Library of Congress historian Marvin Kranz looks at an early photograph taken of James Buchanan's inauguration. He discusses both the technology involved in taking the photograph and the construction work in D.C. that the photograph captured.
Cultural resources manager of the Anacostia Museum Portia James discusses Creole inventor Norbert Rillieux's invention of the vacuum evaporator, a device that increased the efficiency of water evaporation and boosted the growth of the sugar industry.
To view this lecture, select "Scholars," followed by "Portia James." Select one of the Windows Media options.
Aircraft restorer Karl Heinzel and curator Dorothy Cochrane look at Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega aircraft, discussing its construction and the technological developments it represents. They discuss why aircraft are selected and restored for museum collections as examples of specific moments in history and technological advancement.
Historians Monica Smith and Will Eastman outline the invention and development of the electric guitar in the 20th century.
Forensic anthropologist Dr. Doug Owsley discusses the colonial remains found at Harleigh Knoll in the Chesapeake Bay area and some of the information that studies of such remains can reveal.
In this presentation, students will discover how modes of transportation have changed over time and how those changes have affected North Carolinians.
Professor Lawrence Levine looks at the popular culture of the 1930s, during the Great Depression, and what it reveals about culture and society as a whole at the time. He looks at Superman, comics, and superheroes; private detectives in fiction; and gangsters in fiction.
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 Lauren Coodley reviews the life of writer and activist Upton Sinclair. She focuses on the details of his life not commonly included in his popular image as a "muckraker."
Professor Dee Andrews reviews the life of Benjamin Franklin, focusing on Franklin's own written materials as a window into his personality and the culture and times within which he lived.