Latest news with #history
CBS News
8 hours ago
- General
- CBS News
Minnesotans celebrate Juneteenth through food, music and history lessons
Across Minnesota, communities came together to celebrate a day that's more than a holiday, but the heartbeat of freedom. Juneteenth, now recognized as a federal holiday, is more than a day off; it's an important reminder of freedom delayed but never denied. It marks the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Texas learned they were free. In south Minneapolis, people gathered for food and music as children jumped Double Dutch. In north Minneapolis, there was a parade full of excitement. But at Historic Fort Snelling, people took a different approach. More than 400 people took a guided tour on the grounds where slavery once existed. Dred and Harriet Scott lived and labored there in the 1830s. A man whose fight for freedom was one of the most infamous Supreme Court decisions, where the courts denied Black people freedom. For Loretta Kennedy and her family, it was crucial to book the tour. "Everybody needs to know their name and who they were," Kennedy said. "If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be here." It's a day filled with love and rooted in history and hope.
CNA
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
East Asia Tonight - Thu 19 Jun 2025
48:55 Min Spotlight on East Asia, a region steeped in history and now helping to write the future of our world. We'll break down the key stories and explain why they matter. East Asia Tonight About the show: 'East Asia Tonight' shines a spotlight on a region steeped in history and now helping to write the future of our world. Greater China, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula have economic and political might, and are major drivers of daily news and business. We'll break down the key stories and explain why they matter.
Globe and Mail
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Napoleon's iconic bicorne hat and personal treasures expected to fetch millions in Paris
After Hollywood's Napoleon exposed the legendary emperor to a new generation, more than 100 relics – which shaped empires, broke hearts and spawned centuries of fascination – are on display in Paris ahead of what experts call one of the most important Napoleonic auctions ever staged. His battered military hat. A sleeve from his red velvet coat. Even the divorce papers that ended one of history's most tormented romances – with Josephine, the empress who haunted him to the end. Two centuries after his downfall, Napoleon remains both revered and controversial in France – but above all, unavoidable. Polls have shown that many admire his vision and achievements, while others condemn his wars and authoritarian rule. Nearly all agree his legacy still shapes the nation. 'These are not just museum pieces. They're fragments of a life that changed history,' said Louis-Xavier Joseph, Sotheby's head of European furniture, who helped assemble the trove. 'You can literally hold a piece of Napoleon's world in your hand.' The auction – aiming to make in excess of €7-million (roughly $11-million) – is a biography in objects. The centrepiece is Napoleon's iconic bicorne hat, the black felt chapeau he wore in battle – with wings parallel to his shoulders – so soldiers and enemies could spot him instantly through the gunpowder haze. 'Put a bicorne on a table, and people think of Napoleon immediately,' Mr. Joseph said. 'It's like the laurel crown of Julius Caesar.' The hat is estimated to sell for more than half a million dollars. For all the pageantry – throne, swords, the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honor – the auction's true power comes from its intimacy. It includes the handwritten codicil of Napoleon's final will, composed in paranoia and illness on St. Helena. There is the heartbreakingly personal: the red portfolio that once contained his divorce decree from Josephine, the religious marriage certificate that formalized their love and a dressing table designed for the empress. Her famed mirror reflects the ambition and tragedy of their alliance. 'Napoleon was a great lover; his letters that he wrote are full of fervour, of love, of passion,' Mr. Joseph said. 'It was also a man who paid attention to his image. Maybe one of the first to be so careful of his image, both public and private.' The auction's timing is cinematic. The 2023 biopic grossed more than US$220-million worldwide and reanimated Napoleon's myth for a TikTok generation hungry for stories of ambition, downfall and doomed romance. The auction preview is open to the public, running through June 24, with the auction set for June 25. Not far from the Arc de Triomphe monument dedicated to the general's victories, Djamal Oussedik, 22, shrugged: 'Everyone grows up with Napoleon, for better or worse. Some people admire him, others blame him for everything. But to see his hat and his bed, you remember he was a real man, not just a legend.' 'You can't escape him, even if you wanted to. He's part of being French,' said teacher Laure Mallet, 51. The exhibition is a spectacle crafted by celebrity designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, famed for dressing Lady Gaga and Pope John Paul II. 'I wanted to electrify history,' Mr. Castelbajac said. 'This isn't a mausoleum, it's a pop-culture installation. Today's collectors buy a Napoleon artifact the way they'd buy a guitar from Jimi Hendrix. They want a cabinet of curiosities.' He's filled the show with fog, hypnotic music and immersive rooms. One is inspired by the camouflage colours of Fontainebleau. Another is anchored by Napoleon's legendary folding bed. 'I create the fog in the entrance of the Sotheby's building because the elements of nature were an accomplice to Napoleon's strategy,' the designer said. Mr. Castelbajac, who said his ancestor fought in Napoleon's Russian campaign, brought a personal touch. 'I covered the emperor's bed in original canvas. You can feel he was just alone, facing all he had built. There's a ghostly presence.' He even created something Napoleon only dreamed of. 'Napoleon always wanted a green flag instead of the blue, white, red Tricolour of the revolution,' he said, smiling. 'He never got one. So I made it for Sotheby's.'
