The first of the Kennedys to arrive on American soil from their homeland of Ireland did so in an attempt to escape the potato famine. Stemming from Boston‚ the family built an empire and a political dynasty that still holds power in the modern day. Patrick Joseph Kennedy first became heavily involved in the Boston Democratic Party in the late 19th century‚ and his descendants followed suit‚ becoming presidents‚ members of Congress‚ and more. This is the story of nine of the most notable Kennedy family members.   1. Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. Source: JFK Hyannis Museum   Born in Boston in 1888‚ Joseph P. Kennedy was the son of self-made businessman and politician Patrick James (PJ) Kennedy. Joseph Kennedy was born during his father’s 3rd term in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. As he grew old‚ it became apparent that his father’s business acumen and political ambitions were passed down to his son.   Aside from being an investor in real estate‚ entertainment‚ and alcohol sales and gaining significant amounts of wealth from such businesses‚ Kennedy also dabbled in politics. He served as a US Securities and Exchange Commission chairman and the American ambassador to the United Kingdom under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1938.   A Portrait of the Kennedy Family in 1939. Source: National Portrait Gallery of the UK   However‚ with tensions running high in Europe‚ Kennedy took an appeasement stance toward the Nazis‚ a policy with which the people of the US had grown weary. Ultimately‚ Kennedy resigned in 1940‚ but his commitment to public service was enough to inspire the majority of his nine children‚ of whom he would outlive four.   2. Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Rose Kennedy‚ matriarch of the Kennedy family. Source: biography.com   Born in Boston in 1890‚ Rose Fitzgerald was the eldest daughter of Boston Mayor John “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald. Rose grew up in the public spotlight and as a member of one of the most wealthy families in the city. She was well-educated and a socialite and eventually fell in love with the youngest bank president in US history‚ Joseph P. Kennedy.   Rose’s father did not like Kennedy‚ but Rose kept up her courtship with him. The couple married in 1914 and went on to have nine children during their nearly six-decade marriage. Rose raised her children with political ambition and hope in the United States’ Democratic system‚ and many of them would go on to be incredibly successful. However‚ her and her family’s life was also marred by tragedy.   The eldest Kennedy daughter‚ Rosemary‚ was born with a learning disability and underwent a lobotomy in an attempt to treat the disability in 1941. The procedure was disastrous‚ leaving Rosemary institutionalized for the rest of her life. Her eldest son‚ Joe Jr.‚ died in combat three years later when his US Navy plane exploded during a secret mission. Unfortunately‚ this would not be the last blow to Rose’s children‚ as one daughter‚ Kathleen‚ died in 1948 in a plane crash‚ while two of her sons were assassinated in 1963 and 1968. She lost her husband the same year her son‚ Robert‚ was killed. Rose Kennedy was a staunch Catholic and was named a Papal countess before her death. She died in 1995 at the age of 104‚ and her son‚ Ted‚ eulogized her by saying‚ “She sustained us in the saddest times — by her faith in God‚ which was the greatest gift she gave us—and by the strength of her character‚ which was a combination of the sweetest gentleness and the most tempered steel.”   3. John F. Kennedy A portrait of John F. Kennedy in the Oval Office. Source: The Los Angeles Times   The second-born of Joseph and Rose was John Fitzgerald Kennedy‚ a son they named after Rose’s father. John was born in 1917‚ and by 1920‚ it was apparent that he was a sickly child. He contracted scarlet fever‚ from which he almost died when he was only three years old‚ and his health continued to plague him for the rest of his life.   Despite his sickly nature‚ John‚ better known as Jack‚ was attractive‚ athletic‚ and strove to succeed. Though he was not the best student‚ he graduated from Harvard and later joined the US Navy during World War II. While his brother‚ Joe Jr.‚ was killed in action in 1944 when his plane exploded‚ Jack came back from the Pacific front a decorated hero. He‚ along with 11 other Naval officers‚ had survived an attack on their ship from the Japanese near the Solomon Islands. To survive‚ the men‚ including Kennedy‚ had to swim several miles until they reached land and help arrived.   After his military career ended‚ Jack began what would be an incredibly successful political career. He first served as a member of the House of Representatives‚ then as a Senator for Massachusetts‚ before finally becoming the 35th president of the United States in 1960. While he was a senator‚ he also married Jaqueline Bouvier‚ a reporter for the Washington-Herald who was 12 years his junior.   President Kennedy and the First Lady in the presidential motorcade in Dallas‚ November 22‚ 1963. Source: Time   Kennedy was the youngest president ever to be elected at only 43 years old‚ and his administration took the reins at the height of the Cold War. The Kennedy administration only narrowly avoided nuclear war with the Soviet Union after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis and began what would be known as the Space Race with the USSR as well. Kennedy’s presidency was marked by the tension felt in the world at the time‚ both in the context of the Cold War and the struggle for Civil Rights in America.   In a bid to secure his reelection‚ Kennedy went on tour in the Autumn of 1963‚ where he was to make several stops in traditionally conservative states‚ such as Texas. During one such stop in Dallas‚ on November 22‚ 1963‚ Kennedy was shot while riding in a parade being held in his honor. Lee Harvey Oswald‚ the assassin‚ was apprehended quickly‚ but less than 24 hours later‚ he‚ too‚ was assassinated by Jack Ruby.   John F. Kennedy’s legacy sticks in the minds of people all over the world. His short time in office was significant for the strides he took to make life better for all Americans. His assassination is controversial and has inspired several conspiracy theories. Kennedy made plenty of enemies while in office‚ but he is remembered fondly by the majority of Americans today.   