New Book Release: Indigenous Firsts

Indigenous Firsts: A History of Native American Achievements and Events by Yvonne Wakim Dennis and Arlene Hirschfelder

A celebration of achievement, accomplishments, and courage!

Native American Medal of Honor recipients, Heisman Trophy recipients, U.S. Olympians, a U.S. vice president, Congressional representatives, NASA astronauts, Pulitzer Prize recipients, U.S. poet laureates, Oscar winners, and more. The first Native magician, all-Native comedy show, architects, attorneys, bloggers, chefs, cartoonists, psychologists, religious leaders, filmmakers, educators, physicians, code talkers, and inventors. Luminaries like Jim Thorpe, King Kamehameha, Debra Haaland, and Will Rogers, along with less familiar notables such as Native Hawaiian language professor and radio host Larry Lindsey Kimura and Cree/Mohawk forensic pathologist Dr. Kona Williams. Their stories plus the stories of 2000 people, events and places are presented in Indigenous Firsts: A History of Native American Achievements and Events, including …

• Suzanne Van Cooten, Ph.D., Chickasaw Nation, the first Native female meteorologist in the country
• Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, Wampanoag from Martha’s Vineyard, graduate of Harvard College in 1665
• Debra Haaland, the Pueblo of Laguna, U.S. Congresswoman and Secretary of the Interior
• Sam Campos, the Native Hawaiian who developed the Hawaiian superhero Pineapple Man
• Thomas L. Sloan, Omaha, was the first Native American to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court
• William R. Pogue, Choctaw, astronaut
• Johnston Murray, Chickasaw, the first person of Native American descent to be elected governor in the United States, holding the office in Oklahoma from 1951 to 1955
• The Cherokee Phoenix published its first edition February 21, 1828, making it the first tribal newspaper in North America and the first to be published in an Indigenous language
• The National Native American Honor Society was founded by acclaimed geneticist Dr. Frank C. Dukepoo, the first Hopi to earn a Ph.D.
• Louis Sockalexis, Penobscot, became the first Native American in the National Baseball League in 1897 as an outfielder with the Cleveland Spiders
• Jock Soto, Navajo/Puerto Rican, the youngest-ever man to be the principal dancer with the New York City Ballet
• The Seminole Tribe of Florida was the first Nation to own and operate an airplane manufacturing company
• Warrior's Circle of Honor, the National Native American Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, on the grounds of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian
• The Iolani Palace, constructed 1879–1882, the home of the Hawaiian royal family in Honolulu
• Loriene Roy, Anishinaabe, White Earth Nation, professor at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Information, former president of the American Library Association
• Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Northern Cheyenne, U.S. representative and U.S. senator from Colorado
• Hanay Geiogamah, Kiowa /Delaware, founded the American Indian Theatre Ensemble
• Gerald Vizenor, White Earth Nation, writer, literary critic, and journalist for the Minneapolis Tribune
• Ely S. Parker (Hasanoanda, later Donehogawa), Tonawanda Seneca, lieutenant colonel in the Union Army, serving as General Ulysses S. Grant’s military secretary
• Fritz Scholder, Luiseno, painter inducted into the California Hall of Fame
• The Native American Women Warriors, the first all Native American female color guard
• Lori Arviso Alvord, the first Navajo woman to become a board-certified surgeon
• Kay “Kaibah” C. Bennett, Navajo, teacher, author, and the first woman to run for the presidency of the Navajo Nation
• Sandra Sunrising Osawa, Makah Indian Nation, the first Native American to have a series on commercial television
• The Choctaw people’s 1847 donation to aid the Irish people suffering from the great famine
• Otakuye Conroy-Ben, Oglala Lakota, first to earn an environmental engineering Ph.D. at the University of Arizona
• Diane J. Willis, Kiowa, former President of the Society of Pediatric Psychology and founding editor of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology
• Shelly Niro, Mohawk, winner of Canada’s top photography prize, the Scotiabank Photography Award
• Loren Leman, Alutiiq/Russian-Polish, was the first Alaska Native elected lieutenant governor
• Kim TallBear, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, the first recipient of the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience, and Environment
• Carissa Moore, Native Hawaiian, won the Gold Medal in Surfing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
• Will Rogers, Cherokee, actor, performer, humorist was named the first honorary mayor of Beverly Hills
• Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations by Lois Ellen Frank, Kiowa, was the first Native American cookbook to win the James Beard Award
• Diane Humetewa, Hopi, nominated by President Barack Obama, became the first Native American woman to serve as a federal judge
• Susie Walking Bear Yellowtail, Crow, the first Native American nurse to be inducted into the American Nursing Association Hall of Fame

