American History Research Articles

‘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.

Native Foods: Agriculture, Indigeneity, and Settler Colonialism in American History by Michael D. Wise (review)

Native Foods: Agriculture, Indigeneity, and Settler Colonialism in American History by Michael D. Wise (review)

Lessons from the Biggest Business Tax Cut in US History

Lessons from the Biggest Business Tax Cut in US History

Commemorating the Events of May 4, 1970 at Kent State University, USA: An Analysis of the Reconciliation Process

On May 4, 1970, American history saw a violent outburst between the US government and anti-Vietnam War demonstrators. On this day, protesters who were unarmed and gathered on the Kent State University campus were opened fire upon by Ohio State National Guardsmen. Four students were dead and nine injured in the span of thirteen seconds. Emotions swept across the USA following the shootings. Discussions concerning the shootings' purpose, significance, and memory are still ongoing. Many memorials have been built in the decades after the May 4th shootings as a way to remember the atrocity. This study aims to provide an overview of the May 4th events at Kent State University and the memorializing process that has occurred on campus. This study describes and analyzes some of the commemorations such as the candlelight walk and vigil, memorials, and their function in the transitioning process. The main discussion of this article revolves around the effectiveness of the assistance given to the victims in their healing journey, the adequacy of the support, and the exploration of other options. Additionally, it explores alternative strategies for healing. Finally, this article offers the establishment of a historical truth commission for promoting the healing process.

Content Analysis of Textbooks via Natural Language Processing

Purpose: Advanced methods from the field of data science have the potential to shed fresh light on basic concerns in the field of educational research. Natural language processing tools, such as lexicons, word embeddings, and topic models, are used in 15 United States history textbooks that were extensively used in Texas between the years 2015 and 2017. Material and Methods: This study aims to analyze these textbooks for their portrayal of historically oppressed populations. Latinx individuals are rarely mentioned, but renowned white men are almost always mentioned. People of African descent are characterized as behaving in ways that imply helplessness and lack of control, according to lexical methods. Women are most often addressed in the contexts of the home and the workplace, according to the word embeddings. Issues of a political rather than a social nature are highlighted by subject modeling. Findings: We also found that textbooks with a smaller representation of women and people of African heritage are more often purchased by conservative nations. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Our computational toolkit has a rich history of textbook analysis and has recently been distributed as part of our efforts to support new fields of study.

Recipes for Life: Black Women, Cooking, and Memory

In African American history, food has functioned as expression of colonial power and control, and as a source of Black celebration and liberation. Cookbooks written by Black women from the mid-eighteenth century to late twentieth century reflect the long history of the development of African American cuisine. These texts are practical and instructional, while also offering insights into the transnational development of food as an expression of cultural history through African, Indigenous, and European influences. African Americans, and more specifically Black women, have contributed to the food history of the Southern United States by developing a distinct African American cuisine and creating the texts by which to publicly declare their knowledge and ensure its survival. By analyzing the cookbooks of Malinda Russell, Edna Lewis, Vertamae Smith-Grosvenor, and Carole and Norma Jean Darden, a timeline of cookbooks from the Civil War to the Black Power Movement can be established. Their commonalities, including the use of cookbooks as autobiographies, community memoirs, and genealogical records, are features that resonated with the Civil Rights Movement in the latter half of the twentieth century. Food is more than a means of survival. It is a constantly evolving expression of culture, people, and celebration.

Mindsets, contexts, and college enrollment: Taking the long view on growth mindset beliefs at the transition to high school.

