NEA: NEA Today: Educating Esmé: Diary of a Teacher's First Year

Departments: Resources
Educating Esmé: Diary of a Teacher’s First Year

Put a new teacher into a fifth grade classroom on Chicago's South Side and you get an experience to last a lifetime.

Educating Esme Educating Esmé: Diary of a Teacher's First Year
By Esmé Raji Codell
Algonquin Books, $17.95, 204 pp.

When Esmé Raji Codell was preparing for a career in education, her mentor told her, “You are a very gifted teacher. Don’t teach. Be an actress instead.”

But Codell was as headstrong as she was dramatic. And so, in 1992, she began teaching fifth grade in a brand new public school on Chicago’s notorious South Side. Like many first-year teachers, Codell came to the job with boundless energy and a determination to work magic in the lives of her underprivileged students. Yet, unlike many first- year teachers, she also had abundant confidence and a big, fresh mouth.

After instructing the children in her class to call her “Madame Esmé,” Codell created a “time machine” filled with books to inspire them to read. She designed a rigorous, innovative curriculum that recast the basics in fun and exotic terms. “Math” was “Puzzling.” Instead of science, she taught “Mad Scientist Time.” Instead of social studies, she taught “Time Travel and World Exploring.”

Codell also roller-skated down the hallways, wore costumes to class, and inundated her students with literature and art. When kids in her class acted up, she made them teach the class in a spirited bit of role-reversal.

The result? Codell won her fifth graders’ undying devotion—and raised their test scores higher than any other class in the school. She also incurred the wrath of her school’s administrators, who didn’t appreciate her unorthodox attitude. She and her principal butted heads throughout the year, and, despite her best efforts, many of her students remained poverty-stricken, troubled, and demanding.

Eventually, Codell became exhausted and demoralized. She considered quitting teaching all together. Instead, she stuck it out and wrote a book.

Educating Esmé: Diary of a Teacher’s First Year is based on an award-winning feature Codell recorded for National Public Radio. It is an honest and often hilarious account of her inaugural year in the classroom—a must-read for anyone entering the profession.

With its strong voice and distinctive protagonist, Educating Esmé is Generation X’s answer to Bel Kaufman and Frank McCourt. At turns entertaining, damning, and heartbreaking, the diary is a testament to the very best and worst of teaching—to the small miracles that occur in the classroom every day, as well as the deadening bureaucracies. It describes in equal parts the joy and the thanklessness of the profession, the thrill and the frustration.

Codell spares no one in this memoir—least of all herself. She portrays her own naiveté and arrogance unabashedly, along with the ineptitude of her principal and the poignancy of her most difficult students. Both beginning and seasoned teachers can draw comfort and inspiration from her experience. Surely, they will identify with it. Certainly, they will feel touched and entertained.

—Susan Gilman

Excerpt:
We are studying inventors. While the kids were at gym, I dressed up in an outfit with all sorts of weird stuff sticking out: rubber bands, gum, chocolate chip cookies, light bulbs, with a tag attached to each item saying who invented it. I wore roller skates, too.

Mr. Turner was nervous when he saw me. . . Boy, he would have been really nervous during my science magic show, if he had seen me put a piece of paper I had set on fire in a bottle to illustrate Bernoulli’s Principle. Of course, I had a fire extinguisher near. But certain people just think it’s their job to freak out.

--Esmé Raji Codell in Educating Esmé: Diary of a Teacher's First Year

Books by NEA Members

A Drop Around the World
Barbara S. McKinney, illustrated by Michael S. Maydak Travel with Drop around the world and explore how water is transformed into steam, rain, snow, and ice. Describing the water cycle in poetic form and beautiful illustrations, this book can help elementary school students learn just how vital water is.$7.95 plus $2.50 s&h from Dawn Publications, P.O. Box 2010, Nevada City, CA 95959, 800/545-7475. On the Web at www.DawnPub.com.

Gems in Myth, Legend, and Lore
Bruce G. Knuth Tracing the use of gems in religion, medicine, magic, and astrology, Gems in Myth, Legend, and Lore explores almost everything you would ever want to know about 46 different gems. Gems in Myth also includes an informative section on literature references to gems from the Bible to Marbode to Shakespeare. $45.95 plus $3.50 s&h from Jewelers Press, 13440 Jackson Place, Thornton, CO 80241, 303/452-7764, Fax 303/450-3894.

