FeaÂturÂing a colÂlecÂtion of glass plate, nitrate and acetate negÂaÂtives, the livÂing archive tells “the stoÂry of San FranÂcisÂco, its tranÂsiÂtion from a stretch of sand dunes to an interÂnaÂtionÂalÂly acclaimed city, it’s rise from the rubÂble of the devÂasÂtatÂing earthÂquake of 1906 and the vital role pubÂlic transÂportaÂtion played and conÂtinÂues to play in reviÂtalÂizÂing the city.” The archive conÂtains nearÂly 5,000 images, all neatÂly dividÂed into 14 colÂlecÂtions. You can enter the archive and start perusÂing here.
Last sumÂmer we told you that the J. Paul GetÂty MuseÂum launched its Open ConÂtent ProÂgram by takÂing 4600 high-resÂoÂluÂtion images from the GetÂty colÂlecÂtions, putting them into the pubÂlic domain, and makÂing them freely availÂable in digÂiÂtal forÂmat. We also made it clear — there would be more to come.
YesÂterÂday, the GetÂty made good on that promise, adding anothÂer 77,000 images to the Open ConÂtent archive. Of those images, 72,000 come from the Foto Arte Minore colÂlecÂtion, a rich gallery of phoÂtographs of ItalÂian art and archiÂtecÂture, takÂen by the phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer and scholÂar Max Hutzel (1911–1988).
All images in the GetÂty Open ConÂtent proÂgram — now 87,000 in total — can be downÂloaded and used withÂout charge or perÂmisÂsion, regardÂless of whether you’re a scholÂar, artist, art lover or entreÂpreÂneur. The GetÂty only asks that you give them attriÂbuÂtion.
The decade beginÂning with the late 1930s is known as the GoldÂen Age of comÂic books. Many of the superÂheroes from today’s blockÂbuster franÂchisÂes, includÂing BatÂman, SuperÂman, and CapÂtain AmerÂiÂca, emerged durÂing this periÂod, and the indusÂtry grew into a comÂmerÂcial powÂerÂhouse. FolÂlowÂing a sales dip durÂing the earÂly 1950s that marked the end of the GoldÂen Age, the SilÂver Age began (cirÂca 1956) and lastÂed for some fifÂteen years.
DurÂing this era, superÂhero comÂic books iniÂtialÂly lost steam — letÂting stoÂries of horÂror, romance, and crime grow in popÂuÂlarÂiÂty — before emergÂing triÂumphantÂly once more with charÂacÂters like SpiÂder-Man and The Flash. While copyÂright remains very much in effect for such titles, a slew of comÂic books from the same periÂod, many of which have narÂrowÂly missed attainÂing such iconÂic staÂtus, are availÂable online at ComÂic Book Plus.
SimÂiÂlar to the DigÂiÂtal ComÂic MuseÂum, which we wrote about last week, ComÂic Book Plus conÂtains a near inexÂhaustible quanÂtiÂty of GoldÂen and SilÂver Age comÂic books. The collection’s timesÂpan ranges from the late 1930s through to the earÂly 1960s, and includes many thouÂsands of comÂic books in the SuperÂhero, Sci-Fi, and HorÂror genÂres.
Those hanÂkerÂing for someÂthing a litÂtle more unusuÂal will also be in luck. DesÂperÂate to read about a hosÂpiÂtal romance? Why not give LinÂda Lark StuÂdent Nursea read in the MedÂical Love catÂeÂgoÂry? Sick of landÂlubÂbers hogÂging all the attenÂtion in comÂic books? Head to the Water/Boats secÂtion, where you can read all about Davy Jones, the navy lieuÂtenant who lives in Atlantis and does batÂtle with the evil Dr. Fang, in UnderÂsea Agent.
For furÂther readÂing, head on over to ComÂic Book Plus. You can preÂview all mateÂriÂals withÂout regÂisÂtraÂtion. But you will need to regÂisÂter (for free) if you want to downÂload the varÂiÂous comÂic books.
H/T to YocÂitrus for makÂing us aware of this archive.
The work of HanÂnah Arendt has been in the press recentÂly for two reaÂsons in parÂticÂuÂlar: first, the 50th anniverÂsary of her book EichÂmann in Jerusalem, pubÂlished in 1963 from reports she filed for The New YorkÂer on the 1961 triÂal of the archeÂtypÂal Nazi bureauÂcrat. Then there is MarÂgarethe von Trotta’s 2012 biopic HanÂnah Arendt, starÂring GerÂman actress BarÂbara Sukowa as the GerÂman JewÂish philosoÂpher. Recent covÂerÂage of the book and the film have focused on Arendt’s repÂuÂtaÂtion as a philoÂsophÂiÂcal jourÂnalÂist most closeÂly idenÂtiÂfied with the famous descripÂtive phrase “the banalÂiÂty of evil,” a comÂment on Adolf EichÂmann as an exemÂplar of genoÂciÂdal murÂderÂers who, as the well-worn defense goes, were “just folÂlowÂing orders.”
