A commercial website that provides a solid history of American musical theatre. Includes summaries of many musicals through history. Focus is on shows before 1960.

In the 1950s, financial prosperity allowed young Americans to participate in a shared culture of rock and roll music, movies, and television.

This article gives a history of the Ziegfeld Follies, with information on its creator Florenz Ziegfield, its origin, and the performers. The site also includes thumbnails of pictures of the Follies.

Article explores the influence of jazz on African American literature from the early history of jazz, noted jazz artists, the black-white tensions within jazz, to its literary influence after World War II.

It was August 6, 1926, the day that an American, Gertrude Ederle, was poised to become the first woman to swim the English Channel. Only five men had ever swum the waterway before. The challenges included quickly changing tides, six-foot...

The 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival brought over 300,000 people to Harlem's 20-acre Mount Morris Park from June 29 to August 24, 1969 against a backdrop of enormous political, cultural and social change in the United States. The summer...

John Quincy Adams narrowly beat Andrew Jackson in the presidential election of 1824. Though his 'American System' modernized the American economy, his endorsement of a protective tariff as well as his lenient stance toward Native...

The ritual grew as ownership of automobiles and then mass production of portable grills and plastic coolers soared. Tailgating before college and professional football games is an American tradition. Temporary tent cities pop up in...

Hamilton's leadership in the war's last major land battle would deliver the future Secretary of the Treasury his long-sought glory. Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, known for his famous, fatal duel with Aaron Burr...

Public Enemy #1 was transferred to the now-infamous island prison a few weeks after it opened. To Americans of the 1920s and '30s, he was the notorious gangster Scarface Al, Public Enemy No. 1. But when he arrived at Alcatraz in late...

These are just a few of the historic radio broadcasts that seemed to have the whole nation listening. This article discusses eight of the most seminal moments in radio -- from KDKA's 's live nighttime Fireside Chats, the 'Fight of the...

From Jerome Kern's Americanized shows to the Ziegfeld Follies, the stages saw a whole new type of musical from 1910-1920.

This article and audio report [9:05] covers the origins of American cowboy folk songs. Uses popups. Also includes a brief video clip of a 19th century folk song being performed.

A comprehensive overview with many interesting facts and information on the Jazz Age, a period in U.S. history associated with exuberance and the introduction of jazz music.

Encyclopedia Britannica provides a biography of Margaret Mead, noted anthropologist and prolific author.

This article explains what a powwow is, some of its history, how native people feel about them, powwow etiquette, the music, the dances, and the regalia. (Published July-August 2004 issue)

Fact-Index.com offers detailed information on the American minstrel show, including history, structure, characters, music, and legacy.