by Sean Adl-Tabatabai, The Peoples Voice: Alex Soros has vowed to stop Trump from ending the booming child sex trafficking trade, as two left-wing NGOs with ties to his father, George Soros, launch a legal battle against Trump’s reforms. The National Center for Youth Law and Democracy Forward, funded by the Open Society Foundations, are suing to […]

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  Originally part of the Carolina Colony granted by King Charles II in 1663, North Carolina became a separate province in 1712 and one of the original thirteen colonies. In 1776, it made history by being the first colony to officially call for independence through the Halifax Resolves. During the Civil War, it was the site of major surrenders that helped bring the conflict to a close. The state also played a key role in the advancement of public education and the early tobacco industry. Today, this rich legacy is preserved across North Carolina in historic buildings, memorials, and cultural institutions that continue to tell the story of rebellion, resilience, and reinvention. Here are ten must-see historic sites in the Tar Heel State.   1. Biltmore Estate, Asheville Biltmore House, Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Nestled in Asheville, the Biltmore Estate stands as America’s largest privately owned home, a testament to Gilded Age grandeur. Commissioned by George Washington Vanderbilt II, construction began in 1889 and culminated in 1895. The 175,000-square-foot Châteauesque mansion boasts 250 rooms, including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces.   Visitors can explore the opulent interiors, featuring a vast library with over 10,000 volumes, a banquet hall adorned with a 70-foot ceiling, and a basement equipped with a bowling alley and indoor pool. The estate’s 8,000 acres encompass meticulously landscaped gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, offering seasonal floral displays and tranquil walking paths.   Beyond the main house, Antler Hill Village provides a glimpse into the estate’s agricultural history, complete with a working farm and the Biltmore Winery, where guests can enjoy complimentary tastings. Seasonal events, such as the “Biltmore Blooms” in spring and festive holiday decorations in winter, enhance the visitor experience.   2. Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kill Devil Hills Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Perched atop the windswept dunes of Kill Devil Hills, the Wright Brothers National Memorial marks the birthplace of powered flight. On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright achieved the first controlled, sustained flight of a heavier-than-air machine, forever altering human history.   The memorial’s centerpiece is a 60-foot granite monument, dedicated in 1932, standing atop the 90-foot Kill Devil Hill. This hill, once a shifting sand dune, was stabilized to honor the brothers’ numerous glider tests conducted here. The monument bears the inscription: “In commemoration of the conquest of the air by the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright conceived by genius achieved by dauntless resolution and unconquerable faith.”   When visiting, you can explore reconstructed replicas of the Wrights’ 1903 camp buildings, including their hangar and living quarters. Markers along the flight path trace the distances of their four successful flights on that historic day. The visitor center houses exhibits featuring models, tools, and a life-size replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer, offering insights into the brothers’ innovative experiments.   3. Historic Bath, Beaufort County Historic Bath State Historic Site, Bath (Beaufort County, N.C.). Source: Flickr   In 1705, Bath became North Carolina’s first incorporated town, strategically located along the Pamlico River. Its early years were marked by political intrigue, piracy, and conflict with Native American tribes. Notably, the infamous pirate Blackbeard, also known as Edward Teach, resided here briefly in 1718.   Today, Historic Bath offers visitors a glimpse into colonial life. Key sites include the Palmer-Marsh House (circa 1751), a National Historic Landmark that once served as both a residence and a commercial space, and the Bonner House (circa 1830), which showcases 19th-century domestic life.   St. Thomas Episcopal Church, constructed in 1734, stands as the oldest existing church in North Carolina. Visitors can also explore the Van der Veer House and the Exhibit Center, which provide further insights into the town’s rich history.   4. Old Salem Museums & Gardens, Winston-Salem Barn, Single Brothers’ House, Old Salem, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Step into the 18th century at Old Salem Museums & Gardens, a meticulously preserved Moravian settlement founded in 1766. This living history museum offers an immersive experience of early American life, showcasing original structures and costumed interpreters practicing traditional trades.   Established by Moravian settlers, Old Salem became a hub for commerce, education, and religion in the Wachovia Tract. The town’s unique communal lifestyle and detailed record-keeping provide invaluable insights into colonial America. Today, approximately 70% of the buildings are original.   Explore the cobblestone streets and visit historic sites such as the Single Brothers’ House, Salem Tavern, and the Winkler Bakery, which still uses recipes dating back to 1807.  Engage with artisans demonstrating blacksmithing, woodworking, and baking, providing hands-on learning experiences for all ages.   Old Salem is not just a museum but a community that celebrates diverse histories, including the stories of African Americans through initiatives like the Hidden Town Project. Seasonal events, such as the traditional Moravian Candle Tea, offer unique cultural experiences.   5. Bennett Place, Durham Bennett Place, Durham, North Carolina. Source: Wikimedia Commons   On April 26, 1865, in a modest farmhouse near Durham, North Carolina, Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to Union General William T. Sherman. This event marked the largest troop surrender of the American Civil War, encompassing nearly 90,000 soldiers across the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida.   