Pop Culture History
When Faith Rang Louder than War: The Back Story to “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
The bells should not have mattered. Yes, it was Christmas morning. But the nation was at war. Cannons thundered across battlefields. Homes mourned sons who would never return. And in…
Read MoreHarlan Sanders: The Story of a Colonel Who Found There’s More to Life Than Chicken
The story of Harlan Sanders and Kentucky Fried Chicken is already interesting, but here’s a twist I bet you haven’t heard. Harlan Sanders (1890-1980) was always a late bloomer. He…
Read MoreThe Day Television Lost Control: “The Heidi Game”
It was the football game that changed the rules of broadcasting. It was the game that showed how the democratic, decentralized people’s voice could overrule the authoritative, centralized control of…
Read MoreYou Should Be Dancing: How The Bee Gees Reinvented Their Lives and Revived Disco
Irving Stone studied great men his entire life…their habits, attitudes and qualities. He finally concluded their primary characteristic was RESILIENCE. “You cannot destroy these people” he said, “Every time they’re…
Read MoreThe Tale of Two Kings: How Two Men Began and Ended the Modern Civil Rights Movement
The modern civil rights movement began and ended with edicts by two different “Kings.” Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech on August 28, 1963 launched it, while…
Read MoreBuckner and Bartman: How 1986 and 2003 Framed a Generation Named “X”
Gen X. Goonies. Nerds. Bad News Bears. Born in the 1960s and 1970s, these kids were also known as “slackers” and the Dumb Generation. They wore their baseball caps backward,…
Read MoreSix Months That Changed The World
You could call it the Great Cultural Earthquake. Within a brief span of six months, three separate historical events happened that completely reshaped America. If you are over 65 years…
Read MoreThe Day Disco Died (And How We Got It In The First Place)
In the late 1970s, there were only two opinions about a popular dance craze known as “disco.” It was either the best thing since the jitterbug or the worst thing…
Read MoreThe Long Play (LP) Vinyl Arrives!
Today is a big day in the “Vinyl is Final” world, as it’s the day that 33 1/3 rpm records debuted. This format allowed for longer recordings (around 30 minutes…
Read MoreThe Introduction of the VCR
Television was (and is) a transformative technology. It transformed how we processed information and received entertainment. It transformed how we interacted with our world. It transformed education, religion and government.…
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