Arendt scholÂar Roger Berkowitz argues that this readÂing of Arendt’s book is a proÂfound misÂreadÂing. EichÂmann in Jerusalem was diviÂsive, setÂting critÂics against each othÂer in efforts to vinÂdiÂcate or casÂtiÂgate its author. The conÂtroÂverÂsy, howÂevÂer, at the time of pubÂliÂcaÂtion and again in the recent re-evalÂuÂaÂtion, has the unforÂtuÂnate effect of obscurÂing the breadth of Arendt’s philoÂsophÂiÂcal thinkÂing apart from EichÂmann and Nazism. Those interÂestÂed in conÂnectÂing with Arendt’s life, scholÂarÂship, and philoÂsophÂiÂcal insight can find a wealth of archival mateÂriÂals online from the colÂlecÂtions of Bard ColÂlege and the Library of ConÂgress. Today, we highÂlight sevÂerÂal items in those colÂlecÂtions that may be of interÂest, includÂing the Library of Congress’s scanned copy of the final typeÂscript of EichÂmann in Jerusalem.
Part 1:
Part 2 (Q&A):
First, directÂly above, hear Arendt’s speech “PowÂer & VioÂlence.” The lecÂture re-iterÂates ideas Arendt expressed more fulÂly in a lengthy 1969 essay pubÂlished by the New York Review of Books as “ReflecÂtions on VioÂlence” and as a book titled On VioÂlence. In the lecÂture and the essay, Arendt refÂerÂences the work of thinkers like Friedrich Engels and, espeÂcialÂly, Frantz Fanon in a critÂiÂcal disÂcusÂsion of the roles racism and ideÂolÂoÂgy play in state vioÂlence.
That same year Arendt delivÂered a series of lecÂtures for a Spring semesÂter course at The New School for Social Research called “PhiÂlosÂoÂphy and PolÂiÂtics: What is PolitÂiÂcal PhiÂlosÂoÂphy.” This fasÂciÂnatÂing invesÂtiÂgaÂtion grapÂples not only with politÂiÂcal phiÂlosÂoÂphy, but phiÂlosÂoÂphy in genÂerÂal as a meanÂingÂful activÂiÂty. You can view the full typeÂscripts of her course lecÂtures here.
The Library of ConÂgress has also digÂiÂtized much of Arendt’s corÂreÂsponÂdence and uploaded images of her letÂters, includÂing some to and from such well-known figÂures as W.H. Auden, Lionel Trilling, and Alfred Kazin (most of Arendt’s letÂters are only availÂable for viewÂing onsite at the Library of ConÂgress, The New School UniÂverÂsiÂty, or the UniÂverÂsiÂty of OldÂenÂburg).
Bard College’s HanÂnah Arendt ColÂlecÂtion showÂcasÂes many of Arendt’s perÂsonÂal books. We can see digÂiÂtized images of her copies of—among many others—Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, Leo Strauss, her friend poet Robert LowÂell, Carl Schmitt, and, of course, her oneÂtime menÂtor and lover, MarÂtin HeiÂdegÂger. Each of the uploads shows the pages in which Arendt underÂlined or marked key pasÂsages and left marÂginÂal notes.
In addiÂtion to the “Arendt MarÂginÂaÂlia” secÂtion, Bard hosts a gallery that includes “inscribed books, jourÂnals & manÂuÂscripts,” “artÂwork & phoÂtographs,” and “postÂcards and othÂer corÂreÂsponÂdence” (such as the above postÂcard from WalÂter BenÂjamin, addressed to “HanÂnah Stern,” her marÂried name at the time).
LastÂly, for an excelÂlent overview of Arendt’s life and work that puts all of the above mateÂriÂals in conÂtext, see the Library of Congress’s “BioÂgraphÂiÂcal Note” and be sure to read “Three Essays: The Role of ExpeÂriÂence in HanÂnah Arendt’s PolitÂiÂcal Thought” by Jerome Kohn, direcÂtor of the New School’s HanÂnah Arendt CenÂter. As many know, Arendt, and many othÂer GerÂman JewÂish intelÂlecÂtuÂals who fled the Nazis, found a home at New York’s New School for Social Research (now New School UniÂverÂsiÂty). And we have the New School (and an Andrew W. MelÂlon FounÂdaÂtion grant) to thank for the Library of Congress’s vast, digÂiÂtized colÂlecÂtion of Arendt’s papers, which preÂserves her legaÂcy for genÂerÂaÂtions to come.
