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Time of India
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Friday the 13th curse? Why this infamous day still terrifies millions across the globe
If you're feeling a strange tingle of doom this month, check your calendar; there's a Friday the 13th approaching. Some laugh it off, while others actually hide indoors. But fear of this day is more than just bad luck; it's rooted in history, myth, and some truly bizarre facts. Since the Middle Ages, when there were mass murders, people have believed in superstitions about this date. Whether rooted in fear or folklore, it continues to unsettle many around the world. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Classic Solitaire , Built for Desktop Play Solitaire Install Now Undo Why is Friday the 13th considered unlucky? "People begin referring to it as unfortunate without providing an explanation. According to Stephen Winick, a folklore specialist at the American Folklife Center at The Library of Congress, "you get all kinds of weird theories about why Friday the 13th is unlucky." Here are the reasons why Friday the 13th is a terrible day, as per reports by NPR and Reading Eagle. Live Events Some people believe that Friday the 13th is unlucky because Judas was the thirteenth guest at the Last Supper or because the Knights Templar were condemned on that day. However, experts are uncertain about the truth of those claims, according to a report. ALSO READ: iOS update sparks outrage: iPhone users call new interface a total eyesore and Apple's worst look yet Stephen Winick first encountered references to Friday the 13th being unlucky in French plays and literature. In the 1834 play Les Finesses des Gribouilles, a character states, "I was born on a Friday, December 13th, 1813 from which come all of my misfortunes." Marquis de Salvo discussed a father who killed his daughter on Friday the 13th in the French literary journal Revue de Paris, writing, "It is always Fridays and the number thirteen that bring bad luck ." Due to the fact that Friday was the day of crucifixion, Fridays have historically been regarded as unlucky days in the English-speaking world and most likely throughout Europe since the Middle Ages. Although the Bible doesn't say if the crucifixion happened on a Friday the 13th. Every Friday was a day of penance in the old Catholic tradition. Where did this superstition even come from? Since 13 was regarded as a lucky number because of its association with the 13 people at the Last Supper, the notion that it is an unlucky number only emerged in the 17th century. Such notions were outlawed as superstitious after the Reformation, and what was once regarded as a good number was now viewed as a bad one. Many people experience anxiety and fear on Friday the 13th, as some people think it's an axis of evil. As the evil Judas joined the twelve demigods of mythology, the Scandinavians considered 13 to be unlucky. It has been mentioned that the Last Supper had thirteen guests and that Christ was crucified on a Friday. Judas, one of the greatest villains in history, was the thirteenth guest. As there are 12 tribes in Israel, the number 12 is lucky, while the number 13 is unlucky. In Roman culture, witches were thought to congregate in groups of twelve, with a thirteenth witch being regarded as the devil. During the Middle Ages, when King Philip IV of France tortured thousands of Knights Templars as heretics, Friday the 13th became a day of superstition and terror. The date of this one-day torture was October 13, 1307. Chaucer alludes to Friday the 13th as a day of writer's block, and literature describes it as a day of spine-tingling bad luck. Since many public hangings occurred on Fridays, Friday is known as the Day of the Hangman and 13 is linked to the death penalty in British culture. It was bad luck for the person who had to make the last step of the gallows to meet the hangman. What are some real events tied to Friday the 13th? During World War I, avalanches brought on by heavy snowfall and an abrupt thaw killed thousands of soldiers in the Dolomites on Dec. 13, 1916, also known as White Friday. On October 13, 1972, a Russian airliner crashed close to Moscow, killing 174 people. Twelve people died instantly in an Andean plane crash, and survivors turned to cannibalism. On July 13, 1979, after a string of bad incidents, which included falling through a glass door, losing his job, and hurting his wife by accident, Bob Renphrey decided to stay in bed on Fridays the 13th going forward. A 13-year-old boy in Suffolk, England, was struck by lightning at 1:13 p.m. on August 13, 2010, but he miraculously survived unharmed. Due to their long-standing negative connotations, Friday and the number 13 can cause phobias in those who suffer from anxiety disorders. Ritualistic behaviours like eating garlic, hanging shoes outside windows, and going around a room thirteen times on Friday the 13th are examples of how this fear shows up. Due to these cultural and historical connotations, Friday and the number 13 are associated with fear and hatred. FAQs Was Friday the 13th always considered unlucky? No, superstition only became popular in the twentieth century. Previously, Fridays and the number 13 were considered unlucky individually, but not together. Has anything really bad happened on Friday the 13th? Yes, from tragic plane crashes to avalanche deaths during World War I, history has some chilling coincidences associated with the date.