A complicated man who sometimes seemed full of contradictions‚ Johnny Cash was nevertheless dedicated to the people and convictions he held dear to his heart. Rising from humble Arkansas beginnings‚ Cash would make his mark in the music world‚ creating a career full of accolades that spanned much of the 20th century and into the 21st. Releasing new music right up until his death (and even after)‚ Cash continues to inspire fellow musicians and fans alike with the iconic impact of a sometimes tumultuous life.   A Modest Start Johnny Cash in front of his childhood home. Source: Johnny Cash Heritage Festival   Born February 26‚ 1932‚ in the midst of the Great Depression‚ John R. Cash grew up in a struggling farm family. Known as J.R. to his loved ones‚ Cash had six siblings. When he was three‚ his parents‚ Ray and Carrie‚ moved their children to Dyess‚ Arkansas to take advantage of a New Deal program that offered families farmland. There‚ Cash lived out his childhood in a five-room home‚ farming 20 acres of mostly cotton alongside his family.   Photograph of Johnny Cash. Source: TV Insider   Theirs was a tough existence‚ and something Cash found respite in was music. His mother was a fan of folk and gospel music and shared that love with her children. J.R. began writing songs at the age of twelve. His mother recognized how much he loved music and scrimped and saved so that he could take voice lessons. However‚ after just a few lessons‚ his teacher told him to stop taking lessons‚ as his natural voice was too beautiful to deviate from.   Devastation &; Inspiration Johnny’s older brother‚ Jack D. Cash. Source: Johnny Cash Official Site     Of his six siblings‚ J.R. was especially close with his brother Jack‚ who was just two years older than him. One morning in May 1944‚ 14-year-old Jack decided to go to work at the local high school woodshop rather than go fishing with his younger brother‚ who begged him to come to the fishing hole instead. Jack declined‚ focusing on the three dollars he could bring in to help the family if he went to work. A few hours later‚ J.R. was startled when his father’s car pulled up to the fishing hole‚ Ray yelling at him to get in. Jack had been grievously injured in an accident in the wood shop.   Jack Cash was killed by a saw in the same style as this 1950s Dewalt radial arm model‚ though the blade guard had been removed. Source: Fine Woodworking   Jack had been attempting to cut a board using a table saw on which the guard had been removed. The blade cut Jack from stomach to groin but didn’t kill him instantly. He was rushed to the hospital and underwent surgery‚ but the surgeon instructed the family “not to get too much hope.” However‚ Jack persisted in the hospital for a week before succumbing to his injuries.   J.R. struggled extensively with Jack’s death for the rest of his life. His father‚ under the influence of alcohol‚ once remarked‚ “Too bad it wasn’t you instead of Jack.” It was no coincidence that J.R. started writing songs around this time‚ and he didn’t have to look very far for inspiration. His brother Jack had ambitions of becoming a minister and spoke of seeing heaven just before his death. This religious inspiration would remain present in Cash’s music for the rest of his career.   Early Careers Several country music artists are known for serving in the military before becoming famous‚ including Johnny Cash‚ left. Source: Country Music Family   In 1950‚ J.R. graduated from high school and left the family farm in search of a job. He worked briefly in an automobile plant in Pontiac‚ Michigan before joining the Air Force‚ where he became known as “John R. Cash” as a full first name was required to enlist. He served for four years‚ the bulk of which he spent in Landsberg‚ West Germany as a radio intercept officer‚ monitoring Soviet communications.   In a bizarre piece of historical trivia‚ Cash is believed to be the first American to learn of Joseph Stalin’s death as a result of his position. Cash continued to enjoy music during his time in the Air Force‚ writing several songs that would later help propel him to fame and performing with fellow service members at bars.   Luther Perkins‚ Johnny Cash‚ and Marshall Grant‚ later known as Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two. Source: Chegos   Cash was discharged in 1954 and settled in Memphis‚ Tennessee. He began working as an appliance salesman but was still performing in his free time. He teamed up with two mechanics named Luther Perkins‚ who played electric guitar‚ and Marshall Grant‚ who played upright bass‚ and the three would jam regularly. They became fast friends and sang mostly gospel music‚ performing at church and on local radio.   Love &; Marriage Vivian Loberto &; Johnny Cash. Source: “My Darling Vivian” via Texas Standard   After his Air Force stint‚ Cash married Vivian Liberto‚ a young woman he had met during his military training in Texas before deployment. The two had four daughters–Rosanne‚ Kathy‚ Cindy‚ and Tara–born between 1955 and 1961‚ but a troubled marriage.   During the tumultuous 60s‚ Cash and Vivian were attacked for Vivian’s appearance‚ as she had a dark complexion. The Ku Klux Klan and media entities attacked the couple‚ accusing them of an illegal interracial marriage (it would not become legal until 1967) and calling Vivian “black” (Vivian’s daughters later learned that she did have a formerly enslaved ancestor in 2021).   To his wife’s chagrin‚ Cash seemed to inflame the situation by listing the “whites only” schools his wife had attended and explaining her Italian heritage rather than ignoring the attacks (as she wanted to do) or perhaps picking up a torch for the Civil Rights movement. The Cash’s ended up suing some parties for libel. The stress of media attention and other public attacks‚ along with affection from another woman‚ June Carter‚ did nothing to help the couple’s marriage‚ and they divorced in 1966.   Starting at Sun Records Cash launched his musical career at Sun Records. Source: Jeremy A photo via North Carolina Public Radio   In 1954‚ Cash‚ Perkins‚ and Grant generated the courage to visit a local Memphis recording studio called Sun Records and ask for a blind audition. They were granted one and sang an array of gospel songs for producer Sam Phillips‚ who told them to “go home and sin‚ then come back with a song I can sell.” Cash and his crew returned with more material‚ including some he had written during his time in Germany‚ and managed to win Phillips over.   Their first recordings‚ “Hey Porter” and “Cry Cry Cry‚” were released in 1955 and were moderately successful. The next album‚ Folsom Prison Blues‚ made the country top 5‚ and the next release‚ “I Walk the Line‚” reached number 1 on the country charts and made it into the pop top 20. Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two became the first to release a long-playing album on the Sun label. However‚ in 1958‚ the group would leave Sun Records for Columbia.   The Highwaymen‚ a collaboration of (from left) Waylon Jennings‚ Johnny Cash‚ Willie Nelson‚ and Kris Kristofferson‚ was a country supergroup that convened in the 80s. Source: Jim McGuire photo via PBS   Cash’s musical success continued‚ as he charted at least two hit singles a year for 33 years running. He collaborated with groups and individuals from across genres‚ including U2‚ Bob Dylan‚ Waylon Jennings‚ Willie Nelson‚ and Kris Kristofferson. Unlike many artists‚ he never faded away from the public consciousness. Known as “the Man in Black‚” he was famous for his solid black outfits and consistent greeting to concertgoers: “Hello‚ I’m Johnny Cash.”   1980 would see him elected the youngest living person to the Country Music Hall of Fame (he would be inducted into the Rock &; Roll Hall of Fame 12 days later). He released his final studio album in November 2002‚ less than a year before his death.   On the Big Screen Cash played Frank James in The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James. Source: Filmpedia   Cash wasn’t just famous in the music industry; he starred on the silver screen as well. Some of his most popular films were A Gunfight alongside Kirk Douglas (1971) and The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James (1986). He appeared in TV shows such as Dr. Quinn‚ Medicine Woman‚ The Muppet Show‚ and The Simpsons‚ appealing to a wide variety of audiences. In addition‚ he hosted a prime-time variety show‚ The Johnny Cash Show‚ which often featured the work of new songwriters. Johnny Cash’s undated to-do list‚ which sold for $6‚250 at auction in 2010. Source: Cole Schaefer   Johnny was also an author‚ penning two autobiographies in longhand‚ one in 1975 and another in 1998. He also wrote a biblical fiction novel about the Christian Apostle Paul‚ a man he identified deeply with as another complicated soul‚ entitled Man in White.   Battling Demons A Cash mug shot from 1965. Source: The Adventures of Aleta   Though Cash had many successes‚ they were accompanied by personal struggles. Addiction played an almost constant role in Cash’s life‚ with pills‚ alcohol‚ and amphetamines contributing to his divorce‚ health troubles‚ and poor decisions. He was arrested multiple times and was found on the brink of death in 1967 after a drug binge. At one point‚ the 6’2” Cash was down to 150 pounds due to his drug use‚ with a haggard and skeletal appearance. Many thought his career–and perhaps his life–was over.   Johnny and June. Source: MirrorPix via Town and Country   However‚ Cash survived with help and support from an old friend‚ former touring partner‚ and future wife‚ June Carter. June encouraged him to refocus on his Christian faith and values and helped him attain treatment multiple times. The two were married in 1968 and would remain so until June’s death in 2003. A talented musician in her own right‚ Carter wrote Cash’s hit “Ring of Fire” with Merle Kilgore. Carter and Cash had one son‚ John Carter Cash‚ born in 1970.   The Prison Concerts: Making an Impact on Inmates Johnny Cash shakes hands with an inmate at one of his prison concerts. Source: Jim Marshall photo via Grammy Museum   After watching a documentary about California’s Folsom Prison while stationed in Germany‚ Cash wrote his iconic “Folsom Prison Blues.” Inmates from all over loved the song and wrote to Cash‚ asking him to come play for them. His first prison show was at Huntsville State Prison in Texas in 1957. He often cited the prisoners as his most enthusiastic audiences‚ and as someone who had suffered legal troubles and addiction himself‚ he could empathize with what many of these men had experienced. Cash gave several prison performances over his career‚ recording live albums at several of them. He even performed at overseas penitentiaries.   Life After Death Portrait of Johnny Cash later in life. Source: A Trip Down Memory Lane   As his life progressed‚ Cash’s addiction challenges became more well-managed‚ and he settled into a relaxed life with his faithful wife at his side. However‚ his career was far from over. In the early 90s‚ Cash reconnected with Rick Rubin‚ former Columbia executive and producer who founded the American Recordings label. Rubin has worked with dozens of influential artists spanning genres‚ including the Beastie Boys‚ Weezer‚ Slayer‚ and Jay-Z.   The two collaborated for Cash’s final series of albums‚ beginning in 1994 and concluding just before his death. Some of the songs on the American Recordings albums were written by Cash‚ and others were covers‚ such as Cash’s haunting rendition of Nine Inch Nail’s “Hurt‚” which would be nominated for and win several Grammy‚ MTV‚ and CMA accolades.   Cash’s final album in the American Recordings Series‚ American VI: Ain’t No Grave‚ features a smiling portrait of young J.R. on the cover. Source: Texing PREST   Cash passed away from complications from diabetes in September 2003. Some believe a broken heart contributed to his death as well‚ as he had lost June earlier that year. Despite his physical absence from the plane of existence‚ Cash’s music wasn’t done. In April 2004‚ American Recordings released My Mother’s Hymn Book‚ a gospel album that returned Cash’s sound to its true roots in an homage to Carrie Cash.   This was followed by American V: A Hundred Highways in 2006 and American VI: Ain’t No Grave in 2010. Out Among The Stars‚ a set of unreleased songs discovered by John Carter Cash at his parents’ home in 2012‚ was released in 2014. This is the last album of new music released to date.   Photograph of Johnny Cash later in life. Source: Marty Stuart photo   J.R. Cash came from hardscrabble beginnings to build a legendary life. He was a complicated figure‚ beloved by many‚ but not without his demons. Cash never denied his failings as a man and remained fiercely dedicated to his beliefs. With an impressive career spanning decades‚ his star never burned out but still shines brightly‚ inspiring America’s music scene across genres.

