Thursday morning marks the 200^th anniversary of the start of The Mexican War for Independence, the conflict that ultimately led to the end of Spanish colonial rule over Mexico. Unfortunately, even as last-minute preparations for a massive commemorative celebration in the capital wrap up, persistent drug-related violence continues to temper optimism over Mexico’s stability.  

Fifty years ago, five countries created an economic consortium to control the price and flow of crude oil: the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. OPEC's birthday comes around the same time that a new paper by a German military think-tank sheds light on how close the world is coming to the potential moment of "Peak Oil."

It's been 40 years since activists got together to set aside a special day to encourage people to think about our environment. Denis Hayes, the principal organizer of the first Earth Day back in 1970, says this day wove together some of the disparate agendas within the fractious environmental movement. But Heather Rogers, journalist and author of the new book "Green Gone Wrong: How Our Economy Is Undermining the Environmental Revolution," says that while Earth Day was originally a good idea, a new tension exists today in how the movement should move forward.

Florida fishermen found Elián González floating in the Atlantic Ocean ten years ago today. After months of legal wrangling, González was sent back to Cuba and his waiting father; who can forget the picture of an armed federal official confronting a screaming Elian? The incident once again brought the frayed relations between the United States and Cuba to the forefront. How have those relations changed in the ten years since? Ann Louise Bardach brings us an update on González; she is the author of “Without Fidel: A Death Foretold in Miami, Havana, and Washington,” and previously of “Cuba Confidential.”

"The Sound of Music" celebrates the 50th anniversary of its first appearance on Broadway. Music buff Jack Grace, the "Martini Cowboy," discusses raindrops on roses, the long musical legacy and his other 'favorite things' from the classic musical.

It's been 25 years since the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened its doors to the music-loving public ... or at least, the music-loving public willing to travel to Cleveland. Some of the most famous acts in rock and roll history have been inducted into the Hall of Fame over the years. But as music sales decline with the advent of digital records and music piracy, how is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame holding up? We look at the music recognized by that institution and how it's faring in the age of the MP3 with Andy Langer, music critic for Esquire.

Here's Neil Young inducting the Jimi Hendrix Experience into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992:

[Trailer for "The Founding of the Republic"]

China is celebrating the big 6-0, and what better way to celebrate six decades of Communist rule than with a major motion picture? The film, fittingly titled "The Founding of the Republic," hits theaters across China tomorrow (the official anniversary) and features nearly 200 Chinese celebrities, including international sensations Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Quentin Sommerville, the BBC's Beijing correspondent, gives us a sneak preview.

World War II leaders will join together today for ceremonies marking the 70^th anniversary of the start of the conflict in Europe. Among the leaders are German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. 

As the NAACP wrapped up the celebration of its 100-year history, President Barack Obama stopped by to address the crowd. Joining us with their reactions to the president's speech and the legacy of the NAACP are Geraldine Sam, the first African-American female mayor of LaMarque, Texas, Reihan Salam, a fellow at the New American Foundation, and Farai Chideya, friend of The Takeaway.

 

If you missed President Obama's speech, you can watch it in its entirety below.

Today the NAACP wraps up its convention celebrating its 100-year anniversary. For a look at what the group's future fights for civil rights should be and how their past accomplishments shaped the nation, we are joined by Lani Gunier. Lani Guinier is the Bennett Boskey Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. She is also the first and only tenured black female professor at Harvard Law School.

We’ve been covering the NAACP’s centennial convention all week. Tomorrow we wrap up the conversation with linguist John McWhorter. We’ll look at his vision for keeping the NAACP relevant in the 21st Century.

Click through for a transcript of our conversation with Lani Guinier

Read about what was life was like for black Americans in 1909.

 

 

Get out your berets, baguettes and bottles of wine — it's time to celebrate Bastille Day! A celebration in honor of the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, it marks the beginning of the French Revolution and the unification of the French people under a new Republic.

