The American Tapestry Project

This episode of The American Tapestry Project explores the origins of Columbus Day and Halloween. Who was Columbus and how did his holiday celebrate Italian Americans and where did the Halloween custom of trick or treating originate? For that matter, what does the word Halloween mean? Find out Episode 54 of The American Tapestry Project.

This episode of The American Tapestry Project continues our exploration of “Popular Music: A Window Into the Soul of America” It examines the difference between musical categories composers’ music, performers’ music, and traditional music with a focus on the idea of “Home” in American culture from “Home, Sweet to Home” to Carole King’s “So Far Away” to Bruce Springsteen’s “My Home Town.” “All this and more”, as they say on late night TV, on Episode 53 of The American Tapestry Project.

This episode of The American Tapestry Project begins on “Popular Music: A Window Into the Soul of America.” It examines the Top Ten Hits of the 20th Century for cultural insights as it surveys the history of American popular music from 19th century minstrelsy shows to the latest streaming “hit” on the platform of your choice. “American Pop” and the tapestry of America’s many stories. This episode asks, “What was the Top Hit of the 20th century? Spoiler alert” It wasn’t “White Christmas.” “All this and more”, as they say on late night TV, on Episode 52 of The American Tapestry Project.

This episode of The American Tapestry Project revisits that uniquely American art form – baseball music. From 1858’s “The Baseball Polka” to the Dropkick Murphy’s 21st century punk rock recreation of the Boston Red Sox’s “Tessie”, we’ll revisit the music and learn the backstory behind some classic American tunes celebrating America’s grand old game – baseball. “All this and more”, as they say on late night TV, on Episode 50 of The American Tapestry Project.

How many holidays in May? More than you think? Whatever happened to May Day? Once it was a major holiday with dancing round the maypole; now, not so much. Where did “Mayday, mayday, mayday” as a call for help originate? But the big three holidays are Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day. Where did they originate? What’s the Cry of Dolores? Who is Anna Maria Jarvis? And how did Decoration Day morph into Memorial Day. This episode explores the origins and meaning of all three. May Days – more than you think.

This ”Classic” episode of The American Tapestry Project celebrates Women’s History Month by telling the stories of four 19th century women who changed America. Tune in and meet Margaret Fuller, Sarah Josepha Hale and Lydia Maria Child. Never heard of them? All the more reason to hear their stories and how they prepared the way for the modern American woman. Fuller, Hale, Stone and Child – four names you need to know! “All this and more”, as they say on late night TV, on this “Classic” episode of The American Tapestry Project.

Although Valentine's Day is not an official holiday anywhere, it is celebrated in more countries around the world than any other holiday. Where did this rose-hued holiday custom of gift-giving, card sharing, chocolate consuming courtship, and romance originate? Did you know that every February over 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are sold, that the average person spends $164.76 for the day, that approximately one billion cards are exchanged around the world, that $2 billion-plus will be spent on flowers, and that each year approximately 18 percent of women send themselves flowers? Discover the origin and path through history taken to now by this holiday celebrating “saints, sex, sentiment, and chocolate.

This episode of The American Tapestry Project continues exploring those things Americans love in common – holidays! In this episode we look at the history of New Year’s celebrations, ask why champagne, where did New Year’s resolutions begin, are there any great New Year’s tunes, who was Robert Burns and what does Auld Lang Syne mean, where did it originate and what is its definitive version? All this and more” on Episode 18AA of The American Tapestry Project.

In this Part Two of a two Part Series on the origins of The American Way of Christmas we’ll examine one of America’s most successful efforts at building a common national culture. In this episode, we’ll discover how St. Nicholas evolved into Santa Claus, what the meaning of Yuletide and Christmastide is, the importance of the Twelve Days of Christmas, what Charles Dickens taught everyone about the Christmas spirit, and reprise the Top Ten Christmas Carols of all time and the most popular Christmas song of all time – spoiler alert: it’s not “White Christmas.”

In this Part One of a two Part Series on the origins of The American Way of Christmas we’ll examine one of America’s most successful efforts at building a common national culture as we discover whether or not Christmas is a religious feast or a midwinter carnival celebrating life at its fullest. Or is it both? We’ll examine the holiday’s ancient origins and meet the six people who created America’s distinctly festive Christmas in the 19th century. Along the way, we’ll learn where Christmas trees originated, how gift giving became part of the holiday, and who made the first Christmas cards.

