Cover Story: Yale historian David Blight helps us to remember, ‘African Americans invented Memorial Day’

‘This was the first Memorial Day.’

COVER STORY: Given the racial trauma that continues to roil our American landscape, we believe it is important to cover Pulitzer-Prize-winning Yale historian David Blight’s ongoing campaign to correct our history books and give credit to newly freed African Americans for establishing our post-Civil War tradition known to us now as Memorial Day. Please read our cover story, which describe’s Blight’s research and gives linked examples of many ways our historical record is being corrected. And, please, share this timely story with friends via social media and email.

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Why Books Matter in a Turbulent World

Our Books Powerfully Shape our Lives

THE GREEN DEDICATION, shown above, marks a special edition of book for caregivers in our communities. This Front Edge Publishing column by Dmitri Barvinok explains how that special edition of this book was designed—and why books are so memorable and influential in our lives.

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A Family Whose Story Circles the World

SUZY FARBMAN’s GOD-SIGNS columns are always a ray of sunshine and that’s certainly true in mid-May. This week, she shares the second half of her two-part column about a family whose adventures have circled the world.

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Remembering those we lost

EVERY WEEK, we hear from our writers and our readers about timely links they hope we will share with readers in our next weekly issue of this online magazine. Of course, this week, our “inbox” was filled with reflections on the massacre in Texas and the subsequent National Rifle Association repudiation of any new gun-control measures. We’ve decided to share two reflections that our readers have recommended …

FIRST—An impassioned column by Christian ethicist Dr. David Gushee, which echoes the moral outrage expressed by many of our other writers and many of our readers, this week.

AND—Many of our readers follow the ongoing work of contemporary hymn writer Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, who makes her work available to congregations nationwide. Currently, the top four links of Carolyn’s website address resources for congregations wanting to reflect on the tragedy of gun violence.

FINALLY—Our Faith & Film writer Edward McNulty recommends that viewers watch the documentary 91% that focuses on the overwhelming American consensus that background checks should be required for gun sales. (Currently it can be rented for streaming via Amazon.)

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Click on this image to read Ed McNulty’s review of the documentary 91%.

Faith & Film

Click on this cover image to learn more about the May 2022 issue of Ed McNulty’s Visual Parables Journal. This issue contains complete discussion guides for films, including: Eleni, Father Stu, The Northman and Firebird.

ED McNULTY, for decades, has published reviews, magazine articles and books exploring connections between faith and film. Most of his work is freely published. Ed supports his work by selling the Visual Parables Journal, a monthly magazine packed with discussion guides to films. This resource is used coast-to-coast by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Among Ed’s free reviews and columns:

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