Section 14, located in the heart of Palm Springs, was a vital residential area for Black and Latino communities from the early 1900s to the mid-20th century. As Palm Springs grew into a tourist haven, Section 14 became one of the few places where non-white residents could live due to segregationist policies. This land, owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, became a haven for working-class families who helped build the city's infrastructure. Despite its central location, Section 14 was excluded from the city's glamorous image, and its residents were subjected to substandard living conditions, ultimately leading to a brutal campaign of forced evictions and demolitions in the 1950s and 60s, erasing much of its community and history.
Category: History
Michelangelo, the Pope, and the Sistine Chapel: Fact vs. Myth
Michelangelo Buonarroti and Pope Julius II are two towering figures of the High Renaissance—one, a multi-talented artist revered for his sculptures, paintings, and architectural feats; the other, a fiery and ambitious pontiff bent on leaving a colossal mark on the Catholic Church’s visual and spiritual legacy. Together, they changed the course of art history in early 16th-century Rome.
The Forgotten Legacy of Joice Heth: How a Slave Fueled Barnum’s Fame
P.T. Barnum’s rise to fame is an emblematic reflection of the deeply entrenched inequalities of 19th-century America. Barnum, known as the “Great American Showman,” capitalized on the public’s thirst for spectacle and curiosity, transforming the entertainment landscape with his audacious displays of oddities and curiosities. He is often remembered for founding what became “The Greatest...
Brood X and Brood XIX Cicadas Emerge Together for the First Time in 221 Years
Imagine witnessing a natural event so rare that the last time it occurred, the United States had just doubled in size through the Louisiana Purchase. This year, for the first time since that historic acquisition, two distinct cicada broods are emerging together, creating a spectacle not seen in over two centuries. This simultaneous emergence of cicada broods is not just a fascinating phenomenon for entomologists but a remarkable reminder of the historical timeline we are part of.
The Photograph that Changed Nike
Jacobus "Co" Rentmeester’s 1984 photograph of a young Michael Jordan soaring through the air became both a masterpiece and a source of personal conflict. Originally commissioned by Life magazine, Rentmeester’s image—a fusion of athleticism and art—inspired Nike’s now-legendary Jumpman logo. As Nike’s empire rose on the back of this silhouette, Rentmeester quietly wrestled with the blurred lines between inspiration and appropriation. His eventual legal battle for recognition underscored a deeper story about creative integrity and the fragile balance between artistic vision and corporate power.