Today, Bennett Place State Historic Site preserves this pivotal moment in history. Visitors can explore reconstructed farm buildings, including the Bennett family home, kitchen, and smokehouse, which reflect the original 19th-century structures. The visitor center offers exhibits detailing the events leading up to the surrender and its significance in concluding the Civil War.   6. Tryon Palace, New Bern Tryon Palace, New Bern, North Carolina. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Step into the grandeur of colonial North Carolina at Tryon Palace, the state’s first permanent capitol and the former residence of Royal Governor William Tryon. Completed in 1770, this Georgian-style mansion was designed by architect John Hawks and served as the epicenter of North Carolina’s political life until 1792. Though the original structure was lost to fire in 1798, a meticulous reconstruction in the 1950s, based on Hawks’ original plans, restored the palace to its former glory.   You can walk through opulent rooms filled with period furnishings and historic detail, gaining insight into 18th-century life. Outside, more than a dozen acres of gardens unfold in full seasonal beauty, showcasing colonial, Victorian, and contemporary designs. The nearby North Carolina History Center expands the experience with hands-on exhibits and rotating displays that bring regional history to life.   7. Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Roanoke Island Elizabethan Gardens, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Roanoke Island, North Carolina. Source: Wikimedia Commons   On the northern end of Roanoke Island, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site preserves the enigmatic tale of the “Lost Colony.” In 1587, over 100 English settlers established a colony here, only to vanish without a trace by 1590, leaving behind the cryptic word “CROATOAN” carved into a post. Despite centuries of investigation, their fate remains one of America’s enduring mysteries.   Visitors to Fort Raleigh can explore a reconstructed earthen fort, believed to be the original settlement’s defensive structure. The site’s visitor center offers exhibits detailing the history of the Roanoke expeditions and the indigenous Algonquian peoples. A short film provides further context to the colonists’ story.   Beyond the colonial narrative, Fort Raleigh also commemorates the Roanoke Island Freedmen’s Colony, established during the Civil War as a haven for formerly enslaved individuals. This community thrived from 1863 to 1867, symbolizing hope and resilience in a transformative era.   Adding to the site’s cultural richness, the Waterside Theatre hosts “The Lost Colony,” an outdoor drama performed since 1937, bringing the settlers’ story to life against the backdrop of the Roanoke Sound.   8. Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum at Palmer Memorial Institute, Sedalia Charlotte Hawkins Brown. Source: Picryl   In 1902, a 19-year-old Charlotte Hawkins Brown arrived in Sedalia to teach at a rural school for African American children. When the school closed a year later, she founded the Palmer Memorial Institute, naming it after her benefactor, Alice Freeman Palmer. Starting in a blacksmith’s cabin, Brown transformed the institute into a renowned preparatory school that educated over 1,000 African American students until its closure in 1971.   Today, the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum preserves this legacy. Visitors can explore restored buildings like Canary Cottage, Brown’s residence, and the Carrie M. Stone Teachers’ Cottage, now serving as the visitor center with exhibits on Brown’s life and the institute’s history. The museum highlights themes of African American education, women’s history, and social progress, offering a window into the challenges and triumphs of the early 20th century.   9. Historic Halifax, Halifax Eagle Tavern, Halifax Historic District, Halifax, North Carolina. Source: Wikimedia Commons   In the heart of North Carolina’s Roanoke River Valley lies Historic Halifax, a town that played a pivotal role in America’s journey toward independence. Founded in 1760, Halifax quickly became a bustling hub of commerce and politics. Its most notable contribution came on April 12, 1776, when the Fourth Provincial Congress adopted the Halifax Resolves, the first official action by an entire colony advocating for independence from Britain.   When visiting, you can explore a preserved portion of this once-thriving town at the Historic Halifax State Historic Site. The site features several restored buildings, including the 1760 Owens House, the 1790 Eagle Tavern, and the 1838 Jail. These structures offer a glimpse into 18th and 19th-century life, showcasing the architectural styles and daily routines of the era.   The visitor center provides an orientation film and exhibits detailing Halifax’s rich history. Guided tours are available, offering deeper insights into the town’s significance during the Revolutionary period. Additionally, the site includes trails leading to the Roanoke River, where interpretive signs share stories of the Underground Railroad and the quest for freedom by enslaved individuals.   10. Duke Homestead State Historic Site, Durham Barn at the Duke Homestead state historic site on the outskirts of Durham, North Carolina. Source: Picryl   In the rolling hills of Durham, a modest white farmhouse stands as a testament to the humble beginnings of one of America’s most influential industrial families. Built in 1852 by Washington Duke, this homestead became the cradle of an empire that would shape the tobacco industry and leave an indelible mark on the nation’s economic landscape.   After serving in the Confederate Navy during the Civil War, Washington Duke returned home and shifted his focus from farming to tobacco manufacturing. Utilizing a converted corn crib as his first factory, he and his sons began producing pipe tobacco under the brand “Pro Bono Publico.”   By 1873, their enterprise was yielding approximately 125,000 pounds of smoking tobacco annually. This success laid the foundation for the establishment of W. Duke, Sons & Co., which eventually evolved into the American Tobacco Company, dominating the industry by the late 19th century.   Today, the Duke Homestead State Historic Site offers visitors a glimpse into this transformative period. The preserved property includes the original farmhouse, tobacco barns, and a packhouse, all set amidst serene landscapes. The on-site Tobacco Museum features 5,500 square feet of exhibits detailing the history of tobacco farming, manufacturing, and advertising.

