"BIRTH OF A NATION" AND THE BIRTH OF BLACK HISTORY

When the first blockbuster movie spread dangerous myths, one man rose to challenge them. And seeds were sown.

teachers, TEACHERS, TEACHERS & HEALERSThe AtticJanuary 27, 2022Birth of a Nation, Black History Month, Carter G. Woodson Comment

THE MOTHER, THE DAUGHTER, THE "LITTLE HOUSE"

Laura Ingalls Wilder grew up in the “little house” but her daughter, Rose, became the story’s midwife.

BOOK-ISHThe AtticJanuary 19, 2022Laura Ingalls Wilder, Rose Wilder Lane, Little House on the Prairie, Little House in the Woods Comments

MLK'S EPIC LETTER

From behind bars, King wrote an amazing letter with all the power of his dream.

HEROESThe AtticJanuary 13, 2022Martin Luther King, Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail, Birmingham 1963, Civil Rights Movement Comments

THE ADS THAT TICKLED THE WASTELAND

Madison Avenue had statistics and selling points but one Mad Man dared to think different.

WITSThe AtticJanuary 6, 2022Doyle Dane Bernbach, Bill Bernbach, TV advertising, I can't believe I ate the whole thing, Mad Men, Advertising's creative revolution, 1960s tv advertising Comments

THE TOWN THAT SECEDED TO SUCCEED

Denied government aid for a water project, Kinney, MN (pop. 325) and its “little old lady” mayor got a radical idea.

REBELS, WITSThe AtticDecember 31, 2021Kinney, Kinney Minnesota, Midwest life Comments

WINIFRED REMBERT -- LEATHER SOUL

When the horror surfaced, Winfred Rembert carved his stories into leather. And a survivor became an artist.

ART-ISHThe AtticDecember 9, 2021Winfred Rembert, Folk art, Jim Crow artist, Jim Crow, Chasing Me to My Grave Comments

WHEN 'WE SHALL OVERCOME' WENT VIRAL

When voting rights hinged on Selma, LBJ stunned the nation with a single phrase.

HEROESThe AtticDecember 7, 2021LBJ, MLK, Lyndon Baines Johnson, Voting Rights Act, Selma alabama, We shall overcomeComment

GERTRUDE EDERLE, QUEEN OF THE WAVES

Gertrude Ederle not only swam the English Channel. She swam it faster than anyone — man or woman. (As seen in “Young Woman and the Sea.”)

HEROES, ATTIC AT THE MOVIESThe AtticDecember 3, 2021Gertrude Ederle, English Channel, English Channel swim, 1920s, Women heroies, Women's athletics, Swimming, Ederle Swim Comment

STUDS TERKEL -- TO HEAR AMERICA TALKING

On radio he interviewed the famous but in his spare time Studs Terkel listened to “the etceteras” of history. And he heard America talking.

SPEAKING AMERICANThe AtticNovember 26, 2021Studs Terkel, American speech, Working, The Good War, Oral history Comment

MENCKEN GIVES OUR 'TONGUE' A TWIST

First there was Webster, then Twain. But it took Mencken to celebrate how Americans really talk.

SPEAKING AMERICAN, BOOK-ISHThe AtticNovember 19, 2021H.L. Mencken, The American Language, American slang Comments

THE ATTIC READS. . . "THE PEOPLE'S TONGUE"

From “Who’s on First” to “A Hard Rain’s a’ Gonna Fall,” from “The Gettysburg Address” to “Green Eggs and Ham,” this delightful anthology lets you hear America talking.

SPEAKING AMERICAN, BOOK-ISHThe AtticNovember 19, 2021The People's Tongue, American English, The American Language, Ilan StavansComment

FIGHTIN' WORDS -- WEBSTER AND THE DICTIONARY WARS

Webster had his dictionary but it took an ugly war of words to win its place in American life.

SPEAKING AMERICAN, BOOK-ISHThe AtticNovember 11, 2021Noah Webster, Merriam-Webster, Joseph Worcester, Dictionary wars, DictionaryComment

HOW TO SPEAK AMERICAN -- THE BASICS

From denunciation to celebration, The Attic explores the unique language called American.

SPEAKING AMERICANThe AtticNovember 5, 2021American language, American slang, Urban dictionary, American speech Comments

VIVIAN MAIER -- THE MYSTERY WOMAN WITH THE CAMERA EYE

It took years of detective work, to “find” Vivian Maier. What we found was the eye of a master. (As seen in “Finding Vivian Maier.”)

ART-ISH, ATTIC AT THE MOVIESThe AtticOctober 28, 2021Vivian Maier, Photography, Street photogrphy, "Finding Vivian Maier" Comments

THE CHRYSLER BUILDING AND THE RACE TO THE SKY

Topping Manhattan’s soaring skyline took money, ego, and an architect’s secret plan.

BUILDERSThe AtticOctober 22, 2021Chrysler Building, William Van Alen, Walter P. Chrysler, Skyscrapers, Manhattan skyscrapers, Craig Severance Comments

THE SONGS THAT SAVED THE WHALES

Humpbacks had been singing since forever but no one heard until Roger Payne — and Judy Collins — made the world listen.

HEROESThe AtticOctober 14, 2021Humpback whales, Roger Payne, Save the Whales, Greenpeace, The Song that saved the whales, Judy Collins, Farewell to Tarwaithe, Whales and Nightengales Comment

KINDER, COOLER, SMARTER

NOW ENTERING OUR TENTH YEAR!

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