American History

BRYANT, Jen. Ringside, 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial. 228p. further reading. Web sites. CIP. Knopf. 2008. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-375-84047-0; PLB $18.99. ISBN 978-0-375-94047-7. LC 2007007177.

Gr 8 Up–The carnival atmosphere of the infamous Scopes trial is re-created in this fast-paced and well-researched verse novel. Voices, both historic and fictional, contribute to readers’ understanding of how it felt to be in the small town at the center of the nation’s attention, while an epilogue provides information about the trial’s aftermath. Parallels to today’s first amendment challenges make this a timely offering. B

BURTON, Orville Vernon, ed. Slavery in America: Gale Library of Daily Life. 2 vols. charts. maps. photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. index. CIP. Gale Cengage. 2007. PLB $211. ISBN 978-1-4144-3013-3. LC 2007038576.

Gr 9 Up–History students will find absorbing detail in this thorough and thought-provoking reference work. The signed articles cover numerous aspects of the subject, from descriptions of life in Africa and the roots of the slave trade to the Middle Passage and reports of the daily lives of slaves, slaveholders, free blacks, poor whites, and Native Americans during the years leading up to the Civil War. Abundant illustrations and reproductions—photographs, period engravings, drawings, and documents—as well as liberal use of sidebars provide visual interest and additional commentary. B

CIMENT, James. Atlas of African-American History. rev. ed. 250p. charts. maps. photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. index. CIP. Facts On File. 2007. Tr $85. ISBN 978-0-8160-6713-8. LC 2007015796.

Gr 7 Up–Beginning with a short history of the African continent, its ancient kingdoms, migrations, and cultures, this authoritative and attractive volume covers the growth of the slave trade and its impact on both the life of Africans and the history of the Americas. Sidebars and text cover aspects of African-American life from colonial days to present day economics, social life, the entertainment industry, and politics, including Barack Obama’s historic presidential campaign. Profusely illustrated with colorful maps and graphs and archival photos. B

DO ALL INDIANS LIVE IN TIPIS?: QUESTIONS & ANSWERS FROM THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN. 239p. photos. reprods. further reading. index. CIP. Smithsonian. 2007. pap. $14.95. ISBN 978-0-06-115301-3. LC 2007060874.

Gr 8 Up–From peace pipes to totem poles to Pocahontas, stereotypes and misconceptions are debunked with straightforward clarity and good humor as museum representatives field more than 1000 queries about native life. Black-and-white photos and reproductions are sprinkled throughout. B

FAWCETT, Bill. Oval Office Oddities: An Irreverent Collection of Presidential Facts, Follies, and Foibles. 341p. charts. illus. appendix. HarperCollins. 2008. pap. $13.95. ISBN 978-0-06134617-0. LC number unavailable.

Adult/High School–Campaign promises, assassination attempts, romantic indiscretions, and notable idiosyncrasies related to personal and public policy make up this engagingly unconventional overview of presidential history accented with black-and-white cartoons and caricatures. B

GETZINGER, Donna. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. 128p. (American Workers Series). diags. photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Morgan Reynolds. 2008. PLB $27.95. ISBN 978-1-59935-099-8. LC 2008004077.

Gr 7 Up–One of New York City’s most tragic fires was a 1911 industrial disaster that sparked reform for workers everywhere, though not immediately. Getzinger describes the crowded sweatshop conditions that existed and unethical factory owners that prevailed even after going to trial. An accessible text and eyewitness accounts of heroic feats to save workers, mostly young women, will bring meaning to a devastating event in our history. B

GOSS, K. David. The Salem Witch Trials: A Reference Guide. 189p. photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. glossary. index. CIP. Greenwood. 2007. Tr $55. ISBN 978-0-313-32095-8. LC 2007038695.

Gr 9 Up–The events in Salem, MA, in the late 17th century have always held a fascination for students, and this new volume will give them a broad foundation of facts and interpretation. Recounting the roots of the belief in witchcraft in both Britain and New England, Goss includes commentary on the trials from early historians to late 20th-century analysis, along with 50 primary documents, biographical sketches, a glossary, a bibliography, and a meticulous chronology. Photographs of the area and historic buildings enliven the text. B

PHILBRICK, Nathaniel. The Mayflower and the Pilgrim’s New World. 352p. Putnam. 2008. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-0-399-24795-8. LC 2007030669.

