Defining Documents in American History: The American West offers a broad range of historical documents on important figures and topics in American West research. Written by historians and experts in the field, this resource examines a wide array of primary source documents with an in-depth critical analysis. Articles begin by introducing the reader to the document's historical context, followed by a description of the author's life and circumstances in which the document was written. A document analysis guides readers in understanding key elements of language, rhetoric, and social and political meaning that define the significance of the author and the document in American history.
The historical memory of the Civil War and Reconstruction has earned increasing attention from scholars. Only recently, however, have historians begun to explore African American efforts to interpret those events. With Defining Moments, Kathleen Clark shines new light on African American commemorative traditions in the South, where events such as Emancipation Day and Fourth of July ceremonies served as opportunities for African Americans to assert their own understandings of slavery, the Civil War, and Emancipation--efforts that were vital to the struggles to define, assert, and defend African American freedom and citizenship. Focusing on urban celebrations that drew crowds from surrounding rural areas, Clark finds that commemorations served as critical forums for African Americans to define themselves collectively. As they struggled to assert their freedom and citizenship, African Americans wrestled with issues such as the content and meaning of black history, class-inflected ideas of respectability and progress, and gendered notions of citizenship. Clark's examination of the people and events that shaped complex struggles over public self-representation in African American communities brings new understanding of southern black political culture in the decades following Emancipation and provides a more complete picture of historical memory in the South.
In contemporary American political discourse, issues related to the scope, authority, and the cost of the federal government are perennially at the center of discussion. Any historical analysis of this topic points directly to the Great Depression, the "moment" to which most historians and economists connect the origins of the fiscal, monetary, and social policies that have characterized American government in the second half of the twentieth century. In the most comprehensive collection of essays available on these topics, The Defining Moment poses the question directly: to what extent, if any, was the Depression a watershed period in the history of the American economy? This volume organizes twelve scholars' responses into four categories: fiscal and monetary policies, the economic expansion of government, the innovation and extension of social programs, and the changing international economy. The central focus across the chapters is the well-known alternations to national government during the 1930s. The Defining Moment attempts to evaluate the significance of the past half-century to the American economy, while not omitting reference to the 1930s. The essays consider whether New Deal-style legislation continues to operate today as originally envisioned, whether it altered government and the economy as substantially as did policies inaugurated during World War II, the 1950s, and the 1960s, and whether the legislation had important precedents before the Depression, specifically during World War I. Some chapters find that, surprisingly, in certain areas such as labor organization, the 1930s responses to the Depression contributed less to lasting change in the economy than a traditional view of the time would suggest. On the whole, however, these essays offer testimony to the Depression's legacy as a "defining moment." The large role of today's government and its methods of intervention—from the pursuit of a more active monetary policy to the maintenance and extension of a wide range of insurance for labor and business—derive from the crisis years of the 1930s.
“While Berenice Abbott, Margaret Bourke-White, and Alfred Steiglitz photographed New York's sleek skyscrapers, Arthur Fellig (called Weegee) documented the seamy underside of depression-era New York. In this extraordinary book, Richard Meyer and Anthony Lee tell a gripping tale, filled with historical detail about Weegee's transformation from freelance newspaper photographer to fine artist with the publication of his enormously successful book Naked City, in 1945.”—Cécile Whiting, author of Pop L.A.: Art and the City in the 1960s “Lee and Meyer return Weegee to his 'working world' by exploring the multiple contexts of his production-the Photo League, the tabloids, the exhibition galleries, and the book market. The volume adds an important dimension to our understanding of how Weegee straddled the worlds of popular culture, photojournalism, and left politics."—Miles Orvell, author of American Photography and John Vachon's America: Photographs and Letters from the Depression to World War II (UC Press) “Groundbreaking. Anthony Lee and Richard Meyer delve deeply into a rich archive of media and exhibition history, criticism, and biography to arrive at original interpretations of the most enigmatic photographer in modern visual and print culture.”—Jordana Mendelson, author of Documenting Spain: Artists, Exhibition Culture, and the Modern Nation, 1929-1939
If you could buy a book that would predict the buying behavior of millions of people, you'd buy it, right? Defining Markets, Defining Moments explains the author's concept of cohort marketing," an extremely focused approach of generational marketingthat enables managers, salespeople, and marketing specialists to understand and predict a generation's particular attitudes, desires, preferences and buying behaviors -- even when they enter new lifestages. The book outlines the seven generational groups that are currently affecting the marketplace -- and the new ones that are emerging. And it presents new marketing models and practical advice, based on the author's experience with Fortune 500 companies, for tapping the minds, and pocketbooks, of various age groups. The text discusses key physical, socioeconomic, and emotional factors that influence a particular generation's behavior or profile."
