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Happy Birthday to Texas

Posted by & filed under Local Doings, Special Days.

Texas Declaration of Independence

On a cold first day of March in 1836, even as a handful of brave Texas were desperately fending off General Santa Anna and his troops at the Alamo, a convention of delegates sent by the provisional Texas government huddled in an unfinished building in Washington (today better known as Washington-on-the-Brazos), where by March 2 they had drafted and adopted a Declaration of Independence from Mexico.

During the next couple of weeks, the delegates signed the Declaration, hurriedly cobbled together a new Constitution (which incorporated large chunks of the U.S. Constitution, along with a few Mexican laws), and elected a few ad interim government officials. Then, during the early morning of March 17, with no time to lose, they skedaddled, joining the mass exodus known as the Runaway Scrape.

The battle for independence continued until April 21, when the Mexican army was defeated and Santa Anna captured. For the next decade Texas existed as an independent republic, until on December 28, 1845 it was admitted into the United States as the 28th state of the Union.

Here are some ways you can celebrate the anniversary of Texas Independence:

Article by Bobby Griffith.

Banner image of the Texas Declaration of Independence from the Texas State Library and Archives Web site.

Super Tuesday Early Voting

Posted by & filed under Local Doings, Make a Difference, Special Days.

image of vote button

March 3, 2020 is Super Tuesday, the election day in the presidential primary with the most states voting or caucusing. Texas is a Super Tuesday state, meaning you can cast your vote in the presidential primary on that day, but you can also cast your vote EARLY.

Here are some benefits of voting early:

  • You can vote at any designated polling location in the county where you are registered to vote. On election day you can only vote at your designated precinct polling location; and, for primaries these are also divided by party (Democrat or Republican [listed alphabetically]).
  • You have more flexibility of when you can vote. Early voting polling locations are open Feb 18-21 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, Feb 22 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, Feb 23 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Feb 24-28 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • If you’re on or near the UNT campus on Thursday, Feb 27 at 11 a.m., you can meet-up at the Eagle Commons Library at Sycamore Hall and walk to the polling place in the UNT Gateway Center with fellow voters in honor of the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote.

In addition to the presidential primary, there are several local offices on the March 3 ballot. Here are a few resources to help you locate your nearest polling location, view sample ballots, and learn more about the candidates:
  • The Denton County Election Office offers information about early voting and Super Tuesday polling locations and hours. Visit VoteDenton.com for information.
  • Vote411.org, a service from the League of Women Voters, provide sample ballots and information about the candidates. Simply search by your address for helpful information.
  • Ballotpedia offers information about candidates and current elected officials as well as information and news about voting.
  • Texas requires specific forms of ID in order to cast your ballot. The UNT Libraries Election Portal has a list of acceptable IDs.
  • Still have questions? Stop by the Eagle Commons Library at Sycamore Hall to talk with a deputy voter registrar.
Remember to meet up at the Eagle Commons Library at Sycamore Hall to walk to the polls on Thursday, September 27 starting at 11 a.m. or join us for a post-voting Liber-Tea.

Susan B. Anthony Day

Posted by & filed under Inside the ECL, Special Days.

Susan B Anthony illustration

Saturday, February 15 marks what would have been Susan B. Anthony’s 200th birthday. 2020 also marks the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. Although she may be best known for her work on woman’s suffrage, during her life Ms. Anthony worked as an activist for a number of social issues, including temperance, anti-slavery, labor, women’s rights, African-American rights, and universal suffrage.

In 1869, Ms. Anthony and her long-time friend and collaborator Elizabeth Cady Stanton co-founded the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA), which worked for women’s suffrage, divorce reform, and equal pay for women. Despite Anthony’s support of universal suffrage, she opposed the 15th amendment, which prohibited denial of suffrage based on race. Ms. Anthony’s opposition to the 15th amendment was the result of the law’s failure to recognize women as citizens with voting rights. In 1872, after ratification of the 15th amendment, Anthony was arrested for voting illegally. She fought the charges unsuccessfully and was fined $100—a debt she never paid.

From 1892 to 1900, Susan B. Anthony served as president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (created by a merger of the NWSA with the competing American Woman Suffrage Association). In this role she canvassed the county giving speeches, gathering petition signatures, and lobbying Congress in support of women’s suffrage.

In August 1920, fourteen years after her death, the Susan B. Anthony Act was ratified as the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution. Though she did not live to see the results of her life’s work, she played a crucial role in securing female suffrage at the national level. In 1979, the U.S. Treasury minted the Susan B. Anthony dollar, making her the first female to be represented on U.S. currency.

To help celebrate Susan B. Anthony Day and the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, we invite you to visit the Eagle Commons Library at Sycamore Hall and take a selfie with Ms. Anthony.

Article by Robbie Sittel.

Welcome to the Sycamore Stacks!

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

Welcome to the Sycamore Stacks. This blog will share information about the collections, services, and interests of the staff and librarians at the Eagle Commons Library at Sycamore Hall. We invite you to visit the library and stay tuned to this space for a variety of information and updates.

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