Greetings VA-HIST Members,
The latest installment of the new public radio show about American
history, "BackStory With the American History Guys"--hosted by Peter
Onuf, Ed Ayers, and Brian Balogh and based at Charlottesville's Virginia
Foundation for the Humanities--is a history of Thanksgiving. Here is a
blurb describing the show:
American As Pumpkin Pie: A History of Thanksgiving
When you think of Thanksgiving, what comes to mind? Turkey on the table?
Football on TV? Dad in a dress? Before the 1900s, it was common among
the lower classes for cross-dressing masqueraders to parade drunkenly
through the city demanding Thanksgiving treats. Our more solemn
Thanksgiving begins not with the Pilgrims, but with the Victorians, who
sought a national holiday honoring home and family. In 1863, one such
Victorian, Sarah Hale, convinced President Lincoln to declare
Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November. So did Thanksgiving
strengthen the Union as Lincoln hoped? What relation do Indians have to
the holiday in reality and in myth? How readily have immigrants adopted
stuffing and cranberry sauce? And what are we celebrating, anyway?
I would like to invite you all to participate as callers on the
show--how is the history of this holiday related to Virginia's story?
Being a caller takes about ten minutes and involves asking a question or
sharing a story related to the topic at hand with the (very informed and
friendly) hosts and sticking around for the discussion to follow. We are
recording calls this Thursday morning (10/9) from 8-11am EST. If you are
interested, please email me ASAP ([log in to unmask]) and I can give
you more details. Find out more about the show at
www.backstoryradio.org. *Please feel free to share this announcement
with any friends, family, or colleagues you think might be interested.*
Thank you for your time and I hope to hear from you soon!
--
Catherine Moore
Assisting Producer of Research
BackStory With the American History Guys
Virginia Foundation for the Humanities Radio
145 Ednam Drive
Charlottesville, VA 22903
434-924-4403
www.backstoryradio.org
[log in to unmask]
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