Al Arabiya
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Al Arabiya
Napoleon's World Is on Display for a Landmark Auction, From Divorce Papers to His Iconic Hat
After the Hollywood epic Napoleon exposed the legendary emperor to a new generation two years ago, over 100 relics – which shaped empires, broke hearts, and spawned centuries of fascination – are on display in Paris ahead of what experts call one of the most important Napoleonic auctions ever staged. His battered military hat. A sleeve from his red velvet coat. Even the divorce papers that ended one of history's most tormented romances – with Josephine, the empress who haunted him to the end. Two centuries after his downfall, Napoleon remains both revered and controversial in France – but above all, unavoidable. Polls have shown that many admire his vision and achievements, while others condemn his wars and authoritarian rule. Nearly all agree his legacy still shapes the nation. 'These are not just museum pieces. They're fragments of a life that changed history,' said Louis-Xavier Joseph, Sotheby's head of European furniture, who helped assemble the trove. 'You can literally hold a piece of Napoleon's world in your hand.' From battlefields to boudoirs, the auction – aiming to make in excess of 7 million euros (7.5 million) – is a biography in objects. The centerpiece is Napoleon's iconic bicorne hat, the black felt chapeau he wore in battle – with wings parallel to his shoulders – so soldiers and enemies could spot him instantly through the gunpowder haze. 'Put a bicorne on a table and people think of Napoleon immediately,' Joseph said. 'It's like the laurel crown of Julius Caesar.' The hat is estimated to sell for at least over half a million dollars. For all the pageantry – throne, swords, the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honor – the auction's true power comes from its intimacy. It includes the handwritten codicil of Napoleon's final will, composed in paranoia and illness on Saint Helena. There is the heartbreakingly personal: the red portfolio that once contained his divorce decree from Josephine, the religious marriage certificate that formalized their love, and a dressing table designed for the empress. Her famed mirror reflects the ambition and tragedy of their alliance. 'Napoleon was a great lover; his letters that he wrote are full of fervor, of love, of passion,' Joseph said. 'It was also a man who paid attention to his image. Maybe one of the first to be so careful of his image, both public and private.' The auction's timing is cinematic. The recent biopic grossed over 220 million worldwide and reanimated Napoleon's myth for a TikTok generation hungry for stories of ambition, downfall, and doomed romance. The auction preview is open to the public, running through June 24, with the auction set for June 25. Not far from the Arc de Triomphe, a monument dedicated to the general's victories, Djamal Oussedik, 22, shrugged: 'Everyone grows up with Napoleon, for better or worse. Some people admire him, others blame him for everything. But to see his hat and his bed, you remember he was a real man, not just a legend.' 'You can't escape him even if you wanted to. He's part of being French,' said teacher Laure Mallet, 51. The exhibition is a spectacle crafted by celebrity designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, famed for dressing Lady Gaga and Pope John Paul II. 'I wanted to electrify history,' Castelbajac said. 'This isn't a mausoleum; it's a pop culture installation. Today's collectors buy a Napoleon artifact the way they'd buy a guitar from Jimi Hendrix. They want a cabinet of curiosities.' He's filled the show with fog, hypnotic music, and immersive rooms. One is inspired by the camouflage colors of Fontainebleau. Another is anchored by Napoleon's legendary folding bed. 'I create the fog in the entrance of the Sotheby's building because the elements of nature were an accomplice to Napoleon's strategy,' the designer said. Castelbajac, who said his ancestor fought in Napoleon's Russian campaign, brought a personal touch. 'I covered the emperor's bed in original canvas. You can feel he was just alone, facing all he had built. There's a ghostly presence.' He even created something Napoleon only dreamed of. 'Napoleon always wanted a green flag instead of the blue, white, and red tricolor of the revolution,' he said, smiling. 'He never got one. So I made it for Sotheby's.'