From slavery through the election of Vice President Kamala Harris, here is the history of Black America told through striking photographs and compelling narrative that captures many of the key joys, struggles and milestones. Learn about the first Black Americans and the origins of slavery, including Harriet Tubman, Nat Turner’s Rebellion, Frederick Douglas and the Civil War. Explore the long fight for freedom through Jim Crow, W.E. Dubois, the Tulsa Massacre and the rise of MLK, Malcolm X and the Black Panther Movement. Discover the joys of the Harlem Renaissance, Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock and the rise of Hip Hop. And find out the story behind Muhammad Ali’s Rumble in the Jungle, the desegregation of professional sports, and how black sports stars from Hank Aaron to Lebron James have fought to make their voices heard.
The Eras Tour is a historical exploration of the progress and evolution of art over time. The tour is structured as a chronological journey through the various epochs of art, from the prehistoric era to the contemporary era. It is a comprehensive overview of the cultural, social, and technological innovations that have led to the creation of the unique art forms we enjoy today. The tour also highlights how the various eras interconnect with one another, showcasing how interpretations and theories have changed over time and how they have influenced art as a whole. Visitors on The Eras Tour will learn about prehistoric art and its significance in the evolution of human cognition and communication. The tour will then move on to explore ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome, showcasing how they mastered the skills of art, sculpture, and painting. The Eras Tour also looks at the Renaissance that saw the birth of the individualistic and humanistic ideals that shook up the art world. Finally, the tour will lead to modern art, where artists seek to push the envelope and challenge conventional views of art. The Eras Tour provides an immersive and enlightening experience that uncovers the mysteries and wonders that fuelled the evolution of art throughout human history.
When Business and Personal Values Collide “Defining moments” occur when managers face business decisions that trigger conflicts with their personal values. These moments test a person’s commitment to those values and ultimately shape their character. But these are also the decisions that can make or break a career. Is there a thoughtful, yet pragmatic, way to make the right choice? Bestselling author Joseph Badaracco shows how to approach these dilemmas using three case examples that, when taken together, represent the escalating responsibilities and personal tests managers face as they advance in their careers. The first story presents a young manager whose choice will affect him only as an individual; the second, a department head whose decision will influence his organization; the third, a corporate executive whose actions will have much larger, societal ramifications. To guide the decision-making process, the book draws on the insights of four philosophers—Aristotle, Machiavelli, Nietzsche, and James—who offer distinctly practical, rather than theoretical, advice. Defining Moments is the ultimate manager’s guide for resolving issues of conflicting responsibility in practical ways.
Bringing together an impressive range of new scholarship deeply informed both by the legacies of the past and current intellectual trends, Race Consciousness is a veritable Who's Who of the next generation of scholars of African-American studies. This collection of original essays, representing the latest work in African-American studies, covers such trenchant topics as the culture of America as a culture of race, the politics of gender and sexuality, legacies of slavery and colonialism, crime and welfare politics, and African-American cultural studies. In his entertaining Foreword to the volume, Robin D. G. Kelley presents a startling vision of the state of African-American Studies--and the world in general--in the year 2095. Arnold Rampersad and Nell Irvin Painter, chart the different disciplinary and theoretical paths African-American Studies has taken since the 19th century in their Preface to the volume.
