915, the United States' Girl Guides became known as the Girl Scouts, and Juliette Gordon Low was the first ever leader. (nominated by Kathy)

KATHERINE JOHNSON

Johnson was an American mathematician who, during her 35-year career at NASA and its predecessor, earned a reputation for mastering complex manual calculations and helped pioneer the use of computers to perform the tasks. The space agency noted her "historical role as one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist". (nominated by Kathy)

LEONARDO DA VINCI

Leonardo da Vinci is widely considered one of the most diversely talented individuals ever to have lived. While his fame initially rested on his achievements as a painter, he also became known for his knowledge of science and invention; these involve a variety of subjects including anatomy, astronomy, botany, cartography, painting, and palaeontology. (nominated by Kaito)

MAE JEMISON

Jemison is an American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. She became the first black woman to travel into space when she served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. (nominated by Maxwell & Una)

MAJOR TAYLOR

Marshall Walter "Major" Taylor was an American professional cyclist. He was born and raised in Indianapolis, where he worked in bicycle shops and began racing multiple distances in the track and road disciplines of cycling. (nominated by Kathy) 

MARGARET CHASE SMITH

Smith was an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, she served as a U.S Representative and a U.S. Senator from Maine. She was the first woman to serve in both houses of the United States Congress, and was the first woman to be placed in nomination for the presidency at a major party's convention. (nominated by Kathy)

MARK & SCOTT KELLY

These high-flying twins were invited by NASA to join the Space Shuttle Program in 1996, after both distinguishing themselves in their military careers. They are the only siblings (so far) to go into space. Because they are identical twins, NASA scientists were uniquely able to study the effects of space travel with someone on the ground as comparison. (nominated by Kathy)

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

Dr. King Jr. was an African American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. Martin Luther King Jr. was an African American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. (nominated by Daisy) 

MARY ANNING

An English fossil collector, dealer, and paleontologist, Mary Anning became known around the world for finds she made in Jurassic marine fossil beds in the cliffs along the English Channel at Lyme Regis in the county of Dorset in Southwest England. Anning's findings contributed to changes in scientific thinking about prehistoric life and the history of the Earth. (nominated by Lilly)

MAYA ANGELOU

An American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. (nominated by Maya)

MOSES FLEETWOOD WALKER

Moses Fleetwood "Fleet" Walker was an American professional baseball catcher who is credited with being one of the first black men to play in Major League Baseball. Walker played in the minor leagues until 1889, and was the last African-American to participate on the major league level before Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color line in 1947. (nominated by Kathy)

NELLIE BLY

Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman better known by her pen name Nellie Bly, was an American journalist, industrialist, inventor, and charity worker who was widely known for her record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days, in emulation of Jules Verne's fictional character Phileas Fogg, and an exposé in which she worked undercover to report on a mental institution from within. She was a pioneer in her field and launched a new kind of investigative journalism. (nominated by Grant)

PETE SEEGER

Folk legend and life-long activist, Seeger gave a voice to those who didn't have one and fought against injustice. In 1966, Seeger and his wife Toshi founded the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, a nonprofit organization based in Poughkeepsie, New York, that sought to protect the Hudson River and surrounding wetlands and waterways through advocacy and public education.

QUEEN LILUOKALANI

Liliʻuokalani became Queen of Hawaii when her brother, the king, died. In 1893, she wanted a new constitution. This caused the American minister in Hawaii great concern. American soldiers took over the ʻIolani Palace and other government buildings. In 1894, they removed Queen Liliʻuokalani as queen. The United States set up a provisional government. It became the Republic of Hawaii. (nominated by Kathy)

ROBERT SMALLS

Born into slavery in Beaufort, South Carolina, Robert Smalls freed himself, his crew, and their families during the American Civil War by commandeering a Confederate transport ship, CSS Planter, in Charleston harbor, on May 13, 1862, and sailing it from Confederate-controlled waters of the harbor to the U.S. blockade that surrounded it. His example and persuasion helped convince President Abraham Lincoln to accept African-American soldiers into the Union Army. (nominated by Kathy)

ROSA PARKS

Parks was an American activist in the civil rights movement best known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery bus boycott. The United States Congress has called her "the first lady of civil rights" and "the mother of the freedom movement". (nominated by Stella & Marvel)

RUBY BRIDGES

At the tender age of six, Ruby Bridges advanced the cause of civil rights in November 1960 when she became the first African American student to integrate an elementary school in the South.(nominated by Aoife)

RUTH BADER GINSBURG

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death in September 2020. Ginsburg was the first Jewish woman and the second woman to serve on the Court, after Sandra Day O'Connor. (nominated by Zoe)

SHIRLEY CHISHOLM

Chisholm was an American politician, educator, and author. In 1968, she became the first black woman elected to the United States Congress, representing New York's 12th congressional district for seven terms from 1969 to 1983. (nominated by Kathy)

STEVE JOBS

Jobs is widely recognized as a pioneer of the personal computer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s, along with his early business partner and fellow Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. Steve led the compnay to launch everything from the Mac computers to the iPhone. (nominated by Zoe)

THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Better known as Teddy, Roosevelt was an American statesman, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer, who served as the 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909. He won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1906 for mediating an end to the Russo-Japanese War (1904–05), and he secured the route and began construction of the Panama Canal .  (nominated by Theo)

WILMA RUDOLPH

This American track and field star became a household name during the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, seen on TV around the world. She won three gold medals, in the 100- and 200-meter individual events and the 4 x 100-meter relay. Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games. (nominated by Kathy)

Celebrate Our Collective History

Whether it’s your family history, your national history, or ancient history, the collected stories of people who lived through the past present a window into that past and what we can apply toward the future.

Every moment in history involved people: living through it, recording it, and passing their stories to us. Some of these people are household names. Many are lost among the pages of history.

Join Kathy each Tuesday when we celebrate some people who made history. You’ll hear about people who inspire us, whose stories intrigue us. We hope you’ll be inspired to learn more about these interesting figures from the past as we open the Kids Corner phones to hear kids’ nominations to add to the Kids Corner Who’s Who in History Wall of Fame.

Who’s Who in History happens Tuesdays on Kids Corner when Kathy tests your knowledge (and research skills) by giving you clues to the identity of our weekly Mystery History Guest. You could win a prize, but you’re guaranteed to earn the greatest prize of all: the prize of knowledge!

The Weekly Mystery History Guest Contest

Click the link above to enter our weekly Mystery History Guest contest. Clues are revealed Tuesdays and you have until the end of Thursdays to enter. Winner is randomly selected from all the correct entries Fridays. 

The Kids Corner Wall Of Fame 

Kathy and the kids nominate various people from history each Tuesday during the Who's Who in History segment on Kids Corner. The list of nominations is at the link above, in alphabetical order.