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From today's featured articleRastafari is a religion that developed among impoverished and socially disenfranchised Afro-Jamaican communities in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is both a new religious movement and a social movement. There is no central authority and much diversity among practitioners. Rasta beliefs are based on a specific interpretation of the Bible; a belief in a single God, Jah, who partially resides within each individual, is integral. Rastas accord central importance to Haile Selassie (pictured), Emperor of Ethiopia between 1930 and 1974; many regard him as the Second Coming of Jesus and Jah incarnate; others see him as a human prophet. Rastafari is Afrocentric and focuses on the African diaspora. In the 1960s and 1970s, it gained increased respectability and greater visibility abroad through the popularity of Rasta-inspired reggae musicians, most notably Bob Marley. There are an estimated 700,000 to 1,000,000 Rastas across the world, the majority of whom are of black African descent. (Full article...)
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On this dayJanuary 25: Feast day of Saint Gregory of Nazianzus (Eastern Orthodoxy)
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The Caldecott Medal annually recognizes the preceding year's "most distinguished American picture book for children". It is awarded to the illustrator by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association. The Caldecott Medal was first proposed by Frederic G. Melcher, in 1937. The award was named after English illustrator Randolph Caldecott (pictured). Unchanged since its founding, the medal, which is given to every winner, features two of Caldecott's illustrations. To be eligible for a Caldecott, the book must be published in English, in the United States first, and be drawn by an American illustrator. Winning the award can lead to a substantial rise in books sold. It can also increase the prominence of illustrators. Illustrator and author Marcia Brown is the most recognized Caldecott illustrator, having won three medals and having six honor books. (Full list...)
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Peter Tatchell (born 25 January 1952) is an Australian-born British campaigner, author, journalist and broadcaster who speaks out on various issues of human rights and social justice. His attempts to promote the enforcement of international human-rights law have included efforts to secure the prosecution of Henry Kissinger on war crimes, and he attempted a citizen's arrest of Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe in 1999 and again in 2001. Photograph credit: Colin
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