4. Robert F. Kennedy Robert F. Kennedy on his brother’s campaign trail in 1960. Source: PBS   Rose and Joseph Sr.’s seventh child was Robert F. Kennedy‚ better known as Bobby or RFK. He followed in the footsteps of his older brothers‚ first by serving in the Navy and then graduating from Harvard. Bobby Kennedy went on to get a law degree from the University of Virginia and got a job with the Justice Department‚ but then left his post to help campaign for his brother‚ Jack‚ in 1952.   Bobby Kennedy was also a part of JFK’s administration in the White House. He served as the United States Attorney General‚ where his main focus was cracking down on organized crime. He also was a major advocate for Civil Rights‚ and his progressive ideals would be incorporated into his political career for the rest of his life.   After his brother was assassinated in 1963‚ Bobby remained in government at the national level‚ becoming a senator for Massachusetts in 1964. Again‚ he followed in his brother’s footsteps when he ran as the Democratic presidential candidate in 1968.   Unfortunately‚ Bobby continued to follow a similar trajectory to his brother in death as well. Shortly after winning the influential California Democratic Primary‚ Robert F. Kennedy was shot in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5‚ 1968. The assassin was a young Palestinian man named Sirhan Sirhan‚ who allegedly shot Kennedy over his support of Israel.   5. Ted Kennedy Sen. Edward Kennedy talks with reporters before appearing on “Face the Nation‚” Jan. 29‚ 1978‚ in Washington. Source: The Wall Street Journal   The youngest of the Kennedy siblings was Edward “Ted” Kennedy‚ born in 1932. He quickly followed in his family’s well-tread footsteps by completing his degree in the Ivy League and beginning a life of public service after graduating from the University of Virginia’s Law program in 1959.   After his brother Jack’s election as president‚ Ted was elected to fill his older brother’s seat as a Senator of Massachusetts. He would remain in office for the rest of his life‚ though he would go no higher than the Senate. Though Ted’s ambitions were bigger‚ the infamous 1969 Chappaquiddick Incident would stain his character for the remainder of his life.   Kennedy was driving his brother’s former campaign worker‚ Mary Jo Kopechne‚ home from a party when he crashed his car in a lake and left his passenger to die. Kopechne suffocated in the sealed cab of the car‚ and Kennedy walked away from the incident without any injuries. When he tried to run for president in 1980‚ his campaign was ultimately unsuccessful‚ probably in no small part due to his involvement in Kopechne’s bizarre and untimely death.   Regardless of his unsuccessful rise in American politics‚ Ted Kennedy was the third-longest-serving Senator in American history when he died in 2009. He was known as the “Lion of the Senate” for his fierce defense of progressive policies and his unwavering commitment to social and economic justice.   6. Eunice Kennedy Shriver Shriver encourages Special Olympian Karen Fosdick on her way to a gold medal in 1983. Source: NPR   The fifth Kennedy child was Eunice Kennedy‚ born in 1921. Like the rest of her siblings‚ she was well-educated and dedicated to her ambitions. Eunice graduated with a degree in sociology from Stanford in 1943 and went on to serve in the Department of State and the Department of Justice before eventually becoming a social worker for a women’s penitentiary in West Virginia.   After moving to Chicago to focus more on her career in social work‚ Eunice joined and became head of the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation‚ which sought to help those with intellectual disabilities. This was close to Eunice’s heart‚ as she was deeply affected by her sister Rosemary’s lobotomy and subsequent institutionalization.   In 1968‚ with the spirit of her sister in mind‚ Eunice founded the Special Olympics. She initially began with a summer camp for children with disabilities at her home in Maryland‚ but the organization grew until the First International Special Olympic Games were held at Soldier Field in Chicago in the summer of 1968.   Eunice Kennedy Shriver was honored with many awards for her work with the Special Olympics‚ including the Presidential Medal of Freedom‚ the Legion of Honor‚ and the Prix de la Couronne Française. She was married to Sergeant Shriver‚ a former US Ambassador to France and US Vice Presidential candidate‚ with whom Eunice had five children‚ including the journalist and former First Lady of California‚ Maria Shriver.   7. Jackie Kennedy Onassis Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis‚ pictured in 1960. Source: The Wall Street Journal   Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was born in 1929 to a wealthy New York stock broker‚ John Bouvier. She was raised in the lap of luxury in the Hamptons and was well-educated‚ graduating from George Washington University with a degree in French literature in 1951. Onassis then became a reporter for the Washington-Herald and soon met Senator John F. Kennedy in 1952.   The couple was married a year later and welcomed their two children‚ Caroline and John F. Kennedy Jr.‚ in 1957 and 1960‚ respectively. The same year that her son was born‚ Jackie was seemingly catapulted into the spotlight when she became the youngest First Lady in American history at 31 years old. She became an icon in the United States‚ from her learnedness to her style to how she decorated the White House.   Jackie was a scholar‚ which carried over into her restoration work in the White House. She went to great lengths to restore the interior with pieces owned by several former American leaders‚ such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. She saw the project not as a redecoration but as a restoration of the White House as a symbol of America‚ filled with symbols of American history.   Jackie Kennedy’s iconic pink suit and pillbox hat. Source: Town &; Country Magazine   When her husband was assassinated in 1963‚ Jackie was sitting in the seat next to him. Her stoic manner during that day made her even more respected‚ and her blood-stained dress and hat have become symbolic of the tragedy. During this period‚ she was famous for coining the term “the Camelot Era‚” which came to define the legendary administration in the years to come.   