About Howard Kramer

Philadelphia is one of America’s oldest and most historic cities.  It has a long history of religious tolerance, and many religious groups and denominations in the United States got their start right here in the City of Brotherly Love.  Not surprisingly, Philadelphia is packed with an amazing selection of historic religious sites, with many clustered in and around the old city … [Read more...]

The city of Cincinnati, an important center of trade along the Ohio River even before the American Revolution, was a major draw for both settlers from the Eastern Seaboard and German immigrants throughout the 19th century.  These early settlers left their mark on the city in the form of some of the earliest major churches in the Midwest.  Cincinnati was also the site of the … [Read more...]

The city of San Francisco, one of the most historic American cities west of the Rocky Mountains, is home to some of the oldest, largest and most magnificent religious buildings on the Pacific Coast.  Site of one of the original Spanish missions from which Christianity spread throughout California, San Francisco was a convergence point for Spanish Catholics from the south, … [Read more...]

Charleston, South Carolina is one of America’s great historic church cities.  Charleston’s nickname, the ‘Holy City’, has been attributed to the forest of immense church steeples that sprout from the city skyline as seen from the harbor.  This is particularly true in the historic district where local ordinances keep modern buildings and building heights to a minimum. While … [Read more...]

The celebration of Carnival is a tradition that dates back many centuries.  It has gone from being a simple season of feasts in the Middle Ages to the massive public celebrations we now know in the 21st century.  Observed in the days leading up to Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Christian season of Lent, Carnival parties can be found in many places, especially … [Read more...]

The tradition of African churches in the American South goes back to before the American Revolution.  In fact, it may come as a surprise that oldest home-grown African churches in America, perhaps the world, arose in a place and time where Africans were brutally oppressed and for the most part enslaved.  Early African Baptist congregations came about in two waves: the first … [Read more...]

Of all of the movie genres that have emerged from Hollywood over the years, none are as enduring, or beloved, as the holiday film.  While other movies are slowly forgotten, a good Christmas movie does not fade over time, but returns year after year, becoming an integral part of the holiday tradition.  Some films have become cult classics, creating a strange cottage tourist … [Read more...]

The Christmas Market is a holiday tradition that has long been a part of the Christmas season in Europe, especially in Germany.  Over the last few decades, this tradition has been working its way into American cities and towns, and now there are dozens of such markets from coast to coast.  Every year lists are compiled of America’s best Christmas Markets, and these invariably … [Read more...]