Jamie Foxx is an American actor, singer, songwriter and comedian who won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2004 for his work in the movie Ray. Foxx’s real name, however, is Eric Marlan Bishop. In this video, Keenen Ivory Wayans, who first worked with Foxx on the popular 90s … Continue reading
West Side Story is a musical film from 1961, based on the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name. The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and took home 10, including Best Picture. In this video, the movie’s stars, Rita Moreno and George Chakiris recall their auditions and their … Continue reading
Smallpox was an infectious disease that caused fluid-filled blisters all over the body and had a mortality rate of 30-35%. Thanks to effective vaccination campaigns, smallpox became the first disease to be declared eradicated by the WHO on December 9, 1979. In this video, D.A. Henderson, an epidemiologist and physician … Continue reading
After being turned down by other record companies, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter founded Roc-A-Fella Records in 1996. Producer DJ Clark Kent, DJ Ski and others explain how they helped to found Roc-A-Fella and how influential the company became. In addition to the most popular Jay-Z albums, Roc-A-Fella’s discography includes the work … Continue reading
Judd Apatow is a film producer, director, and screenwriter. He is best known for his work on TV shows and films such as Freaks and Geeks, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up and This Is 40. In this video, Jason Segel, who worked with Apatow on Freaks and Geeks, discusses what … Continue reading
On December 11, 1964, Che Guevara addressed the United Nations General Assembly as head of the Cuban delegation. In expressing Cuba’s frustration with the actions of the United States, he says: “The United States, furthermore, tried to get the UN to inspect our territory. But we emphatically refuse, since Cuba … Continue reading
“It is doubtful if the edition could be disposed of to people of average intellect at anything short of the point of the bayonet…” The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was the fourth novel written by Mark Twain, and was first published in the United Kingdom in December of 1884. Considered … Continue reading
The Heisman Trophy is awarded annually to the best player in college football whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. The award was created in 1935, and was first awarded on December 9, 1935 to Jay Berwanger of the University of Chicago. Archie Griffin, who played running … Continue reading
Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, political commentator and author of over 100 books. In this video, Chomsky responds to a question about the situation in Ferguson, Missouri, where 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson. Chomsky says: “What’s happening in Ferguson is a … Continue reading
On December 8, 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered a speech to the UN General Assembly entitled “Atoms for Peace”. Following this speech, the United States launched the “Atoms for Peace” program, which supplied equipment and information to schools, hospitals and research institutions both in the U.S. and abroad. This … Continue reading
