Friday / Weekend Open Line


There are many bird-feeding and bird-watching events this month.  One of them is the annual Great Backyard Bird Count — in which ordinary Americans note the kinds and quantity of birds in their immediate area, helping scientists track the health of the bird population.  With the foliage off the trees, many will be looking at and photographing birds with cameras and binoculars.  It was this month in 1872 that the first state bird sanctuary was established at Oakland, California’s Lake Merritt.  It was named for the mayor, who started the efforts to preserve the lake.  In the U.S. today, nearly 14 million people enjoy bird watching, and 55.5 million feed the birds and other wildlife in their area.

Profile America for the 23rd day of Black History Month.  Augusta Savage knew at an early age that she wanted to be a sculptor.  Winning a prize at a county fair in Florida in 1919 only made her more certain of her career.  Moving to New York, she became part of the flourishing Harlem arts scene.  She won a coveted fellowship in 1929 and the opportunity to study in Paris.  Upon her return, she began teaching and opened a studio so African-Americans could learn about their culture by studying fine arts.  She arranged for black artists to receive commissions from a Depression-era federal agency and opened the first African-American art gallery in New York.  In the U.S., there are more than 25,000 art dealers, who sell over $9.5 billion in paintings, sculpture, and drawings each year.  This special edition of Profile America is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.


How about the GOP debates this week?  Did they help you decide who to vote for in the primaries?

Discuss and more on the open lines!