Jackie Kennedy remarried in 1968 to Aristotle Onassis‚ a Greek shipping magnate. The couple was only married for seven years before Onassis’s untimely death in 1975. Jackie Kennedy Onassis went on to become an editor‚ first at Viking Press and then at Doubleday. She passed away in 1994 at the age of 64 from cancer and is buried next to her first husband‚ John F. Kennedy‚ in Arlington National Cemetery.   8. &; 9. John F. Kennedy Jr. &; Caroline Kennedy Caroline Kennedy stands between her parents while her mother holds John F. Kennedy Jr. in 1961. Source: The JFK Library   The two children of Jackie and John F. Kennedy are Caroline and John F. Kennedy Jr. Caroline‚ the eldest‚ was born in 1957 and has lived her life relatively out of the limelight‚ considering the massive fame and notoriety of her family and their personal lives.   Caroline attended Harvard‚ like her father‚ and got her law degree from Columbia University. She married Edwin Schlossberg‚ a designer‚ in 1986 after meeting him at the Metropolitan Museum of Art‚ where the pair worked. They have three children. The most that Caroline has ever been in the spotlight is under the administration of President Barack Obama‚ for whom Caroline served as Ambassador to Japan from 2013 to 2017.   John F. Kennedy Jr. was more well-known to the public‚ beginning with the photo of his salute to his father’s casket when he was only three years old. JFK Jr. quickly became one of the country’s most eligible bachelors as he grew older. Despite his family’s long legacy at Harvard‚ JFK Jr. received his undergraduate degree from Brown University and his law degree from New York University.   JFK Jr.’s career changed throughout the years‚ from being a Manhattan assistant district attorney to acting to finally founding and publishing George‚ a magazine that sought to fuse politics and entertainment. In 1996‚ he married Carolyn Bessette‚ but the couple’s lives were sadly cut short when‚ in 1999‚ JFK Jr. accidentally flew his plane into the Atlantic Ocean‚ killing himself‚ his wife‚ and his sister-in-law.

  A banana tree at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia caused a stir; as Frederick Upham Adams recalled‚ “…it was surrounded by a group of spectators‚ many of whom would have been delighted to have plucked a banana…this was the most romantic of all the innumerable things I had seen in any of the vast buildings. It was the tangible‚ living‚ and expressive symbol of the far-distant and mysterious tropics.”   Bananas are currently the most consumed fruit in the country. Yet before 1870‚ only 0.0001 percent of the population had seen one. How‚ then‚ did bananas and other tropical fruits become so ubiquitous today?   Presence in American Diet &; History Horticultural Hall by Thompson Westcott‚ 1876. Source: Free Library of Philadelphia   The modern American diet is marked by overconsumption of calories and high-processed food. These factors are linked to increased mortality rates and multiple adverse health outcomes. One may assume that members of the early industrial society ate a more balanced diet. Yet‚ in some surprising ways‚ the nutritional variety has increased over the years.   Estimates have Americans in 2000 eating 129 pounds of fresh fruit annually per person‚ compared to 80 pounds in 1800. Nineteenth-century inhabitants relied on meat‚ dairy‚ and grains as these were the most available means to fill their stomachs. Yet in 1900‚ residents ate 219 pounds yearly‚ which decreased 53 percent over the next 50 years. What are the reasons for this sudden rise and fall?   From the colonial period until the late 1800s‚ fruits and vegetables were consumed almost solely from local sources. Crops not native to the United States‚ namely tropical fruits such as bananas‚ were rare treats and pricey status symbols.   Cream Jug by William Greatbatch‚ ca. 1758. Source: The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation   Under sail‚ tropical fruits were an afterthought in shipments to Atlantic ports. Great care and speed needed to be undertaken in their transport. Pineapples were grown as a novelty among America’s wealthy colonial planter class and symbolized hospitality‚ but they were not a prominent food source. Like bananas and other Caribbean staples‚ they were challenging to cultivate stateside due to climactic differences.   Limited cargoes of bananas from Cuba and the Bahamas‚ aboard “pineapple schooners‚” arrived in New York City beginning in 1804. After the Civil War‚ shipping restrictions were removed‚ and merchants purchased citrus fruits‚ bananas‚ and coconuts directly from Jamaican farmers.   Preservation of Tropical Fruits Over Long Distances Refrigerated Railroad Car Owned and Operated by Fruit Growers Express‚ built in March 1924. Source: Collections of The Henry Ford‚ Dearborn   Steam ignited the First Industrial Revolution. Steam-powered vessels existed in the late 1800s‚ yet sailing remained the dominant form of water transportation. Sailboats ferried as much as two-thirds of Jamaican fruit exports in 1878. Within four years‚ the trend reversed‚ with steamers holding two-thirds of the trade.   The advent of steamships in the 1880s contributed to a drastic increase in imports of tropical fruits. These quicker boats guaranteed a steady supply with less concern over goods spoiling.   Refrigerated railroad cars transported produce great distances overland. Chilled meat cars existed by 1875‚ but Samuel Rumph designed the first made specifically for fruit that year. Rumph‚ a Georgia peach grower‚ utilized his invention to bring his products to far-off markets. Businessmen of the early tropical fruit trade soon adopted this technique.   Despite the name “refrigerator cars‚” no mechanical cooling occurred except the axles spinning fans inside the container. Forty-five-to-fifty-five-pound blocks of ice kept temperatures low but could melt within an hour. Stations to replenish ice were placed along the track‚ with ice harvesting and storage facilities supporting the operation.   Fruit companies often owned and staffed rail lines‚ with trained workers carefully handling the delicate products. In the summer‚ laborers iced down the cars often. During winter‚ they packed cars with straw to maintain the temperature.   Canned Foods‚ From Soldiers to Shelves Deviled Ham from the William Underwood Company‚ founded in 1822. Source: John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site‚ Brookline   Innovation also occurred in the preservation process. The first canning techniques were discovered in 1810 when Frenchman Nicolas Appert and Englishman Peter Durand developed separate methods. Using glass and tin‚ respectively‚ as containers‚ their systems prolonged the shelf life of foods.   