Abbey Road

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The Beatles' Abbey Road photo shoot took place in London 44 years ago today. Photographer Iain Macmillan took the famous photo, which appeared as the cover on the last album they recorded together, but not the last album they released. Abbey Road was released on September 26, 1969. In the United States, Abbey Road spent eleven weeks at #1 and spent a total of 83 weeks on the charts.

Have you heard of the conspiracy that Paul is Dead? The Abbey Road  cover plays in to this conspiracy.  John, George, and Ringo are crossing the street as a funeral procession. John is wearing all white, like a clergyman. Ringo, as the mourner, is in all black. George, in jeans, is the gravedigger. Paul wears no shoes, even though it was very hot that August day in London. He walks out of step with the other three. Read more here.

June 11, 1963

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Today is the 50th anniversary of Alabama Governor George Wallace's "Stand in the Schoolhouse Door" and the successful integration of The University of Alabama by James Hood and Vivian Malone. Wallace blocked the door to Foster Auditorium, where UA students registered for classes, until he was forced to move by the Alabama National Guard under orders from President Kennedy. 

Vivian Malone Jones and James Hood via

"The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened." - John F. Kennedy 

Autherine Lucy was the first African American enrolled at The University of Alabama in 1956, but she was expelled after just three days. 

Read more about how The University of Alabama is commemorating this anniversary with Through the Doors. 

Further reading on this subject: The Schoolhouse Door: Segregation's Last Stand at The University of Alabama by E. Culpepper Clark and Opening the Doors: The Desegregation of The University of Alabama and the fight for Civil Rights in Tuscaloosa by B.J. Hollars. 

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During my time as a student at Alabama, I was able to see a closed Foster Auditorium come to life again as the home of women's basketball and volleyball and have been able to walk through the doors myself. 

I have also heard B.J. Hollars speak twice on his books. 

Lifelong Inspiration: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

First official White House photograph of Mrs. John F. Kennedy, 1961
Courtesy of the Library of Congress

Jacqueline Kennedy's style, grace and poise throughout her time as First Lady served as an inspiration to me before I was even old enough to understand all of the political and social issues surrounding her husband's presidency.  She is one of the reasons I have had a lifelong interest in post World War II American History.  For a recent class project, we could pick any topic to create a library pathfinder for, and I chose her. View my project here.