Tag: US History
-
A Dark Comedy: The History of Blackface in Minstrel Shows
‘The Black and White Minstrel Show’ was a popular BBC series that featured performers in blackface singing American minstrel songs. Sam Marks explores the racist origins and history of minstrel shows and explains how and why these traditions ended up in the UK.
-
Changing Altitudes: The Impact of the Tobacco Industry on the Prohibition of In-Flight Smoking in the US
Prior to 1988, smoking was permitted on all commercial aircrafts. Kat Jivkova discusses the health studies which led to its ban and the pro-tobacco campaigners who sought to delay it.
-
Infomercial Agenda: Ross Perot’s 1992 Presidential Campaign
In 1992, Ross Perot ran in the US presidential elections as an independent candidate, using infomercials to target American households. Sam Marks discusses his electoral campaign and its unprecedented methods.
-
The Lowell Observatory: From Pioneers to Pluto
Becoming the first internationally recognised “Dark Sky City” due to efforts to reduce light pollution, Flagstaff, Arizona is also home to the Lowell Observatory, famed not least for its discovery of Pluto. Sam Marks discusses the scientific endeavours which led to this astronomical breakthrough.
-
Stonewall and the History of LGBT Rights
In 1969, a police raid on the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, New York, prompted an uprising and subsequent demonstrations which would have a lasting impact on the LGBTQ+ community. Seth Silverberg explores this pivotal event and the legacy which grew from it.
-
‘Do What You Want, Just Know What You’re Doing’: The Life of Jackie Shane
Born in Nashville, Jackie Shane came to be a prominent figure in the Toronto soul music scene. However, as a Black, transgender woman in the 1960s, she was forced to overcome racism and homophobia – something which fed into her dynamic performances. Megan Crutchley discusses Shane’s powerful legacy.
-
Round and Round Went the Great Big Wheel: The History of an Eponymous Fairground Ride
The Ferris wheel as we know it today was created for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exhibition in Chicago. Verity Limond explores the story of the classic fairground ride’s invention, construction, and its legacy.
-
Gerald Ford: The Commuter-in-Chief
The commute to work is something many professionals have had to contend with – including the 38th President of the United States. Sam Marks explores Gerald Ford’s unconventional start to his presidency.
Retrospect Journal 