Author Archive

Black History Month in Lowell

In 1976, President Geral Ford officially proclaimed February to be Black History Month in the United States. The connection between Black History and February extends back to the early 20th century. As the country approached the 50th anniversary of the passage of the 13th Amendment and the Constitutional abolition of…

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Three poems by Peuo Tuy

Peuo Tuy is a 1.5 generation Khmer-American spoken word poet and educator from Lowell, Massachusetts and New York, New York. Her poetry collection, Khmer Girl (2014), is inspired by the traumas of her life, including her family escaping the killing fields of their native Cambodia and enduring the inequities of…

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Boarding School Blues: Chapter 30

Boarding School Blues: Chapter 30 By Louise Peloquin Ch. 30: The Chapel The boarders, all itching to hear about one another’s Thanksgiving break, were dispatched to the chapel at 4:30 that Sunday afternoon. The two-by-two march to the Almighty’s SFA residence was less than orderly but the girls knew that…

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Presidents’ Day in Lowell

Contemporary readers might be surprised to learn that of the 47 individuals who have served as President of the United States, at least 15 of them have visited Lowell. Below is my list of the names and dates of these visits. If anyone knows of anymore, please let us know…

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The Lowell City School Library – 1844

From the Pollard Memorial Library’s “Library History” webpage: Lowell’s public library was founded on May 20, 1844 by an enactment of the Lowell City Council. At the time, the idea of “free” public libraries supported by solely by municipalities was a relatively new one, but the leaders of Lowell clearly…

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Living Madly – Women’s Work

Living Madly – Women’s Work By Emilie-Noelle Provost My maternal grandmother had a sewing room in her house that she jokingly referred to as her “sweatshop.” Once a spare bedroom, the space was home to her two sewing machines and hundreds of yards of fabric of all types and colors. Throughout…

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“Little Child Won’t You Dance With Me”

“Little child won’t you dance with me” Lennon-McCartney, 1963 By Louise Peloquin The Ed Sullivan Show was a family entertainment staple. Across the narrow hall from the kitchen, my parents would settle into their armchairs and my brother and I would sit crossed-legged on the floor while our two younger…

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