Digital History
Digital History: The Birth of American Popular Culture
American popular culture was many-faceted prior to the Civil War. Find out about the explosion of the number of newspapers and magazines, the many kinds of popular entertainment, and even phrenology as entertainment.
Digital History
Digital History: The Birth of American Popular Culture
A description of many different forms of popular culture in the first half of the 19th century ranging from sensationalized newspapers to dime novels to pseudoscience. Read about Stephen Foster's music, theatrical productions, and even...
Other
Contagion: The Spread of Eugenics Throughout American Popular Culture in the 20s
A comprehensive look at the theory of eugenics, the pseudo-scientific idea that fed into the nativists' search for the "superior" American. This article explains how companies used this theory to sell their products.
Other
Amistad Digital Resource: Pop Culture
General overview of African American pop-culture in the mid 20th-century highlighting music, art, theater, and sports.
The Newberry Library
Newberry Library: World War I in u.s. Popular Culture
Learning module from the Newberry Library uses primary source materials to explore the impact of WWI on the American public and how WWI was promoted or criticized through the popular culture of the day. With questions for discussion.
Other
Museum of Pop Culture
The Museum of Pop Culture (formerly the Science Fiction Museum) is located in Seattle, Washington, and this site provides information on the exhibits connected with the museum and information on educational outlets at the museum.
OpenStax
Open Stax: Jazz Age 1919 1929: Prosperity and Popular Entertainment
Examines the transformation of American culture and lifestyle through movies, sports and the automobile, particularly the Model T Ford.
Digital History
Digital History: Formation of Modern American Mass Culture
A mass culture developed in America in the 1920s due to several factors. Read about the influence of radio, movies, and spectator sports in the adoption of common speech. Find out about the creativity of the time in literature and music.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Us History: 1945 1980: Popular Culture and Mass Media in the 1950s
In the 1950s, financial prosperity allowed young Americans to participate in a shared culture of rock and roll music, movies, and television.
Other
American Film Institute: 100 Years . . . 100 Songs
With this list, the American Film Institute presents its choices for the 100 greatest songs in film. The list includes choices from popular films such as The Sound of Music, Cabaret and The Producers.
Digital History
Digital History: Popular Culture During the Great Depression
A great description of the tension in popular culture during the Great Depression with a focus on tradition abutting modernism in the arts and architecture. Read about the new comic book and radio superheroes, and commonality in American...
NPR: National Public Radio
Npr: Present at the Creation
A compilation of stories from National Public Radio about the creation of new and extraordinary objects, films, and artwork that have shaped and continue to shape American popular culture. Explore everything from the hamburger, to...
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Popular Culture, Making of African American Identity: V. 2
A sculpture, poster, poem, and a painting that challenge black stereotypes in the early-twentieth century. Links to these precursors to the Harlem Renaissance are provided at the top of the page.
Other
Smithsonian Institution: Musica Del Pueblo
Musica del Pueblo is a full-featured resource that explores the traditions of Latino music. Using a colorful mural titled "Song of Unity" as a navigation tool, visitors can watch videos of performances, listen to different varieties of...
PBS
Pbs: American Masters: Gene Kelly
From the PBS series, American Masters, this is the biography for American star of song and dance Gene Kelly.
PBS
Pbs: American Masters: Eugene O'neill
From the PBS series, American Masters, this is the biography of American playwright Eugene O'Neill.
Library of Congress
Loc: American Variety Stage: Bijou Theater
Musical theater and vaudeville were popular in the Gilded Age. Here is a theater program from the Bijou Theater in Boston. Leaafing through the pages gives a great slice of life at the time, not only because of the playbills, but also...
PBS
Pbs: Broadway: The American Musical: Operetta
As part of a larger look at the American musical, this brief look at the popularity of the operetta in the last part of the 19th century discusses why it was so popular with the middle class. Included is a short video that discusses...
PBS
Pbs American Masters: Robert Rauschenberg: Reinventing Art
Studying the life and work of Robert Rauschenberg, we see a reflection of American culture. Click his name to a full biography and timeline.
Other
For Many, One: Passing From Light to Dark
This scholarly article looks into the treatment of race and ethnicity in the 1920s and how they were handled in popular culture. Read about stereotypes of African Americans and immigrants from Asia and southern Europe and find out how...
Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Multicultural America: Serbian Americans
Provides an overview of the traditional culture and lifestyle of Serbian Americans. (Note: Content is not the most current.)
Other
American Studies Online: Theme Parks and Mass Culture
This site is provided for by American Studies Online. The Disney concept and philosophy has had a widespread influence on American life beyond the amusement parks. This article shows the influence has even spread to shopping malls and...
Other
Anti Discrimination Committee: Arab Stereotypes & Educators
This site provides an analysis of stereotypes of Arabs in US pop culture and textbooks, the role of educators in combating these stereotypes, and the effects of such stereotypes on Arab American children. It includes a bibliography for...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Land of Television
The advent of increased television programming helped create a national popular culture. Read about the many kinds of television programs offered in the 1950s.