Kensett and Co.‚ based in New York City‚ marketed their canned goods to naval and trade vessel captains in the 1820s. Business grew modestly for the first decades until increasing westward expansion‚ the Mexican-American War‚ the California Gold Rush‚ and the Civil War made the need to preserve fresh foods over long distances apparent.   Cans also provided a medium for advertisements. Transportation expanded the grower’s products into new markets‚ generating a desire for brand recognition. Logos and promotional media were displayed on the product’s surface. The devil on the cans shown above first appeared in 1870 and is the oldest continuing American food trademark.   Great White Fleet- United Fruit Company‚ by United Fruit Company‚ 1896-1890. Source: Thomas Crane Public Library‚ Quincy   The can opener was introduced in 1860 by Ezra J. Warner. Previously‚ cans were opened with a hammer and chisel. This process was merely an inconvenience for frontiersmen and soldiers but a real challenge for home consumers.   Kensett began canning pineapples in 1865 that were imported into Baltimore from the West Indies. Kensett’s operation contributed to creating the fruit-packing industry alongside the existing oyster-packing business in Baltimore. An 1895 discovery found that dispensing pressurized steam into the cans killed bacteria‚ lengthening shelf life even more.   Combination of Companies to a Conglomerate Advertisement for United Fruit Company’s Great White Fleet by United Fruit Company‚ 1920. Source: Boston College Department of History   Boston Harbor became the leading site for importing tropical fruit in the closing decades of the nineteenth century. Coconuts‚ oranges‚ mangoes‚ lemons‚ avocados‚ and several other fruits were introduced to Boston wharves in the 1880s.   Captain Lorenzo Dow Baker made a considerable profit on a banana shipment in 1870‚ which prompted him to unite with businessman Andrew Preston to form the Boston Fruit Company in 1885. This became the largest of over sixty similar fruit companies importing tropical products from Central America and the Caribbean.   The Boston Fruit Company expanded‚ establishing and acquiring plantations in Jamaica. Two of the fastest Atlantic steamships were also purchased outright. This allowed the company to control its transport’s cargo‚ schedules‚ and crew. Eventually‚ Boston Fruit owned the most extensive private fleet in the world‚ christened the Great White Fleet. In 1899‚ Boston Fruit was consolidated with other companies into the United Fruit Company. This conglomerate eventually boasted a vast fleet of refrigerated steamships and operated a near-monopoly on the tropical fruit business.   Interior of Tela hospital wards and corridors by United Fruit Company‚ 1923. Source: Harvard Business School‚ Cambridge   United Fruit exercised control of the entire supply chain. Housing and medical facilities were constructed for their workforce. They developed mechanically refrigerated ships in 1904‚ which worked similarly to modern refrigerators. The cargo space used carbon dioxide gas as a cooling agent. The gas was condensed and turned to liquid‚ then back to gas to repeat the process. Refrigeration allowed bananas and other Caribbean fruits to be exported as far as Europe before spoiling. Shortly after‚ the company established the Tropical Radio and Telegraph Company to maintain communication between its properties.   Aggressive and misleading advertising by United Fruit began in 1917. Scientists were paid to write positively about the banana‚ massively increasing their sales. The company also offered cruises aboard ships from their fleet‚ marketing the tropics as secluded lands of paradise and adventure. Trips featured romanticized tours of the countries and plantations they controlled‚ carefully coordinated to mask the realities of plantation labor.   Oppression and Resistance in “Banana Republics” Banana Plantation‚ by Adolphe Duperly‚ 1900-1909. Source: The New York Public Library Digital Collections   Authoritarian states in Central America‚ such as Guatemala and Costa Rica‚ struck deals with corporations for infrastructure and other services. Underpaid and overworked laborers in these nations were severely exploited to feed American families. Jamaica also suffered from labor and land exploitation as corporations bought all available farmland.   Foreign traders owned an overwhelming number of plantations and abused their workforce. Indigenous populations‚ Afro-Jamaican workers‚ and indentured servants from South Asia were subjugated. Jamaica was under British control‚ and its colonial government prioritized exports over the well-being of its inhabitants. Countries such as these were called “banana republics” due to their reliance on a single export‚ a term considered offensive today.   Coco River Patrol‚ Nicaragua‚ 1929. Source: USMC Archives   From 1898 until 1934‚ the United States staged a series of military interventions in banana republics. These were called the “banana wars‚” characterized by American servicemen acting to protect the interests of the fruit trade. Sometimes‚ the companies themselves orchestrated action. In 1911‚ the Cuyamel Fruit Company supported a Honduran coup that ousted their president in favor of their chosen candidate.   In October 1928‚ Colombian workers organized a strike for better labor conditions that lasted two months. The Colombian Armed Forces opened fire on the protestors at the behest of United Fruit on December 5th. Over one thousand laborers were murdered in the ensuing bloodshed.   The CIA covertly supported a 1954 coup that overthrew the democratically elected Guatemalan president to protect the United Fruit Company. For three decades thereafter‚ Guatemala was ravaged by civil war and commanded by US-backed dictators. These thirty years of bloodshed claimed the lives of 200‚000 civilians.   Legacies of the colonial system continue in many of the affected countries. Small farmers in Jamaica hold scarcely more land or share in exports than they did in the early 1900s. Sixty-five percent of Guatemalan farmland is owned by only two percent of Guatemala’s farming companies. Practices from this era hinder the well-being of the nations and the prospects of their citizens today.   