American History
Hubert Bancroft Runs a History Factory
In 1868, a San Francisco book dealer named Hubert Howe Bancroft (1832-1918) set out to write the history of the Pacific slope,[1] from Alaska to the Isthmus of Panama. It was a project on a heroic scale. Bancroft did not write all the books himself, even though he was the only author listed. In fact,…
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Word with a Past: Maverick
The word “maverick” has always had overtones of the American West in my head—or at least the American West of a childhood spent watching shows like Gun Smoke, Bonanza, and, of course, Maverick.[1] Imagine my surprise when I recently learned that the word in fact has its roots in nineteenth century Texas. Samuel A Maverick…
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Before Walt Disney…
A decade before Walt Disney released his first animated short, “Alice’s Day at the Sea” in 1924, illustrator Louis Glackens (1866-1933) created trailblazing animated shorts featuring mermaids, anthropomorphic beasts, and political satire. His career has often been treated as a footnote to that of his younger brother, Ashcan School artist William J. Glackens.[1] Both Glackens…
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