Warhawk Almanac - Research, Citation, & Class Guides at University of Wisconsin Whitewater

On Monday, May 9, 1970, Kenny Rogers and The First Edition played at the Williams Center on the UW-Whitewater campus. Their music was not well-received that evening. Kenny Rogers was quoted as saying, “I could feel it way at the beginning, it seemed like they (the audience) didn’t care.”[5] According to the writer of the article, the band and the music didn’t seem to find a groove that evening, but continued to attempt to create a connection with the audience as they were ineffectual in injecting the evening with any kind of fervor. Mary Eckardt also observed that “The lack of variety also hindered great expectations. Only two of three songs deviated from the standard set of drums, tambourine, and three guitars that were used throughout the performance. And even the deviation itself was only a folk guitar.” Kenny Rogers’ performance was part of a series of events that took place during what is known as May Week, a week designed to celebrate spring by offering activities and events meant to entertain students. During May Week, other events included a Semaine de Mai talent show, a carnival, a sports car show, and other events. [6]

Kenny Rogers will be remembered as a legendary musician who made his mark on the world via music, entertainment, investments, and philanthropy, giving inspiration to those who want to make a positive impact on the world via different means.

[1] “Kenny Rogers,” Wikipedia, accessed December 12^th, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Rogers.

[2] “Kenny Rogers,” Britannica, accessed December 12^th, 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kenny-Rogers-American-singer-songwriter.

[3] “Kenny Rogers: Biography,” Kenny Rogers, accessed December 12^th, 2024, https://www.kennyrogers.com/bio.

[4] “More Crossover Success,” Country Music Hall of Fame, accessed December 12^th, 2024,

https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/hall-of-fame/kenny-rogers#:~:text=The%201980s%20also%20saw%20Rogers,launched%20a%20chain%20of%20restaurants.

[5] Mary Eckardt, “Monday’s edition was Roger’s worst,” The Royal Purple (Whitewater, WI), May 7, 1970.

[6] “Semaine de Mai Events,” The Royal Purple (Whitewater, WI), May 4, 1970.

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Warhawk Almanac: Kenny Rogers

Kenny Rogers was an American singer, songwriter, actor, and entertainer who held on to a six-decade career and cemented himself as one of the greatest male musicians of all time. Born in 1938, died in 2020, Rogers became one of the best-selling male artists of all time, selling over 120 million albums worldwide.[1] Some of his musical hits were songs such as “The Gambler,” “Lucille,” “Lady,” and “Through The Years.”[2] Kenny Rogers was unique in that he did not carve his niche into one particular genre of music; rather, his music intertwined with different genres, including pop, country, jazz, rock, and folk, showcasing his interest in a plethora of different music types. His music has been the kind to move through different boundaries, with singles and albums finding success fairly often on the Country, Top 40, and Adult Contemporary charts, and in some cases on the R&B and Christian charts.[3] Kenny Rogers won quite a bit in terms of awards, including: 3 Grammy awards, 21 American Music Awards, 11 People’s Choice Awards, and 6 Country Music Association Awards. Kenny Rogers was most well-known for his music. Still, in addition to being a musician, he invested his money in Branson, Missouri enterprises, published multiple photography books, wrote two children’s books, participated in various charitable activities, and created a chain of restaurants.[4]Photo Credit: The Royal Purple On Monday, May 9, 1970, Kenny Rogers and The First Edition played at the Williams Center on the UW-Whitewater campus. Their music was not well-received that evening. Kenny Rogers was quoted as saying, “I could feel it way at the beginning, it seemed like they (the audience) didn’t care.”[5] According to the writer of the article, the band and the music didn’t seem to find a groove that evening, but continued to attempt to create a connection with the audience as they were ineffectual in injecting the evening with any kind of fervor. Mary Eckardt also observed that “The lack of variety also hindered great expectations. Only two of three songs deviated from the standard set of drums, tambourine, and three guitars that were used throughout the performance. And even the deviation itself was only a folk guitar.” Kenny Rogers’ performance was part of a series of events that took place during what is known as May Week, a week designed to celebrate spring by offering activities and events meant to entertain students. During May Week, other events included a Semaine de Mai talent show, a carnival, a sports car show, and other events. [6]Kenny Rogers will be remembered as a legendary musician who made his mark on the world via music, entertainment, investments, and philanthropy, giving inspiration to those who want to make a positive impact on the world via different means. Photo Credit: The Royal Purple [1] “Kenny Rogers,” Wikipedia, accessed December 12th, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Rogers.[2] “Kenny Rogers,” Britannica, accessed December 12th, 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kenny-Rogers-American-singer-songwriter. [3] “Kenny Rogers: Biography,” Kenny Rogers, accessed December 12th, 2024, https://www.kennyrogers.com/bio.[4] “More Crossover Success,” Country Music Hall of Fame, accessed December 12th, 2024,https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/hall-of-fame/kenny-rogers#:~:text=The%201980s%20also%20saw%20Rogers,launched%20a%20chain%20of%20restaurants. [5] Mary Eckardt, “Monday’s edition was Roger’s worst,” The Royal Purple (Whitewater, WI), May 7, 1970.[6] “Semaine de Mai Events,” The Royal Purple (Whitewater, WI), May 4, 1970. ...