This episode of The American Tapestry Project begins a series exploring those things Americans love in common – holidays! How many holidays do Americans celebrate? Where did they originate? In Harvest Festivals, we begin that exploration by examining Halloween’s roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, check out one or two Halloween songs and then ask “When was the first Thanksgiving”? What actually happened at Plymouth Plantation in 1622? Who were Sarah Josepha Hale, sometimes called the “Mother of Thanksgiving” and Lydia Maria Child – two women who helped define how Americans celebrate? And concludes by asking “Why is Thanksgiving in late Novemeber?” and listening to a reading of Child’s “Over the woods to grandfather’s house we go”. “

In this episode, we examine the origins of The American Tapestry Project as it seeks to answer the question “What is the American Story” and bring that quest up to date in September 2024 as we revisit and comment on the very first American Tapestry Project episode bringing it up-to-date by showing how events and attitudes emerging from the 1960s still roil American culture in 2024’s Presidential election.

Part IV of “The Birth of the Women’s Movement” traces the final drive for a national women’s suffrage constitutional amendment – the Susan B. Anthony Amendment -- culminating in the adoption of the 19th Amendment on August 26, 1920. We’ll meet Carrie Chapman Catt, Alice Paul, the Silent Sentinels, and the ‘New Women of the Old West’ where women’s right to vote was first adopted in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Washington, California, and Oregon before any eastern state.

Who was Susan B. Anthony? Like George Washington, she’s so famous she almost disappears in plain sight. Most people know her name; she even know she had something to do with women’s right to vote. But beyond that they can’t tell you where she came from, what she did, how she did it, and what she hoped for the future. This episode answers those questions in Part III of “The Birth of the Women’s Movement: the Life and Times of Susan B. Anthony.”

You probably know the names Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, but what exactly did they do? You might not know the names Lydia Maria Child, Margaret Fuller, Elizabeth Miller Smith, Amelia Bloomer, Sarah and Angelina Grimke, Elizabeth Blackwell, Sojourner Truth, Lucy Stone, Carrie Chapman Catt, Frances Willard, Mary Church Terrell, Anna Howard Shaw, Ida B. Wells, and Alice Paul – but you should. In this second of a multi-part series “The Birth of the Women’s Movement”, The American Tapestry Project examines the life and times of Lucreta Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Amelia Bloomer, Elizabeth Smith Miller, the 19th century bicycling craze and women’s rights, and the legendary Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech.

You probably know the names Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, but what exactly did they do? You might not know the names Lydia Maria Child, Margaret Fuller, Elizabeth Miller Smith, Amelia Bloomer, Sarah and Angelina Grimke, Elizabeth Blackwell, Sojourner Truth, Lucy Stone, Carrie Chapman Catt, Frances Willard, Mary Church Terrell, Anna Howard Shaw, Ida B. Wells, and Alice Paul – but you should. In this first of a multi-part series “The Birth of the Women’s Movement”, The American Tapestry Project examines the life and times of those 19th century women who fought for women's rights by appealing to America's foundational values. In doing so, they changed the world and shaped the future.

In this second episode of a two-part series on the life and times of Irving Berlin, The American Tapestry Project asks “What are the Top Ten Irving Berlin Songs NOT Named “White Christmas” or “God Bless America”. Hear the songs and learn their backstories as we continue exploring the life, times, and music of an American icon – Irving Berlin.

This episode of The American Tapestry Project begins a two-part series on the life and times of Irving Berlin – The American Songbook and the invention of American popular music culture. In Part One we’ll meet Berlin, discover his immigrant heritage, his experiences on Tin Pan Alley, on Broadway, and in Hollywood musicals as his music sings of America. Meet Irving Berlin and hear the sounds of “American pop” being born on The American Tapestry Project

This episode of The American Tapestry Project explores things Americans love – holidays! How many holidays do Americans celebrate? Where did they originate? In Harvest Festivals, we begin that exploration by examining Halloween’s roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, check out one or two Halloween songs and then ask “When was the first Thanksgiving”? What actually happened at Plymouth Plantation in 1622? Who were Sarah Josepha Hale, sometimes called the “Mother of Thanksgiving” and Lydia Maria Child – two women who helped define how Americans celebrate? And concludes by asking “Why is Thanksgiving in late Novemeber?” and listening to a reading of Child’s “Over the woods to grandfather’s house we go”. “All this and more” on The American Tapestry Project.

In this fifth episode of The American Tapestry Project’s “Americans and Their Games: Sports in American History and Culture” we examine the immigrant experience in America through the lens of sports. Picking up from Part 4, we meet the rise of Jewish and Italian boxers like Max Baer and Rocky Marciano in the earlu 20th century and New Americans like Martina Navratilova, Charles Jock, and Patrick Ewing in the 21st century, as we continue to explore how sports has been an assimilationist path into American society for generations of new American immigrants.