HisÂtoÂriÂans, biogÂraÂphers, and die-hard Sagan devoÂtees will inevitably want to visÂit the Library of ConÂgress in perÂson to view the full archive, which conÂtains over 1700 boxÂes of mateÂrÂiÂal. The lay readÂer curiÂous about Sagan’s life, howÂevÂer, won’t need to make the trek to the U.S. capÂiÂtal to samÂple the archive’s conÂtents. That’s because the Library of ConÂgress has uploaded a porÂtion of the colÂlecÂtion online, includÂing sundry fasÂciÂnatÂing bioÂgraphÂiÂcal pieces. Above, you can view a digÂiÂtized set of the Sagan famÂiÂly’s silent home movies, where young Carl shows off his boyÂhood boxÂing prowess, rides horseÂback, and plays piano (preÂciousÂly, we preÂsume).
It was durÂing high school that Sagan began to fill out intelÂlecÂtuÂalÂly. His senior yearÂbook is tesÂtiÂmoÂny to both his interÂest in sciÂence and the humanÂiÂties: not only was Sagan presÂiÂdent of both the sciÂence and chemÂistry clubs, he also led the French club, served as an ediÂtor on his school’s newsÂpaÂper, debatÂed, took part in theÂatre proÂducÂtions, and was a memÂber of the phoÂtogÂraÂphy club.
Indeed, Sagan disÂplayed his uncanÂny abilÂiÂty to merge sciÂence with the humanÂiÂties in Wawawhack, his high school newsÂpaÂper, writÂing a piece entiÂtled “Space, Time, and The Poet.” He begins by sayÂing, “it is an exhilÂaÂratÂing expeÂriÂence to read poetÂry and observe its corÂreÂlaÂtion with modÂern sciÂence. ProÂfound sciÂenÂtifÂic thought is hardÂly a rarÂiÂty among the poets.” ThroughÂout the piece, Sagan goes on to draw from versÂes by Alfred Lord TenÂnyson, T. S. Eliot, John MilÂton, and Robert Frost.
The Strong NationÂal MuseÂum of Play, locatÂed in Rochester, NY, is a fun children’s museÂum. But the instiÂtuÂtion also has seriÂous research archives, stuffed with toys, games, and records of the toy indusÂtry. Its online colÂlecÂtions, which curÂrentÂly boast 55,068 objects, take a holÂiÂday browsÂer on a trip into a figÂuÂraÂtive grandma’s attic, chock-full of the playÂthings peoÂple loved in the nineÂteenth and twenÂtiÂeth cenÂturies.
The online archives are dividÂed into four catÂeÂgories: “Toys”, “Dolls”, “Games”, and “More.” Each of these four secÂtions is furÂther subÂdiÂvidÂed into topÂiÂcalÂly-speÂcifÂic groups, choÂsen by the archivists.
The collection’s strength is also its weakÂness: there are so many toys that it can be easy to get overÂwhelmed. The subÂject diviÂsions are helpÂful here. As someÂbody with an interÂest in genÂder and childÂhood, I found myself fasÂciÂnatÂed by the houseÂkeepÂing toys—kids used to use ovens that were heatÂed with real coals!—and that was an easy way to narÂrow down my browse. SubÂject groupÂings for toy solÂdiers, celebriÂty dolls, and board games also piqued my interÂest.
It’s fun to look around for toys from your own childÂhood (I found a few), but if you’re interÂestÂed in hisÂtoÂry, you might find the echoes of hisÂtorÂiÂcal events to be even more intriguÂing. Late-nineÂteenth-cenÂtuÂry kids played with a paper doll inspired by the cirÂcus celebriÂty Tom Thumb; chilÂdren of the 1930s had licensed dolls of the media-senÂsaÂtion Dionne QuinÂtuÂplets; a playÂset from 1940 feaÂtured grim, suitÂed-up “ParaÂtroops in Action.”
MouÂsÂing over the thumbÂnails will allow you to see the item’s name. If you see a blue “Learn More” tag, be sure to click through; that means that the item’s image will be accomÂpaÂnied by an interÂpreÂtive hisÂtorÂiÂcal note writÂten by the Strong’s archivists. These vary in length, and conÂtain intriguÂing tidÂbits. Did you know, for examÂple, that HolÂly HobÂbie was a real perÂson: the artist HolÂly Ulinkas HobÂbie? Or that the famous artist Charles Dana GibÂsonhad a now-forÂgotÂten folÂlowÂer, Nell BrinkÂley, who illusÂtratÂed the flapÂper era?
RebecÂca Onion is a writer and acaÂdÂeÂmÂic livÂing in PhiladelÂphia. She runs Slate.com’s hisÂtoÂry blog, The Vault. FolÂlow her on TwitÂter: @rebeccaonion.
