The Artist in American History
The Artist and American History – #AmericanStudies
Artistry reflects much about society, culture, and history. Ideas and assumptions about race, gender, sexuality, and class can find expression in the creative works of decades past. Over the past year the American Studies and History Podcast has presented a series of features which examines the historical and social value of creative works, ranging from silent film to classic comic books. These short documentary-style lectures examine how the creative works in question reflect the past; how they provide insight into the changing nature of American society; and how they can be used as historic documents. These episodes have now been collected into a series entitled The Artist and American History on this page – all of the material in this series is free. The lectures in this series do not tell a chronological story, they are not a narrative history of artistry. Instead, they present self contained insights into different formats, styles, and eras which are connected by the themes they explore. They examine race and racism, how and why icons of modern America have changed, and the ways in which musicians have explored America’s place on the world stage. This collection does not tell a coherent narrative nor does it aspire to do so. These lectures and documentaries together explore the ways in which creative individuals and teams have explored, consciously and unconsciously, the DNA of American culture. This series is far from a complete over view of such a broad subject – but it a place to begin exploring the artist and their role in American history.
Episodes in this series are presented in several lists below. The first list re-orders the episodes into a chronological arc – it is the best option for those who prefer to consume their history in order from first to most recent. The second list groups the episodes by subject – film; classic comic books; and music. The third list features the episodes in the original order of their release. Most of these materials can be downloaded onto your computer, smart phone, tablet, or other digital media device. Those which cannot be viewed in the players provided in this page. If you have an iTunes account you can subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss any future episodes.
The Artist and American History (Chronological)
Native America on Film – D.W. Griffith’s The Mended Lute with Audio Commentary (1909)
Discovering the Historic Value in Classic Comic Books: Superman and Society, Then and Now (1938 and 2011)
The Man Who Laughs: A Brief History of the Joker (1940-2008)
Captain America’s Racist Sidekick: Whitewash Jones and Racism in Early Comics (1941)
Race and Racism in Classic Comics (1938-1945)
(See also Racism During World War II on iTunes)
Learning to SMiLE: The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, and their Lost Masterpiece (1966-1967)
Pink Floyd and the Cold War: British Band, American Agenda (1983)
Racism in Disney’s The Lone Ranger (2013)
The Artist and American History (By Subject)
Film
D.W Griffith’s The Mended Lute (1909) with Academic Commentary – Watch on YouTube | Download from iTunes
The Man Who Laughs: A Brief History of the Joker (1940-2008) – Download from iTunes
Racism in Disney’s The Lone Ranger (2013) – Download from iTunes
Classic Comic Books
Race and Racism in Classic Comics (1938-1945) – Watch on YouTube | See also Racism During World War II on iTunes
The Historic Value in Classic Comics: Superman and Society, Then and Now (1938 & 2011) – Download from iTunes
The Man Who Laughs: A Brief History of the Joker (1940-2008) – Download from iTunes
Captain America’s Racist Sidekick: Whitewash Jones and Racism in Early Comics (1941) – Download from iTunes
Music
The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, and their Lost Masterpiece (1966-1967) – Watch on YouTube | Download from iTunes
Pink Floyd and the Cold War: British Band, American Agenda (1983) – Download from iTunes
The Artist and American History (Original Broadcast Order)
The Historic Value in Classic Comics: Superman and Society, Then and Now (1938 & 2011) – Download from iTunes
The Man Who Laughs: A Brief History of the Joker (1940-2008) – Download from iTunes
Captain America’s Racist Sidekick: Whitewash Jones and Racism in Early Comics (1941) – Download from iTunes
Race and Racism in Classic Comics (1938-1945) – Watch on YouTube
Racism During World War II (An Answer to Race and Racism in Classic Comics) – Download from iTunes
Pink Floyd and the Cold War: British Band, American Agenda (1983) – Download from iTunes
Racism in Disney’s The Lone Ranger (2013) – Download from iTunes
The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, and their Lost Masterpiece (1966-1967) – Watch on YouTube | Download from iTunes
D.W Griffith’s The Mended Lute (1909) with Academic Commentary – Watch on YouTube | Download from iTunes
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