200 years ago today, AmerÂiÂca stunned the world when it declared war on Britain, beginÂning what’s now called The War of 1812. The RevÂoÂluÂtionÂary War had endÂed only 29 years earÂliÂer. But despite agreeÂments made with the Treaty of Paris (1783), the British kept presÂsurÂing the UnitÂed States, tryÂing to stiÂfle AmerÂiÂca’s trade with France and the young nation’s expanÂsion into the NorthÂwest TerÂriÂtoÂry, among othÂer things. So the two counÂtries went to war again.
Now fast forÂward 93 years and watch as Hiram Cronk, the last surÂvivÂing vetÂerÂan of the war, gets laid to rest. Cronk, a shoeÂmakÂer by trade, served with the New York VolÂunÂteers in the defense of SackÂetÂt’s HarÂbor, and lived to be 105 years old. Above, you’ll see crowds linÂing the streets of BrookÂlyn and watchÂing the milÂiÂtary proÂcesÂsion pass by. Some 25,000 peoÂple paid their respects that day.
DurÂing the Great DepresÂsion, the Farm SecuÂriÂty AdminÂisÂtraÂtion took on the task of “introÂducÂing AmerÂiÂca to AmerÂiÂcans” through phoÂtogÂraÂphy. The FSA hired Dorothea Lange, WalkÂer Evans, GorÂdon Parks and othÂer artists to capÂture images of ordiÂnary AmerÂiÂcans, specifÂiÂcalÂly poor farmÂers.
Some of the images are now iconÂic, notably Lange’s image of a desÂtiÂtute migrant mothÂer of sevÂen. That image and most othÂers are catÂaÂloged in the colÂlecÂtions of the Library of ConÂgress, but some lanÂguished and were forÂgotÂten. OthÂers endÂed up in genÂerÂal cirÂcuÂlaÂtion, so that, in theÂoÂry, anyÂone with a library card could check out an origÂiÂnal print.
RecentÂly a phoÂtogÂraÂphy curaÂtor with the New York PubÂlic Library tracked down the missÂing images—some 1,000 of them—and creÂatÂed a speÂcial online archive where they can finalÂly be seen.
Many depict rurÂal life: A 91-year-old woman sits in front of her North CarÂoliÂna cabÂin. A workÂer takes a break from carvÂing a dirt road into the New MexÂiÂco landÂscape. A black man in black face preÂpares to perÂform in a travÂelÂing medÂiÂcine show. The chilÂdren of migrant fruit pickÂers in MichiÂgan sit forÂlornÂly on a truck.
But not all the phoÂtographs docÂuÂment the plight of rurÂal AmerÂiÂca. Some of the colÂlecÂtion’s most powÂerÂful images are of AmerÂiÂcans strugÂgling in cities. Here two young girls play outÂside in a BalÂtiÂmore slum. Three peoÂple sit outÂdoors on a SunÂday in New Orleans. And then we capÂture a scene on the LowÂer East Side of New York City.
Not surÂprisÂingÂly Dorothea Lange’s work is among the strongest in this colÂlecÂtion. One of the most powÂerÂful images comes sevÂerÂal pages into her work’s archive, so be sure to click through. The stoÂry behind “From Texas tenÂant farmer to CalÂiÂforÂnia fruit tramp” (the first image above) sums up the era: “1927 made $7000 in cotÂton. 1928 broke even. 1929 went in the hole. 1930 went in still deepÂer. 1931 lost everyÂthing. 1932 hit the road.”
Kate Rix is an OakÂland-based writer. See more of her work at .
One of the 19th century’s most intriguÂing figÂures, the ScotÂtish explorÂer David LivÂingÂstone may be best known for words uttered by a reporter when the two men met on the shores of Lake TanÂganyiÂka: “Dr. LivÂingÂstone, I preÂsume?”
David LivÂingÂstone disÂapÂpeared in Africa for six years before meetÂing the famousÂly quotÂed HenÂry MorÂton StanÂley. He was a hero in VicÂtoÂriÂan EngÂland for his rags-to-richÂes stoÂry of an impovÂerÂished boy who went on to become a sciÂenÂtifÂic invesÂtiÂgaÂtor and anti-slavÂery cruÂsadÂer. LivÂingÂstone became impasÂsioned about the potenÂtial of ChrisÂtianÂiÂty to eradÂiÂcate the slave trade in Africa and took his misÂsionÂary work into the African inteÂriÂor.
An avid chronÂiÂcler of his advenÂtures, LivÂingÂstone left behind a numÂber of jourÂnals, but one of his most vivid accounts—of a masÂsacre hit witÂnessed in 1871—has been inacÂcesÂsiÂble until now. LivÂingÂstone’s 1871 Field Diary capÂtures a five-month periÂod when the explorÂer was strandÂed in a vilÂlage in the ConÂgo. He had run out of paper and ink to mainÂtain his usuÂal jourÂnal, so he improÂvised by writÂing over an old copy of The StanÂdard newsÂpaÂper using ink made from the seeds of a local berry.
