National History Bee and Bowl 2018

By Jeff Burns

My quiz bowl team was pretty good this year, and I was fortunate to have several strong history students on it, most of them seniors. At a Georgia qualifier for the National History Bee and Bowl, we did very well, winning the varsity team bowl championship, and all four players qualified individually to compete in the National History Bee.  The National History Bowl and Bee competitions are held in Washington DC on the last weekend of April.  Long story short, things fell together financially so that we could afford the trip, and we decided to compete in the Nationals for the first time.

The Bowl competition, in which teams of 4 compete to answer questions covering all areas of history, in other words anything and everything, takes place on Saturday.  The Bee, in which individuals answer questions, takes place on Sunday. We flew from Atlanta to Washington Thursday morning and planned to spend Thursday afternoon and Friday for sightseeing.

First stop after checking into the hotel was the National Museum of African-American History, which none of us had seen.  Unable to secure tickets in advance, I had to rely on the daily tickets released at 6:30 AM (and usually snatched up by 6:35). Success! The Museum is phenomenal…I think.  Unfortunately, the museum was so uncomfortably crowded that it made seeing anything impossible. I have never felt so claustrophobic in my life.  It might be a few years before I attempt another visit.

That evening, we took a small group bus tour of the city and the monuments.  This was a lot of fun. One word of caution though:  In April and May, Washington is besieged by thousands and thousands of students, mostly 8^th graders, on school trips.

We spent Friday on a whirlwind tour of the other Smithsonians: Air and Space, Natural History, and American History.  Exhausting but awesome.

Then, competition days.  I was proud of my guys’ performances in both the Bowl and the Bee.  They performed very respectably for our first Nationals foray, just missing playoffs.  We had time Sunday afternoon before our flight home, so we went to the National Gallery for a last rush of culture and history.

All in all, it was a great weekend.  We were all exhausted, but I think we all had a lot of fun too.  It was a great sendoff for the three seniors, and the sophomore on the team was excited and making plans for next year.

Traveling with History: Memphis

By Nina Kendall

Looking for a different vacation destination? Want to immerse yourself in history? Then Memphis is a great choice for you. Memphis is the heart of the Mid-South. The position of the city on the banks of the Mississippi River creates a unique mix of agrarian tradition and economic opportunity. This city was the site of battle in the Civil War and the birthplace of Rock’ n Roll. When you visit, you will find something for everyone to enjoy.

Here are a few great places to visit:

Memphis Rock-N-Soul Museum is a fascinating Smithsonian affiliated museum with a personal audio tour. You begin with a movie and then walk through the history of music in Memphis. With each exhibit you can choose from audio narration and musical selections to enhance the exhibits. The exhibits tell the story of modern music, the role of radio in its development, and how the community was impacted by the opportunities. Learn about the challenges musicians faced and the unique way they were addressed in Memphis. You can spend hours listening to music and enjoying the exhibits.

The Memphis Rock-N-Soul Museum is one of many music attractions in the area. It is across the street from the Gibson Guitar factory which you can tour. It is also a few blocks from Beale Street the famous Music District in Memphis. Here you can here live music, visit Dyer’s Burgers, and see the statue of W.C. Handy. If you are willing to drive a little further, you can even visit Graceland.

Sun Studio is one of the most famous recording studios in the history of American music.  Here you can see the artifacts of the studio and hear early Elvis recordings. In this little building you can find the history of the million dollar quartet and the birth of rock-n-roll. From DJ booth to recording studio, you can see all parts of the story.

National Civil Rights Museum is a museum built on the site of the Lorraine Motel. Here you can learn about the movement for Civil Rights and follow the events surrounding the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr and the pursuit of James Earl Ray. You can stand in the room James Earl Ray rented and visit the room occupied by Dr. King. Interactive exhibits combine text, images and audio to immerse you in the tragedy of the place and the victories of the movement.

The Pink Palace is a museum that features both natural and cultural history of the region. You can enjoy moving dinosaurs on the ground floor before strolling through a replica Piggly Wiggly on the second floor.  You can walk through the history of the region. See a Model T and view the dress of a former Cotton Queen. What do you think your favorite exhibit will be/?

Of course, no visit to Memphis would be complete without a chance to enjoy the Mississippi River. Memphis has some great options. You can drive down to the banks of the river to take a picture, visit Mud Island River Park and Mississippi River Museum, or even choose to take a river cruise.

Visit a Natural History Museum

By Nina Kendall

Want to get your kids hooked on history? Planning a trip with friends or family who isn’t as excited about history as you? Then it is time put a visit to a Natural History Museum on your calendar. From Mastodons to precious gems, a Natural History Museum has exhibits that appeal to all ages.

I love Natural History Museums. They are adventures and learning combined. Who hasn’t stood in awe in front of the Hope Diamond or marveled at the skeleton of an Argentinosaurus? My little brother fell in love with museums spending time in front of dinosaur skeletons and placing his hands inside fossil impressions. The exhibits from the natural world with a focus on change over time are the perfect blend of science and history to intrigue anyone.

 Inside a Natural History Museum, you can learn the history of DNA and stand in the shadow of a Giant Snake.  The movie Night in a Museum was based on the exhibits in the American Museum of Natural History. Some exhibits highlighted how different cultures around the world interact with the environment or other showed the exploration of the American frontier.  Special exhibits in Natural History Museums have given me the chance to pet a hissing cockroach, see the treasures of King Tut's tomb, and trace the travels of Marco Polo and Genghis Khan. 

Below are a few Natural History Museums you should consider as destinations. I recommend you do a little planning before you go. Each of these museums has theaters and expansive exhibits. You may want to look at the special events or activities planned for the day you plan to visit.

1.  American Museum of Natural History -New York, New York
2.  Field Museum – Chicago, Illinois
3.  Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History  - Washington, DC
4.  Fernbank Museum of Natural History - Atlanta, Georgia