Rebellion with a Purpose
Richard Sidy Designed to help students accept challenges and reach their potential, Rebellion with a Purpose asks readers to look at their past experiences and make decisions for their futures. The SNS Web site has a free teacher’s guide, lesson plans, and student resources. $9.95 plus $4.00 s&h from Seeking New Solutions Press, 380 Raintree Road, Sedona, AZ 86351, 520/284-9055, E-mail edresources@snspress.com.

Write a Book For Me: The Story of Marguerite Henry
David R. Collins Collins relates the details of the life of Marguerite Henry—from her early days to her books to her love of horses. With the help of black and white photographs and excerpts from Henry’s letters, readers are given a personal perspective on this renowned writer. $18.95 plus $3.00 s&h from Morgan Reynolds, Inc., 620 S. Elm Street, Suite 384, Greensboro, NC 27406, 800/535-1504.

I Can Do It, I Really Can
Hope Blecher-Sass, illustrated by E. Silas Smith I Can is a short book for young readers about a boy’s self-assurance and self-motivation. Blecher-Sass also wrote 100th Day of School Activities, which details 100 activities for elementary students, including science experiments and art projects. I Can is $4.50 plus $4.50 s&h from Dominie Press, Inc., 1949 Kellogg Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92008. 100th Day is $2.95 plus $3.50 s&h from Teacher Created Materials, Inc., 6421 Industry Way, Westminster, CA 92683.

New from the NEA Professional Library

Teaching to Teach: New Partnerships in Teacher Education
Cherie Major and Robert Pines, editors.
NEA Professional Library. 216 pp., $16.95, #2083-9-00-WB

Teacher education is transforming, and NEA is playing a vital role in the transformation. For the past five years, NEA’s Teacher Education Initiative has been creating environments where schools, universities, and the Association act as equal partners in changing how the nation’s educators are prepared for the classroom. How are these partnerships faring? Teaching to Teach explores teacher-training partnerships from the perspective of the educators involved in the process. These educators describe how professional development schools (PDSs)—often compared to the medical profession’s teaching hospitals—can provide realistic, clinical experience for preservice teachers, ongoing professional development for practicing teachers, and opportunities for all educators to improve the quality of education for children and adults.

For more information or to order, call 800/229-4200. To order on the Web, go to www.nea.org/books.

Excerpt
Extended practical experiences are essential to an “educative practicum,“ as compared to an “apprenticeship” where beginning teachers follow a model but never have the opportunity to construct their own solutions or develop their own strategies for improving the educational system. Teachers entering the field will be better prepared if they have regularly engaged in ongoing debates about best practices, worked collaboratively to design curriculum and performance assessments, and helped to improve connections between schools and communities.

TV Tips

KIDSNET, a national resource for children's media in Washington, DC, provides the TV Tips listings. For more information on children's shows, check out the KIDSNET Web site.

Homecoming: Sometimes I Am Haunted by Memories of Red Dirt and Clay
PBS, Thursday, February 3, 10-11 pm ET, check local listings. Filmmaker Charlene Gilbert returns to her family’s Georgia farm to explore the hardships Black farmers have faced since the early 20th century. The number of Black farmers in America has dwindled from nearly 1 million in 1920 to fewer than 18,000 today. The program uses archival photography and interviews with farmers to explore the symbolic and spiritual meaning of land ownership and loss. Visit www.pbs.org/homecoming for timelines and educators’ guides.

Angela Anaconda
Fox Family Channel, Thursdays, 7-7:30 am and Saturdays, 9:30-10 am ET, check local listings. This animated series follows the wild imagination of Angela Anaconda, a third-grader trying to negotiate the expectations and friendships of school and home life. Nanette Manoir, the teacher’s pet, is a constant thorn in everyone’s side, but Angela manages to resolve her frustrations and cope with difficult situations creatively by constructing imaginative fantasies that give her perspective on her problems.

Girlzopolis and Boyzopolis
girlzChannel and boyzChannel, Daily, 3-3:30 pm and 5-5:30 pm, check local listings. These fast-paced, magazine-style programs examine topics of relevance to today’s girls and boys through the use of animation, discussions, and interviews. Each program features an older moderator and a panel of young girls or boys who discuss teen issues such as self-esteem, body image, emotions, stereotypes, and the opposite sex. New from Fox Family, girlzChannel and boyzChannel are networks that feature programs and issues of specific interest to girls or boys. See gchannel. com or bchannel.com for games, teen advice, discussion questions, and parenting topics.

