December 22, 2017 Hello ,
Great news!
The title for my upcoming book has been decided.
This is the story of African American women who joined the U.S. Women's Army Corps during World War
II.
I sent in my ideas. My editor discussed possibilities with the sales and marketing teams. And it was decided the book will be called, Standing Up Against Hate: How Black Women in the Army Helped Change the Course of WWII.
I hope to have more news soon on the book's pub date, and I'm hoping to get a few advanced copies that I can share with people who are willing to post reviews on Goodreads or Amazon.
Clarification on Last Weeks Story
I was writing about how politicians use scapegoats to justify their dehumanizing policies. In particular, how the risk of typhus was used by both American and German leaders to whip up fear and prejudice against
a segment of the population they wanted to deem inferior.
In 1917, the notion that Mexicans crossing into the U.S. for work each day would carry lice and cause a typhus epidemic, was used as an excuse to spray them with toxic chemicals. Men, women and children crossing the Juarez/El Paso border were doused or sprayed with chemicals like
gasoline and DDT for more than 40-years.
In Poland, the Nazis posted placards around Warsaw in 1940 declaring that Jewish people were infested with lice and carrying typhus.To protect the rest of the populace all Jews were required to move into a small section of the city that became the Warsaw Ghetto.
Below: Delousing plant at
the Juarez/El Paso border, circa 1920.
One of the chemicals U.S. Public Health Officers used on Mexicans at the El Paso delousing station in the 1920s was called Zyklon B.
In 1939, the Nazis started
using Zyklon B to fumigate people at border crossings and concentration camps. Later, they used Zyklon B pellets in the gas chambers at Auschwitz and other camps, not to kill lice, but people.
While I was researching last weeks story in the January 29, 2017 edition of the El
Paso Morning Times, I came across another interesting story on the same page. This gives us an idea of what was going on in the women's movement at that time.
Just so you know I am not sitting around writing and reading ALL the time, here's a video of my latest gig.
I decided to try something new about a year-and-a-half ago. I was afraid that I wouldn't be strong enough. And that I was too old. But I didn't want to be afraid to try. I signed up for a class at Spokane Aerial Performance Arts.
The slogan there is "Why go to the gym when you can join the circus!"
I absolutely love aerial silks! It is definitely
the most fun exercise I've ever done.
Earlier this month, they had a Christmas student showcase, where I did my first aerial silks performance. Truth in advertising, I cut off the beginning and the end of the video. I chose one of my favorite Christmas songs for my routine. It is The Holly and the Ivy from Roy Todd's Christmas Piano album.
Wishing you and yours the very best this holiday season!
Until next week... Have you read a great book? Tell me about it. Have a burning question? Let me know. If you know someone who might enjoy
my newsletter or books, please forward this e-mail. I will never spam you or sell your email address, you can unsubscribe below anytime with a single mouse click. To find out more about my books, how I help students, teacher and librarians, visit my website at www.MaryCronkFarrell.com. My best, Mary
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