  Covered in ice and snow with sub-zero temperatures and icy blizzards‚ setting foot on Antarctica is a daunting task. It has claimed the lives of countless brave explorers and challenged the limits of those courageous enough to endure its hazards.   Yet the icy continent holds many secrets that keep human beings fascinated. This drive to conquer and understand the unknown has led people there to the vast‚ icy wastes that form the continent.   From ancient times to the present day‚ this is the history of humans and their interaction with this dangerous but beautiful and intriguing place.   Old Ideas and Legends Map of Antarctica. Source: Library of Congress   Long before human eyes had ever set sight on Antarctica‚ it was theorized to exist. Aristotle surmised that since there was a North Pole covered in ice‚ there must be a South Pole also covered in ice. The idea of a terra australis or “southern continent” was widespread among the Romans‚ who gave a thought to geography.   Contrary to popular belief‚ the idea that the world was discovered to be a sphere was not the result of Columbus’ journey westwards. The Greeks held the belief that the world was round as early as the fifth century BCE. In the third century BCE‚ Eratosthenes accurately worked out the circumference of the Earth and even its 15-degree axial tilt&;#33;   In the oral tradition of the Māori people of New Zealand‚ the Antarctic Ocean is mentioned; however‚ later historians dispute the origin of this legend‚ stating that it was an embellishment inspired by European journeys to the south. Scholars from the Ngāi Tahu (a Māori tribe on New Zealand’s South Island) agree that it is highly unlikely the Māori people‚ or any Polynesian peoples‚ sailed that far south. Nevertheless‚ research into the possibility continues.   Discovery Captain James Cook by Nathaniel Dance‚ 1776. Source: Royal Museums Greenwich   It wasn’t until the 15th century that Europeans started encountering hard evidence for a great frozen land mass at the southern pole. When Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope in 1487 and encountered the chilly winds coming from the south‚ he proved there was an ocean between Africa and whatever land lay to the south.   In 1520‚ Ferdinand Magellan passed through the Straits of Magellan‚ disproving the theory that South America was connected to any landmass to the south. More than a century later‚ in 1642‚ Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sailed around the southern coast of Australia‚ proving once more that there was no land bridge to the South Pole via that geographical location either. What lay to the south was unknown‚ but whatever was there‚ it was not connected by land to anywhere else.   Various discoveries of islands were subsequently made around the Antarctic Convergence‚ a geographic boundary determined by where currents meet. In 1773‚ the Antarctic Circle was crossed for the first time by an expedition led by Captain James Cook. Whatever lay to the south‚ Cook concluded‚ would have been completely uninhabitable and of no use.   In January 1820‚ a Russian expedition led by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev was the first to set sight upon the Antarctic mainland. They spotted the Fimbul Ice Shelf directly south of Tristan da Cunha. Just over a day after this event‚ an Irish sailor who was an officer in the British Navy‚ Edward Bransfield‚ spotted Trinity Peninsula‚ which is the northernmost point of Antarctica‚ 550 miles away from Cape Horn.   Terra Firma The Dundee Whaling Expedition by William Gordon Burn-Murdoch. Source: Dundee Art Galleries and Museums Collection   The first person who claimed to have set foot on the Antarctic mainland was an American sealer named John Davis. He claimed to have done so on February 7‚ 1821. This‚ however‚ is the source of much scrutiny‚ and most historians in the field have dismissed it as false.   Following an expedition by the British Explorer James Clark Ross‚ who set out to find the South Magnetic Pole (which he did successfully find)‚ interest in the continent waned significantly. Though he did not set foot there‚ he did suggest that there was absolutely nothing worth discovering further south.   Nevertheless‚ sealers continued to ply their trade. The first documented human foot (or boot) to touch Antarctic land was another American sealer‚ Mercator Hooper‚ who did so on January 26‚ 1853.   At the end of the 19th century‚ interest in the frozen continent would be renewed in what became known as the “heroic age” of Antarctic exploration. It started with the Dundee Whaling Expedition‚ which went south instead of the usual Arctic route. The Blue whales they encountered were too powerful to be caught‚ but the expedition was not a complete failure. They had taken a naturalist and an artist along with them. The specimens and sketches they brought back invigorated public interest in Antarctica once again.   Aurora Glacier and Mount Erebus in Antarctica. Source: Creative Commons / Martyn Unsworth / imaggeo   Following a call for scientific expeditions around the world to be formed‚ the Belgians set sail first in 1897. Their ship spent over a year trapped in the Antarctic ice‚ and many of the explorers went insane. The first mate on this expedition was none other than Roald Amundsen‚ who would play a huge part later in the exploration of the continent.   Meanwhile‚ the British sent an expedition of their own. Departing in 1898‚ the Southern Cross Expedition made use of sleds and dogs in their efforts to explore.   A few years later‚ in 1901‚ Robert Falcon Scott led the Discovery Expedition‚ which mapped out vast areas of the continent. This expedition lasted three years‚ and they pushed further towards the South Pole than ever before‚ turning back after coming within 410 miles of it.   The Discovery Expedition. February 3‚ 1903. Source: Royal Museums Greenwich   By this time‚ other nations had also sent forth expeditions to map the unknown regions of Antarctica. Germany‚ Sweden‚ and France made significant headway in Antarctic discovery at this time.   In 1907‚ the second British Antarctic Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton set sail. In January 1909‚ Shackleton and his team came within 97 miles of the South Pole but realized they would probably die from exposure and exhaustion if they went any further. Their return journey almost cost them their lives.   Explorers Amundsen and Scott Roald Amundsen. Source: Public Domain / Wikipedia   In 1910‚ the race to the South Pole was on. Roald Amundsen led the Norwegian expedition‚ while Robert Scott led the British one. Amundsen had originally not intended to attempt for the South Pole and informed his crew only after they set sail. While stopping in Melbourne‚ Scott discovered Amundsen’s intentions via a telegram and realized he was in a race.   The going was tough‚ and when Scott finally reached the South Pole on January 18‚ 1912‚ he was dismayed to find Amundsen had arrived first.   On December 15‚ 1911‚ Roald Amundsen was the first man to reach the South Pole.   The journey back for Scott and his team met with severe storms and misfortune. They perished mere miles away from safety and entered the British conscience as heroes who are remembered to this day for their intrepid attempt and sad end.   Further Expeditions Mountains in Antarctica. Source: Creative Commons‚ Wilfried Bauer / Wikipedia   The extreme danger the Antarctic posed had proven itself. This continent was utterly inhospitable. Yet the expeditions continued. In 1914‚ Ernest Shackleton launched an expedition to cross the Antarctic but was greeted with misfortune when his ship got crushed in pack ice. The rescue attempt took many long months to carry out‚ but miraculously‚ everyone survived. The second part of the expedition‚ making preparations on the other side of the continent‚ was not as lucky. They were stranded when their ship broke free from its frozen moorings‚ and the icy continent claimed another three victims before the team could be rescued.   The first flight across the Antarctic occurred in 1929. Expedition leader Richard Byrd‚ pilot Bernt Balchen‚ co-pilot Harold June‚ and radio operator Ashley McKinley completed their journey on November 29.   The first woman to set foot on Antarctica was Danish-Norwegian explorer Caroline Mikkelsen in 1935‚ although it is disputed whether she set foot on an island or on the mainland. In the case of the former‚ the honor would then go to Norwegian Ingrid Christensen‚ who did so on January 30‚ 1937.   Exploration and Settlement Book cover of Ranulph Fiennes’ Cold: Extreme Adventure at the Lowest Temperatures on Earth. Source: Simon &; Schuster   During the Second World War‚ the British set up several bases on the Antarctic mainland as part of Operation Tabarin‚ an effort designed to provide safe shipping to Allied vessels in the South Atlantic and also to enforce British territorial claims over the Falklands‚ which were a target for Axis forces.   After the war‚ and with the threat gone‚ these bases were slowly turned over to the scientific community and became part of the British Antarctic Survey.   Attempting to do what Shackleton had failed to do over three decades earlier‚ the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition successfully crossed the continent in 1958. It was an international endeavor supported by many countries‚ including the UK‚ the US‚ New Zealand‚ South Africa‚ and Australia.   In 1959‚ with the Cold War in full swing‚ it became clear that the Antarctic had serious potential to negatively impact the course of history if it was used for military purposes. With this in mind‚ the Antarctic Treaty was drawn up and came into effect in 1961. All those with claims to portions of the continent signed the treaty‚ which forbids the use of Antarctica for military purposes. Later additions to the treaty have ensured that the Antarctic is not used for any purpose that would harm the environment and wildlife.   South Africa’s SANAE-IV base. Source: Antarctic Infrastructure   On January 7‚ 1978‚ Emilio Marcos des Palma made history by being the first person born on Antarctica. He was immediately given Argentine citizenship as both his parents were Argentinian.   From 1992 to 1993‚ another first was made when English explorers Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Dr. Mike Stroud crossed the continent on foot without any external support and without the help of pre-positioned depots of supplies. By the end of their journey‚ they were frost-bitten and close to starvation‚ but they re-ignited the flame of interest in the continent as a place where the limits of human beings can be tested.   In addition to all the expeditions and discoveries‚ human presence is growing in Antarctica‚ although none of it is permanent. Today‚ there are over 80 bases on the continent‚ but the population at its peak is only around 1‚200 individuals.   The Antarctic has become a haven for scientific research‚ free from the trappings of politics. Cooperation and mutual agreements are observed with civility despite the antagonistic nature between some countries outside of the continent. In this‚ the Antarctic represents a place where human beings are at their best‚ working side by side in their quest for knowledge and understanding.   Germany’s Neumayer-Station. Source: Alfred Wegener Institute   Antarctica is a mysterious place. It is bleak and inhospitable and will quickly dispatch anyone foolhardy enough to take its dangers lightly. It holds secrets that we cannot imagine‚ and as the years go by‚ scientists are beginning to go beyond scratching the tip of the metaphorical (and literal) iceberg. What they discover is sure to generate much debate and will redefine our understanding of the world’s southern frontier.

