Standing near the corner of Rockdale Avenue and Hawthorn Street is the Holocaust Memorial, a stark reminder to the horrors taken place between the years 1939 and 1945.  It was the dream of the late Abraham Landau, a Nazi concentration camp survivor, to see a statue erected in honor of the 6,000,000 Jews murdered.  In 1998 his dream became a reality.

Abraham Landau was imprisoned as a teenager from 1940 to 1945 in 13 different labor and concentration camps.  Upon release, he, and his wife Freida, moved to New Bedford in 1950.  During his lifetime in New Bedford, Landau opened a small tailor shop on Pleasant Street, became a cantor like he was taught in his native Poland, visited local schools and talked about his wartime experiences, and became an active member of the Holocaust Committee.  Landau died in 2000, however, his soon to be published book Branded on my Arm and in my Soul will be released this September.

The Holocaust Memorial was designed by Dr. Peter London, Chairman of the Art Education Department at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.  It stands with a hand reaching towards the sky with the number “141282” sculpted into the arm.  The same number was tattooed on Landau’s arm during the Holocaust.  The hand was sculpted by artists Stacy Latt-Savage and Erica Lintala, Professors of art at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.  On the front of the statue is a list with the names of different concentration camps, with some very familiar, such as Auschwitz.  On both sides of the list is an inscription, in English and Hebrew:

In memory of the six million and millions of other victims slaughtered by the Nazis during the Holocaust of 1939-1945.
The young, the promising, the aged, our scholars, rabbis, leaders, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, entire families, an entire generation
Murdered, Murdered, Murdered
But Never Forgotten
Erected by the citizens of Greater New Bedford and friends
1998

There were many people who contributed to the design, work, and production of the Holocaust memorial.  However, it could not have been possible without the donations and volunteerism of over 500 individuals and organizations.  The Jewish Federation formally endorsed this project.

With some very interesting dates in World War II history just passing (July 16th will be the 69th anniversary of the Velodrome d’hiver Roundup which took place in France, 1942) it would be an experience to see the statue in person, and remember what our generation never had to endure.

To learn more about the Vel d’hiv Roundup: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vel’_d’Hiv_Roundup

New Bedford is known as the Whaling City. While New Bedford has the notorious distinction of being the top whale killing port in the 17th and 18th centuries, the city is now a leader in whaling education and promotion. Our public high school athletic teams are known as “Whalers”, we have the top Whaling museum in the world, and the city even has a movie coming out this summer titled Whaling City.

We recently discovered a fabulous amateur video of humpback whales in the Silver Bank (just north of the Dominican Republic) taken by a professional scuba diver Brandon Shannon. Humpback whales are amazing creatures; they can grow to 50 feet in length, weigh 79,000 pounds and migrate as much as 16,000 miles each year. At one point Humpback whales were hunted to near extinction, but thanks to anti-whaling laws their population has grown to over 70,000. Enjoy the video and post a comment; we’ll make sure Brandon sees them all!

Brandon Shannon’s website is full of pics and videos, and can be found at: http://saltwatersights.com

Today is the third Monday of February, which means that today is President’s Day.  Well, technically the federal government celebrates the day as ‘Washington’s Birthday,’ but over time other presidents have been granted membership in what is now a collective holiday.  The problem is that even though this day is recognized throughout the country without exception, it is not called the same thing everywhere.  We can’t even agree on a proper spelling when we do call the day “President’s Day.”  Depending on who you ask, ‘Presidents’ Day,’ ‘President’s Day,’ and ‘Presidents Day,’ could all be considered correct.  This matters little, however.  The average American views President’s Day simply as a three-day weekend and a chance to find a great deal on a new car.

Washington’s Birthday has been a federal holiday since 1880.  Initially it was limited to workers in the Washington, D.C. area, but in 1885 it was expanded to include the rest of the country.  George Washington’s birthday is on February 22nd, and the holiday used to be celebrated on that date regardless of what day of the week it fell on.  This went on until the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was passed in 1971, pushing the holiday to the Monday during the week of Washington’s birthday.  This was done to give federal employees a proper three-day weekend, instead of having a random day off in the middle of the week.

Bestowing the title of ‘President’s Day’ on Washington’s birthday seemed like a good way to honor the birthdays of several ex-Presidents that fall closely together on the calendar.  Besides Washington, the main concern was the need to celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s birthday(February 12).  Even thought The Great Emancipator’s birthday was never an official federal holiday, his contribution to our country’s history entitles a day to be named for him as much as anyone else.  Yet much to our collective disappointment, there is no room in the calendar for a holiday in each week, so President’s Day has become the compromise.

