Daughters of Bilitis
The first lesbian rights organization in the United States originated as “a social club for gay girls.”
Vampires and Public Health
At the end of the nineteenth century, the people of Rhode Island were drained by a mysterious force that caused them to slowly waste away.
Albums: What a Concept!
Long-playing records ushered in the era of the soundtrack, but they also made room for something else—the concept album.
The Feminist Art Roots of Fan-Made Videos
Though vidding is now generally a part of online culture, it originated in the grassroots editing efforts of female television fans.
The Boomin’ Systems: The Evolution of Car Audio
Sound systems, as much as the automobiles themselves, symbolized upward mobility, social affiliation, and cultural identities.
How Bill Russell Changed the Game, On and Off the Court
NBA player and coach Bill Russell was a leader and legend, fighting for civil rights even as racists harassed him from the sidelines.
“Everybody Look What’s Going Down”: The Sunset Strip Riots
In 1966, tired of being harassed by the police for their counterculture ways, the teens of Sunset Boulevard fought back through protests and music.
Lipstick’s Complex History
From antiquity to the present, the laws governing the wearing of lipstick have been shaped by gender, class, safety, and religion.
How Wattstax Ushered in a New Era of Black Art
Organized in the aftermath of the 1965 Watts uprising, the music festival showed that something powerful was happening in the Black community.
The Hunt for the Massachusetts “Wild Man”
In a tale with as many false identities as supposed crimes, investigative reporter Annie “Londonderry” Kopchovsky gets her man (maybe).