WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP)—Poet Maya Angelou celebrated a belated 82nd birthday May 20 with a few celebrity friends and a few choice words about political divisiveness in the United States.

Singers Naomi Judd and Martina McBride sang “Happy Birthday to You” to Angelou, who sat at a table in her newly refurbished backyard garden, while hip-hop artist and actor Common improvised a song to honor her.

MAYA ANGELOU

(NNPA)—The Texas Board of Education on May 21 voted to change the state curriculum of social studies and history classes to reflect a more positive view of capitalism, the military, Christianity and modern Republican figures in American history.

The reform was approved in a 9-5 vote, which split along party lines. Supporters believe the move merely evens out textbooks which were already “left-leaning.” Conservative board member Cynthia Dunbar told those who attended the vote that the changes need to be made because America was founded as “a Christian land governed by Christian principles.”

Week of May 28-June 3

May 28

1831—Although little known today, one of the most effective “conductors” of the “underground railroad” Eliza Ann Gardner was born on this day in 1831. The “underground railroad” was a series of roads, paths and safe houses used to enable slaves in the South to escape to freedom in the Northern United Stated or into Canada. “Conductors” were those persons who either led the escaped slaves to freedom or operated the safe houses.

BETTY SHABAZZ

1936—Betty Shabazz, the widow of Black nationalist leader Malcolm X, was born on this day in Detroit, Mich. Shabazz was born Betty Jean Sanders and raised by foster parents. She attended Tuskegee Institute (now university) and became a registered nurse. In 1994, she created a national controversy when she linked Nation of Islam leader Min. Louis Farrakhan to the assassination of Malcolm X. However, she and Farrakhan reconciled in 1995 and she spoke at the historic Million Man March. She died June 23, 1997 as a result of injuries received in a house fire set by her grandson.

WASHINGTON (AP)—Since the birth of the American political party, its primary mission has been to amass power by recruiting candidates, raising money and spreading messages. In short, a holding company that elects people—with a monopoly for a century and a half by Democrats and Republicans.

But a chain of events in recent history—from the Internet’s astonishing ascent and a Supreme Court ruling on political money to today’s maelstrom of voter anger—is changing things.