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Disney Theme Parks and America’s National Narratives takes a public history approach to situating the physical spaces of the Disney brand within memory and identity studies. For over 65 years, Disney’s theme parks have been important locations for the formation and negotiation of the collective memory of the American narrative. Disney’s success as one of America’s most prolific storytellers, its rise as a symbol of America itself, and its creation of theme parks that immerse visitors in three-dimensional versions of certain "American" values and historic myths have both echoed and shaped the way the American people see themselves. Like all versions of the American narrative, Disneyâ€...
Taking a generous view of reading and reading materials, the editors have collected here presidential childhood reading favorites – and those of many First Family members – into 8 groupings: History and Geography, Play – which includes reading music or learning rules for athletics, Animal Tales, Speeches and drama, Instructional materials that were valued, Periodicals subscribed to or borrowed, Biographies and autobiographies, and Narrative fiction. The favorites are attested to in the presidents’ words or those of eyewitness reports. The second portion of each chapter contains brief and readable expert commentary about the favorite choices so that readers are able to see the appeal or the cultural context of the selections. 127 color illustrations throughout were chosen to help tell the story of the childhood culture and available resources. The presidents’ own words, as children or youths or sometimes as fathers, are sometimes surprising, but always rich in human interest and yielding details that help to fill in the cultural expectations and beliefs that shaped the nation’s leaders.
"Plymouth Rock has long stood as a symbol of the Pilgrims' journey to and settlement in America. But how much of the story surrounding it is true? What did the Pilgrims' arrival mean to the Wampanoag people who were already living there? What were the long-lasting effects of the interactions between the two groups? How did a seaside rock come to be associated with the Pilgrims' landing, and was it really part of their story at all? Readers will find out the answers to these questions and discover more of what Plymouth Rock can tell us about American history"--
The Louisiana Purchase in 1803 nearly doubled the size of the United States. The U.S. suddenly went from consisting of 17 states along the Atlantic coast to claiming land as far west as present-day Montana. The U.S. government knew little about the terrain there. Was there a water route to the Pacific? President Thomas Jefferson sent William Clark and Meriwether Lewis to find out. With nothing to guide them but a compass, what would Lewis and Clark discover? Readers will find the answer to this question and how an artifact can tell us about U.S. history.
An inspiring and surprising celebration of U.S. women's history told through Smithsonian artifacts illustrating women's participation in science, art, music, sports, fashion, business, religion, entertainment, military, politics, activism, and more. This book offers a unique, panoramic look at women's history in the United States through the lens of ordinary objects from, by, and for extraordinary women. Featuring more than 280 artifacts from 16 Smithsonian museums and archives, and more than 135 essays from 95 Smithsonian authors, this book tells women's history as only the Smithsonian can. Featured objects range from fine art to computer code, from First Ladies memorabilia to Black Lives M...
The "Happiest Place on Earth" opened in 1955 during a trying time in American life--the Cold War. Disneyland was envisioned as a utopian resort where families could play together and escape the tension of the "real world." Since its construction, the park has continually been updated to reflect changing American culture. The park's themed features are based on familiar Disney stories and American history and folklore. They reflect the hopes of a society trying to understand itself in the wake of World War II. This second edition expands its perspective in response to, among other things, the cultural shifts brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. New and updated chapters endeavor to hold Disney accountable: not accountability for misdeeds, but its accountability to include everyone, as American mythmakers and cultural titans.
The bloody Battle of Spotsylvania Court House took place in May 1864. The frantic back-and-forth fighting at an area now called the Bloody Angle was among the fiercest single-day battles of the entire Civil War. How did the bullet-riddled stump of a once-mighty oak tree there become a symbol of the conflict? What can its story tell us about that day's battle and the broader history of the Civil War? Readers will out the answers to these questions and discover more of what the Spotsylvania Stump can tell us about history.
In 1970 thirteen-year-old Marika dreams of going to Harvard to study economics, but her parents both believe that a woman's place is in the home; Marika does not understand why they are so attached to "traditional values," especially since they defied convention when they were married at a time when interracial marriages were illegal in many states--so Marika defies her parents and joins her Black friend, Beth, and her parents and attends the Women's Strike for Equality without permission.
The rights of pregnant workers as well as (the lack of) paid maternity leave have increasingly become topics of a major policy debate in the United States. Yet, few discussions have focused on the U.S. military, where many of the latest policy changes focus on these very issues. Despite the armed forces' increases to maternity-related benefits, servicewomen continue to be stigmatized for being pregnant and taking advantage of maternity policies. In an effort to understand this disconnect, Megan McFarlane analyzes military documents and conducts interviews with enlisted servicewomen and female officers. She finds a policy/culture disparity within the military that pregnant servicewomen themselves often co-construct, making the policy changes significantly less effective. McFarlane ends by offering suggestions for how these policy changes can have more impact and how they could potentially serve as an example for the broader societal debate.
This book critically engages with the Walt Disney Company as a global media conglomerate as they mark their 100th year of business. It reflects on and looks forward to the past, present and future of the company and the scholarly engagement surrounding it through three key areas: Disney as a Company, Disney’s Representations, and Relating to Disney. ‘Disney as a Company’ identifies the corporate and management cultural changes over Disney’s 100-year history, with contributors examining Disney’s transnational media influence, changes in management strategy, and Disney’s recent transmedia venture: Disney+. ‘Disney’s Representations’ features chapters critically engaging with ...