A Peanuts Holliday
This man is the creator of the Peanuts characters.
Who is Charles M. Schulz? His first cartoon, a drawing of his family’s dog Spike, was published in 1937 when he was only 15. By the 1970s, his comic strips and TV specials were a national success
This famous guitarist is best remembered for his psychedelic tunes like “Purple Haze” but was also proud to be of Cherokee descent.
Who is Jimi Hendrix? The late rock star’s family donated some of his belongings to the National Museum of the American Indian in 2010.
This freeze-dried sweet treat was invented in the late 1970s, but despite its name, it has probably never been eaten in space.
What is astronaut ice cream? Although it was claimed that astronauts aboard Apollo 7 snacked on the dessert, experts and astronauts both say it was never taken to space due to its crumbly nature.
This author of Slaughterhouse-Five served in the army during the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded a Purple Heart and a Prisoner of War Medal.
Who is Kurt Vonnegut? He later served as the honorary president of the American Humanist Association.
Kicking off the decade with a classic, this 1960 book features the persistent Sam-I-Am.
What is Green Eggs and Ham? After a publisher bet that he couldn’t write a story using only 50 words, Dr. Seuss penned this beloved book.
In the 1973 cartoon A Charlie Brown Holiday Dinner, this canine character helps Charlie Brown prepare toast and popcorn for dinner.
Who is Snoopy? The multitalented pooch has been appearing in Peanuts cartoons since their creation by Charles Schulz in 1950.
Actor Abel Fernandez, of Yaqui descent, is known for his role as Agent William Youngfellow in this 1960s television series about Eliot Ness.
What is The Untouchables? The character Fernandez plays is also Indigenous and is based on a real-life agent from the 1930s.
This Vermont-based ice creamery opened its doors in 1978 and has featured flavors like mint Oreo and Heath Bar crunch.
What is Ben & Jerry’s? They opened the business in a converted gas station in Burlington, Vermont, and quickly gained a following due to their unusual flavors.
Before hosting this show in the early 1960s, Rod Serling was awarded a Purple Heart for his service as a World War II paratrooper
What is The Twilight Zone? During his time in the army, he met Jack Benny and first got into acting.
We were first introduced to this nature-loving character who “speaks for the trees” in 1971
Who is the Lorax? The Lorax centered on environmental themes during a decade when environmentalism was gaining popular momentum.
This sports-loving gal with a crush on Charlie Brown first appeared in a Peanuts comic in 1966.
Who is Peppermint Patty? Did you know her full name is Patricia Reinhardt?
In 1969, Native American activists took over this island prison off the coast of California to protest the government’s treatment of Indigenous peoples
What is Alcatraz? The occupation lasted until June 1971 and helped spread awareness of issues in the Indigenous community, which sparked changes to government policies.
In the early 1970s, McDonald’s debuted this breakfast sandwich, a first in the fast-food breakfast industry.
What is the Egg McMuffin? According to Time magazine, the classic sandwich was invented by a McDonald’s franchise owner, Herb Peterson.
This actor, known for The Rockford Files and The Great Escape, was awarded two Purple Hearts for his service in the Korean War.
Who is James Garner? A mix-up resulted in Garner not receiving his second Purple Heart until 1983.
There’s a wasket in my basket and other fun rhymes in this 1974 book: There’s a Wocket in My______!
What is pocket? Researchers have found that the made-up rhymes in Seuss’ stories help children learn to read.
At the beginning of the Thanksgiving special, this character offers to hold the football for Charlie Brown to kick but pulls it away at the last moment.
Who is Lucy (Van Pelt)? Lucy often does this to Charlie Brown throughout the comic strip’s decades-long run. However, in the one comic where Lucy does not pull the ball away, Charlie Brown ends up missing the ball and accidentally breaking Lucy’s arm.
Born in this U.S. state, actor Jason Momoa plays Khal Drogo in the popular HBO show Game of Thrones. He is also an advocate for the rights of the people of island nations.
What is Hawaii? The actor made headlines in 2019 by protesting the construction of a telescope on a sacred Hawaiian mountain.
This slow cooker was invented in 1971 and marketed as a time-saving cooking device for busy working women.
What is the Crock-Pot? The Crock-Pot’s design was based on Irving Naxon’s Beanery, a device he invented to slowly cook a bean stew.
Best-known as Matt Dillon on this long-running television show, James Arness was drafted in 1943 and was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star
What is Gunsmoke? Arness started his career as a radio announcer after being wounded during the Battle of Anzio before moving on to acting.
This book has been a classic since 1960: One ____ Two ____ Red ____ Blue____.
What is fish? Dr. Seuss was known to write for at least eight hours a day. No wonder he was so prolific!
This composer wrote and performed the soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Holiday Dinner.
Who is Vince Guaraldi? In addition to many Charlie Brown TV specials, Guaraldi worked on the soundtracks of Cast Away; Good Morning, Vietnam; and The Wolf of Wall Street.
This organization, called AIM for short, was founded in 1968 to promote self-sufficiency for Indigenous American peoples.
What is the American Indian Movement? Co-founded by Dennis Banks, AIM helped advocate for important legislation like the Indian Civil Rights Act.
Although it was invented in 1959, this powdered, fruit-flavored drink mix didn’t really take off until it was chosen to accompany John Glenn to space on his 1962 Mercury flight.
What is Tang? Advertisements for Tang in the 1960s proudly declared it was “Chosen for the Gemini Astronauts.”
Author and activist Ron Kovic was awarded a Purple Heart in 1968 for his service during this war.
What is the Vietnam War? Kovic’s 1976 memoir Born on the Fourth of July was later made into a movie starring Tom Cruise.
In 1970, we learned that Mr. Brown Can _____! Can You? (Well, can you?)
What is moo? Did you know that Dr. Seuss credited his mother with fostering his love of rhyming words?