Kelly Clarkson A Model American Woman

The American Idol lived up to the hype with a voice that blows everyone away. She is a Grammy Award winning artist.   Her life is  the fulfillment of the American dream rising from financially humble means to go on to super stardom.

Clarkson was born and reared in Texas.  Her mother is Greek and info about the other part of her ethnicity is conflicting.  Some sources state she is half Irish while others state that she is half English.  (READ MORE)

Soul Food or Irish Twist for your Pig’s Feet

There are many ways to serve pig’s feet, including: boiled, pickled, jellied, or barbequed. MCCN is presenting you with two ways to pig-out with pig feet. First see the recipe for southern style pig’s feet  to satisfy the spicy soul food yearning. It’s a staple in many a southerner or African-American’s New Year’s Day dinner celebration. Secondly, we have an Irish recipe commonly called Crubeens. It’s a braised pig’s feet (trotters) dish generally eaten by our Irish friends right out of the hand. It’s usually consumed after coming from a night at the pub.

See Southern USA and Irish Recipes

An Italian American Thanksgiving

The United States has a rich history of immigrants.  With each decade we can continue a culture of people born to immigrant parents.  This article takes a back to an Italian American story.  What I especially love about it is organic fusion various cultures bring to the table of their hyphenated American experience.- Crystal Johnson, MCCN Editor

Excerpt from Memories of Italian American Thanksgiving

The women would prepare every conceivable dish that would depict the tradition of Thanksgiving. Many of them had never fixed a turkey or made gravy for the turkey. Some of the dishes, like mashed potatoes and stuffing, would have Italian seasonings added such as Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese and homemade Italian sausage. You can see my Mom’s Italian Style Turkey Stuffing Recipe.

The meal would start with Antipasto (Italian appetizer), which is a salad mixture of Italian salami, cheeses, ham, artichokes, mushrooms served with a vinaigrette dressing. Because some of the older men in the family missed their Italian meals, the women would even fix a pasta dish with meat sauce and meatballs and then we would start on “the turkey meal”.

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J.R. Martinez American Hero Dances With the Stars

J.R. Martinez’s emotionally-charged ‘Dancing With the Stars’ routine was the highlight of the competition this week. Martinez, who was injured in a humvee accident while serving in Iraq, stopped by ‘Access Hollywood Live‘ (weekdays, syndicated on NBC) to talk about what the performance, which he dedicated soldiers who didn’t make it home from the war, meant to him. READ MORE

In 2003, Martinez sustained severe burns to over 40 percent of his body while serving as a United States Army infantryman in Iraq. Following his recovery, he has traveled around the country speaking about his experiences to corporations, veterans groups, schools, and other organizations.

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The History of Labor Day

Labor Day Stamp USDOL

In North America and Canada, the first Monday in September is Labor Day. The holiday serves as a celebration of workers and commemorates their respective economic and social achievements.

Labor (Labour) Day in Canada has its origins in an 1872 demonstration held by the Toronto Trades Assembly (TTA).  Serving as Canada’s first significant campaign for worker’s rights, the demonstration was created to garner the release of 24 leaders of the Toronto Typographical Union (TTU). During this time, trade unions were illegal and the TTU leaders were imprisoned for striking to campaign for a nine-hour working day.

The TTA held large parades and picnics and received a large public following.  The parades became so empowering that Canadian Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald repealed “anti-union” laws and in June of 1874 parliament passed the Trade Unions Act. Contemporary Canadian celebrations of Labor Day consist of picnics, fireworks, trips, and parades.

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What is the Declaration of Independence?

The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain were now independent states, and thus no longer a part of the British Empire. Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration is a formal explanation of why Congress had voted on July 2 to declare independence from Great Britain, more than a year after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. The birthday of the United States of America—Independence Day—is celebrated on July 4, the day the wording of the Declaration was approved by Congress.

Watch Performance of “America,America, God Shed His Grace on Thee”