Gr 8 Up–The myth of a harmonious relationship between the pilgrims and Native American peoples told in Thanksgiving stories is dispelled in this version of Philbrick’s Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community and War (Viking, 2006) for young adult readers. In the hands of this author, the heroics of Mary Rowlandson (an Indian captive), Benjamin Church (a carpenter-turned-Indian-negotiator), and King Philip (the courageous Native warrior) become fascinating stories of adventure and survival. B

SNODGRASS, Mary Ellen. The Underground Railroad: An Encyclopedia of People, Places, and Operations. 2 vols. 746p. charts. maps. photos. reprods. appendix. bibliog. chron. index. CIP. Sharpe Reference. 2007. Tr $199. ISBN 978-0-7656-8093-8. LC 2007009199.

Gr 6 Up–Actively defying the law, abolitionists and ordinary citizens helped strangers find a path to freedom from slavery. The scope of this generosity, and the dignity of their passengers, is apparent in the stories of hundreds of profiled individuals. Maps describing secret routes, genealogies, and a list of operatives and passengers by state will peak student interest in their own localities. A singular resource. B

STOKES, John A. with Lois Wolfe & Herman Viola. Students on Strike: Jim Crow, Civil Rights, Brown, and Me. 128p. maps. photos. reprods. bibliog. Web sites. CIP. National Geographic. 2008. Tr $15.95. ISBN 978-1-4263-0153-7; PLB $23.90. ISBN 978-1-4263-0154-4. LC 2007034677.

Gr 6-10–Stokes’s riveting memoir of life in pre-Civil Rights Virginia covers the role he played in a student strike to protest substandard conditions in a segregated high school, a largely unreported story that marked a critical juncture in the events leading up to the historic 1954 Supreme Court decision banning school segregation. His story, illustrated with black-and-white period photos, serves as an example of social change brought on by the courage and determination of individuals. B

VOLO, James M. & Dorothy Denneen Volo. Family Life in Native America. 399p. (Family Life Through History Series). charts. maps. photos. reprods. bibliog. index. appendix. notes. CIP. Greenwood. 2007. Tr $65. ISBN 978-0-313-33795-6. LC 2007029710.

Gr 10 Up–This richly detailed, well-documented volume presents a picture of life among the Indians of the Northeast woodlands in the years just before and just following initial European contact. Focusing on family and tribal structures, spiritual beliefs, warfare, and the environment, the narrative is based on tribal oral histories as well as the somewhat biased accounts of the settlers. An appendix compares the Northeast focus to Native cultures in other parts of the country. Ocassional maps and photos of artifacts illustrate the book. B

YODER, Carolyn P., comp. & ed. John Adams, the Writer: A Treasury of Letters, Diaries, and Public Documents. 144p. photos. reprods. chron. bibliog. index. Boyds Mills/Calkins Creek. 2007. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-1-59078-247-7. LC number unavailable.

Gr 8 Up–The historic significance of John Adams’s role in the founding and early years of the United States, as well as his interactions with friends and family, shine through in these excerpts from his diaries, letters, and speeches. Yoder provides context for each piece, allowing a well-rounded picture of the man to emerge, while carefully chosen black-and-white illustrations add visual interest. An extensive bibliography and list of historic sites are included. B

American History: Marching into the Future.DVD. 56 min. Discovery Education (discoveryeducation.com). 2007. ISBN 1-60288-198-7. $59.95.

Gr 6 Up–Six segments focus on crises that challenged America’s leaders and changed our nation over the past 50 years, including Freedom Summer and the Voting Rights Act, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Chapters offer discussion questions, suggestions for further reading, and “Did You Know?” facts. D

Andrew Jackson: Good, Evil and the Presidency. DVD. 2 hrs. Prod. by KCET, Los Angeles. Dist. by PBS Home Video (shoppbs.org). 2007. ISBN 0-7936-9410-8. $24.99.