  Ancient Egypt looms large in popular culture, from Indiana Jones to The Prince of Egypt. The country is a treasure trove of pyramids, pharaohs, and nods to ancient cats. The country’s location at the nexus of its African home and of Asia and Europe has led to its fascinating contemporary history. Egypt, after the Ottoman Empire, played a key role in geopolitical affairs, developed a variety of national identities, and became the dramatic poster child for overthrowing and then replacing an autocrat.   Ottoman Consolidation Mausoleum of As-Saleh Nagin Ad-din Ayyub. Source: Jorge Láscar on Flickr   After centuries of being loosely ruled by a number of Muslim Caliphates, Egypt came under Ottoman control in 1517. From the end of the 18th century, French and British influence greatly eroded Ottoman power. In the intervening years, a number of Egyptian dynasties and Mamluks went to war with the Ottomans. Still, the empire exerted some level of cultural and social influence, doing everything from increasing trash collection infrastructure to hiring a record number of court historians and setting up zoos. Within this time period, society in spaces like Cairo that already had interactions with the world globally became even more cosmopolitan.   The Ottomans’ last century or so within Egypt was beset by conflict within the empire and with other would-be imperial powers. Eventually, Britain declared the country its protectorate, and Egypt entered World War I on the side of the Central Powers in 1914. The Ottoman Empire was dissolved as a result of the war, and Egypt as a protectorate came to exist within a relatively small geographic sphere outside of the big, sprawling space that had once included it.   French and British Arrival The Battle of the Pyramids by Louis-François, Baron Lejeune, 1808. Source: Palace of Versailles / Wikimedia Commons   Napoleon Bonaparte viewed Egypt as the key to cementing his own imperial status, rebuilding post-revolution France, and expanding his military prowess. In 1798, he invaded the area, ‘conquering’ small fishing villages and telling his troops that “From the pyramids, forty centuries look down on us.” Embedded in the expedition were more than 100 academics who studied everything from Egyptian fauna to pyramids and history, exoticizing the space and cementing its place in popular British and French—and later, global—imaginations.   The French hoped that the expedition would be successful in blocking British land routes to India. Unfortunately for Napoleon, his troops (and later historians) largely regarded the Egyptian campaign as a failure. In 1801, the French were forced out by joint British-Ottoman forces.   Held off for a few decades by competition with France, Britain earnestly engaged in the country beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, setting up railroad stations for a planned Cairo-to-Cape Town route. Later that century, the British army began training Egyptian troops in the quasi-protectorate. Egypt declared its independence from Britain in 1922, making it one of the first African countries to begin what would later be termed “decolonization.”   Egyptomania Tourists looking at the Rosetta Stone (2014). Source: Wikimedia Commons   Egyptomania has existed to a large degree since ancient times. Fascination with the country’s pyramids, mummies, and hieroglyphics drove Roman and Greek ambassadors to visit Egypt. Queen Cleopatra herself was of partial Greek descent and consorted with Greco-Roman ambassadors despite being thought of as quintessentially Egyptian.   The Egyptomania phenomenon’s modern version hit in the mid-nineteenth century following Napoleon’s campaign. He brought artifacts back to hold in the Louvre in Paris, and British agents ferried artifacts such as the Rosetta Stone back to public spaces such as the British Museum. Given the ability to see these novelties firsthand, as well as to gain knowledge of historical Egypt and hear reports from contemporary space, Europeans became fascinated with all things Egyptian. Many incorporated Egyptian designs into home décor, architecture, and more.   Though this phenomenon occurred largely outside of the country, it affected it through the subsequent invasion of tourists as well as an increased emphasis on preservation within the country. Americans later popularized Egyptian history through cinematic pieces that combined myth and sometimes reality. The phenomenon drove what much of the world today thinks of as “Egypt.”   Building the Canal Three RAF Westland Lysanders over Suez canal, ca. 1940. Source: James Morley on Flickr   Egypt’s location in northeast Africa, close to Europe and Asia, has made it a throughway of Mediterranean and overland trade for millennia. Ancient pharaohs built canals as transportation mechanisms, and Ottoman and other authorities attempted to use them. The probable recession of the Red Sea made this possible over centuries.   