‘'I Humbly Beg Your Speedy Answer'' Review: Instruction Fit to Print
One of the lessons of ''I Humbly Beg Your Speedy Answer,'' Mary Beth Norton's delightful compendium of 17th-century advice to the lovelorn, is a sobering one to us today: Things that we think are binary and absolute have, historically, often been neither. Take marriage. Today you are either married or you are not. Those are the only possibilities. Yet for much of European history, until well into the 18th century in many places, being a little-bit married was routine.
Marriage, under this conception, wasn't a one-time event. It was a process. There were usually four stages, all of them irreversible. First, a couple made a formal vow or commitment to each other to marry. Then came a public agreement and exchanging of tokens—typically a ring or a split coin. Then there was the ceremony and, finally, the consummation, or sexual congress.
Because of this staggered process, it was possible to be in a marriage but not fully married. A 17th-century couple could, for instance, have made vows but skipped the religious ceremony, in which case their marriage would be legally considered 'valid but not legitimate.' If vows had been exchanged but parental consent withheld, the couple was in the awkward position of being neither married nor permitted to marry anyone else. Ever.
Into this odd (to us) situation entered the genre now called advice-writing, the earliest example of which was found in the Athenian Gazette, or Casuistical Mercury, more commonly known as the Athenian Mercury. In ''I Humbly Beg Your Speedy Answer,'' Ms. Norton, a professor emerita of American history at Cornell University, brilliantly selects the most compelling—or bizarre—examples from this broadsheet, which John Dunton, a London printer, started in 1691. Dunton designed the paper to appeal to the customers of coffee shops, novel establishments where men met to sip that 'newfangled drink,' smoke and gossip. With two friends—including Samuel Wesley, the father of John and Charles Wesley, founders of Methodism—Dunton dreamed up 'the question project': Readers could anonymously write in with questions on any topic, and answers would be provided in subsequent editions. The first call for questions evoked such a huge mailbag that the weekly broadsheet quickly began to appear twice a week.
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National Geographic
2 hours ago
- National Geographic
These U.S. national parks and monuments honor the milestones of LGBTQ+ heritage
In the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City, the Gay Liberation Monument in Christopher Park near the Stonewall Inn pays homage to the historically pivotal Stonewall Rebellion, which included prominent gay rights activists including Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. Photograph by Ed Rooney, Alamy Stock Photo See the country's past through a distinctly queer lens at these National Park Service-managed destinations. Just as it turned 100 in 2016, America's National Park Service (NPS) began to officially recognize the contributions that LGBTQ+ Americans have made to the rich and diverse history of the United States. Given the groundbreaking importance of New York City's Stonewall Inn to global queer history, the National Park Service (NPS) fittingly named New York City's Stonewall National Monument as its first site dedicated to preserving LGBTQ+ heritage. Since then, several other NPS sites nationwide have been acknowledged both officially and unofficially for their important ties to the queer past. Stretched across the country and spanning many eras, these places tell inspirational stories of bravery and individualism that deepen our understanding of American history. All free to the public, visits to the following six NPS-managed sites illuminate legacies not just of LGBTQ+ America, but of America itself. Stonewall National Monument, New York City On a warm summer night in 1969, long-brewing tensions between New York's LGBTQ+ community and its police force finally came to a boil. In the face of yet another NYPD raid on Greenwich Village's Stonewall Inn in the early morning hours of June 28, frustrated bar-goers had finally had enough, and they put up a collective fight. The Stonewall rebellion raged on for days and swelled across the Village, marking the birth of the modern queer movement and making legends out of key participants like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. 'Stonewall was about the fundamental right to live authentically,' says Ann Marie Gothard, co-founder of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center. 'That spirit of resistance and the demand for equality still exist today. Stonewall serves as a reminder that progress isn't given, it is continually fought for. It also serves as a powerful reminder that we all stand on the shoulders of previous generations.' Established in 2016, the Stonewall National Monument became the first of its kind dedicated specifically to American LGBTQ+ rights and history. In addition to the Stonewall Inn, the monument encompasses Christopher Park and several surrounding streets where the 1969 riots took place. The interpretive Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center opened last year and includes innovative exhibits like the Mothers of STAR AR Experience, which brings trans and queer icons like Johnson and Rivera back into the Stonewall space. 'Through the Visitor Center, we hope to connect contemporary queer individuals to history while fostering a sense of belonging and community, prompting a call to action for continued progress toward full equality and acceptance for all,' says Gothard. Good to know: The Stonewall Visitor Center at 51 Christopher Street offers extended June opening hours for Pride month, Monday to Wednesday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Regular opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (See 100 years of LGBTQ history mapped across New York City.) Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi Visitors explore the Illinois State Memorial, based on Rome's Pantheon, at Vicksburg National Military Park in Miss. Although in secret, LGBTQ+ people served in the American Civil War, including transgender soldier Albert Cashier, who fought in Vicksburg and the Battle of Nashville. Photograph by Aaron Huey, Nat Geo Image Collection Waged for over six weeks in mid-1863, the Siege of Vicksburg in western Mississippi was one of the Civil War's most grueling and decisive conflicts. More than 110,000 soldiers from across the Union and Confederacy took part in the fighting, including 19-year-old Albert Cashier of the 95th Illinois Infantry. After the war, Cashier returned to Illinois and settled in the little town of Saunemin about 90 miles southwest of Chicago, where he lived quietly for decades—until his gender assigned at birth was revealed, threatening his military pension. 'Cashier served in Civil War fighting at Vicksburg, the Red River expedition, the Battle of Nashville, and more,' explains Rob Sanders, author of the children's book The Fighting Infantryman: The Story of Albert D.J. Cashier, Transgender Civil War Soldier. 'Every step this transgender soldier took during his three years of service was historic. In old age, when Albert's right to receive a military pension was questioned, the army finally declared in writing: 'Identity may be accepted.' Albert thus became the first transgender soldier in the United States to receive a military pension.' Today, the 2,500-acre Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the site of the siege, including 1,325 historic monuments and markers, a 16-mile tour road, and a 12.5-mile walking trail. The park's Illinois State Memorial, located on Union Avenue at milepost 1.8, honors Cashier and his fellow Illinoisan veterans of the siege. Good to know: The Vicksburg National Military Park Visitor Center at 3201 Clay Street is open Wednesday to Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Vehicle access to the park's tour road is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry at 4:40 p.m. (7 places that honor LGBTQ+ history—during Pride Month and beyond.) President's Park, Washington, DC The District of Columbia's President's Park is arguably the most cherished of America's national parks, including as it does the White House, the official residence of the U.S. president. Less known to the general public is that President's Park also figures prominently in the LGBTQ+ history of DC and the nation. 'The history of President's Park illustrates the enormous progress gay men and lesbians have made in America, as well as the ways in which LGBT history is intertwined with the broader American story,' says James Kirchick, author of Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington. 'Beginning in the late 19th century, directly across from the building where the most powerful man on earth resides, some of the capital's most despised citizens—gay men—congregated under cover of night in Lafayette Square,' Kirchick explains. 'For decades, the seven-acre grounds were the most popular nocturnal 'cruising' site in the city, a place for men leading secret lives to meet one another anonymously.' Later, President's Park would serve as the site of one of America's first protests for gay rights. 'On April 17, 1965, under the auspices of the Mattachine Society of Washington, a group of openly gay men and women met outside the White House to hold the first organized picket for gay rights on Pennsylvania Avenue,' Kirchick says. Good to know: The White House Visitor Center at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Celebrate Pride with 10 travel books by LGBTQ authors.) Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park, Richmond, California The Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, Calif., highlights the experiences of LGBTQ+ people during the war in the on-site exhibition 'LGBTQ Histories: Stories from the WWII Home Front.' Photograph by Jason O. Watson, Alamy Stock Photo The national historical park commemorates cultural icon Rosie the Riveter, who inspired women to work in factories and shipyards to support the U.S. during the war. Photograph by Zachary Frank, Alamy Stock Photo She would go on to inspire generations of feminists, but Rosie the Riveter's status as a cultural icon began during World War II, when her bandana-clad, muscle-flexing character was created to inspire women to work in factories and shipyards in support of the American war effort. In 2000, the Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park was established as a national park on the site of the former Richmond Shipyards near San Francisco. More ships were built at Richmond than at any other shipyard during World War II, and women made up much of its work force. Today, the park showcases the rich tapestry of Americans who came together to support the Allied cause. The exhibition 'LGBTQ Histories: Stories from the WWII Home Front,' created by independent public historian Donna Graves and now-retired park ranger Elizabeth Tucker, highlights the experiences of LGBTQ+ people in the San Francisco Bay area during the war. 'We believe it is the first LGBTQ+ exhibit at a national park, and it was opened to enthusiasm in 2016,' says Graves. 