  In 1888‚ a brutal serial killer terrorized the Whitechapel district in the East End of London. The general consensus is that Jack the Ripper had five victims‚ though some historians attribute additional deaths to him. His crimes shocked the world and exposed the horrendous conditions in the underbelly of Victorian society. The murders‚ which are likely the most studied crimes in history‚ are still unsolved today. Law enforcement‚ historians‚ and armchair detectives alike have proposed several suspects over the centuries‚ but no one has been cemented as a definite culprit.   The Case  The Canonical Five. Source: the BBC   Between August 31 and November 9 of 1888 in the East End of London‚ five women were murdered by whom police suspected was the same offender. These five became known as the “canonical five‚” and the suspect earned the name “Jack the Ripper.” Some historians and law enforcement officials attribute preceding and later cases to the serial killer as well. The victims were all killed in a similar‚ hauntingly brutal fashion and lived similar lifestyles; many of them suffered from alcoholism and had resorted to prostitution to earn a living.   The killer was thought to perhaps wear a leather apron. Source: ArtStation   Originally‚ the Ripper was known as “Leather Apron.” However‚ he was dubbed Jack the Ripper in a letter that was sent to a London news outlet‚ which was made public after the fourth canonical murder. In it‚ the author claimed to be the murderer‚ writing in red ink‚ bragging about his crime‚ and signing it “Jack the Ripper.” Though the police later believed the letter was a hoax‚ the name stuck and gained international traction. Nevertheless‚ the real killer likely did send a letter later‚ though this one was signed “from Hell.” It contained half a kidney‚ which was missing from one of the canonical victims. The case was never solved‚ and the list of potential suspects has only grown over the centuries since.   1. Aaron Kosminski A rendering of Aaron Kosminski. Source: CNet   Born in 1865‚ Aaron Mordke Kosminski was a Polish-born immigrant to England‚ arriving in the country sometime around 1880. There is little information about him in the public record‚ except that he may have once worked as a hairdresser. He had mental illness and was institutionalized several times throughout his life‚ with his symptoms pointing to that of a paranoid schizophrenic. However‚ there is no record of him ever acting violently during his stays at asylums and hospitals‚ so why is he a suspect&;#63;   Catherine Eddowes’ shawl. Source: Lacy Scott &; Knight   He was never officially named as a suspect by any of the subsequent Ripper police investigations. However‚ one of the primary investigators in the case‚ Chief Inspector Swanson‚ was a firm believer in his guilt. There are notes about Kosminski from another officer‚ Assistant Chief Constable Sir Melville Mcnaghten‚ who described the man as having a hatred of women and displaying homicidal tendencies.   The most damning piece of evidence against Kosminski is physical: a shawl with blood and semen on it that is said to have been collected from one of the murder scenes. This shawl was eventually returned to the victim’s family and subsequently sold at auction in 2013. The purchaser‚ author Russell Edwards‚ commissioned testing on the fabric‚ and it has since undergone numerous DNA tests. DNA on the shawl matched descendants of both the victim and Aaron Kosminski. However‚ some critics argue that the shawl is not legitimate evidence due to its handling or was not found on the body but among the victim’s personal effects. Kosminski died in an asylum in 1919.   2. H.H. Holmes Photograph of H.H. Holmes. Source: Crime Museum   There’s no doubt that Herman Webster Mudgett‚ alias H.H. Holmes‚ was a serial killer. However‚ was he the serial killer who terrorized Whitechapel&;#63; Holmes was one of America’s first known serial killers who terrorized Chicago‚ killing somewhere between 20-200 people‚ mostly in a home he had specially constructed for this purpose.   After attending medical school in Michigan‚ Holmes passed medical exams in 1884 and‚ in 1885‚ moved to Chicago. While working as a pharmacist‚ he began construction of his “murder castle‚” which he would later advertise as a place of lodging. Many out-of-town visitors to his hotel were never seen again.   In 1893‚ Holmes was especially prolific as the Columbian Exposition‚ also known as the World’s Fair‚ came to town‚ and with it‚ many visitors in search of lodging. Holmes would eventually be caught and hanged in 1894.   A cartoon cutaway of Holmes’ “murder castle.” Source: Carden Illustration   So‚ did Holmes make his way to the other side of the pond and spread his path of destruction there&;#63; His own great-great-grandson thinks so. Jeff Mudgett has researched his “evil ancestry” extensively and has found handwriting samples that he believes prove that H.H. Holmes and Jack the Ripper were one and the same. Further supporting his theory are law enforcement beliefs that Jack the Ripper had surgical training and anatomical knowledge and that Holmes was skilled at traveling under aliases and was able to work for years without detection. Mudgett’s theories have been turned into books‚ a television series (American Ripper‚ 2017)‚ and a stage production.   3. Dr. Francis Tumblety Dr. Francis Tumblety‚ by Mary Evans‚ ACI. Source: National Geographic   Another American doctor‚ Francis Tumblety‚ also makes the list of Ripper suspects. His name was given to the investigators by another police officer as someone worth looking into‚ but by the time investigators went to speak with him‚ Tumblety was on his way back to America. He had been arrested in London on November 7th‚ 1888 on charges of gross indecency with “a number of males.” He skipped his bail‚ and while this crime was not extraditable‚ the American media soon caught wind that he was a potential Ripper suspect and kept tabs on him for some time. Was Tumblety fleeing his obscenity charge or something more serious&;#63;   Tumblety was known to collect human body parts preserved in jars. Source: Patrick Bormann via ArtStation   Further supporting Tumblety’s involvement with the Ripper murders was his fascination with human body parts‚ of which he was a collector. One item in particular that he enjoyed collecting was women’s uteri. However‚ there is no concrete evidence that he ever visited Whitechapel or that he was ever violent with anyone.   4. Prince Albert Victor Prince Albert Victor. Source: Royal Collection Trust   Grandson to the illustrious Queen Victoria‚ Prince Albert Victor Christian Edward‚ “Eddy‚” is one of the most famous Jack the Ripper suspects. He was t​he son of “Bertie‚” Prince Albert Edward‚ who would later become known as King Edward VII. Young Eddy was partially deaf and rumored ​to have learning disabilities. He would have likely ruled England at some point in his life had he not fallen ill and died from influenza in 1892. Scandal did not follow him during his life (unlike his father)‚ but his involvement would first be proposed in a book in 1962.   Prince Albert Victor &; his fianc&;eacute;e‚ Princess Mary of Teck. Photograph by Frederick Thurston &; Son. Source: Royal Collection Trust   Multiple theories promote the idea of Eddy as the Ripper. Some supporters claim that the prince had syphilis‚ which contributed to his failing mental health and led to murderous behavior. Other proponents claim that the murders began when a prostitute turned up pregnant with the Prince’s illegitimate child‚ and she and others who knew about the illicit affair were killed to silence them. Unfortunately for the believers‚ Eddy is a hard suspect to prove. He was nowhere near London at the time of the murders. Furthermore‚ no hard evidence supports either of the proposed theories.   5. Mary Pearcey A portrait of Mary Pearcey‚ left‚ and a depiction of her execution‚ right. Source: All That’s Interesting   While the list of Ripper suspects is largely male‚ one woman’s name frequently appears in discussions of potential culprits. Mary Eleanor Pearcey (n&;eacute;e Wheeler) was born in 1866. Her father was executed for murdering a local farmer when she was 14 years old‚ and little did Mary know that she would suffer the same fate ten years later.   The pram that Mary Pearcey used to transport the bodies of Phoebe and the baby after the murders‚ on display at Madame Tussauds. Source: Madame Tussauds London   Mary was not married but in a long-term relationship with a man named John Pearcey and took his surname. However‚ she also took up with a married man named Frank Hogg. She grew exceedingly jealous of Frank’s wife‚ Phoebe‚ and created a plot to murder not only Phoebe‚ but also Frank and Phoebe’s infant daughter. When the bloodstained bodies were found‚ suspicion quickly went to Mary‚ who had not been discreet in her dalliances with Frank.   Her home was searched‚ and the murder weapons and her own bloodstained clothing were easily located. Mary was tried‚ convicted‚ and hanged in December 1890. She was suggested as a Ripper suspect in the book Jack the Ripper: A New Theory published by William Stewart in 1939. The manner in which Phoebe was killed was eerily similar to the Whitechapel murders‚ including the public dumping of the bodies.   Mary was of average size by today’s standards‚ 5 feet 6 inches and nine stone (126 pounds)‚ but one of the detectives did remark that he had never seen a woman “with a stronger physique.” Was she physically capable of carrying out these serial killings&;#63;   6. Walter Sickert Walter Sickert. Source: The Telegraph   Many authors and other amateur detectives have made suppositions about the Jack the Ripper case; one of the most famous is that of crime novelist Patricia Cornwell. In 2002‚ she published a book‚ Portrait of a Killer-Jack the Ripper Case Closed‚ in which she named painter Walter Sickert the culprit. Sickert seemed to have a fascination with murder and depicted killings in several of his paintings. Cornwell maintains that one series of his works bears a striking resemblance to the post-mortem photographs of Jack the Ripper victims.   Police discovering a Jack the Ripper victim. Source: Chronicle via Science   Cornwell also maintains that the writing style used in some of the letters sent to law enforcement‚ allegedly from Jack the Ripper‚ is similar to wording and statements attributed to Sickert. However‚ others maintain that the letters vary significantly and argue that it is not even likely that the letters came from the killer himself.   Correspondence from family members also put Sickert as vacationing in France at the time of some of the murders. Regardless‚ Cornwell is certain she has solved the case and spent seven million dollars investigating her theory. Though Cornwell may be convinced of Sickert’s guilt‚ she has failed to convince a wide audience to agree with her.

  Mountain men of the frontier days truly captured the early American spirit. Brave‚ taming the wilderness‚ and ready for anything‚ many took a unique approach to Manifest Destiny‚ forging special relationships with nature and the Indigenous people of America. Hugh Glass was one of these men of legend‚ with a youth filled with sailing‚ living among Native Americans‚ and trapping. However‚ his name is most synonymous with one particular saga that almost took his life. Epitomizing true grit‚ Glass overcame incredible odds to survive the merciless American plains.   Hugh Glass: Separating Fact From Legend Illustration of Hugh Glass and the Grizzly Bear‚ by Severino Baraldi/Look and Learn. Source: Cowboys &; Indians Magazine   Like many others from the early American West‚ Hugh Glass’s story has been embellished and inflated with various retellings. It has been told and retold many times over in history‚ in oral‚ written‚ and visual form‚ with additions and subtractions along the way. Most Americans familiar with the name Hugh Glass probably saw his story come to life on the big screen in the 2015 film The Revenant‚ starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the protagonist. Though the film was “inspired by a true story‚” it‚ of course‚ takes a great deal of artistic license to add drama and keep audiences on the edge of their seats.   Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant. Source: Kimberly French/20th Century Fox   As with many forms of history‚ it can be difficult to distinguish the fact from the fiction in Glass’ tale‚ with some historians even believing that his entire life story was largely falsified by Glass himself. However‚ sticking with the most consistent facts available from the most reliable sources‚ let’s take a look at the admittedly incredible life of this early American character.   An Exciting Early Life Jean Lafitte illustration by Col. Frank Triplett. Source: Texas Highways   Hugh Glass is believed to have been born around 1780 in or near Philadelphia. His parents were Scots-Irish‚ but little else is known about his early life. He eventually became a sailor and‚ by some accounts‚ a ship’s captain. However‚ in 1818‚ he claimed to have been captured by the legendary pirate Jean Lafitte off the coast of Texas. Lafitte was an interesting character in US history‚ being both an ally and a nuisance at times.   A notorious pirate and slave trader who operated out of Louisiana‚ he was an invaluable supporter of the United States during the War of 1812‚ but in later years‚ would become a source of exasperation‚ disrupting US shipping. Glass was given the choice of either joining up with Lafitte’s crew or execution and so he chose to serve under the pirate.   Lasalle and the Karankawas by Jean Louis Berlander from The Indians of Texas in 1830. Source: Karankawas: People of the Gulf Coast   After about a year of piracy‚ Glass and a fellow crewmate found an opportunity to escape one night and waded ashore near present-day Galveston‚ Texas. Glass and his friend were nervous about encountering the Karankawa tribe‚ rumored to be cannibals. Though the Karankawas did practice ceremonial cannibalism‚ eating small amounts of the flesh of their traditional enemies‚ this had been a custom that was widespread among several Texas tribes during early centuries and had widely ceased among the tribe by the previous century.   Still‚ to avoid the feared man-eaters‚ Glass and his companion made a wide berth and headed north. Despite their efforts‚ they would be captured by an Indigenous group nonetheless. However‚ their captors were the Pawnee.   Life Among the Pawnee Cinnabar. Source: Natural Pigments   Glass claimed that his unnamed companion was killed by the Pawnee in a traditional manner‚ pierced with many slivers of pitch pine‚ which were then set ablaze. In an effort to save his life‚ Glass produced some cinnabar‚ also known as vermillion‚ an ore of oxidized mercury‚ that he had on his person from the pirate ship. This natural material has long been prized for its use as a paint base in cultures around the world and was well established as a diplomatic and trade good among America’s Indigenous groups by Glass’ time.   The Pawnee chief allegedly accepted the gift and Glass‚ sparing his life. Eventually‚ Glass would be adopted into the Loup band of Pawnee in what is now Kansas. Contrary to the film version of Glass’ life‚ he did not have a half-Pawnee son.   A traditional Pawnee home. Source: The Ponca City News   In 1822‚ Glass’ band visited St. Louis‚ and he made the decision to leave his adopted tribe and signed up as a hunter and trapper with the Ashley Fur Company. This was an incredibly lucrative profession if one was cut out for it. It meant suffering through brutal conditions in the Great Plains and among the Rocky Mountains‚ facing inevitable danger‚ but there was a fortune to be made for those who could survive. Beaver fur‚ especially‚ was in high demand in Europe at this time in order to meet the latest fashion trends. William Ashley had already left to trap with over 100 men‚ but Glass would be part of what came to be known as the Second Ashley Expedition.   The Second Ashley Expedition Recruitment advertisement by William Ashley. Source: On the Road Again   By March 1823‚ William Ashley had returned to St. Louis. He and his partner Andrew Henry had established the Rocky Mountain Fur Company the year before‚ and they were eager to take advantage of the booming fur business. Their first expedition built a fort at the mouth of the Yellowstone River in the fall of 1822‚ and “Ashley’s 100” was eager to move forward into the unknown West and make their fortune.   Among the group were a young Jim Bridger‚ age 17‚ and Jedidiah Smith‚ who would later become famous in their own right. At around 40 years of age‚ Glass was on the older side for a trapper but was in good physical condition and ready to meet the challenge.   Arikara men performing a medicine ceremony‚ by Edward S. Curtis‚ 1908. Source: Northwestern University Library   Not long after the expedition set out‚ they were caught in a surprise attack one night by the Arikara (commonly called the “Rees” by the trappers) tribe. The tribe had been in recent conflict with other fur trappers that had crossed through their traditional lands. Fourteen of Ashley’s men were killed and 11 wounded in the attack‚ including Glass‚ though not grievously. To avoid further conflict after the initial attack‚ Ashley and Henry decided to abandon their original route and split their men into two groups. Jedediah Smith would lead one group west‚ while Andrew Henry would lead the group that included Glass northwesterly.   