Warhawk Almanac: Whitewater WACs serve in WWII

The Women’s Army Corps (WAC) developed so that women could support men fighting in combat during World War II by performing a wide variety of tasks. The Women’s Army Corps began as the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) in May 1941 when a U.S. Representative named Edith Nourse Rogers of Massachusetts wrote a bill that created the WAAC. [1] Because Ms. Rogers had observed that women veterans in World War I had not been given their dues, Rogers promised that if American women decided to serve in the military, they would be able to do so with all the rights and benefits given to the soldiers. Fort Des Moines, Iowa, was selected as the site of the first WAAC training center. Over 35,000 women from all over the United States applied for less than 1,000 positions. After they completed training, women served as clerks, typists, drivers, cooks, and unit cadre. The women typically performed in four areas: baking, clerical, driving, and medical. Within one year of the WAAC being operational, over 400 jobs were open to women.[2]WAAC Inspection by Oveta Culp Hobby, Fort Des Moines, Iowa, from the Hank Zaletel collections.In January 1943, Edith Rogers introduced in both houses of Congress bills that would allow and encourage the enlistment and commissioning of women in the Army of the United States, or Reserve forces, instead of the traditional enlistments in the U.S. Army. When President Roosevelt signed the bill into law on July 1st, 1943, it gave women all the rank, privileges, and benefits that their male comrades had.[1]WAC advertisement, The Royal Purple, May 15, 1944.The WAC recruited at Whitewater State Teacher’s College for women to serve in positions that would free men to be sent to battle. Two graduates who served in the war effort were Margaret M. Fleming and Eleanor Wezeman. Sgt. Margaret M. Fleming Margaret Fleming, The Minneiska, 1940. Margaret Fleming was a 1940 graduate from the Whitewater State Teacher’s College (now UW-W) who went on to join the Women’s Army Corps in 1943.[2] While at Whitewater, Fleming was a part of the varsity women’s hockey team via the Women’s Athletic Association[3], where she played in the position of goalie, scoring a significant number of points[4]. She was also in the Commercial Club for four years and the Photography Club her sophomore year[5]. In the WAC, Fleming served as chief clerk in the Adjutant General’s Department Headquarters. She was stationed in Cairo, Egypt.[6] Eleanor Wezeman, The Minneiska, 1940.Lt. Eleanor Wezeman Lt. Eleanor Wezeman was a Whitewater graduate who, after graduation, began teaching at the Chicago Christian High School.[7] In college, Eleanor was part of the women’s bowling team, which at one point had an average score of 160.[8] She later focused on post-graduate studies at the University of Denver in Colorado. In 1943, she signed up to be a WAC, completing the standard training in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. She was in service in various places including Florida, Colorado, and Mississippi. Before entering officer candidate school, she was stationed at Chanute Field, Illinois. Let us not forget the women who contributed to the war effort in World War II by enlisting in various branches of the military, doing a wide variety of tasks to help support the men in combat. [1] “Women in the Army,” Army, accessed November 21st, 2024, https://www.army.mil/women/history/wac.html.[2] “Around the World with the Boys,” The Royal Purple 45, no.10 (December 1945): 2. [3] Minneiska 1940 (Whitewater: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 1940), 88.[4] “W.A.A. Pucksters Lose Opening Tilt,” The Royal Purple 38, no.6 (October 1938): 4. [5] UW-Whitewater, Minneiska 1940 (Whitewater: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 1940), 110. [6] “So Proudly We Hail,” The Royal Purple 44, no. 30 (May 28, 1945): 2.[7] “Around the World with the Boys,” The Royal Purple 45, no. 10 (December 1945): 2.[8] “Bowling in Full Swing for W.S.T.C. Keglers”, The Royal Purple 39, no.12 (December 1939):4. ...

