The Birth of Planned Obsolescence
Before WWII, American businesses began embracing “creative waste”—the idea that throwing things away and buying new ones could fuel a strong economy.
Why People Once Loved Linoleum
Linoleum, which was created by pressing cotton scrim with oxidized linseed oil and adding cork dust and coloring, became instantly popular.
On The Black Skyscraper: An Interview with Literary Critic Adrienne Brown
Early skyscrapers changed the ways we see race, how we see bodies, how we perceive and make judgments about people in the world.
Which Came First, the Spoon, Fork, or Knife?
The spoon predates the knife and the fork. It exists in every age and culture in a wide variety of shapes.
What “Colonial Kitchens” Say About America
We've been fantasizing about colonial kitchens since soon after the Colonial era itself was over. What's that about?