American History Research Articles

Pecos Bill and the campaign against children’s Comics in Postwar Italy

ABSTRACT This essay studies the case of Pecos Bill: The Legendary Hero of Texas, a western comic published in Italy by Mondadori from 1949 to 1954. I analyze the series in the context of the widespread national campaign against comics and in relation to the cultural politics of Mondadori’s corporate partner Walt Disney. Both Catholic and Leftist critics condemned western fictions because of their violent and sexual content. Debates about children’s magazines and their educational purposes, on the other hand, were minimally concerned with how western narratives represented race, ethnicity, or gender. Pecos Bill was blacklisted,even though Mondadori’s cowboy is a wholesome hero who never fires a gun. Starting from this discrepancy, my analysis sheds light on the contradictions within the campaign against comics and explores issues of identity politics in Italian children’s readings. I demonstrate that representations of Mexican and African characters, as well as of whiteness and of American history, promoted the same anti-leftist and racist discourses of Disney’s western fictions at the time of the Cold War.

The Demography of Crisis‐Driven Outflows from Venezuela

AbstractThe Venezuelan exodus represents the largest known displacement of people in recent Latin American history. The regional crisis caused by this mass Venezuelan migration drove the development of multiple interagency initiatives (such as the R4V platform) as well as academic attempts to keep track of outflow intensity. However, little is known about the age and gender composition of the emigrants since most existing literature to date has focused primarily on total volume and country‐specific shares of migration outflows. This study examines the demographics of recent outflows from Venezuela, the chronology of associated changes, and the demographic implications for those remaining in the country. Official counts of Venezuelan‐born populations compiled in seven main destinations are used to estimate annual outflows by age and gender from 2011 to 2021. Changes in the demographic composition of emigration are traced using parameters of the Rogers–Castro model, specifically the children‐to‐labor force dominance, and by decomposing the age contributions to the annual gross migraproduction rate. In the early phase of the crisis (2014–2017), emigration flows had high child dependency ratios. As the crisis entered its most acute phase (peaking in 2019), the mean age of migrants increased. Outward migration has resulted in the current Venezuelan population having 20 percent fewer women of reproductive age and 17.8 percent fewer individuals of working age. Consequently, the share of the population aged 60 or older has increased.

Long-Acting but Reversible: Opportunities to Address Provider Bias in Contraceptive Care.

Jasmine is an 18-year-old Black female bringing her infant to the pediatrician for a newborn weight check. She asks her pediatrician's opinion about hormonal contraceptive injections, sharing that they were strongly recommended after she gave birth. The recommending health care provider told her, "We don't want you to end up back here any time soon." Rosita, a 16-year-old Latina female, visits her pediatrician for a well check. She reports a history of vaginal sex with 2 male partners and agrees to have a hormonal subcutaneous implant placed to avoid pregnancy. After 4 months of bothersome spotting, Rosita returns to have the implant removed. Rosita's provider strongly counsels against removal. Jasmine and Rosita are members of populations that have been systematically marginalized throughout American history. Their stories are derived from real cases and reveal how structural racism impacts modern contraceptive care. Specifically, their cases are examples of statistical discrimination, wherein the tendency to disproportionately recommend long-acting reversible contraception to historically marginalized communities does not follow the central tenants of sexual and reproductive justice, including acknowledging historical harms in health care and honoring bodily autonomy for all people. By sharing Jasmine and Rosita's stories, we use a reproductive justice lens to (1) examine the historical roots of disproportional prescription of long-acting reversible contraception to historically marginalized individuals, (2) discuss provider bias related to sexual and reproductive health care, and (3) illustrate how trauma-informed care with a recognition of historical trauma and the use of individuation can facilitate positive and equitable health outcomes.

Reclaiming History: The Role of Memory in Afro-American Literature

This research explores the pivotal role of memory in Afro-American literature, focusing on its multifaceted functions as a tool of resistance, cultural preservation, and historical reinterpretation. Memory in Afro-American literature emerges as a dynamic force that not only documents personal and collective experiences but also challenges dominant narratives of oppression and erasure. Through a nuanced examination of literary works spanning from slave narratives such as Frederick Douglass' "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave" (1845) to contemporary novels like Toni Morrison's "Beloved" (1987), this study illuminates how memory serves as a means of reclaiming agency and identity amidst historical trauma.The research discusses critiques of relying on memory in literature, acknowledging concerns about subjectivity and historical accuracy. It argues that memory in Afro-American literature transcends mere recollection, offering profound insights into the complexities of African American experiences and histories. By exploring examples such as Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God" (1937) and James Baldwin's "The Fire Next Time" (1963), the study demonstrates how Afro-American authors use memory to confront systemic injustices, preserve cultural heritage, and inspire social activism.Ultimately, Afro-American literature's enduring legacy lies in its ability to reshape historical narratives through the transformative power of memory. By interrogating memory's intersections with literature and activism, this research invites readers to engage critically with the past and envision a future grounded in truth, empathy, and reconciliation. Through its exploration of memory's role in shaping identity, justice, and cultural resilience, Afro-American literature continues to provoke thought and inspire meaningful dialogue on the enduring legacies of slavery, segregation, and the ongoing quest for equality.

