Why are Americans so smitten by dreamcatchers, sports mascots, Cherokee great-grandmothers, and other imagined and longed-for Indians? Native peoples have long held a critical and evocative spot in American culture, materializing in literature, art, theater, film, music, games, folklore and other locations where American meaning-making has taken place. In this webinar, Philip Deloria will offer … Continued
In recent years, historians have increasingly taken to social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook to engage with each other, with journalists, and with the general public too. But the social media landscape can be tricky to navigate. In this webinar, historian Kevin M. Kruse will guide participants through a discussion of best practices for … Continued
In the 21st century, many challenges to public health—such as the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, or disparities in maternal mortality rates—transcend national boundaries and trigger international responses. Matters of health and illness play a key role in how we understand our place in an interconnected world. In this webinar, historian Mari Webel explains … Continued
During the twentieth century, oil became not only the United States’ principal source of energy, but the foundation of modern American society. Powerful, versatile, and cheap, oil transformed everyday life for Americans—how they moved, where they lived, what they ate, how they dressed, how they played, and even how they thought. This carbon-intensive way of … Continued
Revealing the misconduct of the powerful is always dangerous. By challenging and exposing corruption, whistleblowers perform a vital public service—yet, historically, they have suffered for it. This seminar will explore the origins and history of whistleblowing in America, tracing the critical role it has played in keeping elites honest and amplifying the voice of the … Continued
The deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd have inspired Americans and people throughout the world to take to the streets in protest against police brutality. In the course of what might be the largest movement for civil rights since the 1960s, many activists have issued calls to “defund the police” in response to police … Continued
Oral history, a form of social inquiry that connects the humanities and the social sciences in the academy and creates new understandings in the public world, is a portal through which we can enter another’s life story, individually or communally. Never is this kind of embodied meaning-making through listening more important than in times of … Continued
How can pop music help us understand historical movements? Does music have an effect on the outcome of protests throughout history? How does music foster connections between people in pursuit of a common goal? Through an examination of pioneering artists such as Sam Cooke, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, John Coltrane, Nina Simone, and Curtis Mayfield, … Continued
Does the recent call for reparations by several Democratic presidential candidates signal a new openness to an old idea? Although demands for reparations for slavery, Jim Crow, and their legacies have been dismissed as costly, divisive, and unfair, African American activists and intellectuals from the 19th century to the 21st have often expressed their political … Continued
The American West erupted in anti-Chinese violence in 1885. Following the massacre of Chinese miners in Wyoming Territory, communities throughout California and the Pacific Northwest harassed, assaulted, and expelled thousands of Chinese immigrants. In this webinar, we will examine how American immigration policies incited this violence and how the violence, in turn, provoked new exclusionary … Continued