Latest news with #Britannica
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ma Barker: Infamous Missouri-born crime matriarch
(KODE & KSN) — Ash Grove, Missouri was the birthplace of the person J. Edgar Hoover once called 'one of the most vicious, dangerous, and resourceful criminal minds of the last century'. If you're not familiar with the name Ma Barker, upon hearing it, you may be met with mental images of an 'old-time', matronly woman in an apron, standing by a linoleum countertop, plate of buttermilk biscuits in hand, with a mild, yet warm smile on her face. Decades of pop culture conditioning from art and commercialism often paint this stereotype of southern women of a certain timeframe, and while some say there was some truth to it in the case of Ma Barker, many have said Ma Barker was anything but the case. Some say the true image of crime matriarch Ma Barker is one that mirrors Bonnie Parker (of Bonnie and Clyde): Tommy guns, car chases, robberies, kidnappings, and a penchant for defying authority to the end, and instilled this nature on her many sons – men born and raised to live the lifestyle she relished – and one that helped Barker carryout her antics. So, which picture most accurately represents the truth of Ma Barker's life? Historians say the truth is likely somewhere in the middle. Records indicate 'Ma' Barker was born in 1873 to John and Emaline Clark in Ash Grove, Missouri. According to Britannica, her name at birth was Arizona Donnie Clark, but she'd later be known as Kate Barker, after marrying George Barker when she was 19, giving birth to four sons in the marriage: future criminals Herman (1893-1927), Lloyd (1897-1949), Arthur (1899-1939), and Fred (1901-1935). The oldest of which was just 52 years of age. Historians say the Barker family was against conventional education and that most of them were 'more or less illiterate', but the family had common sense and was resourceful: some of Barker's sons were committing their crimes before even having reached adolescence. The first known arrest came in 1910, when Herman Barker was arrested and charged after running over a child with a getaway car during a highway robbery. Over the course of the 1910s and 1920s, the brothers would commit increasingly worse crimes from simple robberies to organized crime with the Central Park Gang. The first family tragedy came in 1927 when eldest son Herman Barker took his own life to avoid being caught by authorities. They say he was being pursued after shooting a policeman in the mouth during a robbery. During this time, the Barker marriage would fall apart as Ma Barker is described to have become 'loose with local men' and her wild antics in public were said to have alienated her tamer husband. More trouble came for the family in 1931, when they were forced to flee Missouri after the sons killed Sheriff C. Roy Kelly in West Plains, Missouri. The family relocated to areas in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, with Ma Barker sometimes being hidden in hotel rooms away from her sons due to her penchant for attempting to scare off their girlfriends. In 1935, authorities successfully arrested Arthur Barker in Chicago, and from his possessions, were able to obtain the knowledge that Ma Barker and her youngest son Fred, along with other gangmembers were hiding out in Florida. According to the Florida Sheriff's Association, when authorities surrounded the house, reports indicate they were not aware the two Barkers were the only occupants. A gunfight broke out, lasting several hours, so long that historians say locals brought picnic lunches to watch the events transpire. The gunfight ended when Fred Barker was shot multiple times and Ma Barker was taken down with a single gunshot. Her body was allegedly found gripping a Tommy gun, her final moment a symbol of her legacy of crime in the 'public enemy era', though other reports say it was simply lying near her body. The question is, how much was Ma Barker actually involved in gang activity and her children's crimes? The answer you get will vary depending on the source. As previously mentioned, officials like famed FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover once called Ma Barker a 'criminal mastermind', while some historians, as well as the testimonies of the sons that survived her and fellow gang members, indicate Ma Barker was less involved in the crimes and more of a supporting figure. It is known that Ma Barker never killed anyone herself and was often not present for the actual crimes that her sons committed. While Hollywood adaptations of the Barker family story like 'Ma Barker's Killer Brood' (1960) and 'Bloody Mama' (1970) depict Barker as a brutal, bloodthirsty criminal, smugly blasting a tommy gun with a defiant glare, it is more likely, according to historians, that these adaptations were mostly, if not entirely fictional, and some may go as far to say that Barker was painted as a figurehead by the FBI at the time to publicly justify her killing, but this is disputed. The whole truth of the Ma Barker story will probably never be truly known, but it is always true that Kate 'Ma' Barker is one infamous Missourian that will always be remembered as a woman who paid no mind to conforming to authority, and lived a wild, adventure filled life of crime in an era when such lifestyle was mainly associated with men. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Ammon
2 days ago
- General
- Ammon
Founding of St. Petersburg
Ammon News - Founded this day in 1703 by Peter the Great, St. Petersburg has played a vital role in Russian history and is especially known as the scene of the 1917 revolutions and as a fiercely defended city during World War II. Britannica
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Is Pennsylvania home to an eternal flame?