'I continue to be amazed at how it speaks to issues we address today, from housing and health care to climate change. Good to know: The Rosie the Riveter Visitor Education Center, located within the historic Ford Assembly Plant complex at 1414 Harbour Way South, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (These monuments honor LGBTQ history around the world.) Fire Island National Seashore, Ocean Beach, New York Fire Island has been a popular LGBTQ+ travel destination since the 1930s. It's also home to the historic Fire Island Lighthouse built in 1858 and it features a keeper's house, scenic views, and walking/biking paths such as Fire Island Lighthouse Trail, a six-point-five mile out-and-back trail near Bay Shore. Photograph by John Geldermann, Alamy Stock Photo New Yorkers have been drawn for decades to Fire Island, the beachy 30-mile-long barrier island tucked just beneath Long Island. Twenty-six miles of it are now protected as Fire Island National Seashore, easily accessible by a half-hour ferry ride from the mainland. 'There are very few places like Fire Island, which has been a summer destination for queer people since as early as the 1930s,' explains Jack Parlett, author of Fire Island: A Century in the Life of an American Paradise. 'The communities of Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines—both of which were initially developed with heterosexual families in mind—were transformed by the queer people from the city who discovered them and decided to make a home there.' These enclaves have been bastions of art, drag, disco, and sexual liberation, Parlett says. 'They have also weathered numerous challenges in the last century, from homophobic policing to the devastation of the HIV/AIDS epidemic,' he adds. 'Fire Island is also important to modern queer America, in part, because of its cultural heritage. It is a place where many beloved queer artists and writers have found solace, including James Baldwin, Patricia Highsmith and Frank O'Hara. Also, the parties are great.' Good to know: From mid-May to mid-October, visitors most commonly access Fire Island by ferry from the Long Island towns of Bay Shore, Sayville, or Patchogue, all reachable by car or the Long Island Railroad. (How historians are documenting the lives of transgender people.) Frances Perkins National Monument, Newcastle, Maine Her name might not be widely known, but all working Americans owe Frances Perkins a debt of gratitude. As Franklin Roosevelt's Secretary of Labor and the first woman to ever serve in a presidential cabinet, Perkins was instrumental in developing Social Security and forging federal relationships with labor unions. Perkins was one of only two Roosevelt cabinet members to serve for his entire 1933-1945 presidency, making her the longest-serving U.S. Labor Secretary in history. Established as a national monument in 2024—one of the newest in the National Park Service system—the Frances Perkins Homestead in Newcastle, Maine had been in the Perkins family since the mid-18th century. It now encompasses the Frances Perkins Center, dedicated to highlighting Perkins' achievements. 'Perkins was the most effective social progressive in American history, responsible for crafting workplace safety laws that are universal today,' says Kirstin Downey, author of The Woman Behind the New Deal, the definitive Perkins biography, 'and as the primary architect of the Social Security program, which has provided an economic bedrock for generations of Americans.' Downey says Perkins' complex personal life included a marriage to a man and a series of intense relationships with women who shared her progressive ideals. 'She was probably the first [cabinet member] to live openly with a person of the same sex, Mary Harriman Rumsey,' Downey adds. 'She was supportive and encouraging of same-sex relationships, which she viewed as marriages.' Good to know: Accessible only by car, the Frances Perkins National Monument is located at 478 River Road. The Brick House residence remains closed for restorations during 2025, but from June 19 to September 28, the Welcome Center and Homestead Barn will be open Thursday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset. Dan Allen is a Los Angeles-based writer focusing on travel, culture and queer history. Follow him on Instagram @danquests.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
President Jackson's legacy can be found throughout Middle Tennessee
MADISON, Tenn. (WKRN) — From schools, streets and neighborhoods, it seems like his name can be found on every corner. When you enter the zip code of 37076, it can feel like you're stepping back in time. President Andrew Jackson bought The Hermitage property in 1804. At first, he lived in his log cabin for 17 years before moving into the brick mansion. 'Andrew Jackson was probably one of the most well-known people in the United States of American during his day,' explained Tony Guzzi, Chief Experience Officer at The Hermitage. Andrew Jackson first moved to Tennessee to be the district attorney for the Nashville area. He became the major general for the Tennessee militia in 1802, catapulting Jackson in his career after his victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans and eventually winning the presidential election in 1828. 'It was the first time an American army on its own defeated a British army that decisively…and so there was a great sense of relief and national pride wrapped up in Jacksons story,' Guzzi said. News 2 On Tour | Explore the communities that shape Middle Tennessee That national pride can still be felt today. 'It's one of the reasons we see the Jackson name and version of the Jackson name like Old Hickory or The Hermitage attached to so many different things in Middle Tennessee,' explained Jason Zajac, President and CEO of Andrew Jackson Foundation. From the state Capitol, to Hermitage, streets, neighborhoods, businesses, schools are named after him and his family. Old Hickory was Jackson's nickname. Donelson was the name of Jackson's father-in-law. 