"Songs of America explores the music of important times in our history--the stirring pro- and anti-war music of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, World Wars I and II, and the Vietnam War; the folk songs and popular music of the Great Depression, the fight for women's rights, and the Civil Rights movement; and the music of both beloved and lesser-known poets, musicians, and songwriters from Colonial times to the twenty-first century. Pulitzer Prize-winning...

"The fascinating story of America's national anthem and an examination of its powerful meaning today. Most Americans learn the tale in elementary school: During the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key witnessed the daylong bombardment of Baltimore's Fort McHenry by British navy ships; seeing the Stars and Stripes still flying proudly at first light, he was inspired to pen his famous lyric. What Americans don't know is the story of how this everyday "broadside...

Presents a survey of the influences that have inspired American music genres with activities that explain the physics and traditions of music, from writing songs and improvising vocal styling to creating a beatbox and learning the Charleston.

"The untold story of how George H.W. Bush faced a critical turning point of history--the end of the Cold War--based on unprecedented access to heretofore classified documents and dozens of interviews with key policymakers"-- "Based on unprecedented access to previously classified documents and dozens of interviews with key policymakers, here is the untold story of how George H.W. Bush faced a critical turning point of history, the end of the Cold...

In her foreword scholar-critic Nellie McKay states that the poets considered in this volume provide useful information about women's lives and vital understanding of a major area of Afro-American cultural history. Honey's introduction examines the use of traditional poetic forms in the historical context of the Harlem Renaissance and explains the poet's use of the protective mask. The 148 poems by 34 black women are organized around four major themes:...