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Wilson, August

(Encyclopedia) Wilson, August, 1945–2005, American playwright and poet, b. Pittsburgh as Frederick August Kittel, Jr. Largely self-educated, Wilson first attracted wide critical attention with his…

magpie

(Encyclopedia) magpie, common name for certain birds of the family Corvidae (crows and jays). The black-billed magpie, Pica pica or P. hudsonia, of W North America has iridescent black plumage, white…

graphite

(Encyclopedia) graphitegraphitegrăfˈīt [key], an allotropic form of carbon, known also as plumbago and black lead. It is dark gray or black, crystalline (often in the form of slippery scales), greasy…

Slocum massacre

(Encyclopedia) Slocum massacre, July 29–30, 1910, killing of an unknown number of African Americans by armed mobs of white men in the town of Slocum, Texas. The killings may have been precipitated by…

ethnic studies

(Encyclopedia) ethnic studies, in American education, programs offering courses in the history and culture of minority groups. Ethnic studies arose as a result of the black protest movement of the…

molly

(Encyclopedia) molly or mollie, New World fish of the genus Poecilia, which includes the guppy or rainbow fish, Poecilia reticulata. Mollies, which are related to the killifishes, are found from the…

Newfoundland, breed of dog

(Encyclopedia) Newfoundland, breed of massive, powerful working dog developed in Newfoundland, probably in the 17th cent., and later perfected in England. It stands from 25 to 28 in. (63.5–71.1 cm)…

Harris, Joel Chandler

(Encyclopedia) Harris, Joel Chandler, 1848–1908, American short-story writer and humorist, b. Eatonton, Ga., considered one of the great American regionalist writers. As an apprentice to the editor…

roulette

(Encyclopedia) rouletterouletter&oomacr;lĕtˈ [key], game of chance popular in gambling casinos, and in a simplified form elsewhere. In gambling houses the roulette wheel is set in an oblong table…

Feodosiya

(Encyclopedia) Feodosiya Feodosiya fāˌədôˈsēə [key], city, E Crimea. From 1954 part of Ukraine (then the Ukrainian SSR…