Beakman’s World
Sci-Fi Channel, Monday-Thursday, 8:30-9:00 am ET, check local listings. Now airing on the Sci-Fi Channel, this series features Beakman, a humorous, inquisitive scientist who has dedicated himself to answering science questions from viewers of all ages. Beakman responds to queries by performing various experiments that demonstrate how the world works. The award-winning series has attracted wide critical acclaim and praise from parents and educators for its unique and effective format. Visit www.beakman.com for more information.

Disney’s Doug
UPN, Daily, check local listings for times. Now airing on UPN affiliates, this animated series follows the everyday adventures of 12-year-old Doug Funnie, an impressionable daydreamer dealing with the ups and downs of adolescence, middle school, and life’s unusual dilemmas. Doug’s imagination, his friends, and his daily diary help him through the toughest situations. At www.disneyone.com, kids can find puzzles, safety tips, and advice for making the most out of their visits to the Internet.

Little Bill
Nickelodeon, Mondays 9-9:30 am and Sundays 8-8:30 pm ET, check local listings. Based on the book series by Bill Cosby, this animated series follows the adventures of an inquisitive and energetic five-year-old boy as he learns about the world around him and how he fits into it. The show emphasizes the importance of friendship while showing children how to solve problems creatively and fairly. Backed by research and a panel of educational consultants, the show is specifically designed to teach kids how to make a difference in their lives and in the lives of the people around them. Visit teachers.nick.com for lesson plans and more information.

TCM By the Book
Turner Classic Movies, February 6-11, 6:00 am ET. Because of the positive response from educators last year, TCM is re-airing its Teachers’ Choice Award-winning By the Book selections this month. This season’s classic literary films are Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd, Christie’s Murder Most Foul, Wells’ The Time Machine, Kipling’s Kim, Dickens’ David Copperfield, and Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Enrolled teachers receive free curriculum guides for the films and may record the commercial-free broadcasts for one-year use. Guides and enrollment information can be found at www.turnerlearning.com, or call 1-800-344-6219.

I’ll Make Me a World
PBS, Fridays, February 11-25, 9-11 pm ET, check local listings. This three-part documentary explores the legacy of African-American artists in the 20th century, including the vaudeville performers from the first generation born free, the writers of the Harlem Renaissance, the development of jazz over the years, and the contemporary filmmakers, authors, and hip-hop artists who continue to make an impact on modern American culture. Visit www.pbs.org/immaw for an arts chronology, artist profiles, and educational resources.

Mystery of the First Americans
PBS, Tuesday, February 15, 9-10 pm ET, check local listings. The 1996 discovery of a 10,000-year-old Caucasoid skeleton in Wahington State set off a scientific controversy about the origins of “Kennewick Man.” This NOVA documentary looks at previous theories about the earliest settlement of North America, the implications of early Caucasian presence, and the conflict with Native American groups who are calling for a halt to the scientific study of their ancestors’ remains. Visit www.pbs.org/nova for transcripts and in-depth information.

Announcements

Science Prizes
Scholastic’s Ms. Frizzle Award 2000, presented by Microsoft, honors proposals from K-6 teachers for creative science education projects that inspire imagination and learning for the new millennium. Eligible teachers must submit a proposal for a project that encourages kids to learn science through hands-on discovery and problem-solving. Applications must also include a description of the classroom environment, a letter of recommendation, and a budget and timeline plan for the project. The grand prize winner receives an award of $6,000, second place wins $2,000, and third place receives $500. The deadline for submissions is April 10, 2000. For complete rules and more information, contact Scholastic, Corporate Communications, 555 Broadway, New York, NY 10012, 212/343-6570. On the Web at www.scholastic.com/aboutscholastic/
programs/awards.htm.

Violence Free
In a continued effort to decrease the levels of violence in our public schools, the ViolenceFree Network is creating a community forum. Educators, parents, and students are invited to participate in a variety of ways: the Public Schools Search Conference, Open Space Technology Conference, Cyberspace Internet Conference, and by creating their own CyberZones. Designed to bring more people into the debate, CyberZones will be established in public libraries, school libraries, businesses, and service organizations. For more information on the ViolenceFree conferences and organization, go to www.ctarrce.org/nomore_violence.htm.

Space Day
Ever wonder what it would take to create a special exercise machine for use in microgravity? Or how to build a human habitat in outer space? Beginning this month, teachers and students in grades 4-6 throughout North America and beyond will be contributing their solutions to these questions. Through a series of creative problem-solving Design Challenges, students will grapple with the demands and challenges of living and working in space,the theme of the fourth annual Space Day celebration on Thursday, May 4, 2000. Prior to Space Day, students will be able to join in this National Classroom by logging on to a virtual environment where they can seek information and exchange ideas with other student "experts" and adult experts as well. Further information on the Design Challenges and Space Day 2000 are available on www.spaceday.com.