In colÂlabÂoÂraÂtion with British and AmerÂiÂcan archivists, the UCLA DigÂiÂtal Library ProÂgram used specÂtral imagÂing techÂnolÂoÂgy to digÂiÂtize the delÂiÂcate mateÂrÂiÂal. OverÂall the site offers an interÂestÂing preÂsenÂtaÂtion of Livingstone’s work, though the diary pages themÂselves aren’t too legÂiÂble. CritÂiÂcal notes are abunÂdant and intriguÂing, and diary pages appear side-by-side with tranÂscripÂtions. ViewÂers can zoom in to study Livingstone’s spiÂdery script writÂten perÂpenÂdicÂuÂlar to the newsÂpaÂper copy. The specÂtral imagÂing process itself is worth a look. WithÂout this techÂnique, the diaries appear as nothÂing more than ghostÂly scribÂbles.
PreÂviÂous to keepÂing this field diary, LivÂingÂstone embarked on a misÂsion to find the source of the Nile RivÂer, which he misidenÂtiÂfied. But his theÂoÂries about cenÂtral African water sysÂtems are fasÂciÂnatÂing. LivÂingÂstone was the first EuroÂpean to see Mosi-oa-TunÂya, “the smoke that thunÂders,” waterÂfall, which he renamed VicÂtoÂria Falls after his monarch. His diaries proÂvide a peek into a time when exploÂration was danÂgerÂous, difÂfiÂcult and even deadÂly. LivÂingÂstone died of MalarÂia in present-day ZamÂbia, where his heart is buried under a tree. The rest of his remains were interred at WestÂminÂster Abbey.
Kate Rix is an OakÂland based freeÂlance writer. See more of her work at .
The 1939 World Series wasÂn’t much of a conÂtest. The YanÂkees, led by Joltin’ Joe DiMagÂgio in cenÂter field, had won the last three chamÂpiÂonships. And they won this conÂtest rather easÂiÂly too, sweepÂing the CincinÂnati Reds in four straight games. YesÂterÂday, memÂbers of the RedÂdit comÂmuÂniÂty unearthed some rare colÂor footage of the ’39 Series. In it, we catch glimpses of the Old YanÂkee StaÂdiÂum, the actuÂal House That Ruth Built; pitchÂers doing a difÂferÂent kind of windup; and a reminder that you could once buy five razors for 25 cents. Find more inforÂmaÂtion on those at the InterÂnet MuseÂum of SafeÂty Razors.
While an underÂgradÂuÂate at VanÂderÂbilt UniÂverÂsiÂty in TenÂnessee, writer Robert Penn WarÂren began writÂing about the south and its turÂbuÂlent racial hisÂtoÂry. He travÂeled throughÂout the UnitÂed States and interÂviewed men and women involved with the CivÂil Rights MoveÂment, recordÂing each conÂverÂsaÂtion on a reel-to-reel tape recorder—a project that resultÂed in the 1965 book Who Speaks for the Negro? This month, VanÂderÂbilt University’s Robert Penn WarÂren CenÂter for the HumanÂiÂties makes a full digÂiÂtal record availÂable of Warren’s research for the book—an impresÂsive and well-conÂstructÂed colÂlecÂtion of interÂviews with hisÂtorÂiÂcal figÂures includÂing Ralph ElliÂson, James BaldÂwin and MalÂcolm X. The richÂness of the site is its conÂnecÂtive design. Each interÂview is tagged by topÂic, includÂing a subject’s link to broadÂer issues or to othÂer interÂvieÂwees, makÂing eviÂdent through user expeÂriÂence the comÂplex nature of the CivÂil Rights MoveÂment. A search for the NAACP, for examÂple, yields mulÂtiÂple interÂviews feaÂturÂing difÂferÂent points of view on the organization’s forÂmaÂtion along with PDFs of origÂiÂnal letÂters and the searchÂable text of newsÂpaÂper artiÂcles about earÂly NAACP demonÂstraÂtions. But the site’s audio offerÂings are its most powÂerÂful assets.
The mateÂrÂiÂal offers a potent porÂtrait of a hisÂtorÂiÂcal moment and is rich with refÂerÂences to polÂiÂtics, art and speÂcifÂic conÂflicts over inteÂgraÂtion. The group interÂviews with uniÂverÂsiÂty stuÂdents and proÂtestÂers are worth a lisÂten, both for the conÂtent and for the earÂly 1960s group dynamÂics. When WarÂren interÂviews men and women togethÂer, men tend to speak first and at most length. But the views expressed are fasÂciÂnatÂing, as in one case when a female sit-in parÂticÂiÂpant gives her opinÂion about assimÂiÂlaÂtion.
