DEI

The Maundy Monday Newsletter - This Week in History May 13 - 19.

I finally finished the fantastic book American Republics by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner in History, Alan Taylor. I’m excited to provide the full review in my next Words, Words, Words edition since I have finished a few books that will allow me to publish some other content. Get excited, everyone – I’m reading more!

American Republics navigates the continental history of the United States from 1783 to 1850, which was post-Revolution until the Compromise of 1850. I would summarize the book as a harsh review of how terrible Americans were to everyone as we built this country. But, trust me, it’s a good book.

How we acknowledge this mistreatment and reconcile with those communities that were affected has been an ongoing debate since the Civil War ended and the Reconstruction Amendments were passed.

We began using the term Affirmative Action in the United States in 1961 when President Kennedy issued an Executive Order that declared the federal government couldn’t discriminate. Quotas on hiring were common practice until 1978, when the Supreme Court said that was unconstitutional.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are three words we currently fight over, and they are extensions of Affirmative Action. The DEI movement began to explode in the US after Donald Trump's election in 2016. The industry is projected to be a 17 billion market by 2027.

This week, we recognize a critical step toward righting the wrongs that Taylor illuminates in his book. On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court ruled that the idea of separate but equal was rubbish in Brown vs. Board of Education. Desegregation was implemented nationwide, and the Civil Rights Era was born.

Just as we screwed up creating this country, we like to screw up ideas meant to be positive, and the acronym DEI is now the root of all bad things that take place. DEI is the reason your meal is not good. DEI is why the Cleveland Guardians haven’t won a World Series since 1948, and DEI is why a bridge collapsed into the Chesapeake Bay.

DEI is also why Okay History isn’t the most popular history newsletter. Saying DEI is the reason for bad things is annoying, which is also the fault of DEI.  

You get the picture.

Okay, let's highlight what else happened this week. As a reminder, these events celebrate their anniversary, ending in 5 or 0. Here's what I got:

1. John Jay died on May 17, 1829. Jay, the first Chief Justice of the United States, is a central but little-discussed Founding Framer. He served as the president of the Second Continental Congress, pushed to ratify the Constitution, and directed much of the country’s foreign policy. He died of a stroke at 83.

2. Same-sex marriages became legally recognized in Massachusetts on May 17, 2004. The Massachusetts State Supreme Court declared that marriages for only opposite-sex couples were unconstitutional and began the wave of making same-sex marriage legal across the country, which it did in 2015. In the same year, the Republic of Ireland passed amendments to its constitution, making it legal as well.

3. The first Academy Awards was held on May 16, 1929. The Academy of Motion Pictures and Science was founded in 1927 and honored movies made from 1927 to 1928. Two hundred fifty people watched for 15 minutes as silent movie star Douglas Fairbanks announced the winners. I’m not kidding - the show was 15 minutes long. My kinda of show!

Welcome to the new subscribers and those of you who have given financial support to Okay History. I love all of you and appreciate you being here. Thank you.

I had a great week last week and am looking forward to another one this week. Blue had a fantastic birthday weekend, during which he tried to bury his birthday treat under the couch and in one of his beds.

I hope your week is also great. Bury all the treats to have them for later. I’ll see you here on Friday.

Don’t forget to drop me a note if you need me to answer any questions.

Okay,

Chris

Blue walked around the house for twenty minutes, trying to bury this thing with no luck.