It is interesting to note that the title of “President’s Day” gained significance in no small part to advertisers.   The holiday that was once set aside to celebrate the people who have led our country since its inception is now a marketing gimmick.  This trend began in the mid-’80s, and the fact that it is still with us today means that it works.  Car dealers benefit the most, as any dealership that intends to stay in business hosts a massive, weekend-long President’s Day sale.  At what other time of year can you buy a new car that comes with a free 32″ television?  One has nothing to do with the other, unless its President’s Day and you have a lot full of cars that need to be sold.

Presidents’ Day isn’t even uniformly celebrated in the same way in the United States.  Massachusetts officially celebrates Washington’s birthday on the same day as the federal holiday, but state law also directs the governor to issue “Presidents Day” proclamation on May 29 of each year, honoring ex-presidents John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Calvin Coolidge, and John F. Kennedy, who all have roots in Massachusetts.  In Alabama the day is marked as “Washington and Jefferson Day,” even though Thomas Jefferson was born in April.  In George Washington’s home state of Virginia, there is no mention of Lincoln or any other presidents, as the holiday is officially known as ‘George Washington’s Birthday.’

The United States isn’t the only country taking advantage of our President’s Day.  America, Jr. (Canada) also uses the same weekend to take a little break from life.  And just like in America, the day is recognized differently depending on what Canadian province you happen to find yourself.  In Alberta and Ontario, you celebrate ‘Family Day.’  In Manitoba its ‘Louis Reil Day,’ and on Prince Edward Island, its known as Islander Day.  This is done because the Canadian economy is so intertwined with America’s that if America is having a day off and their government is closed, our friends to the north must follow suit.

In the end, most Americans interest in Presidents’ Day extends only as far as a paid day off from work and a long weekend.  The holiday also coincides with the beginning of the school vacation week, so overall it’s just a good time for break.  Just remember that this holiday officially commemorates important characters in the history of our country’s presidency, so don’t spend your time celebrating Richard Nixon or Obama or George W. Bush.  Presidents’ Day is a day to honor our most important presidents, the ones who have made a profound and lasting contribution to our country.

As you know, February is “Black History Month” in the United States.  What you may not know is that New Bedford has deep roots when it comes to African-Americans.  The city was an integral part of the Underground Railroad that helped bring slaves from the southern slavery states into the north.  In 1833, the first anti-slavery society was founded in New Bedford.  Here are some notable New Bedford African-Americans and their accomplishments:

• Frederick Douglass – Runaway slave who became a famous abolitionist and lived in New Bedford in the late 1840s.
• William Harvey Carney – Received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Fort Wagner, which took place during the Civil War.  W.H. Carney Academy elementary school is named in his honor.

• Robert H. Carter III – Carter paved the way for African-Americans by being the first to practice pharmacy in Massachusetts, which he did by earning his license in 1886.
• Lewis Temple – Invented the toggle iron harpoon in 1848, helping put New Bedford on the map.  By the 1890’s, thanks to the Whaling industry, New Bedford was the fourth largest cargo terminal in the United States, behind New York, Philadelphia, and New Orleans.
• James E. Reed – James E Reed left an abundance of photos behind capturing the city and region for three decades giving us a window to the past.
• 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry -Many New Bedford African-Americans (including William Harvey Carney) joined the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first black units during the Civil War.  The movie Glory, starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, and Morgan Freeman, detail the story of this unit.
• Charles Manuel “Sweet Daddy” Grace – Founded the United House of Prayer for All People.
• Mary J. “Polly” Johnson – First home in freedom to renowned fugitive Frederick Douglass.
• William Bush – Instrumental in the Underground Railroad.

Places to Visit:

• William Harvey Carney is buried in New Bedford’s Oak Grove Cemetery.

• Charles Manuel “Sweet Daddy” Grace is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery.
• William Bush is buried Rural Cemetery.
• The Lewis Temple monument is located just outside the New Bedford Library.
• The New Bedford Historical Society at The Nathan and Mary (Polly) Johnson properties, where you can learn about the Underground Railroad, Fredrick Douglas, and much more! (Website)
• Check out some of the Underground Railroad locations and other historic sites in New Bedford.