February 27 - A piece of American history
POLAR BEAR DAY - celebrates the world's largest carnivore. Need some ideas on how to celebrate today? Tops on my list is visiting the local zoo to see live polar bears.
"An American has not seen the United States until he has seen Mardi-Gras in New Orleans." — Mark Twain
- FEBRUARY 27,1827 - A group of masked and costumed students dance through the streets of NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, marking the beginning of the city’s famous MARDI GRAS celebrations.
The celebration of Carnival–or the weeks between Twelfth Night on January 6 and Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Christian period of Lent–spread from Rome across Europe and later to the Americas. Nowhere in the United States is Carnival celebrated as grandly as in New Orleans, famous for its over-the-top parades and parties for Mardi Gras (or Fat Tuesday), the last day of the Carnival season.
Though early French settlers brought the tradition of Mardi Gras to Louisiana at the end of the 17th century, Spanish governors of the province later banned the celebrations. After Louisiana became part of the United States in 1803, New Orleanians managed to convince the city council to lift the ban on wearing masks and partying in the streets. The city’s new Mardi Gras tradition BEGAN in 1827 when the group of students, inspired by their experiences studying in Paris, donned masks and jester costumes and staged their own Fat Tuesday festivities.
- FEBRUARY 27, 1922 - In Washington, D.C., the 19th AMENDMENT to the U.S. Constitution, providing for FEMALE SUFFRAGE, is unanimously declared constitutional by the eight members of the U.S. Supreme Court.
The 19th Amendment, which stated that “the right of citizens of the United States to VOTE shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex,” was the product of over seven decades of meetings, petitions, and protests by women suffragists and their supporters.
In 1916, the Democratic and Republican parties endorsed female enfranchisement, and on June 4, 1919, the 19th Amendment was passed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment, achieving the required three-fourths majority of state ratification, and on August 26 the 19th Amendment officially took effect.