British and French campaigns began during the Age of Imperialism, looking at canal building as a way of making their route to the Indian Ocean far shorter, bypassing the necessity for African circumnavigation. During World War II, the Third Reich also demonstrated an interest in possessing the area and making incursions through a proposed canal despite a heavy disinterest in all things African. French canal building began in 1859, and French and British companies received concessions to operate it for its first century. The Suez Canal allowed European and Asian trade to move through the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and the Mediterranean without having to travel all the way around the southern tip of Africa. This cut shipping times and expenses considerably.   Nasser’s Arabization Gamal Abdel Nasser. Source: Store Norske Leksikon   Gamal Abdel Nasser remains perhaps Egypt’s most iconic leader. As the country’s second president, he nationalized the canal in 1956. In a diverse country emerging from colonialism, Nasser drove Arabization within Egypt and the wider Middle East, encouraging people at home and abroad to think of the region as a cohesive one built upon Arabic linguistic identity.   Though Muslim himself, Nasser remained committed to the idea that Egypt should not become a theocracy (perhaps especially after an assassination attempt by a Muslim Brotherhood member). He socialized many entities within the country, built the Aswan Dam, and eventually became more or less an autocrat. All of this has given him a mixed legacy within the country, though he generally retains “Founding Father” status. His efforts at Pan-Arabism are largely regarded as building a regional identity that remains important to this day.   Nasser’s status as a leader in Afro-Asian Solidarity efforts and non-alignment brought Egypt into the wider world while encouraging the country to retain a unique identity.   New Millennium People celebrating in Tahrir Square, 2011. Source: Ramy Raoof on Flickr   Following Nasser’s sudden death, Anwar Sadat took power and remained in power until his assassination in 1980. Sadat had begun negotiations with Israeli leaders just prior. He was succeeded by Hosni Mubarak, who ruled for the next three decades. As one of Egypt’s longest-serving leaders, Mubarak moved the Arab League headquarters back to Cairo, maintained power during a number of single-party elections, and was generally supportive of Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. His regime, however, became rife with corruption. Egypt became one of the first countries to participate in the Arab Spring in 2011, with Mubarak stepping down just over a week after protests began. Tahrir Square in Cairo became an iconic spot in the phenomenon, with organizers harnessing the power of Facebook to create mass gatherings.   Today Pyramids of Giza and… Pizza Hut? Source: elainne_dickinson on Flickr   Egypt, after the Arab Spring, became the center of global discussion points as it rolled out a new constitution and rebuilt the country. For quite some time, it was hailed as a success story. The new constitution granted sweeping rights. Mohamed Morsi was democratically elected as president. He retained membership in the Freedom and Justice Party and was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, connecting him to powerful socio-political currents. His presidency did not last long, however, and he was overthrown in a coup in 2013, just one year after his election. Deputy Defense Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi masterminded the coup and currently serves as president, winning re-election for the third time in 2023. He is often described as authoritarian, perhaps leading full circle back to Nasser, Mubarak, and other predecessors.   Cairo City, 2023. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Egyptian society remains vibrant. Over the last few years, the country has seen an influx of people displaced from both Sudan and Palestine and has attempted to serve as a mediator in the current Middle East conflict. This, of course, results in varied perspectives on the country’s tenor and general shape. In an effort to rehabilitate tourism in the wake of the Arab Spring, administrators have restored a number of ancient sites, such as a tomb near the Great Sphinx. The National Archeological Museum recently reopened, and King Tutankhamun is set to go on display back home. This rounds out an effort to entice more tourists to see Egyptian artifacts in Egypt, though many of these, such as the Rosetta Stone, remain in the UK and France.   Selfie, Giza Plateau, Cairo, Egypt, 2019. Source: cattan2011 on Flickr   As one of the world’s oldest societies, Egypt fascinates in a unique way. Its present often seems eclipsed by stereotypes of the past, but that present and recent history has a colorful and unique dynamic of its own. With the return and restoration of many antiquities, tourists now have opportunities to enjoy seeing ancient Egyptian remnants as well as glimpsing daily contemporary life beyond the pyramids.