“My first reacÂtion of course would be, thinkÂing of Socrates: Know thyÂself. We do face the probÂlem of amalÂgaÂmaÂtion into the whole of AmerÂiÂcan life, being AmerÂiÂcans first, say, or being what I would like to term Negro AmerÂiÂcans or Black AmerÂiÂcans. I think that we as black men have an obligÂaÂtion to know ourÂselves as black men and be proud of what we are, and conÂtribute to AmerÂiÂca what we could actuÂalÂly offer to this culÂture.”
Kate Rix is an OakÂland based writer. See more of her work at .
Water. CofÂfee. Time. It’s those three speÂcial ingreÂdiÂents that went into makÂing the traÂdiÂtionÂal cup of AmerÂiÂcan cofÂfee. In case you missed that, let me remind you: It’s water, cofÂfee, and time. Don DrapÂer had nothÂing to do with this 13-minute, nosÂtalÂgia-inducÂing infomerÂcial from 1961. Rather, it’s the work of the CofÂfee BrewÂing InstiÂtute, which turned the art of makÂing cofÂfee into a disÂmal sciÂence — that is, until gloÂriÂous Peet’s came around. This clip perÂmaÂnentÂly resides in the Prelinger Archive, and comes to us via The Atlantic.
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Poor moon-landÂing conÂspirÂaÂcy theÂoÂrists. LackÂing the hisÂtorÂiÂcal and culÂturÂal gravÂiÂtas of JFK assasÂsiÂnaÂtion conÂspirÂaÂcy theÂoÂrists or the brazen pseuÂdo-relÂeÂvance of 9/11 conÂspirÂaÂcy theÂoÂrists, those who believe the ApolÂlo 11 misÂsion came out of a HolÂlyÂwood backÂlot must toil in deepÂest obscuÂriÂty. ImagÂine sufÂferÂing from the aching conÂvicÂtion that the UnitÂed States govÂernÂment, in league with a respectÂed auteur or two, hoodÂwinked the entire world with a few minÂutes of blurÂry, amaÂteurÂish video and garÂbled walkie-talkie speech — hoodÂwinked the entire world except you, that is. Now imagÂine a Truther and a secÂond-gunÂman obsesÂsive sharÂing a laugh about all your imporÂtant revÂeÂlaÂtions. If indeed you do hold that mankind has nevÂer visÂitÂed the moon, make sure you don’t watch usuÂalÂly seriÂous docÂuÂmenÂtarÂiÂan William Karel’s Dark Side of the Moon. In it, you’ll see your ideas furÂther ridiculed, which would be unpleasÂant — or, even worse, you’ll see them vinÂdiÂcatÂed.
These moon-landÂing conÂspirÂaÂcy theÂoÂrists offer many alterÂnaÂtive hisÂtorÂiÂcal narÂraÂtives, and Karel picks a rich one. He proÂceeds from the quesÂtion of how, exactÂly, filmÂmakÂer StanÂley Kubrick came into posÂsesÂsion of the advanced camÂera lensÂes he used to shoot 1975’s canÂdle-lit BarÂry LynÂdon. PerÂhaps NASA, who had the lensÂes in the first place, owed Kubrick for cerÂtain serÂvices renÂdered six years earÂliÂer? CutÂting deconÂtexÂtuÂalÂized file footage togethÂer with scriptÂed lines delivÂered by actors, NASA staffers, and KubrickÂ’s actuÂal widÂow, Karel tells an omiÂnousÂly earnest stoÂry of how the CIA recruitÂed Kubrick and his 2001-testÂed cinÂeÂmatÂic craftsÂmanÂship to “win” the space race, at least on teleÂviÂsion. Though libÂerÂalÂly pepÂpered with small falseÂhoods and inside jokes for film buffs, Dark Side of the Moon has nonetheÂless inadÂverÂtentÂly won its share of sinÂcere adherÂents, includÂing self-styled “SpeakÂer of Truth” Wayne Green. It’s been said many times, many ways: humanÂiÂty isn’t quite smart enough to effecÂtiveÂly conÂspire, but we’re just smart enough to invent an infiniÂtude of conÂspirÂaÂcy theÂoÂries.
This past weekÂend, San FranÂcisÂco celÂeÂbratÂed the 75th anniverÂsary of the GoldÂen Gate Bridge. And if BethÂleÂhem Steel were still around, it would have been celÂeÂbratÂing too. Once AmerÂiÂca’s secÂond-largest steel proÂducÂer, the now bankÂrupt comÂpaÂny fabÂriÂcatÂed the steel used in the conÂstrucÂtion of the iconÂic bridge — all 68,000 tons of it. SomeÂwhere durÂing the 1950s, the PennÂsylÂvaÂnia-based firm revisÂitÂed the makÂing of the GoldÂen Gate Bridge, proÂducÂing a 26 minute film that incorÂpoÂratÂed some amazÂing archival footage. Every phase of conÂstrucÂtion gets covÂered, and the film ends with the bridge’s big openÂing day in 1937. It’s not to be missed.
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