Web Winners

Online Information
At the ERIC/AE Full Text Internet Library, there are over 250 links to the best books, reports, journal articles, newsletter articles, and papers accessible through the Internet. The collection currently includes titles from nine online journals and 29 organizations. ERIC/AE provides a well-structured framework in order to browse and search with ease.

News from Space
Lift off into outer space with this NASA-designed Web site just for students. With current news about our universe, information about space weather and the aurora, and scientific research, this site offers everything from light(-speed) reading to substantive data about our stars. NASA also includes links to other student sites such as Space Link and Lift Off to Space Exploration.

Free Radio
Dedicated to free speech, free press, and freedom, the Freedom Forum offers free online radio broadcasts of current debates about our First Amendment rights. Each month features a variety of programs. Past programs have included “The National Y2K Summit: Public Preparedness vs. Public Panic,” “State of the Media in Latin America,” and “Exploring Sensation: Art, Outrage, and the First Amendment.” Real Player/Real Audio required to hear broadcasts.

Aging Concerns
Concerns about your parents’ health and happiness can arise with each passing day. Answering questions about health care, nursing homes, Social Security, medical problems, and financial planning, ElderWeb Online offers tools to help prepare for the needs of aging parents. It also offers valuable information you’ll need for your retirement and long-term planning.

StudyWeb
“The learning portal” provides research quality links on everything from grammar and composition to teacher resources. Compiled by Ph.Ds, teachers, homemakers, and students, StudyWeb provides safe and useful links for everyone’s needs. Whether general interest, research help, or just curiosity, StudyWeb has a link for you.

School Locator
Need to find a school? Or want to know about your district’s demographics? The U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics provides an online national public school and school district locator. Find which public schools are in an area, a school address or phone number, or the number of students in a school district.

Health and Fitness
Whether your interest is competitive sports, recreational sports, or health and fitness, the Women’s Sports Foundation is for you. The site is devoted to improving the physical, mental, and emotional health of women. Through education, advocacy, recognition, and grants, the Foundation tries to increase opportunities for girls and women in sports.

Britannica Online
Opening with links to the day’s top news events, Britannica.com organizes Web sites, magazines, books, and even the complete Encyclopædia Britannica for students and educators online. Also included is the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Great for learning what’s on the Web and starting on students’ research papers.

JournalismNet
When you need information, JournalismNet provides 150 Web pages and over 3,000 links to breaking stories, international headlines, and in-depth research. Created by an investigative journalist, this site is perfect for students needing story ideas for the school newspaper, teachers who need more information to supplement course material, and administrators who want to know how public policy will affect their school.

Edifying
Looking for some useful educational software without all the hype? You may want to try tukids.tucows.com. Here’s a site with thousands of useful, virus-free files that parents and their children can download.

Nothing Fancy
The Air Force has a newly redesigned Web site to offer viewers an insider’s view of the service—current and historical. Included on the site is an Online Airline Show and free screen saver.

Ordering Info
Sampleville boasts that it doesn't just find the greatest free offers—“we actually order them for you!” Categories range from beauty products to food to pet merchandise. Registration required, but membership is free.

Peace Promotion
The Peace Calendar, created by young Palestinian and Israeli artists, seeks to encourage communication among children across borders.

So Timely
Share your thoughts and feelings with the universe—or at least whatever universe there is 50,000 years from now. The KEO satellite will be launched in 2001, hang out in orbit and then deliver your message back to Earth 50 millennia from now. See www.keo.org.

Fighting Fire
With nearly 100,000 fires started every year by children, the United States Fire Administration developed a Web site to teach kids about fire safety. Teaching about smoke alarms, escape plans, fire safety in the home, the site includes informational and interactive tools to promote these precautions. Once kids learn about fire safety, they can test their skills in Hydro’s Hazard House by identifying fire hazards.

Quoteables
You'll never again be at a loss for a good quote. This cyber version of Bartlett's provides a quick search feature. All you do is type in a keyword and then browse through some familiar quotations.

Yeats Fans
Fans of the 20th century poet William Butler Yeats will love this site, courtesy of a Harvard Web wonder. At the site, you can listen to Yeats recite his own works in 1930s broadcasts.

Ask the Experts
XpertSite wants to be the Web site where people with questions find people with answers. An extensive range of subjects to choose from, including such diverse topics as law, gardening, technology, and travel.

