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Loving - The Movie. A beautiful portrayal of a forgotten civil rights story

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Ruth Negga (2 nd from right) stars as Mildred and Joel Edgerton (right) stars as Richard in Jeff Nichols LOVING, a Focus Features release. Credit : Ben Rothstein / Focus Features   Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving grew up in the rural unincorporated town of Central Point, Virginia. They met in high school, spent time together, and eventually, when Mildred became pregnant, decided to marry. But this was the 1950’s and Mildred was African American and Richard was white. Virginia had anti-miscegenation laws which made their marriage illegal. How did these two young people get beyond Jim Crow and fall in love? Well that had a lot to with Central Point VA. Central Point was and is still a very rural area. At a distance of about 90 miles south east from Washington DC it was community with a history of poor farmers, black and white, ignoring the rules of segregation, living together. According to a 2012 article in the Washington Post , Central Point and Caroline Count...

Explore Tucson Arizona walking its Turquoise Trail

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  I have always enjoy walking through cities, exploring their history and enjoying the way they are today. In Tucson, Arizona, the Presidio Museum and Visit Tucson have put together an excellent self-guided walking tour of the city’s historic downtown area. The Turquoise Trail is a 2.5 mile loop through several neighborhood’s in the center of Tucson. The guide map for the tour is available for $2 at several locations in the area. The route is mostly flat and fully wheelchair/ADA accessible.  The first stop on the tour is the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum. In 1775, the Spanish Army founded a fort (presidio) near the Santa Cruz River. When construction was finished the fort covered about 450,00 Sq Ft (40,000 m2) with adobe walls that were 10 feet high. The Presidio San Agustín marked the western edge of Spain’s control in Arizona, and it played an active role until the U.S. took control of the area in 1856, when it was torn down. Seguaro Cacti innards line the ceiling ...

Tucson, Arizona: 4th Ave Shopping and Holiday Fair

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  Tucson, Arizona is the state’s second largest city. It is on the banks of the Santa Cruz River, a place where native tribes have lived and visited for over 12,000 years. On my first day in town I decided to visit its Fourth Avenue shopping corridor, for its annual holiday fair. The southern end of Fourth Avenue is a shopping district with a long (for Tucson) history. Today it offers shops that contribute to its funky feel. You will find consignment and second-hand shops, along with stores that sell local crafts and jewelry. Mixed in are many restaurants, offering food at all prices. You can find tacos, coffee shops, bars, an old fashioned Italian restaurant, and even a place that sells decent New York style pizza by the slice.  Every December, Fourth Ave. holds a holiday craft fair. Artists and crafts people from throughout the region (and beyond) come and sell their wares. It is a big draw and worth checking out if you are in the area. So, when you are in Tucson, make sure ...