  Latin America is a geographical, geopolitical, and cultural concept defined by the common characteristics of some of the countries located on the American continent. Most well-known is the use of Latin-derived languages such as Spanish, Portuguese, and French as their official languages, resulting from a history of colonization. Latin America comprises a diverse conglomeration of racial or ethnic groups, including Indigenous communities, Afro-descendant peoples, Mestizo, white, and even Asian people.   What Does “Latin America” Mean? Viajando por una Latinoamérica unida (Traveling through a united Latin America) by Xul Solar, 1927. Source: Historia Arte   The term “Latin America” was introduced in 1836 by French economist Michel Chevalier to differentiate countries on the American continent speaking Latin-derived languages from Anglo-Saxon America (USA and Canada). Latin America gained relevance as a cultural concept because it provided an alternative to previous categories that emphasized the region’s colonial legacy. It was also used to bring more visibility and unity to Latin American countries as a cultural and geopolitical block against imperialist and colonialist interests from North America and Europe. Similar terms previously in use included “Hispanoamerica,” which refers to all the countries where Spanish is used as an official language and that were previously colonies of the Spanish Empire, and “Iberoamerica,” which includes Brazil as an ex-colony of Portugal, the other country that, together with Spain, shapes the Iberian Peninsula in the most Western part of Europe.   Today, the most widely accepted interpretation of “Latin America” encompasses the Central American, Caribbean, and South American sub-regions. However, another more generous definition of the term, based on cultural markers, includes some states of the US highly populated by Latin Americans, such as California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Florida. This ambiguity is reflected in how Mexico, a border country, has historically and linguistically been disputed between Latin America and Anglo Saxon America. For instance, while Mexico is considered geographically to be part of North America, culturally, it is viewed as part of Latin America among the region’s Spanish-speaking countries.   Mural Presencia de América Latina (Presence of Latin America) painted by Jorge González Camarena. Source: Casa del Arte Jose Clemente Orozco, Universidad de Concepción, Chile   Another region of the Americas often in dispute when considering geographical and cultural definitions of what Latin America means or includes is the Caribbean. Some islands share cultural characteristics closer to those of North America, while others align more strongly with Central and South America. For instance, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas are culturally closer to the US, while the Dominican Republic and Cuba can be considered closer to the Latin world. In Spanish-speaking countries, it is more common for the Caribbean islands to be included as a separate but related region and referred to as a single unit, Latinoamérica y el Caribe (Latin America and the Caribbean).   Although geographical boundaries between countries are largely well-defined, in terms of culture, borders can become fuzzy, often in regard to specific regions within national territories. For instance, although South American countries such as Colombia and Venezuela are considered part of Latin America, many cultural traits on their northern coasts are more closely related to the Caribbean region.   The Evolution of Latin America Pyramid of the Sun in the ancient Aztec city of Teotihuacan by F9photos. Source: National Geographic   The American continent was first populated by Paleo-Indians (the ancestors of current indigenous communities) in the late Pleistocene (16,500–13,500 BCE). They migrated from Siberia through a landed path in the Bering Strait. In the Archaic Period, around 6000 BCE, different small communities of hunter-gatherers were spread across the American continent. By 1200 BCE, archaeologists found the earliest evidence of the Olmec culture, the first more established sedentary civilization on the continent. Until the end of the 15th century and the arrival of European colonial powers, a number of civilizations thrived across the continent: the Adena or Anasazi in North America, the Aztecs and Mayas in Mesoamerica, and the Incas and Muiscas in South America, among many others.   After the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Bahamas in 1492, Spanish colonizers spread from Mexico in the north to Argentina in the south between the 16th and 19th centuries. Before individual countries were established, what is today Latin America was first divided into different political divisions: the Virreinato de Nueva España (Viceroyalty of New Spain) in what is now the south of the US through Central America, the Virreinato del Perú (Viceroyalty of Peru) spreading southwards through the Andean Cordillera, the Virreinato de Nueva Granada (Viceroyalty of New Granada) in what is now Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, northern Peru, and Panama, and the Virreinato de la Plata (Viceroyalty of la Plata) in what is now Argentina. The Portuguese arrived in 1500 and settled mainly in what is now Brazil.   Influenced by the French Revolution (1789-1799), the independence of British colonies in North America (1776), and the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804), different revolutionary and independence civil wars took place across the continent throughout the 19th century. The Spanish crown, weakened by the French invasion of Spain, faced various confrontations in the Americas between independence forces (called patriotas or patriots) and the Spanish army (called realistas or loyalists), resulting in a long process of independence for the various Latin American countries between 1808 and 1825.   Viceroyalties in Latin America in 1780 in Donald Kagan’s book The Western Heritage Since 1300. Source: Princeton University   The 20th century in Latin America saw the consolidation of democracies via peaceful or confrontational strategies while the region gained more relevance in the world’s economic trade. During World War II, most Latin American countries aligned with the Allies. After the war, many populist regimes flourished across the continent, promoting internal economic growth. After the Cuban Revolution in 1959, different rural guerrilla groups developed, advocating communist agendas, and were highly persecuted by the governments’ military forces.   