4 Myths and 4 Facts About Ms. Rosa Parks

She would have been 108 today! Plus more black history you should know.

Happy Thursday Feb. 1 was the start of Black History Month. Today, on her birthday, we celebrate Rosa Parks, the African American civil rights activist who ignited the Montgomery Bus Boycott, kickstarting national efforts to end racial segregation in the U.S. Read on to learn about Rosa Parks and other important figures and events in Black history. What People Get Wrong About Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott By Melanie Radzicki McManus Parks didn't refuse to move from her bus seat because her feet were tired. "The only tired I was, was tired of giving in," she said. What else do we get wrong? Read more >> Why Americans Celebrate Black History Month in February Does February have special significance? You bet it does. Read more >> Top 10 Inventions by African Americans African Americans have invented many important items that we can't live without. Here are just 10 of them. Read more >> Slavery Under Another Name: What Were the Black Codes?   The Emancipation Proclamation may have signified the formal end of slavery. But almost immediately afterward, Southern states enacted Black Codes that effectively re-enslaved thousands of newly freed Black people. Read more >> Why Frederick Douglass Was the Father of the Civil Rights Movement How did Frederick Douglass escape slavery to become a famous writer, orator and abolitionist? Read more >> The 'Green Book' Was a Lifeline for Black Travelers Before the 1964 Civil Rights Act and even after it, the tradition of the "great American road trip" was very different for families of color. Read more >> 5 Events in Black History You Never Learned in School   Despite having a designated month for Black history, most students in the U.S. aren't taught about some of the most important people and events in Black history. Here are five. Read more >> Riddle of the Day! What five letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?   Check Your Answer Copyright © 2021 HowStuffWorks, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website howstuffworks.com Our mailing address is: HowStuffWorks 1501 Main St Suite 101 Venice, CA 90291 Want to change how you receive these promotional emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

Step Inside the Cecil, One the Creepiest Hotels in the World

Plus, groundhogs, GameStop and the Wilhelm scream.

Happy Tuesday Groundhogs are among the largest true hibernating species, meaning they don't just fall asleep but descend into a deep torpor. A hibernating groundhog's heart rate slows from around 88 beats per minute to just five, and during their 150-day sleep, they lose around a quarter of their body weight. So when a hibernating groundhog comes out of its den, it's time to get busy. Happy Groundhog Day! The Story of the Cecil, One of the Creepiest Hotels in the World Tucked into downtown Los Angeles is a 19-floor hotel with 700 rooms and an otherwise unremarkable exterior. In fact, it's the most cursed place LA journalist Hadley Meares has ever come across. Read more >> Groundhogs Are More Than Just Meteorologists Punxsutawney Phil is great and all, but he's just one member of the wonderful woodchuck family. Meet the rest of them. Read more >> If You Hear a Scream in a Movie, It's Probably the Wilhelm Scream And you've likely heard that sound of terror hundreds of times. Read more >> Surprise, Your Pinky Toe Does Serve a Purpose Your pinky toe might seem like it serves no real function but to look cute. But it does. We swear. Read more >> Wile E. Coyote Never Had a Chance Against Roadrunner The roadrunner's reputation for speed and smarts, thanks to Warners Bros., isn't far from the truth, but it's not entirely accurate either. Read more >> Why GameStop Shares Stopped Trading Shares of the video game retailer GameStop soared after investors teamed up to run up the price. Then several online brokers halted the sale of the stock. Our friends at The Conversation explain why. Read more >> Q: What was your favorite subject in elementary school?   Thanks to everyone who participated in last week's poll, check out the results below! This week we're curious to know what subject in elementary school got you most excited as a kid.   Reply to this email with your first name and answer so we can feature you in a future newsletter!  The Results Are In... You voted last week whether you prefer cats or dogs, and well... there's a clear favorite here. Give your pets a nice pat on the head for us and we'll see you next week! Copyright © 2021 HowStuffWorks, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website howstuffworks.com Our mailing address is: HowStuffWorks 1501 Main St Suite 101 Venice, CA 90291 Want to change how you receive these promotional emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list