Students will have a short writing assignment (3-4 pages )in the semester applying the core concepts of the course and incorporating the interdisciplinary skills gained in the course. For this assignment, you’ll need to locate and describe a historic or primary document and place it in conversation with an example of pop culture.. This short paper is intended to give you practice toward merging the past with the present and reflecting on how they relate to larger American Studies conversions . This writing assignment will be strictly in the voice of the students. This is an assignment designed to get you to practice what you are learning and communicate the fundamental concepts of the course. They are meant to be fun written reflections of the course objective, so try to enjoy it. At the same time, properly explore the historic document, popular culture, and engage the readings (this is what you’ll be graded on) and do not rely solely on personal conjecture – show me that you have read and are seriously attempting to understand the concepts explored in American Studies.
1. Your primary source must be at least 20 years in the past. (2000 or earlier) This may be digitized historical printed documents, historical films, historical digital records, pictures, a collection of items etc – See below for potential archives – though, you are welcome to search for your own primary documents/items as long as they date back 20 years.
2. Identify 2 readings from class that help you understand the events of your primary document better.
3. Describe your primary document and incorporate the 2 readings as you deduce, speculate, and analyze your primary item.
4. Footnote your readings in proper citation (Chicago Style), or describe the title and week of the reading if proper citation is not available.
5. Length double spaced 3-4 pages, 1 inch margins, 12pt font.
Potential Archival Sources –
Arizona Queer Archives: https://arizonaqueerarchives.com/?fbclid=IwAR1ZjOC3cNxupvq0CsodRxAv0ntsSC4WJoAt4UXMhYStX3gNMPZBVNWuE_I (Links to an external site.)
Arizona Southwestern and Borderlands Photography Collection: https://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/collections/arizona-southwestern-and-borderlands-photograph-collection (Links to an external site.)
Tucsonians Oral History Collection: American men of Japanese ancestry: https://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/collections/tucsonians-oral-history-project-collection (Links to an external site.)
Catherine Burt vertical file on Black women – Smithsonian: https://sova.si.edu/record/ACMA.06-065?s=0&n=10&t=A&q=women+OR+woman&i=0 (Links to an external site.)
Jack Mitchell Photography of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Collection – Smithsonian: https://sova.si.edu/details/NMAAHC.A2013.245?f=data_source%3ANational+Museum+of+African+American+History+and+Culture&s=0&n=10&t=C&q=*&i=1 (Links to an external site.)
Tomás Ybarra-Frausto Research Material on Chicano Art – Smithsonian https://sova.si.edu/record/AAA.ybartoma?f=online_visual_material%3Atrue&f=culture%3ALatino+Americans&s=0&n=10&t=C&i=4 (Links to an external site.)