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
What is Flag Day and why do we celebrate it? What to know about the June holiday's history
While June brings several holidays, like Juneteenth and Father's Day, there's a more obscure holiday this Father's Day weekend. Flag Day lands on the Saturday before Father's Day this year, which is always the third Sunday in June. It isn't a federal holiday and most people in the U.S. don't get the day off of work, but most will this year, since it lands on a weekend day. Here's when Flag Day 2025 is, what it is, why it's observed and how it started. Flag Day, which is observed on the same day in June every year, falls on the day before Father's Day this year. Flag Day 2025 will fall this Saturday, June 14, and Father's Day is the next day, on Sunday, June 15. When is Father's Day 2025? Here's the date and origin story for the June holiday for dads Flag Day commemorates the day that the Continental Congress decided what the official American flag would look like: June 14, 1777. 'According to legend, in 1776, George Washington commissioned Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross to create a flag for the new nation,' The Library of Congress says. 'Scholars, however, credit the flag's design to Francis Hopkinson, who also designed the Great Seal and first coin of the United States. Even so, Ross most likely met Washington and certainly sewed early American flags in her family's Philadelphia upholstery shop.' According to the Library of Congress, there have been 27 different official versions of the American flag, with the arrangement of stars varying until President Taft standardized the flag to 48 stars in six rows of eight. The current version of the flag with all 50 stars was standardized on July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the 50th state on August 21, 1959. Yes. Flag Day is not a federal holiday and doesn't mean a break from work or normal government-funded operations like mail service when it falls on a weekday. But this year, those who don't work weekends will have the day off because it falls on a Saturday in 2025. Flag Day commemorates June 14, 1776, which is the day the Continental Congress agreed on what the nation's flag would look like. In 1916, President Wilson issued a proclamation of June 14 as Flag Day. And more than 30 years later, in 1949, President Truman signed a formal observance of the holiday into law. But the creation of Flag Day pre-dates Wilson's proclamation and started in the 1880s, with a school teacher in Waubeka, Wisconsin, a small town about 35 miles outside of Milwaukee. 'On June 14, 1885, Bernard J. Cigrand, an 18-year-old Waubeka native teaching at Stony Hill School, put a flag in his inkwell and assigned his students an essay about what the flag means to them,' PBS says. 'Cigrand left the next year for dental school in Chicago, but he never gave up his advocacy for a national day dedicated to the flag. Cigrand realized his dream in 1916 when Wilson issued his proclamation.' Yes! Flag Day shares a date with the birth of the U.S. Army, which pre-dates the decision of what the American flag would look like by two years. "According to U.S. Army history reports, on June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress authorized the formation of 10 companies from Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia to march to Boston to support the war against England for independence and put it under the command of General George Washington a few days later on June 19, 1775," according to Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA), the Department of Defense's largest military installation. "This army was known as the Army of the United Colonies until its name was changed to the Army of the United States after the Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776." This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Flag Day this Father's Day weekend: What to know about the obscure holiday
Black America Web
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Soul Brothers: 10 Black Male Singers We Lost This Decade
