KT Lowe

KT Lowe

How accurate is Hamilton?

How accurate is Hamilton?

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Hamilton, the ten dollar Founding Father musical released in May 2015, is among the most successful musicals in history.  With the all-time best selling cast recording and a total gross of $463 million by January 2019, not to mention 11 Tony awards and a thoroughly lovable collection of alternative “Hamildrops,” the musical continues to remain in the popular imagination.  But one question that needs to be asked is – Just how true to its history is Hamilton? Alexander Hamilton, by John Trumbull (1806) Nobody listens to a musical for a history lesson.  While a new play by novelist Ishmael Reed asks rather pointed questions about the musical’s accuracy, it can be stated that Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of Hamilton, went … Continued
Spotlight on History: Frederick Douglass

Spotlight on History: Frederick Douglass

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Born with the name Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey in 1818, the man the world knows today as Frederick Douglass left an indelible mark on American history.  From his bestselling first book, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, first published in 1845, to his groundbreaking work on both African-American equality and women’s rights to his career as minister to Haiti, Douglass is a figure whose time is immortal and whose words continue to carry deep and important meaning today. Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland.  He barely knew his mother, who was separated from him in early childhood and died when he was nine.  The identity of his father, who was white, remained a complete mystery … Continued
Fake News: The Games

Fake News: The Games

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Still confused about fake news?  Well, maybe all you need to do is play.  Both adults and children use play as a learning tool, and over the past few years a handful of good quality online games have been developed around the theme of fake news.  Each one takes a slightly different focus, which gives them a different level of skill and playability.  But most importantly, they’re all FREE, so you can play all of them! First comes a game developed by FactCheck.org, one of the most reputable sources for seeking out accurate information.  Newsfeed Defenders places you as an admin for a social media news feed.  Your job, as you work your way to the highest administrative level, is … Continued
One Book 2018 – This Far by Faith

One Book 2018 – This Far by Faith

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This year’s One Book Day is Wednesday, October 24th.  The featured book, This Far by Faith, discusses a wide range of social and health-related issues in Detroit, such as poverty, joblessness, mental illness and homelessness.  The Reverend Faith Fowler, pastor of the Cass Community United Methodist Church, wrote This Far by Faith to humanize the people who use the services offered by the Cass Community Church and its associated services.  To celebrate This Far by Faith, IU East has scheduled an entire day of events coinciding with the book’s themes. A summary of events, and resource information is in the One Book 2018 libguide. 11:00 – Community Room Film: The Last Days of Chinatown Artist, filmmaker and Cass Corridor resident … Continued
The Truth about Conspiracy Theories

The Truth about Conspiracy Theories

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You’ve probably heard that the illuminati has been trying to overthrow the US government since its beginning, right?  And of course you know the earth is flat, not round like all those “scientists” claim.  The moon landing was obviously faked, because how could people ever really do that?  You’ve heard all of these theories, but hopefully you don’t believe a single one of them.  These are a particular branch of misinformation known as conspiracy theories. (source: knownyourmeme.com, unknown creator.) Conspiracy theories are not new, and most definitely not true.  For as long as there’s been publishing, there’s been evidence of conspiracy theories, some of which still exist today.  While some conspiracy theories stem from a longing for information and a … Continued