90's fashion and film.

The 90's were a great time for crazy fashion. There were many signature looks that faded away rather quickly (just in the nick of time to come back now). These fashion trends (like the chocker) have been brought back today. It is interesting to look back and see why now we are loving these "vintage" looks.

Another aspect of 90's culture was the massive amount of films that are still relevant today. One example of this is the film "Pulp Fiction." A cultural phenomenon, even today, the film directed by Quintin Tarentino was nominated for 6 oscars (winning one for best screenplay). The film is known for many catch phrases including Samuel l Jackson and John trovolatas break through performances. 

A film perhaps even more famous goes by the name of Titanic. Released in 1997, Titanic would go on to be one of the highest grossing films of all time garnering about $2,516,000,000 dollars. The director, James Cameron, would go on to make one of the other highest grossing films of all time entitled "Avatar."

These fashion trends and fantastic films have made their stamp on history. "paint me like one of your French girls" is a very common comedic phrase taken (in a different tone) from the film "Titanic." This along with "Pulp Fiction," (a film perhaps known for a different type of cinema flare) went on to be some of the most influential trends and topics that we still discuss today.

90's cultural TV influence.

90's culture was incredibily influential for many reasons. However, in regards to the TV shows that  were presented in the 90's, their influence can be seen through many new TV shows today.

In 1991, a TV show named Twin Peaks was released; this extremely influential show, directed by Oscar nominated director David Lynch, discussed themes of murder, sex, lies and more. At the time, the series pushed many boundaries for TV. The use of a huge ensemble cast was something much rarer for TV at the time, and future TV shows from the 90's reflect this (like Friends, and X-Files, each containing a smaller cast). Twin peaks was a prime example for amazing story telling, one that could be done like a movie. This influence can be seen in many shows, even shows like Pretty Little Liars, which takes influence from the Twin Peak's storyline of characters.

It is hard to mention TV shows in the 90's without "Friends." This highly influential show is still watched today. One of the creators of the show, Marta Kauffman, is said to have a net worth of $200 million from her success as a writer on the show according to "The Richest". Friends influence can be seen through social media as well as the TV landscape in many forms. One direct correlation can be drawn from How I met your mouther to friends, as they dynamic of the show is extremely similar. Although shows like "Seinfeld" also share similar premises to friends, it didn't share the same overall positive tone that friends is known for.

If you go back and watch any TV shows from the 90's and especially the ones mentioned here, you will surely see similarities in TV shows today. This can be traced back to the major hits, and the influential some that shaped the new TV landscape.

Why Oj represented more than just himself

OJ simpson is one of the most recognizable names in American history due to his controversial trial. There is still a debate the rages today discussing the significance of his importantce and his impact on American history. Many people were discouraged when he won the trail along with many people who were quite happy. After learning about it in class, it is interesting to take another look into OJ Simpson's legacy (specifically with the trial).

Many Tv shows have taken a look into the trail including this years Oscar winning documentary that took an 8 hour look at the trial. Although the literal trial was about a murder, in actually it represented something much more than that. The symbolic meaning behind the trial took on the events triggered by Rodney King, a taxi driver who was beat unjustly by police officers in LA.

For many people, the trial took on the meaning of the racial tension and injustice faced by African Americans throughout the US. When OJ won, many black Americans rejoiced not because all of them believed he was innocent but for the underlying ideology of it all. If a rich white man had murdered someone, in many cases, he would get away with it. Rich Americans, specifically those who are white, get away with countless crimes because they can afford great lawyers. The trial victory showed finally to many black Americans that there might still be some hope for the system.

Hidden Figures and civil rights

Hidden Figures is a new film that has been nominated for three academy awards including best picture, best actress in a supporting role, and best adapted screenplay. I'm sure some of you have already seen the film or have put it on your list of movies to see. The main characters in the film are all real women, and their stories are quite amazing.

The civil rights movement coincided in many ways with the space race in the beginning and the film shines a light on this rising tension between the two issues. Katherine Johnson was one of the first African American women to help NASA with calculations. And this crucial milestone also helped de-segregrate bathrooms at NASA.

I don't want to spoil the film so I will not play out each scene, but the overall message and story of the film is quite powerful. The space race was something all Americans thought about and cared for in this time period, and even though civil rights and segregation was also a huge issue, many Americans chose the space race over this. In the film time after time the space race starts to break the segregation (at NASA).

There were many women like Kathrine Johnson that have paved the way for civil and social rights; it is important now to remember them and cherish their memories like we do other historical figures. Hidden Figures is very much the title of the film; each of these women were a figure and a mark in civil rights history and yet they were still Hidden.

Era of McCarthyism paralleled to Trump.

