Tag: race_relations

Into the Pool! Summer’s finally here…

Contested Waters includes chapters:

Introduction : “just don’t touch the water”
A “peculiar kind” of bath : the origin of municipal pools in America
“A means of physical culture” : the redefinition of municipal pools during the 1890s
“A good investment in health, character, and citizenship” : municipal swimming pools in the Progressive Era
Interlude : the traumatic early history of Fairgrounds Park Pool
The “swimming pool age” : 1920 to 1940
“One for the white race and the other for the colored race” : the onset of racial discrimination, 1920 to 1940
“More sensitive than schools” : the struggle to desegregate municipal swimming pools
“Alone in the backyard” : swimming pools in recent America
Children swimming in a pool.Conclusion : the promise and reality of swimming pools as public spaces.Young Adult LiteratureSwimmingAnatomy There are books on swimming and pools for all your summer needs. So go jump in the water and enjoy!

Swimming Pools
Designing a Pool in the Backyard

A look at Native American mascots in sports

Schools and professional sports teams who adopt Native American names and mascots are often questioned about the ethics of those choices. This librarian went to the University of Illinois during the time in which the mascot, a live-actor/dancing Chief Illiniwek, was officially retired. Other instances range from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Washington Redskins, and that’s just professional football.

Today’s book, The Native American Mascot Controversy: A Handbook, covers the depth and scope of the often-controversial topic. If you’re interested in a look at the history of Native American imagery in sports and a look at their potential impact on race relations in the United States, this is a valuable collection of primary documents and essays.