Indigenous Firsts honors the ongoing and rich history of personal victories and triumphs, and with more than 200 photos and illustrations, this information-rich book also includes a helpful bibliography and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness. This vital collection will appeal to anyone interested in America’s amazing history and its resilient and skilled Indigenous people.

New Book Release: Handy Engineering

The Handy Engineering Answer Book by DeLean Tolbert Smith

A handy resource on the fundamental facts about engineering for both engineers and non-engineers alike, whether you are exploring engineering for the first time, already have a strong background, or fall anywhere in between.

Engineering impacts every aspect of our lives. Bridges, buildings, buses, electrical grids, computers, televisions, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, and virtually any everyday household item needs to be engineered to function properly. Fundamentally, engineering is about identifying a need and developing solutions that meet that need. Throughout history, engineering ideas and innovative feats have provided solutions to many challenges faced by civilizations. From the Great Wall of China to NASA's space program, The Handy Engineering Answer Book covers the history of the field, details the lives of key figures, introduces the tools engineers use to solve problems, and provides fun facts and answers to a thousand important and interesting questions, such as …

• What is the difference between science and engineering?
• What do engineers do?
• What are some famous engineering mistakes or failures?
• What is reverse engineering?
• What is a prototype?
• What types of jobs do electrical engineers do?
• How does a car battery work?
• What are the major job responsibilities of a HVAC engineer?
• What is a Powertrain?
• What is Bernoulli’s principle?
• What are the Laws of Thermodynamics?
• What’s the difference between 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines?
• What is stress and strain?
• What is the difference between torque and power?
• What is automation?
• What is quality assurance?
• What is meant by outsourcing?
• What are the responsibilities of a construction manager?
• What are the types of road construction that are both durable and cost-effective?
• Which materials are used to build a cruise ship?
• What are some design elements that help structures withstand earthquakes?
• How does a civil engineer design water slides for theme parks?
• Who was W. Edwards Deming?
• What is ergonomics?
• What is biomedical engineering?
• Who is Grace Hopper?
• What is debugging?
• What is the difference between a web developer and a website designer?
• Was Leonardo da Vinci an aerospace engineer?
• Where do chemical engineers work?
• How much energy does the world use?
• What are the major challenges addressed by environmental engineers?
• What is humanitarian engineering?
• What is acoustical engineering?
• What are the required skills for fire engineers?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of nanotechnology?

With more than 140 photos and graphics, this fascinating tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness. Whether using science and math or building prototypes for testing or the development of various subdisciplines, The Handy Engineering Answer Book looks at how fundamental engineering is to modern life and society!

New Book Release: Conspiracies and Secret Societies

Conspiracies and Secret Societies: The Complete Dossier of Hidden Plots and Schemes by Brad Steiger and Sherry Hansen Steiger

The invisible world of influence and power revealed. Hidden agendas uncovered. An examination of over 250 current and historical conspiracies, secret cabals, and powerful groups.

Claims and counterclaims. Stunning allegations. Suppressed evidence. Missing witnesses and rogue operatives. Threats, cover-ups, and assassinations. Brazen lies and startling truths. Documented connections and worrisome coincidences to even deeper intrigue. American history is replete with warnings of hidden plots by shadowy groups and nefarious power brokers.