We are all aware about the era of McCarthyism and the intense effect it had not only as a propaganda but as a culture point of the Cold War. During the past few days I have been thinking about the similarities in the rhetoric that Trump and his advisors use akin to McCarthy.

Fear is a powerful tactic and McCarthy did this best by isolating people and inspiring paranoia in the US. Looking back to the Salim Witch trials you can see this fear and paranoia as well. The fear of being something you are not and the fear of dying or being sent to jail is something present today in a different form.

Trump (along with many conservatives) fear mongering strategies on de-humanizing immigrants works in similar ways. The conversation about stopping people for minuscule crimes and then deporting them or targeting neighborhoods for undocumented immigrants shares some similarities with the anti-communist agenda McCarthy had. And although there are some clear differences revolving in political and even social aspects; fundamentally, Trump's harmful rhetoric can be seen as similar to that present in the Salem Witch Trails and through the Cold War.

If you think about McCarthy himself; his message spoke to a lot of people. Republicans at the time were ok with him, because even though they knew what he was saying wasn't completely accurate, he supported the party as a whole (or so they thought). Donald trump is similar in the sense that he got elected (one could argue) because many wanted a conservative cabinet and supreme court nominee, and not for his over the top rhetoric. You can even see the parallels in through Trump's Muslim ban, which pushed even some republicans against him. This is similar to when McCarthy lost popularity.

The message of fear can be used in powerful ways; and it was interesting to find such a connection to modern context and what we are learning in class. Although I think Trump has made his own category in history because of his over the top and de-jhumanizing rhetoric, it can also be patrolled with that used of other political leaders like McCarthy.

Propaganda during the Cold War

Propoganda is something that has commonly been used throughout history; and through the era or Mccarthyism, fear about Communism spread through pre and present Cold War.

One interesting way propaganda target all ages, was a bubblegum campaign. This campaign sold bubblegum. a popular treat amongst children at the time, along with anti-communist propaganda. This extensive use of propaganda instilled anti-communist and a fear monitoring mindset at an early age for some Americans. 

Another example of propaganda comes in the film form. Nuclear war was spreading across the world and the fear of a nuclear fallout captivated America. Films like "Duck and Cover" perpetuated this fear; another use or version of propaganda. 

This video obviously directed not only towards adults but children as well. The catchy tune "duck and cover" promoted a sense of safety with the nation. This sense of nuclear fallout and war was also target against communism as that was associated with the USSR. 

Overall, propoganda was used to instill fear and communist hatred through the US; whether it was effective or not I'll leave up to you.

Source :

https://manspropaganda.wordpress.com/the-cold-war/

Girl Scouts during World War 2

Girl Scout cookies are very popular every year when they are sold. Over the years they have become increasingly pricy and yet people continue to buy them. As I write this currently; a box of thin mints sit at my desk.


Girl Scouts as a club was founded in 1912. And in World War 2 they were also trying to make an impact.


During the War, Girl Scouts were helping sell bonds and collected 1.5 million items of clothing to send off to refugees and men at war. The Girl Scouts organization also started a fundraiser to train and get Girl Scouts in hospitals to help those that were wounded.

"These high schoolers were trained to help in hospitals–feeding patients, performing clerical work, serving as messengers, preparing supplies and equipment, and making beds."


The Girl Scouts did not where nurse uniforms but instead their own signature pattern of green and white cloth.

The S.S Juliet Low was named in honor of the Girl Scouts. It was sent off to war after it was christened by a girl scout as well. Overall the impact Girl Scouts had on the war and in America has changed drastically since the 1900's, but it is interesting to see how far they have come since way back in 1912.


Source :


http://www.sarahsundin.com/girl-scouts-in-world-war-ii/

Life at internment camps

On February of 1942 ordered the executive order 9066 which started the Japanese Internment. Soon over 125,000 people were loaded into interment camps, some half of them children and young adults. What many Japanese Americans believed to be a couple months turned out to be years of exile by the American government.

Life on camp was far from pleasant. The camps were bare and sparsely filled. Houses were barley built, made often of wood nailed together like a camp ground. The area was a dessert, and there weren't any green hills to run and play on. For many of the internment camp participants, it felt more like a military expierence than a household one. Rooms had bunkbeds and "houses" had no running water in them. People took their meals in food hauls at specific times, and there was very little choice in what you ate. Although physical intimidation or harm was "rare" the process of being watched and the constant confusion of the situation most likely plagued many Japanese Americans.

Children were sent off to school each day, and adults had set jobs for them to do. Many camps had their own newspapers, governing councils, and different departments.

Many Japanese-Americans tried to protest the interment since not only was it against the US constitution but many Japanese-Americans fought in World War 2.