Watch the Flight of the Conchords celebrate French independence in the video below:

This 4th of July weekend, the Statue of Liberty’s crown will re-open; visitors can take the 12-story spiral steps leading up the narrow passage to see what may be the best view in the world. The crown was closed after the 9/11 attacks. Brad Hill and his father James Hill are eagerly awaiting the crown's re-opening. They own the Evelyn Hill concession and souvenir stand at the base of the statue. The store has been in their family for three generations and James was born on the island.

Memorial Day is typically considered the unofficial beginning of summer. And we inaugurate the season with barbecues, beach parties, blockbuster films, and bargain hunting. But that's not how Memorial Day was envisioned by the Southern women who honored the fallen soldiers of the Civil War. Joining The Takeaway to talk about the origins of Memorial Day and how the meaning has morphed over the decades is Caroline Janney. She is an assistant professor of history at Purdue University and the author of Burying the Dead but Not the Past: Ladies' Memorial Associations and the Lost Cause (Civil War America).

At Riverside National Cemetery in California, volunteers have spent eight days reading the names of all 148,000 servicemen and women interred there. It was the first unbroken roll call at any U.S. veterans’ cemetery. The Takeaway talks to Gwendolyn Goodlett. She volunteered to read names in honor of her deceased husband, Elijah Goodlett, a Vietnam vet.

It's the start of summer and the kickoff of grilling season. To give us some cooking tips on we turn to Craig Samuels, Brooklyn's barbecue afficionado and owner of Peaches, a Southern restaurant, and The Smoke Joint, a barbecue spot.

Click through for recipes

For high quality video, click the "HQ" button.

When we spoke with Janie Larson a year ago, the soaring cost of oil, the rising cost of food and the months of unemployment that she had just emerged from had her going to a food bank for the first time. One year later, we check in with Janie to see how she's been weathering this economic climate.

In New Orleans, the city's famed Jazz & Heritage Festival is underway. And of course, most people go for the music. But there's another side to JazzFest: the food. The Takeaway is joined by Kathy Gunst, a food writer and radio producer who did some digging into Louisiana's favorite dishes, from gumbo to jambalaya to ya ka mein.

This week we’re marking our one-year anniversary by checking in with the people who have been, in many ways, the backbone of the show. From the plummeting economy to the Presidential election, we’re returning to those who gave these big national headlines a very real and personal voice. Mrs. Kunkel and her fifth graders were recurring guests throughout the election. When we last heard from them it was October and Mrs. Kunkel’s 10- and 11-year olds were pretty much fixated on who would be our next president. As the Obama administration nears its 100-day milestone we are checking back in with Janet Kunkel. She joins us from Boiling Springs, PA where she teaches at Iron Forge.

This week we’re marking our one-year anniversary by checking in the people who have helped us understand the lives behind the numbers on the news. Real people with real stories about every issue from the Presidential campaign to the impact of the housing crisis to the state of the economy. Laura Richards is one of the voices we heard earlier this year. She owns two California Tortilla restaurant franchises in Maryland. We met her in October when small businesses were the canaries in the economic coalmine. At the time Ms. Richards was hoping to expand her franchise, just as credit was freezing. She joins us from Annapolis with an update.

The Takeaway is looking at the economy through the eyes, webcams and cell phones of Americans. Watch the stories and add your own.

This week we’re marking The Takeaway's one-year anniversary by checking in the people who have been, in many ways, the backbone of the show. We’re not talking about the newsmakers, we’re talking about the folks who have been living the news. From the plummeting economy to the Presidential election, we’re returning to those who gave these big national headlines a very real and personal voice. We’re kicking off the conversation with entrepreneur Jim Svetz. We first met him last September. He was the CEO of Muddy Cup, a small coffee house franchise in upstate New York. He was dealing with hostile bankers, an uneasy partner, and customers who had financial jitters. And back then economists weren’t even confident that we were in a recession. Jim joins us from Beacon, New York with an update.

We also are checking back with Jesse Acosta, a student in the Class of 2009 at the Yale School of Management. As a veteran of both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars he is used to surviving in tough times. And all his hard work has paid off, because he has a job lined up for next year. He joins us with his take on the mood on campus.

The Takeaway is looking at the economy through the eyes, webcams and cell phones of Americans. Watch the stories and add your own.