After the Cold War, the concept of the “Third World” was created to refer to countries unaligned with either of the two blocks. Latin America, along with different African and Southeast Asian countries, were considered part of it. Today, “Third World” is still used anachronistically to refer to countries as “underdeveloped” or with various social instabilities compared to a supposedly more stable and privileged “First World.”   The history of Latin America has been one of conflict and social inequality, primarily originating in the prolonged confrontation between different worldviews and political ideologies since the 16th century’s colonialism. Today, Latin America can present itself to the world as a region that, although still dealing with many internal social and economic complexities, has made significant advancements in terms of human rights, critical academic development, and unity across countries that is not common in other parts of the world.   Latin America: A People and Their Cultures   Painting De español y torna atrás, tente en el aire (From Spaniard and Return Backwards, Hold Yourself Suspended in Mid Air) documenting the racial mixing process (mestizaje) by Juan Patricio Morlete Ruiz, circa 1760. Source: Los Angeles County Museum of Art   The website Statista calculated that by 2022, Latin Americans would comprise 659 million people living in the subregions of South America, Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico. “Latin American,” however, encompasses a broad range of races, ethnicities, and cultural practices.   The arrival of the Spanish in the so-called New World resulted in a rapid decline in the indigenous population due to warfare and disease. This led the Spanish to replace them by bringing enslaved Africans to work in the new settlements. It is calculated that around 12 million Africans were transported to the American continent between the 16th and the 19th century, with  2 to 60 million dying because of the transatlantic slave trade. The coexistence of European colonists, indigenous communities, and Africans during colonial times resulted in a mixture of ethnic and cultural traits throughout Latin America.   During this time, the mixing of different ethnic groups was considered harmful as it was believed that races could be disrupted if combined. This idea was influenced by scientific racism employed by different European thinkers since the 17th century who believed that some races were superior to others. These arguments were spread by the Spanish crown, who, during the colonial period, established a legal differentiation between Hispanic society and Indigenous people through a system of castes. Every possible combination was assigned a name to organize people by racial traits and rank, but all mixed-race peoples were viewed with disdain and considered inferior to the white Spanish.   Painting Cuadro de Castas (Caste painting), anonymous, 18th century. Source: Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History), Mexico   Although it is unlikely that this system was rigid enough to shape a fixed ethnically differentiated society, paintings from the 18th century show how the mixing between races was categorized into separate legal definitions. Mestizo would refer to the mix between a Spanish man and an Indigenous woman; castizo, a mix between a mestizo man and a Spanish woman; and mulatto, a mix between a Spanish man and an African woman, among others.   Though this system was designed to organize and control people, it ultimately had different implications for the development of racial and cultural differences between communities on the continent, which can still be seen today. Although most Latin Americans today are mixed-race or mestizos, combining white, Black, and Indigenous heritage, some regions in Latin America have remained ethnically divided, segregated, or marginalized. One example is Colombia, where most Afro-Colombians are concentrated on the Pacific Coast. Enslaved Africans settled in the region during colonial times, and it has recently been subject to high social instability and armed conflict. In the same country, most indigenous communities in the Amazon Rainforest have been historically excluded from central cities by the purposeful failure to establish transportation routes.   Abya Yala: The “New” Latin America? Photo of delegates from different Latin American countries in a meeting about decoloniality and well-being by Thorben Austen, 2022. Source: Amerika21   “Abya Yala” is a concept that recently has gained more visibility among indigenous and feminist Latin American movements, intending to create more cultural and ethnic inclusiveness. This concept comes from the Kuna community, located between Colombia and Panama, who used it to refer to the American continent in their native language. Many social movements have joined in advocating the use of this term instead of “America,” seeking to create distance from the colonial past that both the words “Latino” and “America” belong to. “Latino” refers to a family of languages that were introduced through colonial power, and “America” comes from Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci, who long ago proposed that the lands in the west recently “discovered” by Christopher Columbus were, in fact, an entire continent unknown to Europeans.   The concept “Abya Yala” means something close to “mature or flourishing soil” and was first introduced by Bolivian indigenous leader Takir Mamani and accepted in 1977 by the World Council of Indigenous Peoples. However, the concept is subject to debate. Some critics argue there is no evidence that the Kuna people knew about the whole extension of the continent when they conceived the term and that, therefore, it would be inappropriate to include the continent’s entire landmass. Of course, when the continent was “discovered” during Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci’s explorations, Europeans were also unaware of the whole extension of the “American” lands—Columbus thought he had arrived in India, and Vespucci had explored only the eastern side of the Caribbean and South America.   Despite criticism, “Abya Yala” continues to gain popularity because it creates a sense of historical awareness about the Americas’ colonial past and serves as a counterpoint to centuries of indigenous knowledge being stolen or destroyed.