Separating fact from fiction, this compelling work provides gripping details and presents the information without bias, including facts about hundreds of individuals, organizations, and events in which official claims and standard explanations of actions and events remain shrouded in mystery. Sifting through the evidence, weighing competing narratives in a search for the truth, Conspiracies and Secret Societies: The Complete Dossier of Hidden Plots and Schemes examines the many subjects discussed by conspiracy theorists, probing and analyzing the dark doings of secret societies. Bring yourself up to date with the latest research and findings into historical topics plus current issues, including:

• Government cover-ups―internet tracking, electronic spying, MKUltra, the John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. assassinations, Agenda 21, Area 51, Federal Reserve System, black helicopters, Project Monarch, satellite snooping, FEMA, the CIA, the crack cocaine epidemic, and much more.

• Powerful secret societies and groups―Freemasons, Illuminati, Antifa, the Deep State, the Trilateral Commission, Anarchists, the Skull and Bones Society, the Family, Scientology, the Knights Templar, the Lavender Mafia, the Zionists, the Roman Catholics, the Bilderberg group, and QAnon, to name a few.

• Classified background on U.S. Presidents―Lincoln, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Reagan, Obama, Trump, their advisers, and more.

• Terrible secrets―Malaysian Airlines Flight 370, 9/11, Princess Diana, subliminal messaging, psychotronic weapons, the Matrix, Adolf Hitler, Men in Black, Barcodes, The Great Reset, Unit 731 and germ experiments, Jeffrey Epstein, Bill Gates, the Oklahoma City bombing, Fukushima, HAARP, and many more.

• Historical riddles―the Ark of the Covenant, Nazi UFOs, the Holy Grail, George Patton and Operation Unthinkable, the Great Pyramid, the Tonkin Gulf incident, Noah’s Ark, alchemy, the true relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene, Atlantis, and more.

• Science mysteries―biochip implants, genetically modified foods, chemtrails, hallow earth, vaccines, fluoridation, Hadron Collider, AIDS/HIV, suppressed medical cures, and many, many more.

Originally published in 2006, Brad and Sherry Steiger’s masterwork gets an update, with more than 50 new entries, and a complete review and revision by a panel of experts to incorporate the latest developments and newly uncovered conspiracies. Whether confirming or debunking a conspiracy or secret group, Conspiracies and Secret Societies cites sourcesto let you do your own research and draw your own conclusions. This important book brings the facts to light and provides insights into conspiracies and the world of conspiracy theorists. Knowledge is our best weapon against these people, groups, and their nefarious schemes. When some of the nation's highest leaders, their wives, and followers promote—and even believe—false conspiracies, knowing which conspiracies are actually real and which you should not trust is more important than ever!

New Book Release: Latino Almanac

Latino Almanac: From Early Explorers to Corporate Leaders by Nicolas Kanellos

A celebration of people and pride! Explore the achievements and contributions of Latinos in the United States with this illuminating history.

Whether calling themselves Latino, Latinx, Hispanic, Chicano, or something else, Latinos in the United States are a mix of people and multiple identities, each unique, varied, and accomplished. Beginning with the Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century, Latinos have been an important part of American society. They’ve fought the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and all wars in between and since, and in the last decade, their businesses have grown at twice the pace of the overall U.S. economy.

The most complete and affordable single-volume reference on Latino history available today, Latino Almanac: From Columbus to Corporate America honors the history and the impact of Latinos on the United States. This hefty tome is a fascinating mix of biographies, little-known or misunderstood historical facts, and enlightening essays on significant legislation, movements, current issues, and achievements across a variety of fields, including business, labor, politics, the military, music, sports, law, media, religion, art, literature, theater, film, science, technology, and medicine. A large collection of 650 biographies includes both celebrated and lesser-known Latino stars, such as

