Articles by: Michael Benjamin

Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty

One of the nation’s enduring symbols, the Statue of Liberty, was dedicated on Bedloe’s Island in New York Harbor on this date in 1886. A gift from France, the statue’s full name is “Liberty Enlightening the World,” and is the […]

by · November 3, 2019 · History, Profile America
You can get a free sandwich for a good cause at Subway on National Sandwich Day.

Profile America: Clichés & Sandwiches

Sunday, November 3. Today is Cliché Day — any way you slice it, a minor and obscure occasion. While the ostensible purpose is to encourage our verbal banalities, it might also be stretched to stereotypes. Such as the cliché that […]

by · November 3, 2019 · Profile America
Breaking Ground, Comunilife and elected officials unveil new supportive housing in the Bronx.  Photo credit: Breaking Ground

New supportive housing unveiled in the Bronx

Breaking Ground and Comunilife unveil new supportive housing in the Bronx The nonprofits celebrated the opening of a 161-unit residence at the La Central mixed-use project on Tuesday, October 29 – the seventh residence managed by Breaking Ground in the […]

by · November 1, 2019 · Housing, News
Profile America: National Crime Prevention Month

Profile America: National Crime Prevention Month

Sunday, October 27th. Everyone is a potential crime victim, and October is when government agencies, civic groups, schools, businesses and youth organizations join in trying to reduce the threat. This is National Crime Prevention Month, with special awareness and education […]

by · October 27, 2019 · Census, Crime, Profile America
Credit: American Chemical Society

Profile America: National Chemistry Week

Sunday, October 20th. Today is the start of National Chemistry Week, an annual event held to raise public awareness of chemistry in the modern world. Coordinated by the American Chemical Society, the effort involves businesses, schools and individuals in communicating […]

by · October 20, 2019 · History, Profile America
Firefighters continue to fight the blaze shortly after the roof of the Marion Pharmacy collapsed.--Photo by David Greene

Profile America: American Pharmacists Month

Wednesday, October 16th. The art and science of mixing therapeutic compounds to assist medical practice goes back 4,500 or more years. Centuries ago, such specialized business was termed apothecary. Today, the familiar name is pharmacy — and the pharmacists behind […]

by · October 16, 2019 · Census, Profile America
World's First Cellphone Call - April 3 1973 by Martin Cooper. (YouTube)

Profile America: Birth of Cell Phones

Sunday, October 13. With the national median age being 38.2 years, only about half of the country’s population experienced life in what might strike young people as a bleak, dark and difficult age. Practically unimaginable today, there was a time […]

by · October 13, 2019 · History, Profile America, Technology
Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. was joined at the event by (l) Ms. Beatrice Castiglia-Catullo, 100, founder of Regional Aid for Interim Needs (R.A.I.N.) and (r) Ms. Sarah Turner, who had then-recently celebrated her 101st birthday at the R.A.I.N. Eastchester Neighborhood Senior Center.

Profile America: Centenarians Day

Sunday, September 22nd. The average age of the American population is on a steady climb, and the national median is 38 years. It’s nearly 39.5 for women. As people grow older, many tend to become a little vague about their […]

Profile America: Clean Water

Profile America: Clean Water

Friday, September 20th. We pretty much take for granted that the municipal water that comes out of the faucets in our homes is safe to drink. But getting to that point 125 years ago was a major advance for civilization […]

by · September 20, 2019 · Census, Environment, History, Profile America
Credit: True Value Paint

Profile America: Paint

Types of paint have been used by people starting tens of thousands of years ago to enliven cave walls. In more recent centuries, paint was applied to make signs or decorated objects.Until 152 years ago, paints had to be tinted […]

by · September 19, 2019 · History, Profile America
Group of chickens walking around a green lawned garden on a free range urban farm, with gentle sunlight

Profile America: National Chicken Month

One of our favorite foods is being celebrated — it’s National Chicken Month, nicely complementing September’s Mushroom Month and Rice Month. The versatility of chicken — served in numerous ways ranging from Southern fried style to sandwiches to salads — […]

by · September 18, 2019 · Census, Profile America
Alexander Hamilton - Government Official, Military Leader, Lawyer, Economist, Political Scientist, Journalist - Biography.com

Profile America: First Federal Loan

On this date in 1787, the Constitutional Convention wrapped up in Philadelphia with the delegates accepting the document and sending it on to the states for ratification. Two years and one day later, the new U.S. government had to become […]

by · September 17, 2019 · Census, History, Profile America
Unmarried and Single Americans Week 2017

Profile America: Unmatched

Monday, September 16th. Today is the second day of “National Unmarried and Single Americans Week.” The occasion notes that many who are unmarried do not identify with the word “single,” since they may be parents, have partners, or are widowed […]

by · September 16, 2019 · Census, Profile America
Profile America: Hispanic History Month

Profile America: Hispanic History Month

Sunday, September 15th. Today marks the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month — a time to recognize the contributions and cultures of the nation’s fastest-growing population group. The idea started as a special week in 1968 and was expanded to […]

Credit: Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

Profile America: Rehabilitation Awareness

Saturday, September 14th. National Rehabilitation Awareness Week begins tomorrow and runs to the 21st. One of goals of the annual event is to salute the determination of the nation’s residents who confront one or more disabilities as they go about […]

by · September 14, 2019 · Health, Profile America