The Internment camps now pose as a reminder of our American History. It is important to remember these moments to remind us of our past faults and to not repeat history once more.

Source :

https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/immigration/alt/japanese4.html

Prohibition and how it ended. - Bobak Afshari

The temperance movement, took movement in the early 20th century. Many religious organizations and people supported the movement, saying it would decrease crime, and boost the overall "spirit" of the nation. This movement finally gained momentum and caused the government to pass the 18th amendment. the 18th amendment banned the production of alcohol but it didn't ban the consumption of it. This is a common misconception about the prohibition.

As you can guess, the economy went down because there were less brewing or distributing jobs. Crime rose because of gangsters like the famous Al Capone, who sold illegal liquor to clubs. Bribery increased for many government officials meaning that crime was still very much intact. Clubs like speakeasys often held liquor for people to party and drink. Books like The Great Gatsby reflect on this over the top lifestyle. Often times these parties were even more rambunctious because of the illegal liquor being drank. This made parties and clubs more exciting and gave a real vividness to the america night life.



When FDR ran his campaign to become president he promised he would ban the prohibition. This caused him to be elected where he made the 21sth amendment to the consitution, banning the prohibition.



This was the first time an amendment had officially been taken out or repealed and it was a big step in american history. Even though the prohibition was technically finished, there were still some states who didn't repeal it. In fact, the prohibition of alcohol lasted as long as the 1960's for states like Mississippi which didn't effectively ban the prohibition until 1966.

Links :
http://www.history.com/topics/prohibition
https://66.media.tumblr.com/d3f275a5d6165f00984f9636831887b4/tumblr_na57frEdAA1qbuqcio1_500.gif
http://f.tqn.com/y/history1900s/1/W/K/N/1/2696258.jpg

Films detecting american history - Bobak Afshari

With the new release of the film "Jackie," describing the life of Jackie kennedy after the assassination of her husband, one might think about how history was represented through film in american history.

Since the invention of film by the Lumineer brothers in the 19th century, film paved the way as a new artistic expression, one that could influence multiple crowds of people. However, one key difference to modern history films and older films is accuracy. Now if one releases a film, people do countless checks to make sure the material is accurate and appropriate; if they don't they usually receive some form of backlash.


Back in the early 20th century, films weren't always accurate or politically correct/progressive by any mean. Black face was commonly seen through film, and even more blatant racist films like "Birth of a Nation," were shown during Wilsons term at the white house.


"Birth of a Nation" depicts KKK members as heroic soldiers as they attack and kill many african americans on screen. The fact that the president showed it at the white house demonstrates the amount of blunt racism at the time.


Films about native americans were often very bias, depicting white men as the heroes, and native americans as "savages." These negative portrayals of native americas often add to unwanted stereotypes that perpetuate negative connotations.


Even though films like "Jackie" don't directly correlate to bias or racist films like "Birth of a Nation," it is still a reminder about the importance of film and how it depicts history. Americans are viewing cinema as more and more accurate and we have to be careful with what power this may bring us and to use it properly.

Image : https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Birth_of_a_Nation_theatrical_poster.jpg/311px-Birth_of_a_Nation_theatrical_poster.jpg

The roaring 20's and Harlem - Bobak Afshari

Most people have heard of the "roaring 20's" but not as many know about the equally revolutionary "Harlem Renaissance."

Books like The Great Gatsby illustrate the extensive and over the top attitude during the 20's. Parties roared high and loud, drink were drank heavily and illegally, and the "American Dream" flourished for better or worse. The 20's provided a movement for women, who started to dress with more skin and more makeup. This revolution of women's rights also inspired and helped aid the 19th amendment, which provided Women the right to vote. The "roaring 20's" also provided a new light to be shined on America's african american community as well.

The "Harlem Renaissance" was a new era which provided heavy focus on jazz and jazz musicians. These musicians such as the famous "Louis Armstrong" preformed at night clubs. The popularity of these so night clubs was thanks to the outstanding new music, and the life. "Flappers" and "vamps" are names commonly thrown around as well as "speak easies" all party of this time frame.

However, what makes the "Harlem Renaissance" revolutionary, is the view of african americans. Whites, started to notice segregation (at least a little.) Protests celebrating black heritage started small, but started non-the less. Influential musicians like "Billy Holiday" even used their fame as a stage for political power. Her song "Strange Fruit" describes lynching and the horrific trend that had plagued some parts of america. This along with the rise of the KKK provided an interesting turning point in american history.

Links (photos) : https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Billie_Holiday_0001_original.jpg/800px-Billie_Holiday_0001_original.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Louis_Armstrong_(1955).jpg