A Heavyweight Weighs In
One of the world’s largest educational publishers has launched its new Web site and it’s huge. Scholastic, Inc. claims its new site, Scholastic.com offers 12,000 pages that directly support teachers and other school staff, including lesson plans, interactive Web activities, and live author interviews. J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books, was a recent guest on the site. There’s also a news section that offers updates on student-appropriate current events, pop culture features, and student polls.

Free or Inexpensive

Read-Alouds
We all know that it is important to read to our children, but which books should we read them? The Latest and Greatest Read-Alouds offers book suggestions for 5- to 11-year-olds with brief plot descriptions. Included are tips for engaging children and inspiring them to read. $18.50 plus $2.75 s&h from Libraries Unlimited, P.O. Box 6633, Englewood, CO 80155-6633, 800/237-6124.

Defending Public Education
covers five key issues: vouchers, charter schools, public school privatization, bilingual education, and parental rights. As a resource guide, it includes advice on organizing, national education organization listings, reading recommendations, article reprints, and more. $15, s&h included, low income pricing available from Political Research Associates, 120 Beacon Street, Suite 202, Somerville, MA 02143, 617/661-9313. On the Web at www.publiceye.org.

Drug Abuse Information
Technical background about kids and drugs. Drug Abuse Information for Teachers offers brief descriptions of many different drugs, exploring their impact, how they’re used, and how they’re treated. All this information is available in English and Spanish on the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s automated phone system, InfoFax, at 888/644-6432. Also free on the Web at www.nida.nih.gov. Or write: NIDA, NIH, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 5213, Bethesda, MD 20892. By phone: 301/443-1124.

Science Fun
Need an idea for a science fair? How about a Moon Box, Lava-Flow Volcano, or Homemade Perfume? These are just a few examples in 100 First-Prize Make-It-Yourself Science Fair Projects. Each science project lists ingredients and includes the procedure and expected results. $21.95 plus $4 s&h from Sterling Publishing Co., 387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016, 800/367-9692, Fax 800/542-7567.

Hate Response
With 17 guidelines on teaching tolerance, Responding to Hate at School is a guide for all school personnel that deals with everyday challenges such as graffiti and student alienation, school-wide emergency responses, and long-range commitment. This short guide covers both the long-term and short-term effects of and solutions for acts of hate. Free from Teaching Tolerance, Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104; fax 334/264-7310. On the Web at www.teachingtolerance.org.

Family History
History Comes Home gives children a chance to explore their own heritage and culture. Through interviewing family members, researching kinship charts, creating timelines, and making family videos, students learn and write about their family history. $17.50 plus $3.50 s&h from Stenhouse Publishers, P.O. Box 360, York, ME 03909, 888/363-0566.

Raising Children
Raising Black and Biracial Children is a quarterly journal about parenting children of African descent. With articles on politics, health, wealth, and family issues, as well as a book section, this journal offers good advice, pertinent information, and experienced know-how. $2.50 each, one year subscription $9.95, from Raising Black and Biracial Children, P.O. Box 17479, Beverly Hills, CA 90209. 310/358-2932.

Free Catalog
Designed to help educators teach and develop skills for social justice, Teaching for Change is a catalog full of multicultural books, videos, CD-Roms, and cassette tapes. Each listing includes a brief description, subject area, length, and price. Some resources are available in Spanish. Free from Teaching for Change Catalog, Network of Educators on the Americas, P.O. Box 73038, Washington, D.C. 20056, 202/238-2379, Fax 202/238-2378. On the Web at www.teachingforchange.org.

Multicultural Education
Advocating multicultural education, An Introduction to Multicultural Education examines the multicultural debate, stating the difficulties and positive consequences of curriculum reform. Included are educational guidelines for reform, suggestions for how to teach multiculturalism, and comments from experienced teachers. $26.65 plus $3.59 s&h from Allyn & Bacon, 160 Gould Street, Needham Heights, MA 02494, 800/278-3525.

Lost Love
What can we say to a child who has just lost a parent, sibling, or other loved one? Offering comfort, compassion, and advice, Helping Children Cope with the Loss of a Loved One is a guide for adults to help children. With anecdotes about children’s experiences, this book is divided into age groups in order to address each situation. $13.95 plus $4.95 s&h from Free Spirit Publishing, 400 First Avenue North, Suite 616, Minneapolis, MN 55401, 800/735-7323.