The Attack Family Portrait‚ grizzly bear and cubs‚ by Joseph C. Filer. Source: Joseph C. Filer Fine Art Photography   Glass was tasked to hunt game for the group’s subsistence near the fork of the Grand River in South Dakota when he surprised a mother bear and her two cubs. Anyone familiar with wildlife knows that a mother bear with cubs is the most dangerous type of bear to encounter in the wild.   Glass managed to get off a couple of shots‚ which the rest of his party heard‚ but was unable to kill the bear before she mauled him severely. When the rest of the group came running to the shots and Glass’ screams‚ they found Glass on the brink of death‚ with numerous ghastly wounds‚ including a broken leg and torn scalp. He had lacerations on his back deep enough to expose his rib bones. His party killed the bear‚ but not in time to save him from what looked like a certain death. His friends feared he would pass by morning and did their best to make him comfortable.   Caught off Guard by David Wright. Source: WKMS   Glass defied the odds and remained among the living into the next morning‚ but Henry wanted to keep moving. The group would be in danger otherwise—the Arikara were always a threat‚ and they would be much safer reuniting with the other group at their destination. He ordered a makeshift stretcher built and had Glass carried along.   However‚ after two days‚ Henry realized that carrying Glass slowed the entire group down. Not wanting to abandon Glass but needing to look out for the welfare of the entire group‚ Henry offered a cash bonus to whichever two men would volunteer to stay with Glass until his death‚ give him a Christian burial‚ and then catch up with the rest of the group. A man named John Fitzgerald and a teenager referred to only as “Bridges‚” whom many believe was the young Jim Bridger‚ volunteered to stay.   Jim Bridger in his older years. Source: History Net   Five days after Henry and the rest of the troop had departed‚ Glass was still alive‚ and Fitzgerald grew nervous. Glass had survived longer than anyone had expected‚ yet he wasn’t really healing‚ and every second that he and his companion spent out in the wilderness with him put them further behind the rest of the group and in more danger from the Ree. He convinced Bridges/Bridger that they had fulfilled their obligation since Glass had lived longer than anyone had expected and was certain to die anytime. They left the stretcher beside a spring and took off to catch up with the rest of the men‚ taking with them all of Glass’ supplies: his gun‚ tomahawk‚ and knife‚ as a dead man would have no use for these items.   Determined to Survive Monument to Hugh Glass at Shadehill Recreation Area‚ where a Rendezvous is held each August in celebration of the mountain man. Source: Travel South Dakota   Although Glass was on death’s door‚ he was conscious and aware that he had been abandoned. Once his fever broke‚ he summoned what little strength he had and managed to choke down some nearby berries and drink from the spring. After resting some more‚ he managed to kill a rattlesnake to eat. When he had regained some energy‚ he set his own leg.   Maggots had begun cleaning his wounds. He wrapped himself in the only resource he had‚ the hide of the bear that had killed him‚ which had been intended to be his burial shroud‚ and slowly made his way to the Cheyenne River.   A sketch of the real Hugh Glass (left)‚ next to a photo of actor Leonardo DiCaprio playing the mountain man (right). Source: All That’s Interesting   When he made it there‚ he built a meager raft and floated downstream to Fort Kiowa‚ eating berries‚ insects‚ and roots to survive the six weeks it took. Some sources also cite assistance from the Lakota along his journey‚ who provided him with food and helped dress his wounds. When he made it to Fort Kiowa in October 1823‚ Glass had covered 250 miles.   Superhuman Grit Sculpture of Hugh Glass’ grizzly attack by John Lopex. Source: Travel South Dakota   What motivated Glass’ fight to survive&;#63; He lacked many of the motivations observed in other amazing survival situations‚ such as a family and children waiting for him to come home. Some sources cite Glass’ desire to gain revenge on those who abandoned him‚ Fitzgerald in particular‚ as a fire burning in the pit of his stomach pushing him on his journey. Others maintain he simply wanted his beloved rifle returned to him (and he would eventually be reunited with it).   Glass is cited as one who remained focused on the situation at hand‚ regardless of what else was going on‚ and perhaps it was this drive that allowed him to survive his ordeal. Despite the reason for his success (and how much of his story is accurate)‚ Hugh Glass is a memorable figure in American history who inspired his contemporaries and the next generation of mountain men.

  The world of South African politics has been a confusing place. From the years of struggle against apartheid to the post-apartheid era‚ questions over peace‚ reparations‚ redistribution‚ and attitudes toward one another often offer difficult paths fraught with paradoxes.   Winnie Mandela‚ the ex-wife of President Nelson Mandela‚ was a person who tread a confusing path. She was very active in the fight against racial oppression and did not shy away from using violent methods to achieve these ends. In this context‚ she won the hearts of an embittered people‚ while others decried her casual enthusiasm for the extreme.   Despite the charges of human rights abuses as a freedom fighter and accusations of fraud and theft as a government minister‚ Winnie Mandela is still seen in a favorable light by millions of South Africans who gave her the title of “Mother of the Nation.”   The Early Life of Winnie Mandela Bizana in the Eastern Cape is a rural area of rolling hills and sporadic settlements. Source: Google Earth   Nomzamo Winifred Zanyiwe Madikizela was born on September 26‚ 1936 in the rural town of Bizana in the Transkei (now Eastern Cape). Her mother‚ Nomathamsanqa Mzaidume (Gertrude)‚ and her father‚ Columbus Kokani Madikizela‚ were both teachers. In later years‚ Columbus also became the minister of Forestry and Agriculture in Transkei’s local government.   Both parents were devout Methodists and had a total of nine children. Winnie was the fifth of these children. She had six sisters and two brothers. Gertrude‚ her mother‚ was of mixed ancestry. One of her parents was white‚ and Gertrude inherited red hair and blue eyes. As a result‚ she was teased as being mlungu (a white person).   Winnie was given the name Nomzamo‚ which translates as “she who must endure trials‚” although‚ from her childhood actions‚ it seems it may have been her enemies who were just as suited to the name. Winnie was an aggressive child and was always ready to take action against those she disagreed with.   Not content with fighting with only hands and fists or even sticks‚ she once took a baking tin and fashioned a knuckle-duster by pushing a nail through it. She used it against her sister‚ aiming for her arm‚ but instead slashing her face so badly she needed stitches. Her mother gave her a severe beating. Despite the harsh treatment meted out‚ Winnie had a great affection for her mother.   Winnie Mandela in her younger days in the early years of her marriage to Nelson. Source: IMDb / Baha   Within a short space of time‚ tragedy struck twice. When Winnie was about eight or nine years old‚ her older sister died of tuberculosis. Her mother‚ who had prayed with fervor the whole time‚ contracted the disease and passed away soon after. Winnie was heartbroken‚ but before her mother had died‚ she gave birth to a boy. Winnie proved she had a gentle side and helped raise the child with tenderness and affection.   The loss of her mother brought Winnie closer to her father‚ who‚ until then‚ had been a somewhat aloof figure in Winnie’s life. In some respects‚ he took over the attention that her mother would have usually given. He encouraged her education‚ and Winnie fell in love with the literary world and could often be seen with her head buried in a book.   Her first introduction to racial inequality came in 1945 during the celebrations that took place at the end of the Second World War. Winnie begged her father to take her to the town center of Bizana to join in‚ but when they arrived‚ they discovered the event was for “whites only.” Thereafter‚ Winnie grew more sensitive to racial injustice in the world around her.   Johannesburg in 1953. Source: SAR Publicity and Travel Department / Digital Rail Images of South Africa (DRISA)   Winnie excelled at school‚ matriculating from Shawbury in the nearby town of Qumbu. She was taught by several teachers who had graduated from Fort Hare‚ a university that had fostered the education of many of the anti-apartheid icon struggles‚ including Winnie’s future husband‚ Nelson Mandela. Through this schooling‚ she became more politically minded.   After achieving a first-class pass from Shawbury‚ Winnie returned home to Bizana‚ where she discovered her father had remarried. Hilda Nophikela received a warm welcome into the family from all the children‚ including Winnie.   In 1953‚ Winnie moved to Johannesburg‚ where she took up studies at the Jan Hofmeyr School of Social Work. In this urban environment‚ she saw the effects of apartheid on a daily basis‚ but she nevertheless loved the city. It was also in Johannesburg that she discovered a passion for dancing and fashion‚ and where she discovered the sprawling township of Soweto‚ where Black people lived in poverty.   Winnie and Nelson Nelson and Winnie on their wedding day‚ June 14‚ 1958. Source: public domain via Black Past   After graduating from the Jan Hofmeyr School of Social Work‚ she attained a position as a medical social worker at Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg. Despite apartheid‚ Winnie Madikizela was the first Black woman to hold the post of medical social worker at this hospital.   While working at Baragwanath‚ Winnie met the future wife of Oliver Tambo‚ the man who would later become the president of the African National Congress (ANC). Through Adelaide Tsukhudu‚ she would also be introduced to Tambo’s lawyer‚ Nelson Mandela.   At the age of 22‚ she met Mandela‚ already a stalwart of the resistance movement against apartheid‚ and they became romantically involved. Nelson asked Winnie for her hand in marriage on March 10‚ 1957‚ and the following year‚ they were married.   With Nelson being involved in his trial for treason and both becoming ardent activists‚ their lives were busy‚ but despite the difficulties‚ their marriage was strong. Their home was also constantly monitored and raided by police.   In October 1958‚ Winnie Mandela took part in a mass protest of South Africa’s pass laws in an event that would result in over 1‚000 women being arrested. Along with hundreds of other women‚ Winnie decided not to immediately apply for bail. This was a sign of further protest‚ and it was also her first glimpse into the horrendous conditions in South Africa’s prisons. She lost her job at Baragwanath as a result‚ but she also gained fame as an anti-apartheid activist in her own right. Winnie certainly did not live in the shadow of her husband.   Conflict With the Law Winnie Mandela gives a salute through a window. Source: NBC News   In 1961‚ Nelson Mandela was arrested for high treason. He would eventually be sentenced to life in prison‚ leaving Winnie to carry on the fight without him. Sensing her ability to be an influential figure in the anti-apartheid movement‚ the government restricted Winnie’s movements and forbade her from addressing more than two people. Under constant surveillance‚ her life became filled with police informants posing as friends and acquaintances‚ and she developed a high level of distrust for anyone she met.   She had had two daughters with Nelson‚ who were also targeted by police surveillance. Zenani and Zindziswa were subject to being randomly expelled from schools‚ and they suffered immensely with their mother. They were eventually sent to a school in neighboring Swaziland. On May 12‚ 1969‚ Winnie’s home was raided. Her daughters were home from the holidays‚ and they had to watch as their mother was arrested and thrown in the back of a police van. She was charged with violating the Terrorism Act‚ No 83‚ which allowed for the arrest of anybody suspected of disrupting law and order.   Cover of Drum Magazine‚ photograph by Bob Gosani‚ August 1957 issue. The figure on the left is Nelson Mandela. Source: Mutual Art   Winnie Mandela spent 17 months in prison‚ with 13 of them being in solitary confinement. The only contact she had was with her interrogators‚ who tortured her to gain information on the activities of the ANC. Her trial began on December 1‚ 1969‚ and after lengthy proceedings‚ she was finally cleared of the charges.   Upon her release‚ she was subjected to another banning order‚ restricting her movements and the people she could contact. In 1973‚ she ran afoul of one of these successive orders and was arrested for meeting with Peter Magubane‚ the editor of Drum magazine‚ a publication whose target audience was Black people. She was sentenced to 12 months in prison‚ of which she served only six.   In the 1970s‚ Winnie had become a mother figure to the anti-apartheid movement. With the influence of Steve Biko and the Black Consciousness Movement‚ the struggle had been taken up by a new generation of young activists who fought against the injustices of apartheid.   Winnie Mandela stood beside her husband upon his release from prison in February 1990. Source: Creative Commons / South Africa Gateway   Winnie was heavily involved in the South African Student’s Organisation‚ which organized the march in 1976‚ which led to the Soweto Uprising‚ a huge protest against the Bantu Education Act. The protests became violent‚ and hundreds of protestors were shot and killed by the South African Police. Looking for a scapegoat in what was a widespread uprising‚ Winnie Mandela was arrested again. She served five months without being charged and‚ upon her release‚ was handed another banning order.   On May 15‚ 1977‚ the police picked Winnie up again. This time‚ they were taking her to a dusty little town called Brandfort in the middle of the Orange Free State. The government hoped that by exiling her to this town‚ her political activities and her influence would be curbed.   It did not stop her at all. She created social work initiatives to help the people there. When her banishment ended in 1986‚ she returned home to Johannesburg to find that her influence had not waned at all. She was considered one of the most powerful figures in the anti-apartheid movement.   Her activities‚ however‚ would take a dark turn. Affected by decades of being hounded by police and spied on‚ Winnie had become incredibly paranoid. Her personal bodyguards‚ known as the Mandela United Football Club‚ gained a reputation for brutality. Suspected of being an informant‚ they abducted 14-year-old Stompie Moeketsi and three of his friends. In December 1989‚ Stompie was tortured and killed.   Very soon after‚ her husband Nelson Mandela was released from prison due to complex political maneuverings and international pressure. Winnie was there in solidarity with her husband‚ but as the months passed‚ it became clear that their lives had created irreconcilable differences between the two.   Winnie Mandela on her 80th birthday. Source: GCIS via South African Government on Flickr   She was later convicted of abducting and being an accessory to the assault of Stompie Moeketsi and was sentenced to six years in prison‚ but a successful appeal saw this sentence being reduced to a fine.   Among Winnie’s legal battles‚ the couple announced they were separating in 1992.   Despite her now checkered reputation‚ Winnie Mandela was elected head of the ANC Women’s League‚ and after the ANC won the 1994 election (South Africa’s first democratic election after apartheid)‚ she became a minister in the government. One year later‚ Nelson Mandela fired her for allegations of corruption.   Nelson and Winnie finalized their divorce in 1996.   At this time‚ the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) began touring South Africa‚ listening to people under amnesty tell their stories of what happened to them during apartheid. This was an opportunity for both victims and perpetrators to tell their stories. Winnie appeared before the TRC and was found to have committed “gross violations of human rights.”   In 1999‚ she was re-elected to parliament but was again accused of fraud‚ and she resigned from her post.   Later Years &; Death The funeral of Winnie Mandela. Source: Lucky Nxumalo / City Press   In her later years‚ Winnie was still vocal. She made controversial statements‚ criticizing Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Her international reputation had also been tainted‚ and she would often be referred to as “Nelson Mandela’s crazy ex-wife.”   On April 2‚ 2018‚ following a severe kidney infection‚ Winnie Mandela died at the age of 81. She was given a state funeral‚ an event that drew tens of thousands of mourners. The controversial “Mother of the Nation” had passed away.   Winnie Mandela. Source: Felix Meyburgh / IMDb   Hailed as a hero of the struggle‚ Winnie Mandela faced many difficulties in her life‚ constantly fighting against authorities. This dynamic turned her into a suspicious and complex character. She drew the love of millions and the ire of many other millions. In a country as fractured as South Africa‚ admired and hated‚ Winnie Mandela is a contentious figure who still manages to generate great debate over her role in the history of the country.

