In this podcast, Richard Miller describes the steps taken to ensure the survival of AP Hotaling & Co.'s San Francisco warehouse at 451 Jackson Street—the largest depository of whiskey on the West Coast—in the aftermath of the Great Earthquake of 1906.
Ben Click looks at the National Portrait Gallery's portrait of Mark Twain by John White Alexander and tells the stories of some of Mark Twain's portrait sittings.
This podcast from the Smithsonian American Art Museum details the history of the museum's building, once the U.S. Patent Office, or "Temple of Invention."
To listen to this podcast, scroll to the bullet point which reads, "Listen to our podcast about the magnificent building that houses the Smithsonian American Art Museum," and select a file type.
In this oral history, Hermond Norwood of the Library of Congress interviews Fountain Hughes regarding his time as a slave in Charlottesville, VA.
Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919), the daughter of former slaves, started life as a farm laborer and laundress but finished it as a pioneer of the modern African American hair care and cosmetics industry. A'Lelia Bundles, Walker's great-great-granddaughter, offers highlights of Walker's early life and her career as an innovator, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
To listen to this lecture, scroll to the February 13th, 2009, program; and select "Listen now." Part two can be accessed by doing the same with the February 24th, 2009, program.
Using clips from more than 300 of the greatest movies ever made, this series explores film history and American culture through the eyes of over 150 Hollywood insiders, including Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg, and Michael Eisner. In-depth treatments present film as a powerful economic force, potent 20th-century art form, and viable career option. "American Cinema" connects subjects such as history, business, and English with other studies. In addition, it is a perfect vehicle for developing visual and media literacy skills and can be used as a springboard for creative-writing endeavors and media production. This video instructional series on film history for college and high school classrooms and adult learners includes 10 one-hour and three half-hour video programs and coordinated books.
This presentation, narrated partially from the perspective of Oglala Lakota Sioux medicine man Black Elk, describes the Battle of the Little Bighorn and the seizing of Native American land and the forcing of Native Americans onto reservations that followed.
Narrated from the perspective of Black Elk, a holy man of the Lakota Sioux, in the 1930s, this presentation describes contact between his people and white explorers, settlers, and soldiers. It also examines life on the Pine Ridge reservation today.
Voter participation in presidential elections soared from just over 20 percent in 1824 to over 80 percent in 1840. It stayed near 80 percent until the early 1900s and then plummeted to between 50 and 60 percent for most of the 20th century. Compared to its peer nations, American voter turnout sits at the bottom of the list, with other nations consistently seeing voter participation at or over 80 percent. Professor Paul Martin of the University of Virginia explains why citizen involvement in electoral campaigns has changed so much in the United States over the past, why U.S. voter participation is so low compared to peer nations, and offers parting thoughts on why low citizen participation matters and why the 2008 presidential election might see an increase in voter involvement.
Dr. Lauranett Lee of the Virginia Historical Society explores ways to use oral history and historic preservation efforts to teach history. She is currently completing a commissioned project for the city of Hopewell in which she documents African American history. She discusses the mechanics of constructing a community history project and its applicability for teachers and students. The second half of the session focused on using the cultural landscape to teach history, including a walking tour of the historic Jefferson School.
To listen to this lecture, select "Podcast" under the September 4th session.