AmericanStudies

Theo Gonzalves, American Studies, in Inquirer Global Nation

American Studies Associate Professor and Chair Theo Gonzalves was quoted in an Inquirer Global Nation story last week about a law highlighting the Filipino story in California. The article describes how Gonzalves came across an audio clip in his research work from the height of the farm worker protests in California in 1966. He posted it at the start of Filipino American History Month last week. The new law requires California schools to study the contributions of Filipino Americans to the California farm labor movement. “This is long overdue,” Gonzalves said. “You know how people will sometimes complain about historical… Continue Reading Theo Gonzalves, American Studies, in Inquirer Global Nation

Kimberly Moffitt, American Studies, guest hosts The Marc Steiner Show

Dr. Kimberly Moffitt, Professor of American Studies, was the guest host for The Marc Steiner Show’s “Weekly News Roundup,” which aired on Friday, July 26. Dr. Moffitt was joined by panelists E.R. Shipp, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and Journo-in-Residence at Morgan State University, and Dr. Avis A. Jones-DeWeever, President and CEO of Incite Unlimited, LLC., to discuss the decline in the latest Maryland State Assessment scores and the existing achievement gaps based on race. Panelists and callers also commented on the repercussions of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on voting rights and the Justice Department’s role in pursuing legal action against… Continue Reading Kimberly Moffitt, American Studies, guest hosts The Marc Steiner Show

Ed Orser, American Studies, in The Baltimore Sun

Catonsville is seeing a change in its demographics – and this is nothing new, according to UMBC American Studies professor, Ed Orser. In recent years, the 21228 zip code has seen a noticeable influx of younger single families looking to plant their roots in the quaint Baltimore suburb, leading to a revival in the housing market and increased enrollment in local schools, the article cites. This isn’t the first time Catonsville has seen a demographic shift that brings a surge of school-age children to the area. The current boost is similar to the one from a century ago, Orser said.… Continue Reading Ed Orser, American Studies, in The Baltimore Sun

Dr. Kimberly Moffitt, American Studies, on the Marc Steiner Show

On June 6, Dr. Kimberly Moffitt, Assistant Professor of American Studies, joined Dr. Ivory Toldson, Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology at Howard University and Jeffrey Menzise of the Urban Institute at Morgan State University as guest panelists on the “Marc Steiner Show” to discuss the results of a recent poll that asked African Americans the level of satisfaction with their lives. Of the more than 1,000 African Americans participants, an overwhelming majority indicated that they were satisfied with their lives. However, Dr. Moffitt is quick to point out the danger in some of the generalizations made from the survey results.… Continue Reading Dr. Kimberly Moffitt, American Studies, on the Marc Steiner Show

Humanities Forum Panel Discussion Featured on “Marc Steiner Show”

A Humanities Forum panel discussion recorded at UMBC during the Spring semester was featured on the “Marc Steiner Show” on Tuesday, June 5. The topic was “Race and the Civil Rights Movement in Music and Media,” and the discussion featured Derek Musgrove, assistant professor of history; Michelle Scott, associate professor of history; Marc Steiner, host of the “Marc Steiner Show” and Daphne Harrison, emerita professor in Africana Studies and founder of the Dresher Center for the Humanities. The discussion was moderated by Kimberly Moffitt, assistant professor of American Studies. The full discussion can be heard here. For more information about… Continue Reading Humanities Forum Panel Discussion Featured on “Marc Steiner Show”

Kimberly Moffitt, American Studies, on the Marc Steiner Show

On May 23, Kimberly Moffitt, assistant professor of American Studies, was a guest on the Marc Steiner Show for a segment entitled “Is President Obama’s Message To Black America Different From The Rest Of America?,” in which Moffitt and her fellow guests analyzed President Obama’s messages to Black America, looking at his recent commencement speeches.  Moffitt was joined by Kai Wright, editorial director of Colorlines.com and Keith Snipes, an actor and writer. “I think as a politician, he’s fairly consistent with providing us middle-class rhetoric,” said Moffitt. “But I think the difference with what we see happening at HBCUs [historically… Continue Reading Kimberly Moffitt, American Studies, on the Marc Steiner Show

Theodore Gonzalves, American Studies, Awarded Smithsonian Fellowship

Theodore Gonzalves, associate professor and chair of American Studies, has been named a Senior Postdoctoral Fellow at the Smithsonian Institution for 2013, where he will work with the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Gonzalves’ project, “Singing Truth to Power: The Story of Paredon Records,” traces the cultural history of a record label whose output of recorded music and speeches documented revolutionary movements throughout the globe. According to the collection’s finding aid, the label’s 50 record albums constitute a unique historical documentation of the political protest and revolutionary currents in the world over the course of three decades. Thirty-one of… Continue Reading Theodore Gonzalves, American Studies, Awarded Smithsonian Fellowship

MAP Exhibition Features Nicole King, American Studies, and Stephen Bradley, Visual Arts

Beginning next month, the Maryland Art Place will host the exhibition Oasis Places, featuring the work of five artists, including collaborative work by Nicole King, American Studies, and Stephen Bradley, Visual Arts. Bradley states that the collaborative, inter-media art piece consists of multiple parts including Place Immersion which, “reframes an industrialized community in Baltimore City called Greater Baybrook by homaging the lost neighborhood and it’s remnants of material culture, including photographic travel archives and field recordings of voices, stories and sounds of the existing place.” The writings of Nicole King are meant to “punctuate the transitional spirit of the [Baybrook] community… Continue Reading MAP Exhibition Features Nicole King, American Studies, and Stephen Bradley, Visual Arts

Kimberly Moffitt, American Studies, on the Marc Steiner Show

On Tuesday, January 22, Kimberly Moffitt, assistant professor of American studies, was a guest on the “Marc Steiner Show.”  The topic of the discussion was the Presidential Inauguration and Obama’s rhetoric at the start of his second term.  Moffitt was joined by E.R. Shipp, Journalist in Residence and Associate Professor of Journalism at Morgan State University, and Tyrone Keys, political analyst. “I think that it’s more than appropriate to talk about the speech as celebratory, as ceremonial, and the focus is not about specific politics. Although there are areas of the speech where he is clearly making political statements, I… Continue Reading Kimberly Moffitt, American Studies, on the Marc Steiner Show

Kimberly Moffitt, American Studies, on the Marc Steiner Show

Kimberly Moffitt, assistant professor of American Studies, was a guest on the “Marc Stenier Show” on Wednesday, January 2, where she looked back at the year in politics and discussed the fiscal cliff.  She was joined by Bob Somerby, editor of the Daily Howler, Richard Vatz, professor in the Department of Mass Communication and Communication Studies at Towson University, Lenny McAllister, conservative media personality, public speaker and writer, and Cheri Honkala, co-founder of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union and co-founder and former vice presidential candidate for the Green Party. “From a media critic perspective, I’ve just been irritated by the… Continue Reading Kimberly Moffitt, American Studies, on the Marc Steiner Show

Department of American Studies Receives Grant

The department of American studies has received a civic engagement grant from the Maryland Humanities Council for the project, “Looking Forward from the 45th Anniversary of the Catonsville Nine Actions.”Civic Engagement Grants support public programs that promote informed dialogue and civic engagement about critical issues identified by the grant applicant. The Catonsville Nine were nine activists who burned draft files to protest the Vietnam War. On May 17, 1968 they went to the draft board in Catonsville, Maryland, took 378 draft files, brought them to the parking lot, poured home-made napalm over them, and set them on fire. The project… Continue Reading Department of American Studies Receives Grant

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