  When Sam Phillips launched his record company in 1952‚ he was optimistic. He hoped to harness local creativity and bring Memphis’ diverse music scene to the world at large. Little did he know‚ he would discover some of the biggest names in music history and alter the face of recording history forever while fighting to develop his independent record label amid a growing Tennessee music industry. The artists who got their start at Sun would go on to create and cross genres‚ make headlines‚ and win countless awards. Here’s a look at the 4 most important artists to work with Sun Records.   A Quick History: Sun Rises Sam Phillips‚ left‚ with Elvis Presley. Source: Colorado Public Radio   Sam Philips‚ the visionary founder of Sun Records‚ was born in 1923 in Alabama. He spent his young working life as a disc jockey‚ announcer‚ and broadcast engineer before opening Memphis Recording Service in 1950. He recorded several local blues artists under this label‚ including B.B. King. Two years later‚ he rebranded as Sun Records‚ the name reflective of “a new day and a new beginning.” Sun quickly gained a reputation as a respectful and honest label that was non-critical and welcoming to local artists. To make ends meet‚ Phillips offered recording services to anyone who wanted to record a special message or song for a birthday‚ for instance‚ at the price of $1.99. He also recorded weddings and other special events.   Sun Records logo. Source: Sun Records   Sun would face its hardships‚ coming of age in an era where independent record labels were plenty‚ and the music scene was rapidly evolving. However‚ it has gone down in history as recording what experts consider the first rock and roll song and launching the careers of some of the most famous rock‚ rockabilly‚ and country singers of all time.   1. Elvis Presley Elvis’ yearbook photo from Hume High School. Source: Elvis Blog   In 1953‚ 18-year-old Elvis Presley was working as a truck driver for Crown Electric in the Memphis area. He loved to sing but was shy. His mother loved his voice‚ and as a birthday gift for her‚ he decided to take advantage of Phillip’s $1.99 recording offer. He visited Sun and covered two ballads‚ “My Happiness” and “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin.”   Whether or not Phillips was present for this initial visit is of some dispute. Phillips’ longtime secretary‚ Marion Keisker‚ said he was not and that she made a note of Elvis’ name for her boss‚ as he had been looking for someone with a similar sound. However‚ Phillips said in later interviews that he was present during Elvis’ first visit and instantly knew he had something special. Regardless of when he first heard Elvis sing‚ Philips knew he wanted to hear more.   An Elvis Sun Records recording. Source: Reusell   Elvis was invited back to the Sun studio in 1954 to jam with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black. The trio experimented with a variety of country and pop songs with Phillips. During a break‚ Elvis broke into an impromptu version of “That’s All Right‚” a blues song by Arthur Crudup. Phillips asked him to repeat the song and recorded it. He gave the recording to his friend Dewey Phillips (no relation)‚ a local radio DJ‚ and Dewey played it on his station that night. Listeners were instantly calling in‚ requesting that the song be played again and again. The rest was history.   Elvis in 1956. Source: AP Photo via AZ Central   Sun Records would release five singles from Elvis Presley over the next year. However‚ financial troubles came calling‚ and Sam Phillips found his company in need of capital. He then sold Elvis’ recording contract to RCA in November 1955 for the price of $35‚000‚ the highest price ever paid for a pop artist to that date. Though Elvis went on to be wildly successful‚ Phillips said he never regretted the decision. Sun’s popularity would continue to surge‚ and Elvis and Phillips remained friends.   2. Johnny Cash Sam Phillips‚ left‚ and Johnny Cash. Source: Michael Ochs photo via Rolling Stone   Gifted with natural talent‚ John R. Cash bought his first guitar for $5 and wrote a number of songs that would later rocket him to fame while he was living in Germany during his stint in the US Air Force. Upon the conclusion of his deployment‚ Cash and his wife Vivian settled in Memphis‚ where he worked as an appliance salesman and formed a band‚ the Tennessee Two‚ with friends Luther Perkins and Marshall Grant.   Cash approached Sam Phillips multiple times and was repeatedly turned down for an audition. He finally convinced Phillips to let him and his band play for him‚ and they performed several gospel songs live. Phillips told him to “go home and sin‚ then come back with a song I can sell.”   Cash was persistent and kept coming back with more material. Eventually‚ Phillips was convinced‚ and Johnny Cash was signed to Sun Records in 1955. The band’s first recordings were “Hey Porter” and “Cry Cry Cry.” The second single‚ “Folsom Prison Blues‚” which Cash had written in Germany after watching a movie called Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison‚ rocketed to Country Top 5.   Record by Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Two. Source: Sun Records   Cash became the first Sun artist to release a long-playing album. After reigning as Sun’s consistently best-selling artist for a time‚ Cash signed with Columbia Records in 1958‚ going on to sell over 90 million albums over a fifty-year career and infiltrating both the country and rock charts. Recording right up to his advanced years‚ Cash passed away in September of 2003 from complications from diabetes.   3. Carl Perkins Carl Perkins. Source: Rock &; Roll Hall of Fame   Rockabilly pioneer Carl Perkins wrote “Blue Suede Shoes” on Johnny Cash’s suggestion after the two laughed over a teenage fan growling at his female companion not to “step on” his “suedes” while Perkins played at a dance. Perkins‚ who already had a few hits on the Sun label after joining Phillip’s posse in 1955‚ recorded the boogie in two takes in December of that year‚ and it crossed genres‚ playing on country‚ blues‚ and pop stations across the country. He reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts‚ trailing just behind Elvis’ “Heartbreak Hotel.” Presley went on to record his own version of the song but wouldn’t release it until Perkins’ run with the song was complete.   The “Million Dollar Quartet”: Jerry Lee Lewis‚ Carl Perkins‚ Johnny Cash‚ and Elvis Presley‚ record at Sun Records in 1956. Source: YSO Life   Perkins sold over one million copies of the song by April and followed its success with several more songs that would come to be known as rockabilly standards‚ including “Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby.” However‚ none of them would reach the peak that “Blue Suede Shoes” did‚ and Perkins also moved to Columbia Records in 1958. His career experienced a series of ups and downs after that‚ including losing two brothers who were also bandmates‚ recording with the Beatles‚ opening for Johnny Cash‚ and a residency at a Las Vegas casino.   Carl Perkins played with a variety of other artists over the years‚ including this event in 1985. Source: TMDB   Despite never achieving a hit album like his contemporaries at Sun‚ Carl Perkins always maintained that he was satisfied with his career and with life in general. Sam Phillips would be the one to induct Perkins into the Rock &; Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He married his wife Valda in 1953‚ and the two remained together until his death in 1998. The couple had three sons‚ one daughter‚ and ten grandchildren. He died from complications from a series of strokes.   4. Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis in 1957. Source: Michael Ochs Images via Rolling Stone   Seemingly attempting to live up to his nickname “The Killer‚” Jerry Lee Lewis seemed to capture all of the rebellious attitude that early rock &; roll had to offer. At age 21 in 1956‚ Lewis walked into the Sun Records studio and demanded an audition with Sam Phillips. His timing couldn’t have been better‚ as this was just after Sun had sold Elvis’ contract and was in need of a new star to take his place.   Jerry Lee Lewis at the piano. Source: CNN   Lewis’ first big hit was “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On‚” released in April 1957. The song hit #3 on the pop charts and sold six million copies. In November‚ he followed it up with another one of his most notable hits‚ “Great Balls of Fire‚” which was written by Otis Blackwell‚ the man who was also responsible for Elvis’ hits “All Shook Up” and “Don’t Be Cruel.” Lewis was a theatrical and talented piano player‚ often kicking his piano bench aside and standing up while tossing his hair and dancing. Audiences loved his wild performances. He also worked as a studio musician for Phillips.   Jerry Lee Lewis and his third wife‚ Myra Gale Brown. Source: New York Post   However‚ Lewis’ star would fall‚ and his relationship with Sun suffered as a result. As he headed on tour through Britain in 1958‚ reporters discovered that the young lady traveling with him was thirteen years old and married to Lewis. Not only this‚ Myra Gale Brown was his cousin‚ and Lewis had still been married to his second wife when he took up with Brown. Though Brown seemed perfectly fine with the arrangement and Lewis defended his marriage‚ he cut his tour short and headed home to find that a scandal had erupted and followed him across the Atlantic.   Sun was hesitant to promote his future work‚ and their relationship ended in 1963‚ during which time many radio stations refused to play Lewis’ music‚ and concerts were few and far between. His career would see a redemption in the late 1960s when he rebranded as a country artist. However‚ heavy drinking and drug use began to take their toll in the 70s and 80s‚ and he experienced a number of troubles in his life. He passed away in 2022‚ survived by his seventh wife and four children (one son predeceased him).