  Traditionally, excavations deep in the jungles of Mexico, Central, and South America are difficult at best and dangerous at worst. With rough terrain, violent storms, and the watchful eyes of local animals, archeologists often turn to modern equipment to cover as much ground as possible without disrupting the local wildlife. As more land is excavated, previously insignificant hills are revealed to be dirt mounds that gradually formed over the ruins of Mesoamerican cities.   Layout: What Maya Cities Looked Like Tikal (c. 400 BCE–900 CE). Source: Visit Centro America   In order to find lost cities, one must first know what a Maya city looked like and where to start the search. The majority of pre-Columbian or Mesoamerican (prior to Spanish arrival in the 16th century) Maya civilizations were grouped together in the modern-day countries of Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, and southern parts of Mexico, where their living Maya descendants still reside today.   Many of what are known as Maya pyramids were part of larger ceremonial and cultural centers like Chichén Itzá, Tikal, and Palenque, similar to present-day capital cities. And just like modern suburbs, smaller villages and towns would have surrounded each of these bustling cities. With more land available, many villages produced crops like maize to import into the larger cities and neighboring towns.   Maya Site of Copan, Honduras (Early Classic Period, c. 250-550 CE), photo by Ko Hon Chiu Vincent. Source: UNESCO   The Maya were very elaborate and intentional builders. A city layout might resemble a specific glyph to commemorate the final date of completion, especially when viewed from above by their gods. Typically, these large cities were built around a center structure, usually a ceremonial site or dedicated administrative center.   This private walled-off section would have not only contained any temples or ceremonial pyramids, but also a dedicated residential area for religious leaders and elite members of society. Unlike the smaller villages and residential areas, this section of elite housing and ceremonial center was built for the gods, and built to last. Tall and regal, these temples and elite apartments often towered over the surrounding area, closer to the sky and closer to the gods.   Mayan Pyramids: Temples and Tombs  Tikal National Park, Guatemala (c. 200-900 CE), photo by Silvan Rehfeld. Source: UNESCO   The Maya were incredible builders, impressive even by today’s standards. One of the most impressive pieces of a Maya city, and ultimately the easiest to find in a jungle, is the city’s main temple or pyramid. With something as large as a pyramid, it might be surprising to know many of these once-thriving civilizations have long since been covered by layers of earth. Many of these cities faced erosion or outside forces that slowly tore down the buildings brick by brick. The jungles in which the Maya built their cities are notoriously difficult to inhabit and tend to grow over any evidence of humanity left behind.   Pyramids in Mesoamerica differ quite a bit from the ones on the other side of the world in Egypt. While Egyptian pyramids were built to have a smooth finish on all sides and point in a straight line towards the peak, Mesoamerican pyramids were built like massive steps with a platform near the top. In addition, Egyptian pyramids mainly functioned as tombs or vessels into the afterlife, while Maya pyramids and temples mainly served religious purposes, though they remained closely tied to the dead.   El Castillo, Chichen Itza, Mexico (c. 800–1200 CE). Source: Mayan Peninsula   These pyramids functioned as an important meeting place for religious and political announcements, especially during pivotal times of the year: a solstice or equinox. The Maya were intimate time keepers and often used pyramids and architecture to reflect important solar events. For example, the pyramid El Castillo at Chichen Itza likely gathered massive crowds in the spring and fall when the sun casts a snake-like shadow that slithers down the steps during the biannual equinox. These events were deeply connected to the cycles of life, death, and human sacrifice, as Maya pyramids often represented the entrance to Xibalba, the Maya underworld.   Much like the ancient Egyptians, archeologists have found elite members of society, like the wealthy or ruling class, entombed in the bases of pyramids across Maya lands. Often these temples were constructed around the burial in honor of the deceased and their connection to the deities represented in the temple. However, not all Maya pyramids were built as tombs; many of them were religious or political structures first that were later altered to accommodate a burial.   The Scale of an Empire Aerial view of Dzibanche, Mexico (Classic Period, c. 250 CE–900 CE), photo by Silvan Rehfeld. Source: National Geographic   Over an estimated span of 3,000 years, the Maya Empire had plenty of time to grow and expand across the jungles of Mexico and Central America, engulfing the Yucatan Peninsula. Archeologists have found evidence of cities as far north as Dzibilchaltun and as far south as Copan. While not all cities on the known Maya map were built or occupied at the same time, it does show the expanse of the empire.   As new discoveries are made and new research emerges, the timeline of the Maya Empire also changes. It is impossible to pinpoint the exact moment an empire is born or falls, but experts can estimate the time frame in which a site was inhabited. Luckily, there are scientific methods to help archeologists make those educated guesses.   Archeologists use radiocarbon dating, often abbreviated to C14 dating, to approximate the age of organic materials, including plant, animal, and human remains. These organic materials contain carbon which very slowly decomposes over thousands of years. Scientists measure the decay of a specific carbon isotope called carbon-14 to determine a highly accurate age for an organic artifact. This means, as more Maya sites are discovered, scientists can use C14 dating to gain a better understanding of the Maya timeline and scale.   