• Dolores Fernández Huerta, labor leader
• Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court justice
• Juan Felipe Herrera, U.S. poet laureate
• Roberto C. Goizueta, businessperson, former CEO of Coca-Cola
• Selena Gómez, actor, singer, producer
• Rebecca Lobo, basketball player, sports analyst
• Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, U.S. congressperson
• Ellen Ochoa, astronaut, engineer
• Anthony R. Jiménez, entrepreneur
• María Hinojosa, journalist
• Dennis Chávez, U.S. senator
• Oscar Muñoz, businessperson, CEO United Airlines
• Antonia Novello, surgeon general of the United States
• Geraldo Miguel Rivera, journalist
• Lin-Manuel Miranda, playwright, actor, director
• Alex Rodríguez, baseball player
• Rodolfo Anaya, novelist
• Desi Arnaz, television producer, actor, singer
• Jessica Mendoza, sportscaster, softball player
• Nydia Velásquez, U.S. congressperson
• Edward James Olmos, actor
• Marco Rubio, U.S. senator
• Rita Moreno, actor, dancer
• César Chávez, labor leader
• Marcelo Claure, businessperson, former Sprint CEO
• Ariel Dorfman, playwright, novelist
• Miriam Colón, actress, theater owner, producer
• Joaquín Castro, chair of the Hispanic Congressional Caucus
• And many, many more!

While Latinos are among both the original and newest immigrants, today the majority of U.S. Latinos were born here and most speak English—although most are bilingual to one degree or another. Their influence on the economy and culture continues to increase. Their impact on the United States has been wide-ranging. Salsa has even overtaken ketchup to become the most popular condiment in the United States! Devoted to illustrating the moving and often lost history of Latinos in America, Latino Almanac is a unique and valuable resource. Numerous photographs and illustrations, a helpful bibliography, a timeline, and an extensive index add to its usefulness. Commemorating and honoring Latino achievements, honors, and influence, this important book brings to light all there is to admire and discover about Latino Americans!

New Book Release: Scorpion Nest

 Scorpion Nest by Alan Scott

How do you find the murderer of a woman in a town full of suspects?

Everyone in Opelousas, Louisiana hated Agnes Seyfert. The sheriff, local businessmen, the gay priest she outed, even her own family. When her body is discovered in her booby-trap laden house, nobody seems sad she’s dead. Paranormal sleuth, Randy Arsenault, of the Psionic Corps is brought into the investigation and discovers she was suffocated, murdered in her own bed. It is soon discovered she suffered from an advanced form of cancer and had high levels of arsenic in her system.
Randy realizes he has more suspects than he can count: The dead woman’s three daughters, her grandchildren, a gay priest she outed, a local stylist, a mechanic and his own fiancé.
With a hurricane bearing down on Louisiana, Randy races against time to find out what actually happened to the old lady before Hurricane Abigail destroys everything.

New Book Release: A Faire Day for Murder

 A Faire Day for Murder by Alan Scott

The brutal murder of an old man in his isolated farmhouse and very few clues leaves local law enforcement with no alternative but to ask the Psionic Corps for help.  Ian Houston with his paranormal abilities is called in but his presence isn’t welcomed by all.  The sheriff is convinced the owners of the nearby renaissance faire are behind the murder, especially since the victim was about to evict the faire from his land just as their season was getting underway... 

New Book Release: The Constitution Explained

The Constitution Explained: A Guide for Every American by David L. Hudson, Jr.

The United States Constitution is a short document, and it is written in general language, which leaves much of the meaning unwritten and open to interpretation. Dig into this important document and watershed in the history of governments!

Explore the history, the various clauses, amendments, and interpretations. Understand your rights (and responsibilities)! From the Constitutional Convention to the creation of the Constitution and its eventual ratification, and to the Bill of Rights and the thorny constitutional issues of today, The Constitution Explained: A Guide for Every American covers the history, our founding fathers’ goals, and the varied interpretations of the Constitution that have informed the politics and functioning of the U.S. government. You’ll discover …

• How the Constitution makes the United States of America different from many countries around the world because it gives us a peaceful mechanism to resolve governmental issues
• The rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens
• An in-depth look at the freedoms enshrined in the Bill of Rights
• “The Miracle at Philadelphia” and “the Great Compromise”
• The many different methods used to interpret the Constitution
• Controversial U.S. Supreme Court picks throughout history and how the size and tenure of the Supreme Court justices has long been a contentious issue
• The remarkable evolution of death penalty jurisprudence
• The “Bill” Process, Pardon Power, Power of Judicial Review, and other stated and implied powers found in Articles I (Congress), II (Presidency) and III (Judicial)
• And much, much more!

