July 28-29, 2018: July 2018 Recap

[A Recap of the month that was in AmericanStudying.]

July 2: The 4^th in Focus: “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”: A July 4^th series starts with the stunning speech that challenges us as much today as it did 150 years ago.

July 3: The 4^th in Focus: Born on the 4^th of July: The series continues with three evolutions of a classic patriotic phrase.

July 4: The 4^th in Focus: Fireworks: The history, symbolism, and limits of an American tradition, as the series booms on.

July 5: The 4^th in Focus: “Speaking of Courage”: The July 4^th setting and climax of one of my favorite American short stories.

July 6: The 4^th in Focus: “Sandy (4^th of July, Asbury Park)”: The series concludes with how Bruce captured the more intimate sides of Independence Day.

July 7-8: The 4^th in Focus: 2018 Critical Patriotism: A special weekend post on necessary 2018 pessimism and how to push beyond it.

July 9: Representing Race: Jungle Fever and Mississippi Masala: A series on cultural representations of race starts with two sweltering interracial romances that work well in combination.

July 10: Representing Race: Borderlands/La Frontera: The series continues with the tough but vital book that represents an ambiguous, crucial American space.

July 11: Representing Race: To Kill a Mockingbird: On the anniversary of its publication, what Harper Lee’s classic novel fails to do, and where it succeeds.

July 12: Representing Race: Rap Representations: The distinct but complementary visions of race and America in three rap songs, as the series rolls on.

July 13: Representing Race: Seven Seconds: Two ways that the flawed but compelling Netflix show challenges our conversations about race.

July 14-15: Representing Race: Mystery Fiction: The series concludes with a groundbreaking mystery pioneer and the contemporary author extending his legacy.

July 16: KennedyStudying: To the Moon, America: A series on the Kennedy family starts with the Cold War limits yet compelling possibilities of JFK’s “moon shot” speech.

July 17: KennedyStudying: 1963: The series continues with the bitter divisions that preceded, and perhaps contributed to, a tragic day.

July 18: KennedyStudying: Chappaquiddick: Taking the long view, recognizing its limits, and striving for a balance, as the series rolls on.

July 19: KennedyStudying: Conspiracy Theories: Two ways to AmericanStudy the one political assassination we can’t quite seem to accept.

July 20: KennedyStudying: The Loss of Bobby: The series concludes with the possibilities of a Bobby Kennedy presidency and what was lost with his assassination.

July 21-22: KennedyStudying: Historical Films: A special weekend post on how three wildly distinct historical films portray the Kennedy’s.

July 23: Folk Music Studying: “This Land is Your Land”: A folk music series starts with my nominee for a new national anthem.

July 24: Folk Music Studying: Joan Baez and Janis Joplin: The series continues with two alternate visions of the counter-culture and what links them.

July 25: Folk Music Studying: Dylan Plugs In: The limits of the concept of the “counter-culture” and its AmericanStudies benefits nonetheless, as the series (folk) rocks on.

July 26: Folk Music Studying: “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”: The simple and vital song that captures the essence of political music and activist art.

July 27: Folk Music Studying: 21^st Century Folk: The series concludes with three artists/groups that are extending the folk legacy into our own moment.

Next series begins Monday,

Ben

PS. Topics you’d like to see covered in this space? Guest Posts you’d like to contribute? Lemme know!