Tropical Fruits: Fading Trend‚ But Still a Mainstay Eat These Every Day‚ by Work Projects Administration‚ 1941-1943. Source: Library of Congress   As fruit consumption increased‚ demand for other staples did as well. The same innovations that benefitted tropical fruit importers‚ particularly refrigerated railcars‚ also aided the meat industry. Meat‚ particularly beef‚ remained at the center of American diets‚ along with potatoes. Fruits cultivated stateside‚ such as apples‚ cherries‚ and berries‚ always retained their place at the table.   Nutrition science began in Boston in the early 1900s‚ just as fruit companies had decades prior. Early nutritionists concerned themselves only with protein‚ carbohydrates‚ fats‚ and water‚ neglecting the value of fruits in a diet. The Great Depression‚ coupled with a 1930 tariff‚ reduced agricultural imports. Labor movements in Latin America frightened shareholders in colonial corporations. In response‚ the United Fruit Company sold most of its properties in the 1960s. In subsequent decades‚ processed foods became a significantly larger share of American cuisine.   The marked increase in fruit consumption among the American public was due to the mass industrialization of transportation and trade. Technological optimizations increased the quality of life for countless consumers. Individuals eagerly consumed food once heralded as a distant‚ rare delicacy. This came at the expense of multinational corporations‚ sometimes working with the Federal government‚ exploiting foreign nations. This legacy shapes the global society today and deserves thorough examination‚ so mistakes are not repeated.

  Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu‚ affectionately known as “The Arch‚” was a campaigner for peace and a firm believer in humanity. Widely regarded as South Africa’s Moral Conscience‚ he received a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in 1984.   He never wanted to get involved in politics. He wanted just to keep his head in the church‚ but he could not ignore what was happening around him in South Africa. The brutal apartheid regime was a crime against humanity‚ and humanity was at the core of Desmond Tutu’s belief.   With his jovial and personable manner‚ Desmond Tutu became much loved by the people of South Africa. And it was his beautiful character and wise insight that changed the hearts of many whose hearts had been hardened by hate.   Early Life of Desmond Tutu Street art of Desmond Tutu in Cape Town by Brian Rolfe. Source: Street Art Cities   Desmond Tutu was born on October 7‚ 1931 in Klerksdorp in the Transvaal. He was one of three children‚ with an older and a younger sister. His father was the principal at a Methodist school‚ but despite this‚ the family was poor. They were Methodists but later changed denominations and became Anglican.   His family moved around a lot‚ and Desmond attended many schools before 1945 when he enrolled in the Johannesburg Bantu High School. He was an excellent student‚ doing well academically and playing rugby. He developed a passion for the sport‚ which would last his entire life.   Source: Shayne Robinson   He lived in an Anglican hostel near the Church of Christ the King in Sophiatown‚ and it was at the church where he met Trevor Huddleston‚ an Anglican bishop who would have a huge impact on Desmond Tutu’s life. The bishop’s anti-apartheid activism would lead Desmond in the same direction.   In 1947‚ Desmond contracted a severe form of tuberculosis and spent 18 months in hospital. During this time‚ he was constantly visited by Trevor Huddleston.   After returning to school in 1949‚ he took his final exams‚ which he passed in 1950.   After school‚ he was accepted into the University of Witwatersrand to study medicine‚ but his family could not afford the tuition fees‚ and instead‚ Desmond studied to become a teacher. During his time at Pretoria Bantu Normal College‚ he met Nelson Mandela‚ but the two would not cross paths again until 1990.   Resistance to the Bantu Education Act. Source: Google Arts &; Culture   After graduating in 1954‚ Desmond Tutu began teaching English at Madibane High School‚ and the following year he transferred to Krugersdorp High School‚ where he taught English and history. During this time‚ he met Nomalizo Leah Shenxane‚ and the two fell in love and married in 1955.   A year before he graduated‚ the National Party government in South Africa passed the Bantu Education Act. Through this act‚ the government sought to control how Black people in South Africa were educated. So before Desmond Tutu began teaching‚ his outlook on his career was already marred by measures with which he disagreed on a deep and fundamental level.   The apartheid laws in South Africa would become a lot worse. People were separated. Police brutality increased‚ culminating in massacres. Interracial relationships were forbidden. Black people had to carry passbooks with them‚ and the government sought to inhibit Black progress at every level‚ investing only in suppression and control.   Tutu Joins the Clergy Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu in London‚ 2010. Source: Carl de Souza/AFP   In 1956‚ Desmond Tutu left the teaching profession and began studying at St Peter’s Theological College‚ a residential college. His wife‚ Leah‚ was busy studying to become a nurse‚ and their two young children‚ Trevor and Thandeka‚ lived with Desmond’s parents at the time.   In 1960‚ Desmond finished his studies and was ordained as an Anglican priest. During this time‚ there was a growing desire within the South African Anglican ecclesiarchy to ordain more Africans. Desmond Tutu was thus offered the chance to study further at King’s College in London. In September 1962‚ Desmond and his family moved to England.   By 1966‚ Desmond Tutu had completed his Honor’s and Master’s‚ having studied Hebrew and writing his dissertation on Islam in West Africa. London opened his eyes and his mind‚ and he was greatly exposed to the white community‚ ministering to them and eradicating any prejudice that had been instilled in him from his dealings with white people in South Africa.   After completing his studies in London‚ Desmond and his family moved briefly to East Jerusalem‚ where he studied Arabic and Greek‚ before returning to South Africa.   