Christian Rose It never gets easy saying goodbye to the music icons of our culture. Some singers we lost prematurely, either right before they were about to show us their best talents or in the midst of their rise to the top of the charts. Others actually got the chance to live fruitful lives and reach an apex in their career that gives their posthumous legend status merit. Either way, the loss is felt immensely each time. 10 years ago to the day (May 14), we experienced just that when blues legend B.B. King tragically passed away from vascular dementia after suffering a handful of small strokes resulting from his type 2 diabetes. The only thing that makes it bittersweet is that he left us peacefully in his sleep. No matter how long it's been, the world will forever remember the name B.B. King. RELATED: RIP: Black Singers Who Died in the Last 10 Years There aren't many musicians who can make claim to what King was able to accomplish in his 89 years of life. He's released a whopping 48 studio albums that span from his debut LP in 1957 to the final one released during his lifetime in 2008, which went on to win the GRAMMY for 'Best Traditional Blues Album' back in 2009. Speaking of GRAMMY trophies, the guy has an impressive 15 wins under his belt that range from 'Best Male R&B Vocal Performance,' his first one back in 1970, to the six times he won in the aforementioned 'Best Traditional Blues Album' category. His accolades also include a Blues Hall of Fame induction in 1980, getting added to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement that same year, Kennedy Center Honors in 1995 and, while he was still alive, a Living Legend Medal from The Library of Congress at the turn of the century just to name a very small few of his honorific achievements. Although 'the thrill is gone' when it comes to having King here in the physical, we will always remember the music he gave us and the inspiration as a Black male in music who defied the odds and became extraordinary. Reminiscing on the 10-year anniversary of a fallen icon had us thinking about a handful of other male soul singers who we lost over the last 10 years. From the ones who are still living in our hearts and on our airwaves to a few that may be a bit more unsung, we implore you to look these men up and their timeless music if you truly want to put yourself onto greatness. We miss each of them in a way that's unique to what each fella contributed to the culture, and we can only hope this continues their respective legacies. SEE ALSO Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Book about the History of the Library of Congress from Jefferson's Vision to the Digital Age, published in partnership with the Library of Congress
"An impressive and well-written introduction to a unique and important American institution whose fascinating history is still relatively unknown. General readers will appreciate Aikin's compelling historical anecdotes. Scholars and future historians will find the scope and depth of her analysis both authoritative and valuable, along with her rich documentation." —John Y. Cole, Library of Congress historian, 2016–21 WASHINGTON, May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Library of Congress is the research arm of Congress, home of the US Copyright Office, and a public forum for artistic and literary culture. It is generally considered the national library of the United States, and it has influenced cultural affairs worldwide in myriad ways since its founding more than two centuries ago. In The Library of Congress, Jane Aikin draws on a wealth of primary and secondary sources to weave a narrative of the individuals, events, and controversies that have shaped the history of this venerable institution. Punctuated by stories about key donors and pivotal performances by poets, authors, and celebrities, this engaging and informative narrative sheds new light on the world's largest library and its global impact on knowledge and culture. Jane Aikin served as director of the Research Division at the National Endowment for the Humanities. Her publications include The Nation's Great Library: Herbert Putnam and the Library of Congress, 1899–1939 (1993) and, as coeditor with John Y. Cole, Encyclopedia of the Library of Congress: For Congress, the Nation & the World (2005). Media Contact Stephanie Rojas, Georgetown UP, 202.687.9298, View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The Library of Congress Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Cinco de Mayo is a bigger deal in the U.S. than in Mexico. Here's why, holiday's history