  The First Battle of Bull Run revealed that the Confederacy was not going to surrender easily‚ setting the stage for a long war. Quickly‚ the Union began strategizing on how to wear down the South. One first step was to prevent border states from joining the Confederacy‚ limiting the South’s manpower and industry. All eyes turned to Kentucky‚ which had a pro-Confederate governor versus a pro-Union legislature.   Victory Goes to… Nobody&;#63; Drawings of the (self-proclaimed) Union victory at Belmont‚ Missouri during the battle. Source: Son of the South   The first major battle since the Confederate victory at the First Battle of Bull Run is typically described as inconclusive‚ with both sides claiming victory. The battle resulted from both the Union and the Confederacy trying to control the neutral border state of Kentucky‚ which was split between a pro-Confederate governor and a pro-Union state legislature. Paducah‚ Kentucky became a Union stronghold‚ while the Confederates controlled the town of Columbus. Upon hearing that Confederate forces in Kentucky would soon be used to reinforce their compatriots elsewhere‚ it was decided that Union troops under Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant should try to keep the Confederates occupied.   Grant crossed the Mississippi River‚ aided by gunboats‚ and landed his troops at the small village of Belmont‚ Missouri. After a brief battle‚ Union troops captured a small Confederate camp and burned it. While Grant’s troops were returning to their transport boats‚ the Confederates counterattacked‚ leading to confusion about which side “won” the battle. Although the Union troops had captured and destroyed a small Confederate camp and been leaving in a pre-planned fashion‚ the Confederate counterattack drove them to a semi-panic. The South claimed it had driven back Union General Grant‚ while Grant claimed his operation had achieved all of its objectives.   Timeline of the Battle of Belmont A map showing the Union and Confederate efforts to control the northern Mississippi River early in the US Civil War. Source: Fry’s Lyon Foundation   Kentucky remained unoccupied by either military during the first few months of the US Civil War‚ but Confederate General Leonidas Polk decided to invade in early September of 1861 in order to pre-empt a possible Union invasion. The goal was to seize any valuable military or industrial assets in the state‚ which would be especially valuable to the less-industrialized South. The state was quickly split between a Union-controlled north and a Confederate-controlled south.   Skirmishes between the two militaries erupted in late October‚ with small Union victories. To reinforce their position in Columbus‚ Kentucky and make it more difficult to attack from the water‚ some Confederate troops occupied the village of Belmont and attempted to run a chain across the river.   Under orders from Major General John C. Fremont to keep the Confederate troops in the region occupied‚ Ulysses S. Grant had troops depart from Cairo‚ Illinois on boats to sail south and land at Belmont on November 6‚ 1861.   The next morning‚ the boats made the short journey to Hunter’s Farm‚ three miles outside of Belmont. After a quick march‚ Grant’s troops routed the small Confederate camp at Belmont.   Confederate general Leonidas Polk ordered a counterattack‚ and Grant retreated when he realized a large Confederate force was attacking.   Upon departing back to Cairo following the six-hour battle‚ Union gunboats managed to stop Confederate fire coming from the shore.   What Caused the Battle of Belmont&;#63; A map showing Kentucky and Missouri‚ separated by the Mississippi River‚ as border states that had not joined the Confederacy in 1861. Source: National Geographic Society   Both the Union and the Confederacy eagerly courted the border states of Delaware‚ Maryland‚ Kentucky‚ and Missouri. These were slave states that had a political and cultural mix of North and South. Although the states did not support anti-slavery candidate Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 presidential election‚ they also did not heed the call to secede from the union. Delaware was pro-Union‚ and Maryland was swiftly neutralized as a possible Confederate state by masses of Union troops moving through it to protect Washington DC. This left only Kentucky and Missouri up for strategic initiatives by both combatants.   Kentucky was a relatively developed border state with more slaveowners than some official Confederate states‚ making the state an attractive gain for the Confederacy. When neutrality was broken in early September‚ Confederate generals rushed to seize cities and build bases. Politically‚ Confederate General Leonidas Polk’s invasion of the state on September 3‚ 1861 backfired‚ outraging neutral Kentuckians and leading the state legislature to ask for Union assistance. The state of Kentucky became split between North and South‚ much like the United States itself‚ with Union General Ulysses S. Grant in the North and Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston in the South.   Why Was the Battle of Belmont Significant&;#63; Union gunboats on November 7‚ 1861 in a drawing of the Battle of Belmont. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command   The battle is not often remembered‚ especially since its result was inconclusive. However‚ it is important because it laid the foundation for Union military and political successes later in the war. First‚ the battle showed that the Union was still willing to go on the offensive even after the humiliating loss at the First Battle of Bull Run. At the time‚ many Union generals were considered too risk-averse‚ frustrating US President Abraham Lincoln. Grant’s performance at Belmont‚ despite its inconclusive end‚ caught the eye of the commander-in-chief‚ especially since Grant showed personal bravery by being the last Union soldier aboard the transport boats back to Illinois.   Secondly‚ the battle helped improve the confidence and leadership of Ulysses S. Grant‚ who would later become the general-in-chief of all Union armies in 1864. It was Grant’s first battle as a general officer‚ and he displayed his trademark aggression when Polk’s reinforcements temporarily surrounded the Union troops.   “We had cut our way in and could cut our way out‚” Grant later said of the battle. Grant also accepted criticisms‚ showing he was not above trying to learn from his strategic errors. These qualities would hold him in good stead on his path to eventually becoming commander-in-chief himself in 1868.   5 Facts About the Battle of Belmont A photograph of Union Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant‚ who fought at Belmont in his first combat command during the Civil War. Source: National Park Service   1. Casualties Casualties were roughly equal for both sides at approximately 600. These included just over 100 men killed‚ 100 men captured or missing‚ and 400 men wounded. Union forces suffered slightly more killed in action‚ while the Confederates had slightly more wounded. Although some in the North criticized Grant’s losses‚ which seemed heavy at the time‚ the North could easily replace the lost soldiers…while the South could not.   2.  Commanders Union forces were led by Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant‚ a relatively rookie general officer. The leader of volunteer forces was only 39 years old and had been working at his father’s leather store when the Battle of Fort Sumter occurred. However‚ Grant was also a West Point graduate and veteran of the Mexican-American War. Despite not having wanted an army career after Mexico‚ Grant was appointed by the Illinois governor at the outset of the Civil War to train volunteers for service and quickly showed that he was a skilled leader.   Confederate forces at Belmont were led by General Leonidas K. Polk‚ a fellow West Point graduate. Unlike most generals of the Civil War‚ Polk was not a veteran of the Mexican-American War — he had left the military and become an Episcopal priest in 1841&;#33; Polk’s personal friendship with Confederate President Jefferson Davis won him a commission as a general‚ which was his first military activity since West Point graduation. The “Fighting Bishop‚” who had been building a college in Tennessee when the Civil War began‚ was quickly criticized for lack of military acumen.   3. Number of Forces Involved A map showing the location of the ground and naval Battle of Belmont in November 1861. Source: National Park Service   Ulysses S. Grant brought just over 3‚000 Union troops to Belmont via boats from Cairo‚ Illinois on November 7‚ 1861. Although they quickly overwhelmed a small number of Confederate soldiers in the camp at Belmont‚ they soon faced Polk’s 5‚000 Confederate reinforcements. These numbers would be dwarfed by those of later Civil War battles‚ which numbered in the tens of thousands of troops for each side.   4. Visiting Belmont‚ Missouri Today Today‚ the battlefield can be seen as part of the Columbus-Belmont State Park in Columbus‚ Kentucky (across the Mississippi River from Missouri). Visitors to the state park can see Civil War artifacts‚ including chains that the Confederacy tried to use to prevent Union ships from sailing down the Mississippi River. A campground at the park is open year-round. Visitors can also learn about the historic Trail of Tears‚ which passes through the area‚ as part of Native American history.   5. Trivia: Grant’s First (and Almost Last) Civil War Command The Battle of Belmont was Ulysses S. Grant’s first battle as a new general…and almost his last. During the battle‚ Polk had allegedly encouraged nearby Confederate troops to “try your marksmanship” on a Yankee soldier on horseback‚ which had been Grant in a common soldier’s overcoat. Nobody fired at Grant. Later‚ after riding aboard the departing steamship following the battle‚ Grant quickly rose from his sofa to observe the scene. A Confederate musket ball then ripped through the sofa where the young general had been only moments earlier&;#33;   Aftermath of Belmont: Slow Rise of Ulysses S. Grant Union general Ulysses S. Grant meeting with US President Abraham Lincoln. Source: Historic Petersburg Foundation   The inconclusive end to the battle was celebrated in the South as a victory‚ and some in the North even criticized Grant’s casualties. However‚ President Lincoln was eager for action and quickly came to favor Ulysses S. Grant. While the Civil War remained in a relative stalemate in the Eastern Theater between the Union capital of Washington DC and the Confederate capital of Richmond‚ Virginia‚ Grant began scoring strategic victories in the Western Theater. Only a few months after Belmont‚ he seized two Confederate forts in Tennessee.   Famously‚ Grant was defended by President Lincoln after his victory at Shiloh in April 1862. In response to criticisms of Grant’s high casualties‚ Lincoln responded: “I can’t spare this man‚ he fights.” The president praised Grant’s earnest and quiet‚ hardworking nature‚ which was unlike that of many of his fellow generals. Grant would remain in the Western Theater until early 1864 when he was made general-in-chief of all Union armies.