Warhawk Almanac: Shirley Chisholm

Shirley Chisholm was a well-known American politician who made history by being the first African American woman to be a member of the United States Congress, as well as being the first African American and first woman to seek the nomination for President of the United States from the Democratic party. Shirley Chisholm was born in 1924 and died in 2005, creating a legacy that impacted a significant amount of people. In addition to being a politician who focused on women’s equality and the equality of African Americans, Shirley wrote an autobiography titled Unbought and Unbossed which specifically focused on her advocacy for both women and African Americans during the seven terms she was in the U.S. House of Representatives.[1] She was an active participant in the House of Representatives from 1969 to 1983, and she won the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously in 2015.[2]Photo Credit: The Royal Purple Representative Chisholm visited the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus in November 1972 where she commented on several different topics relevant to most people. She noted that “One tenth of one percent of the two million corporations in the U.S. control 55 percent of the country’s total assets… The economic system favors only a small segment of society.”[1] Another observation that she voiced was that “Racism is the root of the cancer of this country… we must give less importance to materialistic values and more to humanistic and spiritual values, to civil liberties and human rights, to plain caring. We must forget traditions and conventions and look to God and our conscience for approval.”[2] During her speech at UWW, Shirley commented on a multitude of topics relevant to that time and are still relevant today, i.e., economic difficulties, war, transportation, racism, and the human condition. She commented that “If you accept the truth, then the truth will set us all free. So, let’s not get uptight. Let’s relax and see what we can learn together.”[3] She also told the audience, “Students, unending change is the essence of life. If we have the courage of our convictions, we will forget traditions, we will forget conventionalism, we will forget what the world would say whether we’re in our place or out of place.”[4] To finish off her discussion with the students, she said, “We will think our best thoughts, we will only do our best deeds, looking only to God, whoever your God happens to be, and your conscience for approval.”[5] Photo Credit: The Royal Purple Shirley Chisholm will be remembered and honored as a trailblazer in politics, a woman who fought discrimination as both a female and as an African American, a person who was committed to upholding her integrity in an environment where it can be easily overlooked by individuals prioritizing their own interests. When looking to have various role models outside of family, friends, or others, keep Shirley Chisholm in mind as someone whose character is something to aspire to. [1] Carolyn Hemlock, UW-Whitewater News Release, November 4th, 1972, University Marketing and Communications Records, University Archives and Area Research Center, Harold Andersen Library, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI.[2] Carolyn Hemlock, UW-Whitewater News Release, November 4th, 1972, University Marketing and Communications Records, University Archives and Area Research Center, Harold Andersen Library, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI.[3] Katie Kuhn, “Chisholm: ‘Answer in our Hearts,’ The Royal Purple 73, no.12 (November 1972): 1.[4] Katie Kuhn, “Chisholm: ‘Answer in our Hearts,’ The Royal Purple 73, no.12 (November 1972): 1.[5] Katie Kuhn, “Chisholm: ‘Answer in our Hearts,’ The Royal Purple 73, no.12 (November 1972): 1. [1] “Shirley Chisholm,” Women’s History, accessed December 10th, 2024 https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/shirley-chisholm[2] “Shirley Chisholm,” Britannica, accessed December 10th, 2024 https://www.britannica.com/biography/Shirley-Chisholm...

Warhawk Almanac: Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou was a significant poet in the literary scene who made her mark in different mediums. She was born Margeurite Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri on April 4th, 1928 and died on May 28th, 2014 in North Carolina at age 86.[1] Her career involved several different pathways, including those of a civil rights activist, author, poet, historian, playwright, singer, dancer, actress, composer, director and producer. She broke some barriers by being the first African American woman to create a screenplay for a pivotal movie and the first female inaugural poet in the United States.[2] Angelou is known the most for her autobiographical books, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which was a New York Times bestseller for two years. Her literary works are known to have made a crucial impact on society by providing more diversity to literature and theater. [3] In addition to these accomplishments, Maya Angelou also was the first black woman allowed to drive a cable car in San Francisco, spoke six languages, and edited the Arab Observer. She also wrote two cookbooks and had her own line of Hallmark Greeting Cards.[4]Maya Angelou visited the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Rock County in Janesville on February 12th, 1985, at 7:30 p.m. in the Kirk Denmark Theatre.[1] She discussed a plethora of topics, including racism and equality, family and lineage, the human condition, and others. One of the most profound, insightful things she said was this: “If your great-great-great grandmother could see you now, she would know you are the reason she left Ireland. You are the reason she slept in slave ships. You are the reason she stayed at Ellis Island and had her name changed to something indescribable.” [2] She also remarked that “There’s a world of difference between being trained and educated. If you are intoxicated with the idea of being educated, you have a lifelong course ahead of you. Take advantage of this institution.” [3]Photo Credit: The New York Times Today, Maya Angelou has cemented her place in countless cultural venues, including poetry, politics, and others. She is a reminder to all of us that even when a person is going through dark times, there is a psychological, cerebral strength within all of us that can be accessed and used to find our strongest human capabilities. Photo Credit: Biography.com[1] Anna Marie Lux, “Wearing a mask kept race alive, black speaker says,” Janesville Gazette, no.154 (February 1985): 1. [2] Anna Marie Lux, “Wearing a mask kept race alive, black speaker says,” Janesville Gazette, no.154 (February 1985): 1. [3] Anna Marie Lux, “Wearing a mask kept race alive, black speaker says,” Janesville Gazette, no.154 (February 1985): 1. [1] “Maya Angelou,” Poets Organization, accessed January 15th, 2025, https://poets.org/poet/maya-angelou[2] “Maya Angelou,” Poets Organization, accessed January 15th, 2025, https://poets.org/poet/maya-angelou [3] “Maya Angelou,” National Women’s Hall of Fame, accessed January 15th, 2025, https://www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/maya-angelou/ [4] “10 Facts About Maya Angelou,” Mental Floss, accessed January 15th, 2025, https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/535135/facts-about-maya-angelou...

Warhawk Almanac: Kenny Rogers

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