What do the reactions to Lizzo's September 2022 visit to the National Archive say about access to public services? We have work to do if we want to keep saying libraries are welcoming spaces, and a radical librarian from the 1930s gives us a place to start.
Gaslit Zeroes in on Loyalty to Nixon, But Not Nixon’s Crimes
Gaslit is at its best when it ruminates on presidential power, showing viewers how loyalty can lead to criminality. The show's individual stories are fascinating, but they often obscure Nixon's guilt, along with the social movements of the period.
Christmas Films as Reflections of American History, Part III: Perfecting the Paradigm from the 1990s to the Present
An exploration of Hollywood's eclectic Christmas film history, surveying developments from the 1990s through today.
Christmas Films as Reflections of American History, Part II: Stop-Motion, Action, and Horror in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s
An exploration of Hollywood Christmas film history, including children's, horror, and action movies from the 1960s to the 1980s.
Christmas Films as Reflections of American History, Part I: Dickens, Romance, and the US Military in the 1940s and 50s
An exploration of Hollywood's eclectic history of Christmas films, starting with postwar Dickensian adaptations and Cold War romances.
History Through Film: The Vietnam War – Syllabus
This class explores the Vietnam War and its contested legacies through documentary and feature films.
Hulu’s Mrs. America and the Real History of the Battle Over the ERA
What can Mrs. America tell us about the historical context of the battle over the Equal Rights Amendment? Where does it shine and where does it fall short? And what should we take away from the show, and its real history, to better understand our present?
Suffrage Pie, Honest Watergate Salad, and (Im)Peach-Mint Crumb Cake: Food, Recipes, and Humor as Political Commentary
Although social media enables political food puns to go viral, they are rooted in a long tradition of journalists, activists, and average citizens combining food and humor to poke fun at political opponents. This article examines three such moment: (Im)Peach-Mint Crumb Cake and President Trump, The Watergate Cookbook and President Nixon, and Suffrage Pie For the Doubting Husband from the women's suffrage movement.