An urgent call to center AsianCrit in Chinese/English dual language bilingual education programs

ABSTRACT In recent years, neoliberal interests in U.S. Chinese/English dual language bilingual education (DLBE) programs have emphasized white, English-speakers’ use of Mandarin for economic and political gains. Such interests reify white supremacy and contribute to the erasure of Chinese and Chinese American voices, histories, and cultures in curriculum and instruction. While early literature on Chinese DLBE contexts examined program success based on students’ academic achievement and biliteracy development, there has been limited attention to cultivating critical consciousness to resist the commodification of language and multiculturalism for capitalist enterprise. Therefore, we propose a cohesive programmatic framework informed by Asian Critical Race Theory (AsianCrit) for Chinese DLBE programs to cultivate critical consciousness as a foundational educational goal. In this conceptual paper, we apply the seven tenets of AsianCrit to U.S. Chinese DLBE contexts to reimagine a community-based, historically-situated, and equity-oriented educational space. We hope this proposal will inform efforts toward just and innovative Chinese DLBE pedagogies and inspire new lines of critical research in the field of bilingual education.

Estimating energy flows in the long run: Agriculture in the United States, 1800–2020

This article explores the methods of a prior larger research project to understand flows in the US energy economy, quantifying energy use across American history (1800–2020). As a case study, it uses a subset of this data—agricultural energy use—to examine the methods, sources, and problems around estimating the production and consumption of energy at a national level. By combining statistical data with primary sources (like government and private studies on livestock feed demands), we produce a database that sums all energy used both on-field and in the processing and production of food more generally—and offer several counterintuitive conclusions. Per-capita agricultural energy use actually fell between 1800 and 2020. During this time period, the overall per-capita energy expenditure on food (in processing and cooking) remained fairly steady. We conclude the article by noting various uses for the data in reframing long-term agricultural trends and their environmental impacts. Energy flows are a fundamental component of social metabolism research. What this paper adds to this work is an unusual American case, one in which per capita on-field energy use declined.

Sister Gertrude Morgan: A Ministry of Divergence—Exhibit review

AbstractThe discourse around Black History in Florida's public schools and public spaces has been notably controversial and in high demand in recent years. Black museums are few in the Tampa Bay area, making the Woodson African American History Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, a community treasure. The Woodson Museum partnered with the Montague Collection, launching Women's History Month in March 2024 by featuring the “Sister Gertrude Morgan: A Ministry of Divergence” exhibition. This exhibit centers on religion, rhythms, and artistry. Sister Gertrude Morgan was an African American, New Orleans‐based, multidisciplinary artist and street evangelist from the late 1950s to the mid‐1970s. Morgan repurposed the streets into her muse, medium, pulpit, and exhibition space in a way that can serve as a Black museum praxis framework.

Pengaruh Revolusi Amerika Terhadap Pembentukan Identitas Nasional di Amerika Serikat

The American Revolution (1775-1783) was a pivotal event in United States history that ended British colonial rule and initiated the formation of a strong national identity for the new nation. This research aims to explore how the American Revolution contributed to the formation of national identity in the United States. Through historical and contextual analysis, the study identifies key factors such as the influence of Enlightenment ideas, the role of revolutionary figures, and the development of political and cultural institutions that became the foundation of national identity. The study also examines the social and political impacts of the Declaration of Independence and the formation of the United States Constitution, which served as the legal basis and symbol of national unity. The findings show that the American Revolution not only achieved political independence but also inspired values of freedom, egalitarianism, and democracy, which are central to the national identity of the United States. This research provides insights into the historical process of national identity formation and its relevance to contemporary national dynamics.

Seeking peace and justice through harmony: Music and peacemaking

AbstractPeacemaking encompasses both positive efforts toward achieving a more just society and negative efforts to prevent or end violent conflicts and warfare. Popular music has often accompanied American peace and antiwar movements by arousing public concern for social justice, sustaining the hopes of activists, and challenging decision makers. This essay examines how musicians have made notable contributions to peace activism by addressing a diverse set of issues in American history.

