Pseudoarchaeology and History in Media: The Danger of Inaccuracy in Pop Culture

By Sydney James

Channels such as the Travel Channel and the History Channel are notorious for creating shows that appear to be historical in nature, but are often filled with inaccuracies for the purpose of raising public interest and viewer counts. These shows include some form of historical or archaeological background, an amateur “expert” in the field, a celebrity for show, and a whole lot of wild speculation.

André 3000 and Ment Nelson: Case Studies in Shared Authority and Public History in Southern Culture

by N. Valerie McLaurin

 At the Source Awards in New York City in 1995, Southern rap duo Outkast took the stage to accept their award for New Artist of the Year (Group). Met with boos from the Northern audience, André 3000, half of the now iconic duo, appeared unphased and informed the crowd that whether or not the greater hip-hop community wanted to accept it: “The South got somethin’ to say.” This prophetic moment from my childhood came to mind when I started thinking more deeply about the definition of public history.

Hamilton’s Impact on Culture

By Autumn McNutt

Hamilton has swept the world by surprise with new its innovative story and delight to audiences around the world. It is a 16 Tony award winning Broadway show hitting the record for the most nominations in the history of Broadway theatre. It has improved the way hip-hop and rap can thrive at the box office, which provides evidence that the history of Broadway sounds are changing into more contemporary music.

Is the Doctor a Public Historian?

By Kayla Griffin

For over 50 years, the Doctor has been gracing our television screens teaching us all about space and time travel, but what about history? You can always see the Doctor fighting aliens on another planet and even earth. But there are few episodes where he takes you back in time and gives you a proper history lesson.

The Fight for Accurate History in the Classroom

By Jessica Bradwell

My mother has been a special education teacher for students who are emotional disabled in South Carolina for almost 20 year now, a career she has always been very passionate about. Her aim is not only to uplift and encourage her students to learn, but also make sure the education they are receiving is accurate and honest. This is especially hard to do in South Carolina, which has always seemed to rank almost dead last in education in the country every single year.

History on the Roads Around Us

By Douglas Sophia

When thinking of Public History, the initial thought that comes to mind is a standard museum, objects behind glass or rope with stories to be told about them from individuals who have no relation to them other than the words from a book. A show that connects the oldest forms of history as well with the new digital ways bringing a full circle to the concept of Public History is that of Antique Roadshow.

History in Myrtle Beach, SC

By Devyn Conklin

As a resident of Myrtle Beach, SC and travelling down here for many years. Myrtle Beach was more of a tourist spot. I remember the Pavilion and having to travel down every year to visit and go on the rides.