In this episode of The American Tapestry Project asks “Who owns history?” Building on the work of Eric Foner, this episode explores the current hullabaloo about what constitutes “accurate” American history and who gets to decide and why. Who owns history -- on The American Tapestry Project Episode #26.

In this episode The American Tapestry Project examines patriotic American poetry. We ask who is a patriot, what does patriotism mean, what have America’s poets said about an open-eyed American patriotism? We’ll hear what Whitman, Howe, McKay, Longfellow, Sandburg and many others past and present understood about patriotism American style. One if by land, two if by sea said Paul Revere! Whether by land or sea, that’s on The American Tapestry Project Episode #24.

What are the American Tapestry meta-threads – stories of exclusion and inclusion. Who was Antonin Dvorak? Who was Harry Burleigh? Burleigh was Dvorak’s student. Dvorak wrote the American Tapestry theme – String Quartet #12 in F major – the “American”. Burleigh was his student, collated most of the great African American spirituals and made them a key component of American culture. This episode shares it all and like they say on the late night infomercials, ‘all this and more’ as we explore the American Story on The American Tapestry Project.

Celebrating Freedom

This episode, which first aired in July, 2021, asks “Who was Francis Scott Key and why did he write ‘The Defence of Fort McHenry’ and how did that become ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’”? Which child of immigrants wrote “Stars and Stripes Forever” and “The Washington Post March”? Which other immigrant wrote “God Bless America”? And who was “the Yankee Doodle Dandy” who wrote “It’s a Grand Old Flag”? And who was Katharine Lee Bates, the poet Boston.com called “a gay, feminist badass from Massachusetts” who wrote “America the Beautiful”? Like they say on the late night infomercials, ‘all this and more’ as we explore American patriotic music and the freedom of which it sings – American freedom holidays on The American Tapestry Project.

This episode of The American Tapestry Project explores 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 hear 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 22 of The American Tapestry Project.

This episode of The American Tapestry Project explores the story of Benjamin Franklin – Hiding in Plain Sight. We’ll explore and ask “who was this man whose name you probably know as well as your own but about whom you probably know very little at all? We’ll ask and answer “who was this son of an immigrant candle maker and his wife, who, born into obscurity, upon his death was one of the most famous men in the world? “All this and more”, as they say on late night TV, on Episode 20 of The American Tapestry Project.

This 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 Episode 20 of The American Tapestry Project.

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 18 of The American Tapestry Project.

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 November?” and listening to a  reading of Child’s “Over the woods to grandfather’s house we go”. “All this and more” on Episode 16 of The American Tapestry Project.

This episode of The American Tapestry Project concludes our  exploration of  Protest Songs – that music of the excluded showing the  truth of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s exhortation that “the greatness  of America is the right to protest for rights”. We’ll ask, “Was Bob  Dylan  a protest singer?” He rejected that title long ago, yet several his  songs are still among the greatest protest songs of the 20th century.  We’ll discover who the girl from the north country was, hear selections  from Dylan’s songs conclude by asking “If Bob Dylan wasn’t a protest  singer, might he still be our generation’s greatest poet?” Along the way  we’ll preview the Jefferson Educational Society’s upcoming Global  Summit XIII highlighted by former President George W. Bush. Like they  say on the late-night infomercials, ‘all this and more’ as we explore  protest music and the music of Bob Dylan on The American Tapestry Project.