Fourth of July!

Here are some interesting facts about the July 4th holiday from the Census Bureau's Facts for Features.

• In July 1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation was 2.5 million.
• The nation's estimated population on this July Fourth is 313.9 million!
• $232.3 million: The value of fireworks imported from China in 2011, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($223.4 million). U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $15.8 million in 2011, with Australia purchasing more than any other country ($4.5 million). Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www> <http://www.usatradeonline.gov>
• 6: Number of states in which the value of broiler chicken production was estimated at $1 billion or greater between December 2010 and November 2011. There is a good chance that one of these states — Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi or Texas — is the source of your barbecued chicken. Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/PoulProdVa/PoulProdVa-04-26-2012.pdf>

Although most of Arkansas is under burn restrictions and fireworks bans due to the extremely dry conditions, many cities around the state are still holding Fourth of July fireworks displays. For more information about cities near you, check out this list.

The Arkansas State Library will be closed on July 4th in celebration of the holiday. Normal hours will resume on Thursday July 5th. Any reference questions sent after the close of business on July 3rd will be answered as soon as possible on the 5th.

Thanksgiving Closure

This week, I just want to remind you that the Arkansas State Library, along with all the other state agencies, will be closed Thursday and Friday in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday. Any reference questions submitted via the web form or voice mail will not be answered before Monday, November 28th.

Enjoy the holiday! If you are looking for some way to help those less fortunate during the holiday season, visit the Arkansas Foodbank or locally headquartered Heifer International. Be sure to do some research on any charity you may choose to donate to at sites such as Charity Navigator.

4th of July Facts

This coming Monday is the 4th of July, when Americans celebrate the approval of the Declaration of Independence. To get you prepared for the holiday, here are some facts from the U.S. Census Bureau about the 4th of July:

Population

2.5 million: In July 1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation. Source: Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970 http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/statab.html 

311.7 million: The nation's estimated population on this July Fourth. Source: Population clock http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html;

Patriotic-Sounding Place Names:

*Thirty-one places have “liberty” in their names. The most populous one as of April 1, 2010, is Liberty, Mo. (29,149) Iowa, with four, has more of these places than any other state: Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty.

*Thirty-five places have “eagle” in their names. The most populous one is Eagle Pass, Texas (26,248).

*Eleven places have “independence” in their names. The most populous one is Independence, Mo. (116,830). Nine places have “freedom” in their names. The most populous one is New Freedom, Pa. (4,464).

*One place with “patriot” in the name. Patriot, Ind. (209).

*Five places have “America” in their names. The most populous is American Fork, Utah (26,263). Source: American FactFinder; www.census.gov

There are many more facts where those came from at the Facts for Features page at the U.S. Census Bureau.

And for those of you who would like to read the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution this weekend, you can visit the Charters of Freedom page from the National Archives, and download a high-resolution version on your computer.

Finally, the Arkansas State Library will be closed on Monday, in celebration of the holiday.If you have any reference questions that need prompt assistance, please give us a call by Thursday of this week, or come back on Tuesday.

Next Monday's Holiday

Next Monday is the observance of George Washington's birthday, and for Arkansans, the celebration of Daisy Lee Gatson Bates.  The popular name for the holiday is President's Day, or is it Presidents' Day?  There is some confusion in the name, and what is being celebrated. Officially, it is to commemorate the birth of George Washington, the nation's first president, although many people assume it is to celebrate all presidents.  There used to be a separate holiday in February for the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, but it was sort of subsumed into the more general holiday.  If you are interested in learning more about the "controversy" over the holiday, check out this article on Snopes.com.

For those of us in Arkansas, the day also commemorates the life and legacy of civil rights activist, Daisy Gatson Bates.  She was a mentor to the Little Rock Nine, and with her husband published a newspaper, the Arkansas State Press. For a more detailed biography, as well as pictures and suggestions for further reading, visit the Encyclopedia of Arkansas.

Here at the Arkansas State Library, we have books by and about Daisy Gatson Bates, as well as books about George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and other presidents - if you prefer the idea of celebrating all presidents.  You can look through our catalog by visiting our main website, where you can also submit an electronic reference question, or you can call a reference librarian at (501) 682-2053, or you can come visit us in person, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM.

Celebrate Veterans

Next Thursday is Veteran's Day here in the United States.  Veteran's Day was first officially observed on November 11, 1919 as Armistice Day to commemorate the end of the First World War.  It became an official holiday in 1926, and in 1954 the name was changed to Veteran's Day to commemorate the sacrifices and service of American soldiers of all wars. For more information about the history of Veteran's Day, check out this page from the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 21.9 million military veterans in the United States.  1.5 million of those veterans are women.  5.5 million veterans are living with disabilities. For more statistics about veterans, visit the U.S. Census Bureau Facts page.

If you or someone you know is an Arkansas veteran in need of assistance or information, visit the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs webpage.

Labor Day Facts and Figures

Workers in the United States will celebrate Labor Day this coming Monday. Here are some facts and figures about Labor Day taken from the U.S. Census Bureau:

• The first observance of Labor Day is believed to have been a parade of 10,000 workers on Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City, organized by Peter J. McGuire, a Carpenters and Joiners Union secretary. By 1893, more than half the states were observing a “Labor Day” on one day or another, and Congress passed a bill to establish a federal holiday in 1894. President Grover Cleveland signed the bill soon afterward, designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day.
• 154.4 million: Number of people 16 and older in the nation's labor force in May 2010.
  Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf
• 7.6 million: Number of workers who hold down more than one job. So-called moonlighters comprise 5 percent of the working population. Of these, 4 million work full time at their primary job and part time at their other job. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as cited in the Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2010, Table 596 http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
• -5.3%: Percentage decline in employment in the United States, between September 2008 and September 2009. Employment declined in 329 of the 334 largest counties (large counties are defined as having employment levels of 75,000 or more). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cewqtr.pdf
• 17.7 million: Number of commuters who leave for work between midnight and 5:59 a.m. They represent 13 percent of all commuters. Source: 2008 American Community Survey http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/users_guide/index.htm

For more information about American workers and the Census Bureau, follow the link to the Census Bureau Fact page or the Census homepage.