A talk with Dr. Lonnie Bunch, founding director of the new National Museum of African American History, about the new African-American Museum. This Smithsonian Institution museum has been decades in the making and soon will be assigned a location in downtown Washington, DC. "It is a challenge to make sure that this is a museum that allows people to revel in African-American culture," Dr. Bunch has noted, "but it [will also be] a museum that says what it means to be an American. Everyone will want to come here because it will help us understand courage and resiliency and other traits."

To view this lecture, scroll to "Lonnie Bunch," and select "Watch the Video."

Lynne Cheney talks about the way Americans have come to perceive their past. She uses her recent book, A Time for Freedom: What Happened When in America, as a jumping-off point for discussing her longstanding interest in the education of young people in American history.

To listen to this lecture, scroll to "Lynne Cheney" and select "Watch the Video."

Professor John Smolenski describes the French and Indian War (or Seven-Year War), looking at its significance in North American history and its neglect in popular memory and understanding.

Professor Karen Sawislak reviews the history of women in the workplace and women's work during the 19th century in the U.S. She looks at changes over this period and how this history is perceived and taught today.

Professor Jon Gjerde looks at how the concepts of democracy and citizenship have changed over the course of U.S. history. He focuses particularly on how these concepts have affected and reacted to immigrants and immigration throughout that history.

Professor Clarence Walker reviews the life of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, drawing on Douglass's first autobiography.

Michael Ray narrates a basic introduction to the Battle of the Alamo and popular memory of the battle. The presentation looks briefly at how films and fiction have reimagined the story of the Alamo and distorted historical facts.

Michael Ray narrates a basic introduction to the Puritan colonists in North America, emphasizing modern misunderstanding and stereotyping of Puritan beliefs and lifestyles.

Professor Christopher Flannery examines the ideals and values associated with being "American," what those ideals mean, and where they originated. Flannery looks at the founding documents of the United States and the positions of the Founding Fathers and of other notable figures throughout U.S. history.

To listen to this lecture, scroll to the Monday, August 2nd, 9:00 am-10:30 am session; and select either the RealAudio image or link in the gray bar to the left of the main body of text.

An older version of this lecture can be found here.

Professors Lucas E. Morel and Diana Schaub look at the history of demands for reparation for slavery and of instances and accusations of racial profiling in the U.S. They begin with a short discussion of affirmative action cases in the U.S. Supreme Court, continuing from the lecture "Affirmative Action."

To listen to this lecture, scroll to the Friday, August sixth, 10:50 am-12:15 pm session; and select the corresponding RealAudio image or link.

An older version of this lecture can be found here.