Mather Tower, 75 E. Wacker. Herbert Hugh Riddle, 1928. View from north. (Photograph by Thomas Leslie) No tower had been built to such slender proportions, and there were few opportunities […]
Read an excerpt from Pretty Good for a Girl
PopMatters has posted an excerpt from Murphy Hicks Henry’s book about influential and often overlooked women in bluegrass, Pretty Good for a Girl. The first book devoted entirely to women in bluegrass, […]
Citizens in the Present editor reflects on civil rights legacy
As the work of civil rights leaders was celebrated during the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, many—including President Obama—reflected on the differences between youth activists today and those in […]
Happy birthday, Charlie Parker
Jazz giant Charlie “Bird” Parker was born on August 29, 1920 in Kansas City. During his short life—he died at age 34—Parker became one of the most influential figures in […]
Writing ‘I Have a Dream’
On August 28, 1963, in front of an estimated 250,000 people in the Washington D.C. mall, Martin Luther King Jr. gave what would become the most famous speech in civil […]
Q&A with The Negro in Illinois: The WPA Papers editor Brian Dolinar
Brian Dolinar is a scholar of African American literature and culture from the Depression era. He is the editor of The Negro in Illinois: The WPA Papers. We asked him […]
Shining a spotlight on women in the civil rights movement
During the historic March on Washington in late August of 1963, hundreds of thousands filled the National Mall and many powerful voices of the civil rights movement took to the podium. Few […]
Q&A with In Her Own Words author Jennifer Kelly
Jennifer Kelly is director of choral activities and associate professor of music at Lafayette College, Pennsylvania, she is also the artistic director of the Concord Chamber Singers and the author of […]
New Editor Appointed for American Music
We’re very pleased to announce that Michael Pisani will be the next Editor of our journal, American Music, beginning in January 2014. Pisani, a renowned scholar, author, pianist, and conductor, brings […]
Happy birthday Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury was born on August 22, 1920. The celebrated author famously claimed to remember his own birth. Jonathan R. Eller, director of the Center for Ray Bradbury Studies at […]
Remembering jazz pianist and author Marian McPartland
Jazz performer and musical ambassador Marian McPartland, passed away this week at her home in Port Washington, N.Y. at age 95. In addition to a performance career that took off […]
The art of José Gamaliel González on display in Chicago
Saturday, August 24 marks the final day of the exhibit José Gamaliel González: The Artist at 80 at the Carlos & Dominguez Fine Arts Gallery in Chicago. Dr. Marc Zimmerman, […]