Desmond Tutu Resumes Teaching in South Africa South Africa was a violent and oppressive state during the height of apartheid. Source: UN Photo/DB on Flickr   In 1967‚ Desmond Tutu was hired by Federal Theological Seminary‚ and he was the school’s first Black staff member. His wife became the school’s library assistant. The school was based in the Eastern Cape‚ but the couple decided to send their children to school in Swaziland (now eSwatini) to keep them from being subjected to the Bantu Education Act in South Africa. He also became the University chaplain at the University of Fort Hare. He began publishing journals and taking an active part in protest movements. He was a supporter of the Black Consciousness Movement‚ and in September 1968‚ he took part in a major sit-in protest where he witnessed‚ for the first time‚ the state oppression on a large and physical scale.   The Height of Apartheid Desmond Tutu in 1980. Source: Gallo Images/REX Shutterstock   In 1970‚ Desmond Tutu left his post in the Eastern Cape and accepted a high-paying job teaching in Lesotho. In 1972‚ he moved back to London‚ where he worked for International Missionary Council’s Theological Education Fund as their director for Africa.   After a few years‚ he returned to South Africa to take up an appointment as the dean of St Mary’s Cathedral‚ Johannesburg. This was the fourth-highest position within the Anglican Church in South Africa‚ and Desmond Tutu was the first Black person to have the job. Naturally‚ this move ruffled a few feathers in the South African government‚ and because of the segregation laws‚ Tutu could not live in the official residence afforded to the position in the white suburb of Houghton. Instead‚ he lived in a modest house in the Black suburb of Soweto.   Source: Trevor Samson / NPR   Unusually for South Africa‚ Tutu’s congregation was mixed‚ as the Anglican community was not generally a big supporter of apartheid. This gave Desmond Tutu hope for the future of race relations in South Africa.   From 1976 to 1978‚ he changed jobs again and served as the bishop of Lesotho. In the same year‚ he became the general secretary for the South African Council of Churches.   Throughout the 1980s‚ Desmond Tutu brought international attention to the plight of Black South Africans and encouraged countries to apply economic pressure to force the South African government into ending apartheid. Above all‚ he advocated nonviolent means of resistance.   Desmond Tutu leading a protest in a whites-only picnic spot in 1986. Source: Academy of Achievement   He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts‚ which added significantly to the power of his message. As a leading figure in the struggle against apartheid‚ the National Party government saw him as a significant threat.   Tutu’s power and presence would only grow. He was appointed Johannesburg’s first Black Anglican bishop. Then he became the archbishop of Cape Town and thus the head of the entire Anglican Church in South Africa‚ representing 1.6 million Anglicans. While his religious affiliations were to Anglicanism‚ his message was widespread and non-denominational. He appealed to and was widely revered by people from all sectors of South African society.   Throughout the 1980s‚ Desmond Tutu tried to use his power to mediate between parties in conflict as a result of apartheid. He also took part in and led several protest actions.   As Archbishop‚ he was committed to equality and appointed women and gay priests to prominent positions‚ arguing that their exclusion was a form of apartheid within the Anglican community. Later in life‚ he went public with his support of gay rights‚ stating in 2007‚ “If God‚ as they say‚ is homophobic‚ I wouldn’t worship that God.” In 2006‚ South Africa became the fifth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.   He was also a voice for peace on the international stage. He advocated for peace in Northern Ireland‚ insisting that Irish Republicans had not exhausted opportunities for a peaceful resolution. He also criticized the government of Israel but was sympathetic to the situation of Jewish people. Despite arguing that his issues were with the Israeli government and its support of apartheid South Africa and not aimed at Jewish people‚ he was labeled as anti-Semitic by some.   Desmond Tutu &; The End of Apartheid An emotional Desmond Tutu at a Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearing‚ photograph by Jilian Edelstein‚ 2000. Source: MutualArt   Desmond Tutu’s role was significant during the fall of apartheid and the transition of power to the Black majority under the African National Congress led by Nelson Mandela. In 1994‚ after the first fully democratic election‚ he coined the term “The Rainbow Nation” to refer to South Africa – a name that has stuck.   In 1995‚ Nelson Mandela appointed Desmond Tutu as the head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This was an opportunity for South Africans from all walks of life to share their stories under an umbrella of political amnesty. It was a time filled with tears as the country came to terms with its past.   Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela in 2008. Source: AP Photo/Themba Hadebe   Desmond Tutu withdrew from public life in 2010 and began his retirement. Despite this‚ he continued to work with a group called “The Elders‚” which he co-founded and was committed to conflict resolution and the promotion of peace around the world.   He continued to write letters in support of issues around the world. In 2012‚ he wrote a letter in support of US military whistleblower Chelsea Manning. He asked Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi to stop the mistreatment of the country’s Muslim minority‚ and he requested that Joe Biden stop sending military aid to Israel.   On December 26‚ 2021‚ at the age of 90‚ Desmond Tutu passed away from cancer while at the Oasis Frail Care Centre in Cape Town. His death was met with an outpouring of grief from the South African nation‚ equaled only by the death of Nelson Mandela in 2012.   Desmond Tutu and Trevor Huddleston. Source: Gallo Images / Avusa / Margo Williams   Desmond Tutu once said‚   “Despite all of the ghastliness in the world‚ human beings are made for goodness. The ones that are held in high regard are not militarily powerful‚ nor even economically prosperous. They have a commitment to try and make the world a better place.”   He certainly lived up to this quote.   Desmond Tutu was held in the highest regard and was most certainly an example of the goodness of humanity.

  Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone‚ better known as Saint Francis of Assisi‚ is popular in name. He is most well-known within Roman Catholicism‚ but his fame and reverence extend far and wide. Saint Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals and the environment.   He was also a lover of peace and worked hard to achieve it. The veneration of this man who lived a very simple life is more relevant today than ever‚ and his story is worth retelling.   Early Life of Francis of Assisi The town of Assisi is associated with the birth of Francis of Assisi‚ via Audley Travel   In the Duchy of Spoleto to the east of Rome in late 1181‚ Francis was born to an Italian father‚ Pietro‚ and a French mother. His father was a successful and wealthy silk merchant‚ while little is known of his mother save for the fact that she was a noblewoman.   Francis was therefore born into the lap of luxury‚ and he wanted for nothing during his childhood. Originally baptized as “Giovanni” by his mother‚ who gave birth to him while his father was away in France‚ he gained the name Francesco (meaning Frenchman or Free Man) from his father after he returned‚ as his father was obsessed with everything French.   In his youth‚ he was a child of excess‚ and by his teenage years‚ Francis was known for indulging in a hedonistic way of life. At the age of 14‚ he left school to pursue his party lifestyle. He was handsome and vain and dreamed of a lifestyle of knightly pursuits. He became proficient in archery‚ swordsmanship‚ and horsemanship. He balked at the idea of following in his father’s footsteps in the textile business.   Despite his life of pleasure‚ Francis was not blind to the suffering in the world. In fact‚ one could argue his lifestyle was brought about by his disillusionment. One day‚ while selling his father’s wares in the marketplace‚ he spotted a beggar asking for alms. After Francis had concluded his deal‚ he ran after the beggar and gave him all the money he had on him at the time. For this‚ he was teased by his friend and scolded by his father.   Life Changes Statue of Saint Francis of Assisi in the walls of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome‚ via stpetersbasilica.info   War broke out between Assisi and Perugia in 1202‚ and eager to prove himself‚ Francis joined in battle. The horrors of war visited him soon after‚ and while most of his comrades were killed‚ Francis was spared on account of the fact that he looked like he was worth a sizable ransom. He was taken prisoner and spent nearly a year in a prison cell. During this time‚ he fell ill and subsequently took stock of the life choices that had led him to this point. Upon his release in 1203‚ however‚ Francis went through a brief spell of returning to his hedonistic lifestyle.   In 1205‚ Francis left for Apulia/Puglia in southern Italy in order to join the army of Walter III‚ Count of Brienne. However‚ he never reached his destination. According to the saintly account of his life‚ he received a vision that made him turn back. Thereafter‚ he was a truly changed man and endeavored to live a life of poverty in the service of the Lord.   Francis went on a pilgrimage to Rome and joined the beggars in asking for alms at the Basilica of Saint Peter. One day after his return to Assisi‚ he was praying in a run-down chapel when he received a vision where Christ told him to repair his church. Francis took this to mean the church where he currently found himself‚ Saint Damiano‚ so he went out and sold some of his father’s wares to give the money to the priest. The priest‚ however‚ refused the money on account of it being ill-gotten. Francis threw the money on the ground in front of the priest‚ and before he returned home‚ his father would learn of what had transpired.   Cover of the children’s book Saint Francis: Patron of all Animals‚ via Catholic Books Direct   Knowing that if he returned home‚ he would be subject to his father’s wrath‚ Francis hid in a cave for about a month before returning home. His father’s anger did not subside‚ and when Francis returned home‚ his father beat him and locked him in a storeroom. After being freed by his mother‚ Francis sought shelter in Saint Damiano’s‚ the same church where the priest rejected his money. Francis’s father‚ however‚ had taken legal action against his son‚ and Francis was stripped of his inheritance. In retaliation‚ Francis renounced his father. According to legend‚ he stripped bare in church while he did this‚ and the priest covered him with his own robes.   Over the course of the next two years‚ he became a penitent and spent most of his time begging and rebuilding dilapidated churches and chapels around Assisi. When he was not rebuilding places of worship‚ Francis was looking after lepers.   The Franciscans Francis on His Way to Rome by Pedro Subercaseaux‚ via Franciscan Friars Holy Name Province   One morning in 1208‚ dressed in the clothes of a poor peasant‚ Francis began preaching. Doing so required a license‚ and so Francis‚ without one‚ was in danger of being arrested. Nevertheless‚ the authorities let it slide. He preached peace and brotherly love‚ traveling the countryside and reaching high up into the Umbrian mountains.   