Socioeconomic disparities in academic progress have persisted throughout the history of the United States, and growth mindset interventions-which shift beliefs about the malleability of intelligence-have shown promise in reducing these disparities. Both the study of such disparities and how to remedy them can benefit from taking the "long view" on adolescent development, following the tradition of John Schulenberg. To do so, this study focuses on the role of growth mindsets in short-term academic progress during the transition to high school as a contributor to longer-term educational attainment. Guided by the Mindset × Context perspective, we analyzed new follow-up data to a one-year nationally representative study of ninth graders (National Study of Learning Mindsets, n = 10,013; 50% female; 53% white; 63% from lower-SES backgrounds). A conservative Bayesian analysis revealed that adolescents' growth mindset beliefs at the beginning of ninth grade predicted their enrollment in college 4 years later. These patterns were stronger for adolescents from lower-SES backgrounds, and there was some evidence that the ninth-grade math teacher's support for the growth mindset moderated student mindset effects. Thus, a time-specific combination of student and teacher might alter long-term trajectories by enabling adolescents to develop and use beliefs at a critical transition point that supports a cumulative pathway of course-taking and achievement into college. Notably, growth mindset became less predictive of college enrollment after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which occurred in the second year of college and introduced structural barriers to college persistence.

The Road to Crime: An Unintended Consequence of the Interstate Highway System

Abstract The necessity to overhaul national infrastructure has become one of the key issues of US domestic policy in recent years. While the benefits of infrastructure spending are often straightforward, its unintended consequences are less well understood. This paper studies the impact of transportation infrastructure on local crime, focusing on the construction of the Interstate Highway System (IHS), the largest public works project in US history. Using a staggered difference-in-differences design and a county-by-year panel dataset spanning all US counties between 1960 and 1993, we find that a highway opening in a county led to an 8% rise in total index crime. This effect is driven by property crime (burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft), although some evidence suggests an increase in violent crime as well. Exploring potential mechanisms, we show that the positive effect of highways on crime is concentrated in counties with low pre-existing stock of police resources where increased connectivity may have raised the returns to crime. Moreover, we find that highway construction induced higher local employment, average firm size, and the local population size, thus increasing the returns to criminal activity, and ultimately the risk of victimisation in the newly-connected counties.

In Ottoman – British Commercial Relations Efforts to Increase Cotton Production in Smyrna and Its Surroundings (1855–1870)

ABSTRACT During the mid–19th century, cotton production and trade became increasingly important in and around Smyrna. This was due to a combination of factors, including favourable climate conditions, fertile plains in the region, and international demand from England and other European countries. These countries were unable to purchase American cotton due to the American Civil War, which made cotton produced in Smyrna even more valuable and in demand. The purpose of this study is to examine the changes and developments in cotton production and trade in Smyrna between 1855–1870, with a particular focus on the general course of Anglo—Ottoman commercial relations during this period. The sources used for this study include the Ottoman Archives, British Press, official publications, and reports. This study aims to shed light on the economic and commercial history of Smyrna during this period, by analysing the factors that contributed to the growth of cotton production and trade in the region. By examining the primary sources available, we can gain a better understanding of the social, political, and economic context in which cotton production and trade took place, and the impact it had on the local and international economy.

Human Rights Barbie: Using Critical Media Literacy to Teach About Feminism

This article uses critical media literacy to approach themes of sexism and gender inequality depicted in the 2023 film Barbie. Teachers cognizant of the need to address women’s rights issues in American history often struggle to find resources that are accessible and meaningful for their students. Furthermore, the use of film in social studies instruction can be an engaging and culturally relevant way for students to grapple with contentious issues in social studies education. Additionally, by using human rights concepts to frame inequality and inspire advocacy, teachers can address dimensions of oppression and inequality with a more ‘neutral’ or objective framing. Given the current political climate that instills fear in educators who teach about issues of gender, strategic approaches can empower social studies teachers to engage students in examinations of this contentious topic in American schools. Lastly, this article introduces perspectives of Black feminists and international activists to provide intersectional analyses of women’s rights issues to curb the common emphasis on White feminism. The lesson plan offered in this article includes a film viewing guide, enrichment opportunities, and an activity that connects themes in Barbie with women’s rights movements.

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.

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.

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.

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.