Evidence suggests that the Maya Empire was nothing short of massive, with complex societies and interconnected roads, rivaling the size and advancement of similar empires around the same time, such as the Romans. Unfortunately, this also means there is a lot of ground to cover when searching for new sites. So, how do researchers know where to look?   Civilization Hiding in Plain Sight Map of an ancient Mayan city in present-day Guatemala, revealed using LiDAR technology. Source: National Geographic   With modern-day technology like LiDAR (short for “light detection and ranging”) and drones for overhead photography, it is significantly easier to get a different view above or below the treeline. LiDAR can help determine the density of an earth mound by sending powerful light waves through the ground and calculating the time and depth it took for the light waves to return to the source. This method is key to finding temples and cities long since reclaimed by the jungle.   Archeologists have used LiDAR to discover entire cities lost to the jungle, like Ocomtún in the Yucatan Peninsula. In 2023, renowned archeologist Dr. Ivan Šprajc and his team used LiDAR to find evidence of a completely unknown Maya city in Mexico. The ruins and scattered artifacts were dated towards the end of the Classic Period, c. 600-900 CE. Likewise, LiDAR has been used across water sources, leading to the discovery of many artifacts under lakes or off the coast of Latin America. In 1998, an entire set of untouched Maya ruins was found under Lake Atitlán in Guatemala, now known as the Maya site of Samabaj.   Even as recently as 2024, archeologists uncovered theory-shattering secrets about the Maya city of Dzibanche in Mexico, thanks to the use of LiDAR. The latest discovery at Dzibanche includes an impressive map of interconnected and paved highways linking remote Maya ruins to each other. Now, archeologists believe these cities were on average four times larger than previously estimated, suggesting the Maya empire was much more complex than historians first suspected.   Looking Toward the Future: Excavation and Preservation Photo of the Maya site of Xunantunich, Belize, 2017. Photo by Jaime Awe, PhD. Source: The Guardian   Excavations get complicated in modern-day Mesoamerica, where many Maya descendants still live in the Yucatan Peninsula, primarily in Guatemala. Unfortunately, many traditions and much of the oral history have disappeared over time. This is due to the fall of the Maya, the details of which are still debated throughout archeology, the rise of the Aztecs, and the eventual forced introduction of Christianity by the Spanish.   In recent years, local governments have teamed up with archeological programs working throughout Mexico and Central America to help preserve what remains of the Maya identity in these regions. Programs such as the Belize Valley Archeological Reconnaissance Project (BVAR), South Tikal Archaeological Project, and PACUNAM work closely with universities and researchers across the world as well as the local government. Many of these programs advocate for the historical preservation and integrity of cultural sites amid ongoing excavations.   More eyes on these parts of modern Mesoamerica often mean more money and research is funneled into the protection of Maya cultural heritage. This also promotes regulations governing who is allowed to remove things from these sites, to prevent loss or theft of history, though this is difficult to enforce in something as dense and widespread as a jungle. Hopefully, in the next few years, more conservation efforts can further excavate uncharted parts of the jungle and uncover long-lost secrets of the Maya. With all the amazing technology and methods now introduced to archeology, there is no telling what the future will uncover.

Modern woke liberals have one defining superpower: the ability to defend the indefensible while remaining smug. That quality poses an obstacle to communication, for they invariably presume the worst of us and the best of themselves. Of course, that type existed long before anyone called it "woke." Recall, for instance,...

A.F. Branco Cartoon: AG Ellison is carrying the torch to allow biological males to compete against girls in school sports. BRANCO TOON STORE Jim Schultz: AG Ellison’s war on common sense an attack on Minnesota’s daughters By Jim Schultz – AlphaNews.org – May 8, 2025 Ellison sued the federal government to ensure that biological males can compete against girls in school sports. This is not where the public stands. If you want to understand just how disconnected Minnesota’s leadership is from ordinary citizens (and even from basic reality), look no further than Attorney General Keith Ellison. On April 22, Ellison announced he is suing the federal government, not to fight violent crime or recover the $250 million stolen from taxpayers in the Feeding Our Future scandal, but to ensure that biological males can compete against girls in school sports. That’s right. With Minnesota facing the threat of crime, rampant fraud in public programs, and skyrocketing costs burdening every family, Ellison has made it a priority to ensure boys can take spots on girls’ teams. It’s absurd… READ MORE DONATE to A.F. Branco Cartoons – Tips accepted and appreciated – $1.00 – $5.00 – $25.00 – $50.00 – it all helps to fund this website and keep the cartoons coming. Also Venmo @AFBranco – THANK YOU! A.F. Branco has taken his two greatest passions (art and politics) and translated them into cartoons that have been popular all over the country in various news outlets, including NewsMax, Fox News, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, and “The Washington Post.” He has been recognized by such personalities as Rep. Devin Nunes, Dinesh D’Souza, James Woods, Chris Salcedo, Sarah Palin, Larry Elder, Lars Larson, Rush Limbaugh, Elon Musk, and President Trump.