  A guide to the citizenship and the American government, The Constitution Explained sheds a light on the differing and changing interpretations of the many broadly worded key phrases in the Constitution. You’ll learn how the Constitution has been adopted to different times and various situations. You’ll learn what it does—and does not—promise U.S. citizens. Richly illustrated, it also has a helpful bibliography, glossary, and extensive index. This invaluable resource is designed to help you understand the power and strength of the U.S. Constitution!

New Book Release: The Quality of a Life

 The Quality of a Life: 50 Years of National Healthcare Corporation

A quality-of-life environment was the vision that originally inspired NHC’s Founder, Dr. Carl Adams, when he started this company fifty years ago. He saw a need for improved care for patients in their advancing years and took action, devoting himself full time to this interest in nursing care and geriatric medicine.

Dr. Adams spoke to a group of NHC supervisors in 1985 and gave them the inspiring words. These words clearly reveal the vision of our Founder and have continued to motivate NHC Partners over the years. During new Partner orientation, a preserved recording of Dr. Adams’s voice, as spoken with passion in 1985, is played for the Partners who are just beginning their careers with NHC. His voice rings clear in their ears, almost as if he is speaking directly to them, asking them to be a part of his vision.

“When I founded this company years ago, my vision was to provide superior nursing and medical care in a Quality of Life environment for our patients at each health care center. Excellent patient care has always been a high priority. I hope you will help us protect that priority in our HealthCare Centers at all times. Those who need our services deserve the best health care possible. The best health care comes only from dedicated people like you who want to feel the satisfaction of helping patients preserve a Quality of Life environment at all times. Being sensitive to the needs of our patients and their families is a characteristic I hope each of you will develop as a standard in doing your job.”

New Book Release: Natural Health

Natural Health: Your Complete Guide to Natural Remedies and Mindful Well-Being by Marie D. Jones

Embrace the natural power to feel great and live a healthier, happier life! Learn about hundreds of ways to enrich your life with this comprehensive guide to nature-based health and well-being.

From herbs, oils and vitamins to yoga, healing remedies and belly laughs, the Natural Health: Your Complete Guide to Natural Remedies and Mindful Well-Being explores hundreds of ancient remedies, natural therapies and nature’s medicine cabinet. It includes the most current knowledge, information, and science behind natural diets and lifestyle to build your health and wellness. Featuring an extensive overview of natural health therapies, treatments, medicinals and nature’s gifts, this engaging and useful book includes …

• More than 100 herbal, all-natural, and do-it-yourself recipes and home remedies to heal everything from acne to zapped energy
• Tips for making toxic-free home products
• Herbal and natural remedies that fight diabetes, cancer, depression, anxiety, heart disease, digestive disorders, immune disorders, and more
• Immune boosting herbs, diet, and remedies to improve overall health
• A detox section to improve your gut health and immune system and rid the body of toxic metals and chemicals
• Recipes for herbal teas, concoctions, decoctions, tinctures, baths, balms, treats for kids, and more
• Tools and methods for increasing brain power, memory, cognition, focus, and clarity
• An examination of meditation, movement and breath work
• An extensive A to Z herb list and the medicinal properties of each herb
• Guidance and tips to falling asleep faster and improving the quality of sleep
• Exercises for lowering stress and achieving greater positivity, well-being, and resilience
• And much more on natural health and well-being of the body, mind, and spirit!

  You want to a live longer, healthier life free of medical complications? Of course you do! You need not be beholden to products that are premade, prefabricated, processed, put together, produced, and promoted to you. Get back to basics with what the planet has to offer instead. Whether you want to stay fit, treat health issues or reduce stress, Natural Health: Your Complete Guide to Natural Remedies and Mindful Well-Being will help you find your natural balance to a holistic health of the body, mind, and spirit! With many photos, illustrations, and other graphics, this tome is richly illustrated, and its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness.