The «Cultural Turn» in American Historiography of Environmental History from the 1980s to the Early 2000s: Causes and Consequences

The period since the 1970s has seen a «cultural turn» that affected many areas of historical research. Environmental history is no exception. It emerged in the United States five decades ago and was strongly influenced by intellectual history. However, in the 1990s, the focus of environmental historians gradually shifted towards «new cultural history». Although foreign historiography has repeatedly acknowledged this shift, the underlying reasons that prompted historians to pursue the new research path remain overlooked. This article seeks to bridge the «gap» in the historiography of human interactions with the natural world over time, an important branch of history. The results of a thorough analysis of the major works written by American historians between the 1970s and 2010s show that the «cultural turn» in the American historiography of environmental history was gradual and included two distinct stages. During the first stage, from the 1980s to the mid-1990s, historians explored the problems of environmental history from the perspectives of postcolonial and gender discourses. The second stage, from the mid-1990s to the present day, was marked by a rethinking of the concept of «wilderness», as well as an emphasis on a variety of previously unaddressed problems of environmental history.

The economics behind Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series

In the early 1940s, Black artist Jacob Lawrence painted a series of 60 panels that are now collectively called The Migration Series. The panels tell the story of how Black Americans migrated from the South to the North, beginning with World War I. The panels provide an uncommon example of the intersection of economics, Black American history, and art that can be used in a variety of economics classes. The artist and the subject allow instructors to easily address diversity and inclusion in their classrooms. This article’s author provides background on Jacob Lawrence and the Great Migration and insights into the economics found in the panels themselves. Finally, suggestions on how to use The Migration Series in a variety of classes are discussed.

Curriculum Development for Adult Learners in Discussions and Exploration About Social Inequalities and Racism Against People of Color

With the arrest of a former U.S. President, the Post-Covid19 pandemic, and all the social uprisings and awareness of 2020 to 2023, perhaps there has never been a time in American history where students and educators at all levels need to consider and adapt more effective and innovative approaches to addressing the elephant in the American – room’ and that being the issue of racism. This paper presents meaningful dialogue on Curriculum Development for Adult Learners in Discussions and Exploration of Social Inequalities and Racism against African Americans. These approaches to learning can be useful for examining both educators and adult learners in examining the dark impacts of racism towards African Americans in the United States.

San Isidro, Sonsonate, El Salvador: Development of a Preclassic Settlement in Chronological and Geographic Context

ABSTRACT This paper presents a study of the San Isidro archaeological site in El Salvador, providing significant insights into the development of Preclassic settlements in the region. Through analysis of ceramic sequences, radiocarbon dating, and excavations, the study traces the site’s evolution and its contextual significance within Mesoamerican and Isthmo-Colombian spheres. We report on the discovery of over 50 mounds constructed around 400 b.c., indicating the emergence of a complex social structure at that time. The unearthed artifacts, including jade objects and Bolinas-type figurines, suggest cultural exchange with often distant regions of Mesoamerica and the Isthmo-Colombian area. This research not only contributes to understanding the chronological and geographic development of San Isidro but also highlights the site’s role in broader Preclassic Mesoamerican cultural dynamics. Our findings challenge existing perceptions of cultural peripherality and emphasize the need for nuanced regional studies in reconstructing ancient Central American history.

‘I bet you like looking at that asshole, dontcha?’: Jeff Stryker’s enigmatic sexuality

ABSTRACT Jeff Stryker, impossibly endowed, bulging with muscles, foul-mouthed, and unquestionably masculine, remains an enigmatic porn icon whose legend persists some 35 years after he first growled his way on screen. Stryker appeared primarily in gay male porn, where his level of stardom has never been surpassed. Yet, for all this, he is rarely discussed in connection with non-binary and bisexuality, his bi films are dismissed as gay or part of a failed fad, and he is typically regarded as the epitome of the ‘gay for pay’, non-reciprocal, emotionless porn star so ubiquitous in a post-HIV era infused with fear, shame, and self-loathing. This article aims to resituate Stryker as a trailblazer in the harnessing and subversion of porn categorization at a critical moment in US history, an important lens through which we might better understand porn stardom and the performance of masculinity and desire.