In 1209‚ with 11 followers‚ he traveled to Rome in order to seek permission from Pope Innocent III to start a new religious order. In Rome‚ he met with Giovanni di San Paolo‚ the Cardinal Bishop of Sabina‚ the confessor of Pope Innocent III‚ who was sympathetic to Francis’s cause and decided he would represent him to the pope. On April 16‚ 1210‚ Pope Innocent III officially endorsed the traveling friars‚ and the Franciscan Order was born.   The order grew quickly and attracted the attention of women too‚ and the Second Franciscan Order‚ also known as the Poor Clares‚ was created as an order of nuns. The Third Order of Franciscans was also created‚ also known as the Secular Franciscan Order‚ which allowed its followers to marry. This third order was immensely successful and initiated a huge growth of Franciscan following outside of Italy‚ which is exactly where Francis saw his destiny.   Francis &; His Mission of Peace Statue of Saint Francis‚ from CNS/Gregory A. Shemitz‚ via teachingcatholickids.com   Committed to bringing his message of peace to the world‚ Francis set out several times but encountered misfortune on a regular basis. In 1212‚ he set sail for Jerusalem but was shipwrecked off the coast of Dalmatia. The following year‚ his destination was Morocco‚ but while in Spain‚ Francis fell ill and had to turn back.   In 1219‚ his mission took him into the thick of war. Francis traveled to Egypt with the intention of converting Sultan Al-Kamil‚ the nephew of Saladin. He was prepared for failure and accepted that the attempt might end up with him being martyred.   After a bloody Christian assault on Damietta‚ the Crusaders and the Muslims agreed to a brief truce. During this time‚ Francis and his traveling companion‚ Friar Illuminatus of Arce‚ crossed the Muslim lines and were received by the Sultan. According to Christian accounts‚ he was well received‚ and although the Sultan was not moved to convert‚ Francis and Illuminatus were allowed to preach to the Muslims‚ who also treated their guests with respect.   Because of the peaceful mission of Francis and Illuminatus‚ the Franciscan order was allowed to establish itself in the Holy Land and has been present there ever since.   Later Years of Saint Francis of Assisi The Death of Saint Francis of Assisi by Jose Camaron Boronat‚ via Fine Art America   Francis returned to Italy amid a huge surge in the popularity of the Franciscan Order. It had attracted many members from all over Europe and‚ as a result‚ became difficult to manage. In 1220‚ Francis handed over the reins of management to Brother Peter Catani. Peter died five months later and was succeeded by Brother Elias.   Francis withdrew from the external affairs of the order and focused on traveling and preaching.   In 1224‚ while undertaking a 40-day fast in preparation for Michaelmas‚ Francis had a vision in which he saw a Seraph‚ a six-winged angel‚ which gave him the wounds of Christ. The most notable of these stigmata were the wounds on his hands. He also started suffering from trachoma‚ a painful bacterial infection in the eyes. Some scholars also believe Francis’ stigmata may have been signs of leprosy‚ which is plausible‚ given that he spent much time administering to lepers.   He saw many doctors in many cities‚ but there was no cure for his ailment‚ and on October 3‚ 1226‚ he died while singing Psalm 141.   St. Francis of Assisi’s Legacy Ettore Bassi as Francis in the 2007 film Clare and Francis‚ via Veritas Ministeria   In 1228‚ Pope Gregory IX declared Francis a saint‚ and the next day‚ he laid the first stone for the construction of the Basilica of Saint Francis in the town of Assisi.   Francis was a dedicated man who understood the teachings of Christ and the ascetic lifestyle that came with it. Instead of preaching fire and brimstone‚ Francis was a man of calm and peace. It was through his work that the Franciscans became a vital avenue of dialogue between the Muslims and the Crusaders‚ thus achieving a semblance of peace in the Holy Land.   Saint Francis was also a figure of compassion. His work dealt mainly with the poverty-stricken and the sick. He was dedicated to helping to ease the suffering. According to legend‚ it is said that he once embraced and kissed a leper.   Saint Francis of Assisi is also known as the person who invented the nativity scene. His version in 1220 was a live-action affair involving real animals. In fact‚ it was his love for animals and respect for the environment that has brought him much love and veneration in the modern era. In folklore and legend‚ Francis is said to have preached to birds and befriended a wolf who had been terrorizing the livestock around the town of Gubbio.   Francis saw nature as God’s creation and took great care of it. In 1979‚ Pope John Paul II declared Saint Francis the patron saint of ecology.   Saint Francis by Peter Paul Rubens‚ c. 1615‚ via Art Institute Chicago   Such is the love for Saint Francis of Assisi that he is even celebrated outside of Catholicism‚ and Franciscan orders exist in Protestant denominations.   The feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi is observed on October 4.   Saint Francis of Assisi was a remarkable man who lived a remarkable life. A truly good human being‚ he overcame internal and external demons and brought a message of love‚ respect‚ and compassion to a world full of grief and misery.

The song sounds like classic Keith Urban! Continue reading…