But the AmerÂiÂcan moniker — the RoarÂing 20s — fits too. NearÂly everyÂthing about that decade roared: cars, jazz, manÂuÂfacÂturÂing, conÂstrucÂtion.
Din, in fact, came to define the age, parÂticÂuÂlarÂly in big cities and espeÂcialÂly in New York. An unnamed JapanÂese visÂiÂtor was quotÂed upon his visÂit to that city in 1920: “My first impresÂsion of New York was its noise. When I know what they mean, I will underÂstand civÂiÂlizaÂtion.”
A PrinceÂton hisÂtoÂry proÂfesÂsor took that chalÂlenge at face valÂue, while capÂturÂing a broadÂer indusÂtriÂal era. The RoarÂing TwenÂties is an audio (and to some extent video) archive of what New York City soundÂed like from 1900 to 1933. ProÂfesÂsor EmiÂly ThompÂson and designÂer Scott Mahoy have creÂatÂed a loveÂly site that’s fun to explore. The archive includes a beauÂtiÂful 1933 map of New York City loaded with links to noise comÂplaints (screenÂshot at top), comÂplete with docÂuÂmenÂtaÂtion. New York had long been a place where peoÂple from all over the world lived on top of one anothÂer, but noise levÂels were shifting—getting loudÂer and more varÂied, that is—and the city was inunÂdatÂed with comÂplaints about ferÂry whisÂtles, radio shops, street trafÂfic, the clatÂter of restauÂrant dishÂwashÂing, and all manÂner of conÂstrucÂtion.
SenÂsiÂtivÂiÂty to the city’s volÂume was high. The city’s Noise AbateÂment ComÂmisÂsion meaÂsured the “deafÂenÂing effect” of sound in Times Square. The women’s cafeÂteÂria in the New York Life InsurÂance buildÂing was designed with state-of-the-art acoustics to keep the noise of the city out and the sound of office workÂers in.
CortÂlandt Street in lowÂer ManÂhatÂtan was lined with radio shops, each broadÂcastÂing difÂferÂent music. Don’t miss that video, which you’ll find by scanÂning the Space tab map.
You can also move through time on the site, lisÂtenÂing to the city’s cacophÂoÂny from the earÂly 1900s up to the 1930s, or browse a menu of noise sources from home sounds to the noise of the harÂbors and rivers. Again, you can visÂit the The RoarÂing TwenÂties site here.
For the first half of the twenÂtiÂeth cenÂtuÂry, pulp magÂaÂzines were a quinÂtesÂsenÂtial form of AmerÂiÂcan enterÂtainÂment. PrintÂed on cheap, wood pulp paper, the “pulps” (as opposed to the “glossies” or “slicks,” such as The New YorkÂer) had names like The Black Mask and AmazÂing StoÂries, and promised readÂers supÂposÂedÂly true accounts of advenÂture, exploitaÂtion, heroÂism, and ingeÂnuÂity. Such outÂlets offered a steady stream of work for staÂbles of ficÂtion writÂers, with conÂtent rangÂing from short stoÂries about intreÂpid explorÂers savÂing damsels from Nazis/Communists (dependÂing on the preÂcise time of pubÂliÂcaÂtion) to novÂel-length man vs. beast accounts of courage and cunÂning. This, inciÂdenÂtalÂly, gave birth to the term “pulp ficÂtion,” popÂuÂlarÂized in the 1990s by Quentin Tarantino’s eponyÂmous film.
In the 1950s, the pulps went into a steep decline. In addiÂtion to teleÂviÂsion, paperÂback novÂels, and comÂic books, the pulps were overÂtakÂen by the more explicÂit, and even lowÂer brow men’s advenÂture magÂaÂzines (readÂers of TruÂman Capote’s In Cold Blood may rememÂber PerÂry Smith, the socioÂpathÂic misÂfit who murÂdered the ClutÂter famÂiÂly, being an enthuÂsiÂasÂtic readÂer of these earÂly lads’ mags). Thanks to The Pulp MagÂaÂzines Project, howÂevÂer, many of the most famous pubÂliÂcaÂtions remain accesÂsiÂble today through a well-designed online interÂface. HunÂdreds of issues have been archived in the dataÂbase that spans from 1896 through to 1946. It includes large magÂaÂzines, such as The Argosy and AdvenÂture, and smallÂer, more speÂcialÂized fare, such as Air WonÂder StoÂries and BasÂketÂball StoÂries. Although good writÂing occaÂsionÂalÂly made its way into the pulps, don’t expect these magÂaÂzines to mirÂror the litÂerÂary depth of seriÂalÂized pubÂliÂcaÂtions of the 19th cenÂtuÂry; rather, the archive proÂvides a terÂrifÂiÂcalÂly enterÂtainÂing look at the popÂuÂlar readÂing of earÂly 20th cenÂtuÂry AmerÂiÂca.
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