Honoring Educators
With short stories and poems, To Honor a Teacher is a collection of student tributes to teachers who influenced their lives. With notable contributors such as James Earl Jones, Richard Riley, Joanne Woodward, and Ara Parseghian, this book is just a small thank you to educators and a tribute to our educational system. $14.95 plus $4.25 s&h from Andrews McMeel Publishing, 4520 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111, 816/932-6700.

Reevaluating Literacy
Literacy with an Attitude discusses how literacy is currently taught in order to redefine its place in education today. In a call to reevaluate curriculum and literacy techniques for working-class children, this book details how working-class children do not and therefore should receive education comparable to upper- and middle-class children. $16.95 plus $3.50 s&h from State University of New York Press, State University Plaza, Albany, NY, 12246, 800/688-2877.

Problem Solver
The Special Kids Problem Solver gives teachers the tools to help students with academic, behavioral, and physical problems. This resource provides background information about the causes and nature of each problem, references for more information, and a listing of organizations to contact. Teachers also learn how to assess and improve academic performance in their classrooms. $19.95 plus $3.95 s&h from Prentice Hall Press, 240 Frisch Court, Paramus, NJ 07652.

Commercials and Effects on Kids
The Center for a New American Dream is mounting a campaign to expose practices of commercials directed at children. The campaign consists of a free brochure, a short book, a public opinion poll, an essay/art contest for children, and a nationwide effort for this cause. The Kids and Commercialism brochure is available free. Contact the Center for a New American Dream, 6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 900, Takoma Park, MD 20912, 877/68-DREAM, E-mail newdream2@newdream.org. On the Web at www.newdream.org.

Technology Guide
Touted as “the one source for all your school technology needs,” the Scholastic Technology Guide includes more than 3,000 company and product listings. The guide is divided into five sections: educational software, teacher software, administrative software, hardware, and Internet & telecom. Each semester introduces a new guide, and the online version is constantly updated. $19.95 hardcopy, free online version, from Scholastic Inc., 555 Broadway, New York, NY 10012, 800/724-6527. On the Web at www.schooltechguide.com

Maintaining Momentum
Maintaining Momentum reports the findings from the American Institute of Physics’ Fourth Nationwide Survey of High School Physics Teachers. The survey reveals why more and more high school students are taking physics, an improvement in teacher qualification, increased teacher salaries, and courses designed to be more accessible to students with less advanced mathematics backgrounds. However, there are still large disparities in student numbers and achievement levels across gender, racial, and economic lines. Free from the American Institute of Physics, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, 301/209-3070, fax 301/209-0843. Available for free download on the Web at www.aip.org/statistics.

Diversity Calendar

April
Qing Ming Festival, April 5
The Qing Ming Festival is a Chinese national holiday honoring the dead. Dating back to almost 200 B.C.E., this Confucian festival is observed by visiting ancestor's graves, cleaning them, and presenting offerings. For more information, contact the Organization of Chinese Americans, 1001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 707, Washington, DC 20036, 202/223-5500.

Buddha's Birthday, Hanamatsun, April 8
One of two major holidays for Buddhists, Hanamatsun marks the birth of Siddhartha Gautama. Siddhartha lived in India from around 563 to 483 B.C.E. Buddhists usually celebrate this occasion on the nearest Saturday so as not to interfere with work. For historical information, go to http://www.buddhapia.co.kr/buddhapi/news/event/bongchuk/
bong2543/english/index.html.

May
American Indian Day, May 8
American Indian Day honors American Indians in the United States. The first American Indian Day was observed on the second Saturday in May 1916 after a formal request was submitted by Red Fox James of the Blackfeet tribe in 1914. Now observation and its dates are left up to the individual states.

African Liberation Day, May 25
African Liberation Day focuses on the current struggles and progresses of all African nations. The day is marked by rallies and parades. Celebration takes place throughout Africa and in parts of Russia, Canada, Brazil, and the United States. For more information, go to http://www.wanonline.com/blackhistory/
blackhistory2026.html.

June
Dragon Boat Festival, June 18
The Dragon Boat Festival honors China's first major poet, Ch'u Yuan, who drowned himself in protest of injustice and corruption in 278 B.C.E. Regattas, boating sports, and races between dragon-shaped boats mark this summer holiday. The celebration is to protect from evil and diseases. For more information, log on to www.ncsu.edu/midlink/dec97/holiday/boatz.html.

Juneteenth, June 19
In 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation declared freedom for all slaves. The end of slavery was a gradual and local process. Celebrating the freedom of slave, Juneteenth originated around the time of the Civil War in Galveston, Texas. For more information and history, go to www.juneteenth.com.