New Book Release: Inside Passage to Murder

Inside Passage to Murder by Alan Scott

Paranormal sleuth Mark Shotridge has a dream that indicates a cruise ship operating in Alaskan waters is in trouble. He books passage on the ship to investigate his vision. After leaving Seward the first night at sea, Mark has another vision that suggests someone has been thrown overboard into the icy waters of the north Pacific. However, nobody is reported missing and Mark begins to question his special abilities.

Soon, a crew member is found murdered in his cabin, and Mark is certain that there is more going on than he originally suspected. The body count rises, and he realizes that a serial killer might be on board but what is the reason behind the murders?

New Book Release: Handy Armed Forces

The Handy Armed Forces Answer Book: Your Guide to the Whats and Whys of the U.S. Military by Richard Estep

The story of the United States military is the story of the country itself. Both have grown and changed over time. Learn about the unique histories, traditions, weapons, leaders, stats, and fun facts of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force, and their roles within the military in this fun and fascinating guide!

From the few hundred soldiers in its ranks when it was first established, to the over one million service members today, the U.S. military has grown in power and size over its 250-year history. Its organization and branches have changed to adapt to new technologies and national needs. The Handy Armed Forces Answer Book: Your Guide to the Whats and Whys of the U.S. Military looks at each branch of the U.S. military. It answers more than 500 of the most intriguing questions, including …

• How is the U.S. military organized?

• How do the branches work together?

• When did the Army Air Corps become the U.S. Army Air Force?

• What is the selection process like for Special Forces?

• Who was the Continental Army’s first Commander in Chief?

• How does the military rank structure function?

• How does somebody become an Air Force officer?

• What was the “Brown Water Navy”?

• What is the motto of the Coast Guard?

• How many bases does the military have?

• What is the Marine Corps Hymn?

• Did any Coast Guard vessels serve in combat?

• What type of aircraft is Air Force One?

• Who said “Retreat? Hell! We just got here!”

• Who were the Buffalo Soldiers?

• What are the Blue Angels?

• What is the most challenging USAF plane to fly?

• What is the origin of the Coast Guard “racing stripe”?

• Does the Space Force have any operational bases?

• How did a mutiny help establish the United States Naval Academy?

• What is the longest-serving personal weapon used by the American soldier?

• What is the difference between a UAV and a drone?

• What attack submarines does the Navy deploy?

• Who defends the United States against cyberattacks and other digital threats?

The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force are uniquely American, each in their own way. Learn what makes each branch special in The Handy Armed Forces Answer Book! With more than 140 photos and graphics, this fascinating to me is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness.

New Book Release: St. Mark's Church in Ortega

St. Mark's Church in Ortega: The First One Hundred Years 1922-2022

For the last century, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church has served Jacksonville’s Ortega neighborhood and its generations of members. While the spiritual roots of the church go back to the nineteenth century, it wasn’t until November 1919, when a lanky, young clergyman pedaled his bicycle across the St. John’s River to embrace a new assignment. Douglas Bagwell Leatherbury climbed the steps of a small wooden building known in the neighborhood as “The Little Brown Church.” This is the story of those 100 years. It’s the story of how St. Mark’s Episcopal Church has evolved and how it has grown into a multi-generational neighborhood church on an expansive and gorgeous campus. It’s also the story of St. Mark’s embracing change and preparing to embrace the next century.

This book offers something for everyone. Perhaps, it’s simply browsing all seventy-two carefully curated pages to enjoy and explore archival memoirs and historical snapshots. Everyone will marvel at stunning, artistic images vividly captured in St. Mark’s extraordinary stained-glass murals, and others may fully immerse themselves in a century old historical journey.

New Book Release: Originals! Black Women Breaking Barriers

 Originals! Black Women Breaking Barriers by Jessie Carney Smith

Discover and celebrate the achievements of some of America’s most inspiring women!