Cinco de Mayo, a day often confused for Mexico's Independence Day, is next week. To many Americans, the fifth of May is a day for discounted tacos and margaritas and is often punctuated with cheesy, Americanized versions of traditional Mexican accessories – like ponchos and sombreros. But what does the holiday really commemorate? And who actually celebrates it? Here's a quick breakdown of the history of Cinco de Mayo, when it falls in 2025 and why it's celebrated more in the U.S. than it is in its country of origin. In Spanish, 'Cinco de Mayo' means 'Fifth of May.' The day is an anniversary of a battle in Puebla, Mexico, not Mexico's Independence Day. The day celebrates and commemorates the Mexican army's victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, more than 50 years after Mexico was liberated from Spanish rule. This didn't mark the end of French forces in Mexico, though, as the French would later set out to recapture Puebla and successfully capture Mexico City in 1863. Cinco de Mayo is important to Mexicans, specifically those in Puebla, but it isn't Mexico's Independence Day, which falls in September. Today, Cinco de Mayo is more celebrated in the U.S. than it is in Mexico and is a day for Americans and Mexican-Americans to honor Mexican culture and heritage as a whole. What is Cinco de Mayo? What to know about the holiday in New York This year, Cinco de Mayo falls on a Monday. Cinco de Mayo 2025 will be next Monday, May 5. As mentioned above, Cinco de Mayo commemorates a specific battle in Mexico's fight for independence, but it doesn't mark the day the country became independent from colonization. By the time May 5, 1862 came, Mexico had already been liberated from Spain. 'Early on the morning of September 16, 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla summoned the largely Indian and mestizo congregation of his small Dolores parish church and urged them to take up arms and fight for Mexico's independence from Spain,' according to The Library of Congress. 'His El Grito de Dolores, or Cry of Dolores, which was spoken — not written — is commemorated on September 16 as Mexican Independence Day.' Many countries in Central America celebrate their independence days in September, which is also the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month. Mexico celebrates its liberation from Spanish rule and Independence Day on Sept. 16, which is a Tuesday this year. Many in the U.S. see Cinco de Mayo as a day to drink tequila, party and maybe eat some tacos. But the American celebration of the day has much deeper roots than a day to party, and started as a day of resistance. 'The celebration of Cinco de Mayo began as a form of resistance to the effects of the Mexican-American War in the late 19th century. The holiday gained popularity during the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s,' USA TODAY reported on Cinco de Mayo 2023. Like with many other minor holidays in the U.S. (Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Mother's Day, etc.), it only took a decade or so to morph into a highly commercialized opportunity for big companies to rake in some extra cash. 'By the 1980s, companies began commercializing the holiday, especially by beer companies and restaurants that will offer Cinco de Mayo specials and cocktails.' Taco Bell has yet to announce how they're celebrating Cinco de Mayo this year, but last year the chain ran a deal for loyalty rewards members to get five tacos for $5 on the holiday. Tex-Mex chain Chuy's is celebrating big this year, with deals on food and drinks all day on Monday, May 5. Here's what Chuy's is offering customers on Monday, May 5: 'On 5/5 we're offering deals on our house rocks and frozen 'ritas (Lime, Strawberry, Swirl or Dot only). Order a Regular House 'Rita for $6 or start big with a Grande House 'Rita for $10 and keep the giveaway cup, while supplies last! You can also level up our world famous 'ritas with $1 floaters all day long — that's an extra pour of tequila, Cointreau or Grand Marnier. On top of that we're doing $5 Chips 'N' Dips all day on Monday 5/5! Choose from Queso, Queso Compuesto, Lil' Chuy Gooey or the Boom-Boom Pow.' Tijuana Flats, another Tex-Mex restaurant chain, has also not yet announced its plans for Cinco de Mayo 2025, but offered a ton of deals last year. For Cinco de Mayo 2024, the restaurant chain had a $5 menu that included the Tijuana Trio, chips and queso or guac, two-for-$5 beers, two-for-$5 Mexican Cokes and Jarritos, two-for-$5 street tacos with chips and more. Moe's Southwest Grill is celebrating this year by giving away a free side of queso with the purchase of an entree, along with the opportunity to win a free T-shirt. Chili's Cinco de Mayo deal this year is for tequila lovers. On Monday, May 5 only, participating locations will be offering margarita specials and a $5 Tequila Trifecta, with El Jimador Silver, 1800 Reposado and Jose Cuervo Gold with Triple Sec and house-made sour. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Cinco de Mayo 2025: Why it's more celebrated in the U.S.