Washington Post
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Napoleon's world is on display for a landmark auction, from divorce papers to his iconic hat
PARIS — After the Hollywood epic 'Napoleon' exposed the legendary emperor to a new generation two years ago, over 100 relics — which shaped empires, broke hearts and spawned centuries of fascination — are on display in Paris ahead of what experts call one of the most important Napoleonic auctions ever staged. His battered military hat. A sleeve from his red velvet coat. Even the divorce papers that ended one of history's most tormented romances — with Josephine, the empress who haunted him to the end. Two centuries after his downfall, Napoleon remains both revered and controversial in France — but above all, unavoidable. Polls have shown that many admire his vision and achievements, while others condemn his wars and authoritarian rule. Nearly all agree his legacy still shapes the nation. 'These are not just museum pieces. They're fragments of a life that changed history,' said Louis-Xavier Joseph, Sotheby's head of European furniture, who helped assemble the trove. 'You can literally hold a piece of Napoleon's world in your hand.' The auction — aiming to make in excess of 7 million euros ($7.5 million) — is a biography in objects. The centerpiece is Napoleon's iconic bicorne hat, the black felt chapeau he wore in battle — with wings parallel to his shoulders — so soldiers and enemies could spot him instantly through the gunpowder haze. 'Put a bicorne on a table, and people think of Napoleon immediately,' Joseph said. 'It's like the laurel crown of Julius Caesar.' The hat is estimated to sell for at least over half a million dollars. For all the pageantry — throne, swords, the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honor — the auction's true power comes from its intimacy. It includes the handwritten codicil of Napoleon's final will, composed in paranoia and illness on Saint Helena. There is the heartbreakingly personal: the red portfolio that once contained his divorce decree from Josephine, the religious marriage certificate that formalized their love and a dressing table designed for the empress. Her famed mirror reflects the ambition and tragedy of their alliance. 'Napoleon was a great lover; his letters that he wrote are full of fervor, of love, of passion,' Joseph said. 'It was also a man who paid attention to his image. Maybe one of the first to be so careful of his image, both public and private.' The auction's timing is cinematic. The recent biopic grossed over $220 million worldwide and reanimated Napoleon's myth for a TikTok generation hungry for stories of ambition, downfall and doomed romance. The auction preview is open to the public, running through June 24, with the auction set for June 25. Not far from the Arc de Triomphe monument dedicated to the general's victories, Djamal Oussedik, 22, shrugged: 'Everyone grows up with Napoleon, for better or worse. Some people admire him, others blame him for everything. But to see his hat and his bed, you remember he was a real man, not just a legend.' 'You can't escape him, even if you wanted to. He's part of being French,' said teacher Laure Mallet, 51. The exhibition is a spectacle crafted by celebrity designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, famed for dressing Lady Gaga and Pope John Paul II. 'I wanted to electrify history,' Castelbajac said. 'This isn't a mausoleum, it's a pop culture installation. Today's collectors buy a Napoleon artifact the way they'd buy a guitar from Jimi Hendrix. They want a cabinet of curiosities.' He's filled the show with fog, hypnotic music and immersive rooms. One is inspired by the camouflage colors of Fontainebleau. Another is anchored by Napoleon's legendary folding bed. 'I create the fog in the entrance of the Sotheby's building because the elements of nature were an accomplice to Napoleon's strategy,' the designer said. Castelbajac, who said his ancestor fought in Napoleon's Russian campaign, brought a personal touch. 'I covered the emperor's bed in original canvas. You can feel he was just alone, facing all he had built. There's a ghostly presence.' He even created something Napoleon only dreamed of. 'Napoleon always wanted a green flag instead of the blue, white, red tricolore of the revolution,' he said, smiling. 'He never got one. So I made it for Sotheby's.'