Accumulation by reconciliation: the United States, South Africa, and peacemaking by vanquished settlers as liberal international order

ABSTRACT In historicising ‘transitional justice’ and its place within structures of international order, I argue that intra-settler violence in North America and Southern Africa are vital, but unexplored, points of lineage. Focusing on the American Civil War and Second Boer War, I argue that distinct patterns of ‘accumulation by reconciliation’ emerged, as white factions made peace through new ideological commitments premised on further marginalisation/exploitation of those not considered ‘white.’ ‘Accumulation by reconciliation’ found articulate champions via American President Woodrow Wilson and South African Prime Minster Jan Smuts, leading architects of the League of Nations system and modern liberal internationalism generally. Given that transitional justice projects largely presume an order of liberal internationalism, we must consider how the forging of these presumption was influenced by the white-supremacist settler contexts of Wilson and Smuts. This genealogy thus enables a deeper conceptualisation of the limits of transitional justice.

Emotional remodelling: sketching emotion regimes in the United States since 1900

This article highlights the concept of emotion regime while discussing available applications. It then applies the regime concept to two distinct periods in 20th-century US history: the first, from early in the century through the 1950s, stressing emotional restraint, and the more recent opening to more vigorous emotional expression. The article ends with a discussion of the causes and significance of the change.

Protecting the Deli: Jewish Nostalgia and Social Justice in E. Lockhart's Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero

ABSTRACT: In this article, I analyze E. Lockhart's comic Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero (Burbank, CA: DC Comics, 2021) as a distinctively American Jewish text. I argue that Whistle draws upon nostalgia for an imagined Jewish past by creating an alternative present infused with the material culture of American Jewishness. In so doing, I show how the comic develops features of mainstream American Jewishness—such as eating at Jewish delis, holding a nostalgic attachment to American Jewish history, and working for social justice—in the construction of a superhero narrative. I explore how Whistle's visual depiction of Jewish food and space construct an authentically Jewish environment. Lastly, I suggest that, as a superhero comic book written for teenage readers, Whistle promotes nostalgia and the pursuit of social justice as components of American Jewishness.

A Monetary and Fiscal History of the United States, 1961–2021 – Alan S. Blinder’s reviewed by James L. Caton

In the realm of economics, fostering debates and embracing diverse opinions is paramount for driving innovation and achieving optimal outcomes. Alan S. Blinder’s seminal work, “A Monetary and Fiscal History of the United States, 1961-2021,” published in October 2022, exemplifies this ethos. Blinder, a renowned economist and Professor at Princeton University, draws from his extensive experience, including roles as Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board and a member of President Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisers, to offer a unique perspective rooted in Keynesian economics. Through his book, Blinder not only enhances our comprehension of various economic concepts but also underscores the significance of critical thinking and vigorous debate in shaping public research.

Democratization, Local Government and Political Parties during the Allied Occupation of Southern Italy after 1943

The article seeks to cast doubt on the prevailing notion that regards the Allied occupation of (Southern) Italy as a harbinger of democracy by examining it from a local, decidedly bottom-up analytical perspective. I argue that the Allies disfavored the formation of political parties and the expression of political thought, even though ‘you can't have a democracy without political parties’, as the Italian-American Charles Poletti, one of the principal American civil affairs officers (CAO) organizing the occupation on-site, phrased it. This was particularly true during the first phase of the occupation, when military priorities reigned supreme. However, even at a later point, after the CAOs had theoretically assumed the role of an external supervising authority, a deep distrust of the country's political parties informed much of the Allies’ attitudes. Rather than serving as a foundational layer for democracy, the Allies perceived the country's political parties as a threat to democratization insofar as these were believed to obstruct the former's political and economic agendas. Such antagonisms between occupier and occupied, of course, especially applied to Italy's largest and most well-organized party during the period of the Allied occupation – the Partito Comunista Italiano (PCI).

Symbolic Elements and Their Connection to Magical Realism in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Depiction of Latin American History

This paper explores the profound impact of symbolic elements in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s works on the depiction of Latin American history and culture through the lens of magical realism. Focusing on key symbols in One Hundred Years of Solitude, The Autumn of the Patriarch, and Love in the Time of Cholera, the study delves into how these symbols enhance the narrative and offer deeper insights into historical and cultural contexts. The analysis reveals how Marquez uses symbols such as the banana plantation, the decaying palace, and the river to critique colonialism, political corruption, and societal upheaval. Furthermore, the paper examines the interplay between reality and fantasy in Marquez’s works and its role in shaping readers’ understanding of historical events and cultural identity. By connecting personal stories with broader historical and cultural themes, Marquez’s symbolism fosters a nuanced and imaginative engagement with Latin American history, encouraging readers to reflect on the complexities and enduring legacies of the region.