  Johnny Cash led an incredible life‚ with a musical career that crossed genres and spanned over fifty years. He released dozens of albums‚ starred in films‚ and wrote novels. Even after his 2003 death‚ he continues to inspire musicians and listeners across generations. However‚ he was not a man without struggles and sometimes paradoxes. Trouble often found him‚ but he was a man who remained true to his convictions. Read on to learn about some of the most interesting stories from the Man in Black’s colorful life.   1. Cash was the First American to Learn of Stalin’s Death Photograph of Joseph Stalin. Source: Biography   Before his musical career took off‚ John R. Cash served in the US Air Force for four years. For much of that time‚ he was deployed to Landsberg‚ Germany‚ where he worked as a Morse Intercept Operator. In Germany‚ he purchased his first guitar for $5 and played in a band with fellow servicemen‚ the Landsberg Barbarians. He wrote several formative songs while stationed in Germany‚ including “Folsom Prison Blues.”   His daily work had Cash listening in to various Cold War-era Soviet missives. In March 1953‚ he became the first American to learn of Joseph Stalin’s death. He relayed the message to his superiors‚ who directly informed President Eisenhower. After about four years in the Air Force‚ Cash was honorably discharged at the rank of Staff Sergeant.   2. He was a Prankster Cash (center) with Luther Perkins (left) and Marshall Grant (right) in 1955. Source: Johnny Cash Official Site   In his younger days in particular‚ Cash enjoyed playing pranks on others‚ even strangers. He and his bandmates‚ Luther Perkins and Marshall Grant‚ known as the Tennessee Two (they would later become the Tennessee Three when drummer W.S. Holland joined the group in 1960)‚ were known to wreak havoc when they got a wild hair. They would throw lit cherry bombs down hotel toilets‚ for instance.   However‚ while staying at a hotel in Omaha‚ Nebraska in the late ’50s‚ they got really creative. The three men went to a local hatchery and purchased 500 day-old chicks. They returned to the hotel and set 100 chicks free on each of its five floors.   3. Cash Believed His Brother Was Murdered A childhood picture of Johnny Cash (left) and his older brother Jack (right) and adult Cash (far right). Source: AP via Rolling Stone   When Cash was only 12 years old‚ his beloved brother Jack‚ two years his senior‚ was killed in a gruesome table saw accident at his job at the local high school woodshop. Someone had removed the guard from the saw‚ and Jack was not able to get out of the way when a piece of wood got caught in the machine and was pulled in. He was cut from stomach to groin. Though he managed to survive for about a week after the accident‚ he would succumb to his wounds. Jack’s death deeply affected his younger brother.   A contemplative Cash. Source: The Michael Ochs Archive via The New Yorker   Cash felt a great deal of guilt and blame after the accident and felt as if his father wished it had been him who died instead of his older brother. In a 1995 interview‚ he floated a theory that the death was not an accident but a murder. He spoke of a neighbor who was working with Jack at the shop that day who seemed to disappear after the accident. The guard being removed from the saw also seemed suspicious to Cash‚ though his daughter Kathy has suggested that the speculation of murder may have been a coping mechanism for her father to deal with his loss.   4. He Was an Addict A 1965 mugshot. Source: Salem Books via Fox News   As Cash’s music career started taking off in the late 50’s‚ he started a long affair with amphetamines and barbiturates and overused alcohol. As he was once quoted as saying‚ “I was taking the pills for a while‚ and then the pills started taking me.”   Amphetamines were a commonly abused drug among performers in those days who were dealing with long days of traveling and performing‚ and Cash was not immune to the temptation.   Cash’s addictions contributed to the destruction of his first marriage to Vivian Liberto. Source: Rolling Stone   His addiction led to mood swings and erratic behavior‚ causing problems with those he worked with. His familial relationships and first marriage suffered as a result of his drug use. He was arrested multiple times‚ including in one attempt where he tried to smuggle over 600 amphetamine pills and 500 tranquilizers over the US-Mexico border. Cash was in and out of rehab several times over the year‚ with his first attempts to stay clean starting in the 70s. Eventually‚ he conquered his demons and remained sober. He credited religion as playing a large role in his recovery.   5. He Was Once Attacked by an Ostrich Cash outside of his Hendersonville‚ TN property in 1969. Source: Huffington Post   On his sprawling property just outside of Nashville‚ Tennessee‚ which he affectionately called the “House of Cash‚” Johnny and his family had a lot going on. Not only did they make their home there‚ but it was the location of a museum‚ recording studio‚ and a farm. Cash enjoyed animals‚ particularly exotic ones‚ and had amassed a beautiful collection by 1981.   Part of his menagerie included a pair of ostriches. Unfortunately‚ the female ostrich passed away that winter when she refused to come inside out of the elements. This left her mate‚ Waldo‚ alone. Waldo had never been any trouble but grew more ornery in his loneliness. One day‚ Cash was walking through his compound when Waldo crouched in front of him‚ hissing and spreading his wings in a sign of aggression. Cash managed to get by but was concerned Waldo would continue to cause trouble‚ so he armed himself with a stick for his return walk.   Photograph of an ostrich. Source: Field Ethos   Waldo recommenced his attack and charged. When Cash swung at him with the stick‚ he missed. The ostrich leaped into the air and kicked Cash in the stomach. The force of the kick knocked Cash to the ground. Two of his ribs broke from the kick‚ and three more from the impact of hitting the ground. Waldo’s large talons cut Cash’s stomach clean open‚ stopped only by the large belt buckle Cash was wearing.   Waldo kept coming‚ and Cash had no choice but to keep defending himself. He finally got a swift hit to Waldo’s legs that enabled him to get to safety and the hospital. Cash was quite embarrassed by the incident when it leaked to the local media‚ believing it “sounded so dumb.” After his recovery‚ Cash rehomed Waldo to a zoo where he would still receive proper care‚ but hopefully be unable to attack anyone.   6. Cash Was Arrested for Picking Flowers Cash was no stranger to the prison system‚ whether he was part of it or performing in it. Source: Johnny Cash Trail   Cash found himself on the wrong side of the law more than once‚ usually for charges relating to his drug or alcohol use. Although he was arrested seven times throughout his life‚ perhaps one of the more curious events was when he was arrested for picking flowers in Starkville‚ Mississippi in 1965. Though the actual charge reads that the arrest was for trespassing‚ Cash always maintained that the arrest was for picking flowers‚ as he was walking from his motel to a grocery store after a gig at Mississippi State University: “Anyway‚ I reached down and picked a dandelion here and daisy there as I went along…”   A marker was added to the Country Music Trail commemorating Cash’s time in Starkville. Source: WCBI photo via WLBT   A police officer pulled up and demanded he get into his cruiser. He was fined $36 and spent the night in jail. Cash later wrote a song about the experience entitled “Starkville City Jail.” In 2007‚ the city pardoned Cash in a ceremonial event on the University campus as they held the “Johnny Cash Flower Pickin’ Festival.”   7. Cash Survived a 12-Day Coma Cash in Jamaica in 2002. Source: Wire Image via Rolling Stone   Cash suffered a number of health problems‚ especially in his advanced age. In 1993‚ he had diabetes and contracted pneumonia numerous times. While in the hospital‚ complications led him to go into a coma that lasted for 12 days. Doctors feared that the 61-year-old Cash would not recover. However‚ he did and went on to make music for another ten years before passing away in September 2003.   8. He was an Ordained Minister Cash visiting Jerusalem in 1977. Source: Jerusalem Post via Tablet Magazine   Despite his hard living‚ Cash remained a committed Christian‚ going all the way back to his roots. His mother ignited a love of music in him with gospel tunes. His dedication to religion was reignited as he worked to get sober later in life. He began studying theology more enthusiastically in the late 1980s and became an ordained minister.   9. There is a Spider Named After Him Aphonopema johnnycashi‚ female (left) and male (right). Source: Hamilton et al. via Sci News   Johnny Cash has a species of tarantula named after him. In 2016‚ scientists wrapped up a ten-year study that evaluated and reclassified tarantula species‚ resulting in 14 new species that were in need of names. One was a hairy black spider that was prevalent near Folsom State Prison in California. With the tarantula’s all-black attire and location next to one of Cash’s most famous venues‚ scientists thought its new name was a no-brainer: Aphonopema johnnycashi. It is‚ so far‚ the only species named after a celebrity.   10. Music as a Platform Cash touring Wounded Knee in 1968 with descendants of massacre survivors. Source: Salon   Johnny Cash used his popular music as a platform to take a stand as an activist in relation to a number of causes. For example‚ he used his songs to bring attention to the inequities and mistreatment of Native Americans‚ releasing Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian in 1964.   He also used his prison performances to bring attention to prison reform and humanize those who were incarcerated. Cash even testified at a US Senate judiciary subcommittee hearing on prison reform in 1972 and performed benefit concerts to raise money to build a school at the Lakota’s Rosebud Reservation.

  With its origins in India more than 2‚500 years ago‚ Buddhism has profoundly influenced religion and philosophy across Asia. Siddhartha Gautama‚ also known as the Buddha‚ was the historical figure who founded Buddhism; after his passing around 483 BCE‚ his teachings became the fundamental principles of Buddhism. Over time‚ Buddhism diverged into various branches‚ each embracing its own unique approach to these teachings. This article will delve into four primary sects: Theravada‚ Mahayana‚ Zen‚ and Vajrayana. Each sect offers a distinct path to enlightenment.   What Do the Schools Have in Common&;#63;  Head of Buddha‚ Ming dynasty‚ ca. 1500‚ Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art   The earliest schools of Buddhism started as sanghas (communities). As Buddhism expanded‚ these Sanghas were formed in different regions and cultures. This regional divide led to varying interpretations of the early Buddhist texts and oral transmissions and these differences naturally created divisions within the faith which ultimately resulted in the emergence of distinct Buddhist schools with their own unique practices.   While each school has its own specific practices‚ they all share common foundations‚ adhering to the four noble truths‚ the eightfold path‚ and the belief in the cycle of karma and rebirth. The teachings at the core of all Buddhist schools‚ known as the four noble truths‚ serve as the foundation for understanding Buddhist ideals and the path to liberation from suffering. The Four Noble Truths in Buddhism explain the nature of suffering (Dukkha)‚ its cause (Samudaya)‚ the possibility of its cessation (Nirodha)‚ and the path to overcoming it (Noble Eightfold Path).   The Historical Buddha Preaching‚ a section from The Illustrated Sutra of Past and Present Karma (Kako genzai inga kyō emaki)‚ Nara period (710–794)‚ Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art   The Eightfold Path is a set of the eight correct practices of perception‚ resolve‚ speech‚ livelihood‚ effort‚ mindfulness‚ and samadhi. By acknowledging that life is suffering‚ relinquishing attachment and craving‚ and embracing the teachings of Buddha‚ the Buddhist practitioner can then embark on the journey toward liberation.   The concept of Karma is another fundamental belief in all Buddhist schools. Karma can essentially be described as the connection between actions and consequences. It is not a form of divine justice or punishment but rather a natural law similar to cause and effect. In Buddhist teachings‚ reincarnation is a core belief that explains the continuation of consciousness after death. It is not viewed as a soul or self‚ but rather a continuous flow of energy and experiences known as Samsara. The type of rebirth one attains is determined by their accumulated karma‚ with positive actions leading to a higher realm and negative actions leading to lower realms.   1. Theravada Monks pass shop window‚ by conceptphoto.info‚ Source: Flikr   Theravada‚ literally meaning “Way of the Elders‚” is widely credited with being the earliest form of Buddhism and is believed to be the closest of the sects to Siddhartha Gautama’s original teachings. Theravadins believe that enlightenment can only be attained by closely following the historical Buddha’s path and as such‚ place importance on the earliest Buddhist texts‚ known as the Pali canon. Salvation is limited to only those who follow a monastic approach to Buddhism and is obtained by the practitioner’s own merit. In this way‚ Nirvana can be achieved through an individual journey of practice‚ reflection‚ and self-realization.   These ancient practices are the foundation for many modern-day mindfulness meditation techniques. Theravada is seen as conservative in comparison to other sects as it is more analytical and less ritualized‚ and the teachings focus solely on the historical Buddha. Theravada Buddhism recognizes past incarnations of the historical Buddha but not contemporary buddhas nor much of the large pantheon of bodhisattvas and deities acknowledged within the other schools of thought. The leading school of Buddhism‚ Theravada is mostly practiced in Sri Lanka‚ Burma‚ Thailand‚ Laos‚ and Cambodia where the majority of the population is Buddhist.   The Arhat Two Arthats‚ Korean‚ Joseon dynasty‚ Source: Google Arts &; Culture   When a Theravadin gains insight into the true nature of reality they become what is known as an “Arhat” and are thus liberated from the cycle of samsara (life‚ death‚ and rebirth). An arhat is a devoted follower of Buddha who achieves enlightenment through profound contemplation of his teachings. By fully comprehending the Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path‚ they attain awakening‚ a state typically pursued through a monastic path. Each school of Buddhism has a slightly different relationship with the arhat. In Mahayana Buddhist schools‚ the arhats are respected but usually considered as being one step before reaching the ultimate position on the Buddhist spiritual path; for them‚ the goal is to become a Bodhisattva.   For the Theravadins‚ becoming an arhat is the ultimate goal. The arhat has an ancient history predating Buddhism‚ and this is why sometimes in art or literature the arhat is portrayed with mystical or eccentric aspects‚ although the Theravada tradition does not recognize the Arhat as esoteric.   2. Mahayana Monk with Flowing Robes‚ by Adam Brill‚ Source: Flickr   Mahayana or “great vehicle” has a wider interpretation of what constitutes teachings from the Buddha and incorporates doctrine and text that are not recognized by the Theravada tradition and whose core is the Pali Canon. The Mahayana branch of Buddhism focuses less on individual salvation and more on the liberation of all sentient beings‚ and in this way‚ Mahayana can be seen as a more inclusive school of Buddhism.   Mahayana practitioners‚ with the objective of enlightening many‚ strive to become bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas are enlightened individuals who are close to Buddhahood but choose to delay entering nirvana in order to help others also reach enlightenment‚ and for this reason‚ bodhisattvas play an integral role in the Mahayana tradition.   The Bodhisattva The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara Expounding the Dharma to a Devotee‚ from a folio from Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita Sutra Manuscript‚ 12th century‚ Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art   In order to become a bodhisattva‚ the Mahayana practitioner must cultivate compassion which is a feeling that when meditated on and mastered is believed to lead one on the path to seeing the ultimate truth of reality. Mahayana believes that this enlightened quality‚ which is free from illusion‚ resides in all sentient beings and is called “Buddha Nature.” The main idea of this philosophy is to access an innate ineffable wisdom that is free from cultural and personal variations.   Mahayana believe in a more complex pantheon of buddhas and bodhisattvas than the Theravada tradition. There are many Buddhas‚ not just Siddhartha Gautama and these Buddhas exist in different realities. Mahayana is practiced in China‚ Korea‚ Vietnam‚ and Japan. The country with the largest Buddhist population is China although Buddhists still make a relatively small percentage within the overall population.   3. Vajrayana Buddha Vajradhara‚ 15th century‚ Source: The Philadelphia Museum of Art   Vajrayana‚ which means “diamond vehicle‚” is the most mystical branch of Buddhism and originally evolved from the Mahayana tradition. While Vajrayana has its roots in ancient Indian tantra‚ it found its stronghold in the Himalayas‚ particularly Tibet. The primary goal of Vajrayana is to guide practitioners toward enlightenment within a single lifetime. This expedited path to enlightenment can be perceived as intense‚ which is why the transmission of Vajrayana knowledge to new practitioners is entrusted solely to established teachers or gurus. Through the use of ritual initiations‚ visualization techniques‚ exercises‚ and mantras‚ Vajrayana equips practitioners with the tools to liberate themselves from the confines of self and ascend to their innate buddha nature.   People of Tibet‚ photo by Pedro-Szekely‚ Source: Flickr   The mystical essence of tantra can be traced back to ancient esoteric traditions that predate the origins of Buddhism. Tantric Buddhism was inspired by and emerged from ancient Indian tantra texts‚ Shaivism‚ and Yogins. Although modern-day yoga in the West draws loose inspiration from these early tantric disciplines‚ it has evolved in a distinct and separate manner. This branch of Buddhism is commonly referred to as Tibetan Buddhism due to its predominant influence in Tibet. Vajrayana is also practiced in Nepal‚ Mongolia‚ Bhutan‚ India‚ China‚ and Japan.   4. Zen  Ensō‚ by Taidō ShÅ«fÅ«‚19th century‚ Japan‚ Source: Museum Institute Chicago   Zen‚ also referred to as Chan in Chinese‚ is a school that originated from the Mahayana Buddhist tradition in China during the Tang Dynasty. It is believed that Chan was brought to China by Bodhidharma‚ a legendary Buddhist monk of Indian descent‚ who traveled there and eventually settled. By the 7th century‚ Chinese Buddhist missionaries had introduced Chan to Japan‚ where it became known as Zen.   Although Zen Buddhism had much earlier roots‚ it only gained widespread recognition during the 12th century. The Zen sect distinguishes itself from other Buddhist schools through its emphasis on meditation‚ known as zazen‚ which lies at the heart of all Zen Buddhist philosophies. Practitioners believe that meditation leads to self-discovery and enlightenment. In essence‚ Zen and meditation are inseparable.   Samurai with raised sword‚ by Felice Beato‚ 1863‚ Source: The Getty Museum   Zen Buddhism has captivated the world for centuries. It influenced various aspects of Japanese heritage‚ particularly the samurai and their code of honor known as “bushido.” Zen principles also manifested in artistic practices such as calligraphy‚ ink painting‚ pottery‚ music‚ and gardening. The tea ceremony‚ known as “chanoyu‚” became an important meditative ritual and practice of etiquette. Monks embraced drinking tea to stay alert during long meditation sessions‚ and this practice evolved into a ceremonial homage to Bodhidharma‚ the first patriarch of Zen.