'Jacksonville, Florida…Jackson, Mississippi, all connections back to Andrew Jackson,' Zajac said. But when thinking back on his legacy, there were some troubling aspects in Jackson's life and American history. Neighborhood News: Stories impacting your community | Read More Jackson owned more than 300 slaves over the course of his life. News 2 visited several of the slave quarters on The Hermitage property. 'In his political years, he was an architect of Indian removal and relocation which had terrible consequences for the Native American population of course,' Zajac said. Today about 220,000 people visit The Hermitage from across the world to learn the history of the enslaved people and American history, learn about the property and pay their respects to our 7th president. 'Everybody's going to look at Jacksons legacy in retrospect now and they are going to have differing opinions on Jackson's legacy,' Guzzi said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Buzz Feed
3 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Semifreddo: A Chef's Foolproof Hack No-Churn Ice Cream
When I was in culinary school, we learned all kinds of high-brow techniques — quenelles, mille feulle, pate briseé up the wazoo — not all of them practical for everyday cooking. But there's one dessert I actually make over and over again at home, and that's semifreddo. ^ Me, whipping something up at culinary school. The classic Italian dessert has become my secret to making ice cream at home without an ice cream machine. Semifreddo literally translates to "half cold" or 'half frozen' and lands somewhere between a mousse and frozen custard, and totally satisfies any and all ice cream cravings. I've never understood why semifreddo hasn't gotten the attention in American kitchens that I feel it deserves. It's easy to make ahead and a total crowd pleaser at the end of a meal. I'm praying that its days of hiding in the shadows of gelato are OVER. The version I learned included whipping egg yolks and granulated sugar over a double boiler until it got thick and fluffy, then folding in whipped cream and freezing. But there's an even simpler way to make the custardy base for this dessert, with a few key substitutions. In Tasty's orange semifreddo, you start by whisking together egg yolks, powdered sugar, mascarpone, cream, sugar, orange liqueur, and vanilla until smooth. By replacing granulated sugar with powdered sugar and subbing some of the whipping cream for mascarpone, we have a no-cook custard base that's ready to go in the freezer. Both substitutions improve the stability and texture of the custard in a similar way to cooking the yolks, but with a lot less effort and precision. PLUS, you eliminate the possibility of curdled yolks. And I'm all about eliminating the possibility of scrambled eggs in my desserts. My culinary spidey senses are saying to whip the egg yolks and confectioners until they've reached the ribbon stage* before adding the rest of the ingredients. Our recipe skips that step and has a 97% approval rating, so... spidey senses aren't always right, I guess. *Ribbon stage — a term for the consistency that mixtures (usually egg yolks and sugar) get when beaten properly. It's called the ribbon stage because the batter should stream off the spatula in a smooth, ribbon-like line once whipped. You can also whip the cream and mascarpone to soft peaks before folding them into the egg yolk base for an extra light semifreddo. Just be mindful of overwhipping! Then, pour the custard into your desired mold (in our case, hollowed orange halves) and set it in the freezer for at least an hour. The time it takes to freeze will depend on the size of your semifreddo mold. You can use any mold really (a cake tin, bowl, teacup, be creative!). Just make sure you line it with plastic wrap before adding the custard if you want to pop it out after freezing. You can serve them as individual little desserts, or as a sharable (and cutable!) "cake." We went FULL citrus with these little orange semifreddos, even serving them in an orange peel, but you can substitute the orange zest and liqueur for your favorite extracts, liqueurs, jams, candies, nuts, and fruits. This dessert is a classic example of how a few pastry skills, some eggs, and a few other things give you A TON of creative freedom. And I'm sure you're wondering: How does semifreddo stay mousse-like in the freezer, instead of becoming frozen solid? Sugar! It's not just for taste; sugar actually lowers the custard's freezing temperature and interferes with ice crystallization, which makes for a softer frozen dessert. One other ingredient in our version helps prevent an icy semifreddo: booze! Not all semifreddo recipes include it, but our semifreddo recipe includes liqueur, and its alcohol content lowers the freezing temperature of the dessert, making it softer when frozen. In addition to these anti-freeze ingredients, it's a good idea to give your semifreddo some time out of the freezer before serving — I like to move mine to the fridge once dinner is over. Once the dinner plates are cleared and soaking in the sink, your semifreddo will be chilled, but soft and ready to serve. And just like that, buon appetito! For a step-by-step recipe for a perfectly seared steak and a video tutorial to get you through the tricky parts, download the free Tasty app, search "semifreddo," and click on the top recipe. You'll quickly become the Giada of the friend group. Want more semifreddo recipes or tips from my culinary school days? Let us know in the comments!