(WHTM)– Eternal flames are flames that continuously burn for an extended period of time, often indefinitely. This natural phenomenon doesn't occur often, but there happens to be one right here in Pennsylvania. According to National Geographic, eternal flames can occur when underground natural flammable gas travels to the surface through fractures in holes and rocks. The constant fueling of gas can often cause these flames to burn forever. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now National Geographic says this rare phenomenon can be found worldwide, with one of the most notable locations being the 'Gate to Hell' in the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan. The United States is home to multiple infamous eternal flames, including Eternal Flame Falls in New York. Pennsylvania's eternal flame is bigger than a flickering fire under a waterfall. It actually caused the majority of an entire town to evacuate more than 40 years ago. Most Pennsylvanians are familiar with the now ghost town of Centralia, which was once home to more than 1,000 people. According to Britannica, Pennsylvania is home to some of the largest coal deposits in the world, which led miners to tunnel beneath the earth and harvest coal. Many of these mines were abandoned by the mid-1900s, one of which was under the town of Centralia. While Pennsylvania has multiple active mining fires, Centralia stands out among the rest due to its longevity and historical relevance. It is unclear how the Centralia fire started in 1962, but 53 years later, it's still burning. Britannica says coal burns when the carbon inside it combines with oxygen, and the tunnels below Centralia provided perfect conditions for a lasting fire. The fire in Centralia didn't seem like a problem at first, but toxic fumes emanating from the ground soon began to push residents from their homes. Additionally, the fire weakened the ground, leaving the area prone to sinkholes, Britannica said. According to Pennsylvania condemned Centrailia in 1992, forcing the town's remaining residents out. Thrill seekers and urban explorers still explore the town today, but it remains a dangerous area. Individuals interested in some of the world's 'eternal flames' can learn more here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
6 days ago
- General
- Miami Herald
Sprawling Roman-era mosaic — for goddess of luck — found under home, photos show
A sprawling, centuries-old mosaic was recently unearthed in Syria, shedding light onto life under Roman rule. The ancient artwork was found beneath a home in Maryamin, a village in western Syria — located about 40 miles from the Mediterranean Sea — according to a news release from the Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums. It was uncovered by sheer happenstance. While digging a well inside the home, workers stumbled upon the intact mosaic about eight feet underground. Measuring about 14 feet long and six feet wide, the piece is composed of colorful stone cubes. Photos show archaeologists carefully excavating the rectangular work, with parts of it covered under layers of dirt. The mosaic depicts Tyche, the Greek goddess of luck, who was later co-opted and renamed Fortuna by the Romans. The deity was likely associated with prosperity and also fertility, according to Britannica. Next to the goddess — framed in an octagon wreathed in braids — is a brief Greek inscription, which translates to 'good luck.' She is surrounded by eight squares filled with geometric shapes. The mosaic dates to the Roman Era, which began in 64 A.D. — about 2,000 years ago — when the Roman general Pompey conquered the region, according to Dumbarton Oaks, a Harvard University research center. The province, which spans parts of modern-day Syria, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon and Palestine, became among the most important and wealthy in the entire empire. Under Roman rule, Syria was a bustling commercial hub 'overflowing with grain, wine and oil,' with its grapes rated 'second to none in sweetness,' according to an American Philological Association research article. But, several centuries later, the province was taken over by the Byzantine Empire. Numerous other mosaics have been unearthed in the Maryamin area, including one depicting female musicians, currently on display at a regional museum, the release said. And in 2018, a massive, 65-foot Roman Era mosaic was discovered in Rastan, about 125 miles north of Damascus, McClatchy News previously reported. Google Translate was used to translate a news release from Syria's Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums.
Ammon
7 days ago
- General
- Ammon
Roman Emperor Constantine I baptized
Ammon News - On this day in 337, Constantine the Great, became on his deathbed the first Roman emperor to be baptized in the Christian church. Britannica
