Public History Magazine

This exhibition is meant to provide some history to the current war between Russia and Ukraine. Through pictures, we will look at how Russia and Ukraine got to this point, and why two countries that share historic and cultural ties become entangled in a conflict never before seen in Europe since the Kosovo War.  For almost a year, Russia has been invading Ukraine territory. Most people in the west condemned Russia as an aggressor for inflicting war on Ukraine. The US and EU sanctioned Russia, called Putin a war criminal and shut down the Nord stream pipeline through Ukraine, creating an energy crisis, and seeing soaring gas prices. The United States have sent millions of dollars in cash and weaponry, beefing up Ukraine’s defenses in a new proxy war that threatens nuclear war. But no one understands the causes of this conflict that has involved the western world.  I n modern history, Russia and Ukraine were both part of and founding members of the Soviet Union. Ukraine was...

  Nathan Harrison came from humble beginnings as he was born into slavery in Kentucky in the 1830s. Despite this though, Harrison would go on to gain his freedom and move to Southern California where he would become a San Diego legend. While researching virtual museum exhibits, I came across an exhibit from the San Diego History Center dedicated to telling Harrison’s unique life story. The organization created the exhibit to memorialize Harrison and explain how he was able to create a life for himself as an African American man living in a very dangerous region. The exhibit was presented by the Parker Foundation and Una Davis and Jack McGrory, with both groups being staples in the San Diego community. The Parker Foundation was formed in 1971 by Inez Grant Parker after the death of her husband Gerald T. Parker, and the organization would become a key fixture in San Diego. A 2022 news report on the Parkers for the KC Independent described the organization's contributions to San Die...