The first female. African American vice president, first U.S. senator, the 83rd U.S. Attorney General, and first black state legislator in Alaska. The first time a black woman and a white band shared the same stage; the first black woman writer to win a Pulitzer Prize; and the first black prima ballerina at the Metropolitan Opera Company. Black women have accomplished incredible things throughout American history.

An important book, Originals! Barrier-breaking Black Women profiles the lives and successes of such notable and iconic women as abolitionist Harriet Tubman, Olympic gold medalist Wilma Rudolph, mathematician Katherine Johnson, organizer and politician Stacy Adams Stacey Abrams, astronaut Mae Jemison, jazz legend Billie Holiday, ballerina Misty Copeland, Vice President Kamala Harris, and also the accomplishments of hundreds of less-famous and lesser-known women. This fascinating read recounts 1,400 achievements, including …  

Gail Fisher, the first black actress to receive an Emmy Award.

Tina Sloan-Green, the first black American woman to compete on the U.S. National Lacrosse team.

Sarah J. (Smith Thompson) Garnet, the first black female principal in the New York City public school system.

Ruth Carol Taylor, the first flight attendant to smash the color barrier.

Rebecca Davis Lee Crumpler, the first black woman awarded a medical degree in the United States.

Camilla Ella Williams, the first black woman to sing with the New York City Opera.

Altha Stewart, the first African American president of The American Psychiatric Association.

Jessie Carney Smith, the first black national president of Beta Phi Mu, the honor society for persons with graduate degrees in library science.

Gwendolyn Brooks, the author of Annie Allen, a book of poetry that won the first Pulitzer Prize awarded to an African American.

Jeanine McIntosh-Menze, the first African American female aviator in the U.S. Coast Guard’s 215-year history.

The story of black women in America is one of struggle and obstacles overcome. It’s a story of great achievement and soaring heights. Let Originals! inspire and educate you as it shares the stories and breakthroughs of hundreds of black women in American history!! With more than 210 photos and illustrations, this enlightening book also includes a helpful bibliography and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness.

New Book Release: Eco Bible, Volume 2

Eco Bible, Volume 2: An Ecological Commentary on Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy by Rabbi Yonatan Neril and Leo Dee

What can the Bible say about ecology? As people worldwide face huge ecological challenges—including growing hurricanes, floods, droughts, forest fires, and plastic pollution—the groundbreaking Eco Bible dives into this question. Drawing on 3,500 years of religious ethics and teaching, the book shows how the Bible itself and its great scholars embrace care for God's creation as a fundamental and living message. Eco Bible both informs readers and inspires spiritual commitment and action to protect all of God’s creation.

Eco Bible has been a #1 bestseller on multiple Amazon Kindle categories. This “Earth Bible” is a great read for those interested in Jewish and Christian social issues. It also represents an important contribution to eco theology, and to the spiritual ecology movement. Publishers Weekly called the book an "insightful analysis" which "will inspire contemplation on how to live in harmony with nature and the power of conservation. Ecologically minded readers interested in the Hebrew Bible will love this."

Eco Bible Volume 2 explores the books of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Eco Bible Volumes 1 and 2 together cover 400 verses in the Five Books of Moses / Pentateuch / Old Testament. By linking faith and science, Eco Bible connects religion with contemporary scientific thought regarding human health, biodiversity, the environment, and clean air, land, and water. It also contains hundreds of practical action items. Eco Bible can be read individually, in faith and community groups, and used for teaching in both faith and environmental education settings.

Professor Bill Brown, Professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary, calls Eco Bible “a rich repository of insights…for people of faith to move forward with wisdom, inspiration, and hope, all for the sake of God’s good creation.” Applying Biblical wisdom to stewardship, conservation, and creation care is essential for a future where we live in balance and thrive on a planet that remains viable for all life. At a time of both ecological and spiritual crisis, an ecological reading of the Bible can have profound impact on human behavior, since billions of people worldwide consider it a holy book. Eco Bible uniquely explores the Bible’s deep inspiration for fulfilling the blessing of all life, changing course to preserve God’s creation, and sustaining human life in harmony with nature and all God’s creatures.