Gr 9 Up–This documentary, narrated by Martin Sheen, explores the life of one of America’s most controversial presidents through reenactments, lithographs, and letters. Jackson owned more than 100 slaves, and was responsible for the forced removal of several Native American tribes from the Southern territories. As a war hero, he led the American Army into victory at the Battle of New Orleans, and launched a successful, yet unsanctioned, invasion of Florida. His campaign for the presidency was contentious and scandal ridden. Segment breaks facilitate class viewing. D

Back the Attack: How We Were Mobilized to Battle the Enemy During World War Two—American & British Propaganda Motion Pictures 1940–1945. DVD. 2:40 hrs. Prod. by Blue Mouse Studio. Dist. by Mackinac Media (mackinacmedia.com). 2005/06, 2007 release. $24.95.

Gr 10 Up–This sampling of American and British propaganda films provides information on the conduct of the war, insights into the industrial movements occurring in both countries, and ways in which individuals contributed to the war effort. A bonus section offers wartime music, political parodies, a BBC radio broadcast by Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret during the 1940 blitz of London, and a German propaganda broadcast. D

The Fever of ’57. 2 DVDs. 88 min. The Fever of ’57 (thefeverof57.com). 2007. ISBN 978-0-615-16149-5. $129.

Gr 8 Up–This stunning collection of vintage newsreels, classic TV programs, previously unseen Soviet footage, photos, historical and contemporary interviews, and brilliant re-creations provides an incredible picture of that era spawned by the 1957 launch of Sputnik and characterized by increased Soviet-U.S. tensions. One DVD contains the entire 17-chapter documentary; the other offers the same content in three segments for classroom use. D

Flying for Freedom: Untold Stories of the Tuskegee Airmen (Black History Uncovered Series). DVD. 51 min. (closed captioned). AMS Pictures (amspictures.com). 2007. public libraries: $50, K–12 libraries: $150.

Gr 9 Up–The contributions of segregated servicemen during World War II are acknowledged in this stirring documentary featuring archival footage, personal narratives, and testimonials. Within the conventions of a “separate but equal” status, these soldiers struggled for the right to serve their country. Despite harsh conditions, abhorrent treatment, and inferior equipment, those trained at Tuskegee were some of the most highly skilled members of the American armed services. D

Prince Among Slaves. DVD. approx. 1 hr. Prod. by Unity Production Foundation. Dist. by PBS Home Video (shoppbs.org). 2007. ISBN 0-7936-9418-3. $24.99.

Gr 7 Up–Abdul Rahman, an educated African prince, was captured by slave traders in 1788 and transported to a farm in Mississippi. Through re-creations, period illustrations, commentary by historians, and a narration by rapper Mos Def, this film traces the life of this man who held true to his Islamic beliefs while in bondage. It is also the story of the cotton economy; the horrors of slavery; the politics of John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, and Andrew Jackson; and the work of the American Colonization Society and the African Masonic Lodge. D

Abraham Lincoln in Song. CD. 45:26 min. with notes. Gin Ridge Music (ginridge.com). 2008. $15.

Gr 5 Up–Produced in conjunction with the Lincoln Bicentennial, this album by Smithsonian scholar Chris Vallillo features 11 Civil War era and 2 contemporary songs. “Let the Band Play Dixie” and “Lincoln’s Funeral Train” commemorate the president’s magnanimous attitude toward the defeated Confederacy and the nation’s sorrow at his death. Vallillo sings in a robust voice, and uses a variety of vintage instruments to create authentic interpretations. Album notes provide background about each song’s origins and significance. A

The Living Room Candidate. livingroomcandidate.org/. Museum of the Moving Image. (Accessed 8/11/08).

Gr 7 Up–Television has helped shape the political landscape of the United States since 1952 and this media-filled site contains a plethora of video clips from the past 14 presidential campaigns to prove just how influential commercials can be. Students can search by issue, type of advertisement, or election year. Web ads for the 2004 campaign are included as well. W

Say It Plain: A Century of Great African American Speeches. americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/sayitplain/index.html. American Public Media. (Accessed 8/11/08).

Gr 8 Up–These audio clips relate the power and magnitude of the historical voices they capture, and offer peeks into our past to help listeners understand the progression of the Civil Rights Movement. The speeches span from Booker T. Washington’s 1895 race relations address presented to an all-white Southern audience to Senator Barack Obama’s keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Transcripts and links for further research are included. W