Before Rosa Parks

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 11 October 2021 > What's On

Rosa Parks is known the world over as the African American who refused to give up her seat to a white person on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. But nine months before Parks, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin did the same thing. She’s the subject of a play (in French), Noire. Maybe the time wasn’t … Continue reading “Before Rosa Parks”

Bringing the Underground Railroad to the Screen

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 16 July 2021 > Shine Bright Collège Shine Bright Lycée What's On

African-American author Colson Whitehead and film director Barry Jenkins both made the same mistake when they were children and first heard about the Underground Railroad. The historical Underground Railroad was a network of people who helped slaves escape from the American South to freedom in the northern states or Canada. Both Whitehead and Jenkins pictured … Continue reading “Bringing the Underground Railroad to the Screen”

Aboriginalities

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 05 July 2021 > Shine Bright Lycée What's On

If you find yourself close to Belgium this summer, it’s worth heading to Brussels for the Aboriginalités exhibition: more than 250 paintings by First Australian artists who innovate using traditional techniques and subject matter and modern materials. Art is a very important part of Aboriginal spiritual and cultural life, part of a vast system of … Continue reading “Aboriginalities”

Happy July Fourth!

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 01 July 2021 > Celebrate Shine Bright Lycée

On July 4th, the U.S.A. celebrates its independence. And where better to do that than in Philadelphia, home of the Liberty Bell, and where the Declaration of Independence was written? The Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, renamed Independence Hall, truly deserves the title “birthplace of the nation”. It was here on July 4, 1776 that … Continue reading “Happy July Fourth!”

Wimbledon 2021 Videos

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 28 June 2021 > Webpicks

The summer holidays are approaching, and it’s time for tennis with the Wimbledon tournament. These short videos will make an entertaining end-of-term activity. Wimbledon is a British tradition, even for people who are not sports fans. But that doesn’t mean they have to take themselves too seriously, as this short trailer shows. A nice opportunity … Continue reading “Wimbledon 2021 Videos”

Time for Tennis at Wimbledon

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 28 June 2021 > Celebrate

For two weeks every summer, London is the world capital of tennis. Wimbledon is more than just a tennis tournament. It’s a national institution with some typically British eccentricities. This year’s tournament is from 28 June to 11 July. British tennis players have not dominated world tennis historically. Andy Murray has rectified that somewhat in … Continue reading “Time for Tennis at Wimbledon”

What’s the Score?

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 28 June 2021 > Celebrate

Tennis has a very idiosyncratic scoring system, and no one is sure why. Most sports count points by ones. But in a game of tennis, the players don’t start at zero, they start at “love”. If one player then scores, they have 15. The next score is 30, so you would probably expect the following … Continue reading “What’s the Score?”

Raise the Flag

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 09 June 2021 > Celebrate

14 June every year is Flag Day in the United States. It commemorates the date in 1777 when the United States approved the design for its first national flag, a version of the familiar red, white and blue “Stars and Stripes” that survives today. On June 14, 1777, future President John Adams discussed the flag … Continue reading “Raise the Flag”

February is Black History Month

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 16 February 2021 > Celebrate

It’s changed names and format several times since 1924, but February is the month when schools, cultural institutions and the general public celebrate the African-Americans whose stories have often been left out of official history books. The celebration of black history is credited to Dr Carter G. Woodson, an African-American historian with a doctorate from … Continue reading “February is Black History Month”