  The Picasso exhibition in the Soviet Union represents one of the central events and enduring memories of the thawing relations between East and West during the Cold War era. The exhibition coincided with turbulent events within the Soviet Union: mass student protests and the Hungarian revolution. Thus‚ Picasso and his art became symbols of political upheaval and freedom.   The successful completion of the Picasso exhibition was only possible because of Picasso’s commitment to communism after joining the French Communist Party in 1944. Picasso was widely referred to as “the most famous communist in the world after Stalin and Mao Zedong.”   Picasso &; Communism Before the 1956 Picasso Exhibition Picasso Room in Shchukin’s house. Source: Russia Beyond   Pablo Picasso was closely associated with both communism and Russia even before the Picasso Exhibition of 1956 in Moscow.   In 1908‚ famous French artist Henri Matisse visited Picasso’s Montmartre studio in Paris‚ France‚ with a Russian art buyer‚ Sergei Shchukin. Shchukin purchased two paintings (one of which was Queen Isabea) and compensated the artist generously. Shchukin and Picasso became close partners‚ and over the course of the next six years‚ the Russian philanthropist acquired more than 50 of Picasso’s artworks‚ including Woman with a Fan and The Absinthe Drinker.   Prior to the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917‚ Picasso’s two distinguished works‚ Girl on a Ball and Harlequin and His Companion‚ were acquired by Ivan Morozov‚ another well-known Russian art collector.   The collections of Shchukin and Morozov were nationalized by the Bolsheviks after the Revolution. Picasso’s artworks were placed in a newly established Museum of New Western Art. The museum functioned until 1948 when it was dissolved‚ and the collections were redistributed between the Pushkin and the Hermitage Museums.   Pablo Picasso as he created a light drawing by Gjon Mili‚ 1949. Source: The Life   In 1944‚ Pablo Picasso became a member of the Communist Party of France. His decision was an act of protest against the developments in Picasso’s native Spain. The Spanish Civil War and the establishment of General Franco’s fascist dictatorship by forceful measures were in contradiction with Picasso’s anti-military and anti-fascist beliefs. Picasso remained in the communist party for the rest of his life. Once he became a communist‚ the artist was commonly referred to as “Comrade Pablo.”   This period also marked the formation of a close friendship between Pablo Picasso and prominent Soviet writer‚ journalist‚ and historian Ilya Ehrenburg. Ehrenburg was one of the founders of the International Peace Movement‚ established in 1948. Ehrenburg attempted to break the Soviet Union’s grip on Soviet authors and artists while also introducing modern Western art to the Soviet population. He served as a cultural link between the post-World War II West and the Soviet Union. In this context‚ he undertook the responsibility of promoting the peace movement in 1949. Picasso joined the cause and created the well-known “dove” emblem of peace.   Dove by Pablo Picasso‚ 1949. Source: Tate‚ London   After Stalin’s death on March 5‚ 1953‚ Louis Aragon‚ the editor-in-chief of the French newspaper Les Lettres Fran&;ccedil;aises‚ commissioned Pablo Picasso to create a painting of Joseph Stalin. The French Communist Party felt offended when Picasso unveiled a portrait of a young Stalin inspired by an old photo of him (see portrait in the following section). The portrait did not suit the traditional stereotype of Stalin as “the father of the people.” Louis Aragon remarked‚ “Stalin cannot be invented.”   After Stalin’s death‚ Nikita Khrushchev became the new leader of the Soviet Union. Aiming to distance himself from Stalin’s regime‚ Khrushchev embarked on establishing a new form of Soviet governance that was socio-politically and culturally more liberating. Ilya Ehrenburg referred to this shift in Soviet ideology as the “Thaw” and published his famous novel with the same name in the spring of 1954 in the issue of Novy Mir.   As part of Khrushchev Thaw and subsequent rapprochement policy with the West‚ Ehrenburg was instrumental in organizing the first Picasso exhibition at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Art in Moscow‚ Russia‚ on October 16‚ 1956.   The Picasso Exhibition at the Pushkin Museum Cover of Les Lettres Fran&;ccedil;aises‚ featuring Portrait of Stalin by Pablo Picasso‚ 1953. Source: Espionart   In 1956‚ Ehrenburg suggested to the Soviet Union’s Central Committee to hold the Picasso exhibition in Moscow as a way to honor a dedicated international communism advocate for his seventy-fifth birthday.   In 1955‚ as part of the cultural exchange between East and West‚ Picasso’s exhibition was held in East Germany at the National Gallery in East Berlin. Later‚ in 1956‚ Picasso’s works were exhibited at the National Art Museum in the People’s Republic of China. Works of Pablo Picasso often resembled the themes of anti-fascism and social justice and thus resonated with the ideology of communist countries. Following the Cuban Revolution‚ Pablo Picasso’s works were also later exhibited in Cuba in 1959‚ symbolizing political upheavals and revolutionary ideas.   At first‚ the Central Committee declined Ehrenburg’s suggestion. But shortly after‚ at the 20th Party Congress‚ Nikita Khrushchev delivered his “Secret Speech‚” criticizing Stalin and introducing relatively liberal internal and exterior policies. Influenced by Khrushchev’s decisions‚ the Committee agreed to hold the exhibition‚ albeit with limited media coverage and a relatively small collection to limit its impact.   Portrait of Ilya Ehrenburg by Pablo Picasso‚ 1948. Source: Nigel Hall   However‚ Pablo Picasso was not content with this decision. He envisioned the exhibition as an opportunity to make up for his 1951 loss in Korea‚ as his work‚ Massacre in Korea‚ did not triumph‚ particularly within the French Communist Party. Pablo Picasso personally selected 38 of his artworks‚ including ceramics‚ illustrating the diversity of his work from the 1920s to the 1950s‚ to be exhibited in two separate museums: the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts and the Hermitage in Leningrad (Saint Petersburg today).   The Pushkin Museum presented Picasso’s Young Acrobat on a Ball‚ Family of Saltimbanques‚ Head of an Old Man in Tiara‚ and Still Life with Violin.   The Hermitage presented Picasso’s earlier and larger works from his “Blue Period.” It included The Absinthe Drinker‚ The Two Sisters‚ Portrait of Soler the Tailor‚ and Woman with a Scarf‚ as well as Dance of the Veils‚ Clarinet and Violin‚ Bowl of Fruit with Bunch of Grapes and Sliced Pear‚ Three Women‚ Woman with a Fan‚ Maternity and Seated Woman with a Book‚ and Musical Instruments.   Even though no advertisement campaign took place in preparation for the Picasso Exhibition‚ hundreds of people flocked to the museum with great enthusiasm. Not only was it a rare opportunity to explore modern Western art‚ but it was also a place to engage in a lively public discussion on art‚ culture‚ and politics—everything the Khrushchev Thaw promised.   Influence of the Picasso Exhibition  Massacre in Korea by Pablo Picasso‚ 1951. Source: Museu Picasso‚ Barcelona   The influence of the Picasso Exhibition can be understood within the wider social context of uncertainty about the effects of the Khrushchev Thaw and subsequent socio-political turbulences in the Soviet Union.   By the time the Picasso Exhibition opened in Moscow‚ Khrushchev’s policies of de-Stalinization had triggered waves of liberation movements across the Soviet Union. On October 23‚ 1956‚ an uprising against Soviet rule began in Hungary and galvanized broader public support in opposition to communist rule in Poland in November. Both attempts at freedom were violently suppressed by the Soviet government‚ yet they made the Picasso exhibition the center of public unrest. The Soviet leadership feared that the exposure to Picasso’s artwork and subsequent public discourse could go beyond art and culture and transform into a political issue.   Simultaneously with the opening of the Picasso Exhibition in Moscow‚ protesters in Warsaw‚ Poland‚ displayed a replica of Picasso’s painting Massacre In Korea at the Academy of Arts‚ a symbolic gesture of support for the Hungarian Uprising. Even though Picasso’s initial purpose of the Massacre In Korea was to oppose United States imperialism‚ Polish protesters presented the artwork in an anti-communist context‚ making communist leaders further question the rightfulness of opening the Iron Curtain to Picasso.   The implications of Picasso’s exhibition became particularly concerning when it moved to the Hermitage. The Central Committee’s Culture Department reported students engaging in politically dangerous debates on artistic freedom while criticizing Soviet art and its Socialist Realism style.   The Face of Peace by Pablo Picasso‚ 1951. Source: Picasso Celebracion   On December 21‚ students attempted to organize an unofficial public discussion in Leningrad. During a three-day conference titled “The Future of Soviet Art‚” the Soviet Academy of Arts was criticized and called a “feudal institution.” Collectivization was denounced as an instrument of Soviet repression. The Committee for State Security (KGB) feared that Picasso and his works were fueling an unhealthy political mood‚ triggering a “little Budapest” in Leningrad. Unsurprisingly‚ the Soviet authorities suppressed the students’ conference and arrested several participants.   Nevertheless‚ Pablo Picasso managed to save himself and his works from the Soviet regime. In 1962‚ he was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize as a “crusader for peace.” Ilya Ehrenburg‚ who had been instrumental in making the Picasso Exhibition a reality in the Soviet Union‚ visited Mougins‚ France‚ to personally hand over the prize. Picasso‚ however‚ refused it. In the following years‚ Picasso’s exhibitions were held several times in the Soviet Union: in 1966‚ 1971‚ and 1988 at the State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts; in 1982 at the State Hermitage Museum in Leningrad; in 1990 at the Ukrainian National Art Museum in Kyiv‚ and in 1991 in Moscow‚ prior to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.   Despite the Soviet leadership’s attempts to curtail Picasso’s influence on the socio-political climate of the communist world‚ Picasso’s works were hailed as “the radiance of real art” that would “break through all obstacles” within the Soviet Union. As American historian Eleonory Gilburd noted‚ “At the heart was Soviet art—society—while Picasso was a name metaphor for everything Soviet society was not.”