The invention of the light bulb was a process that took the scientific community the best part of the 19th century to complete and perfect. It was on 27 January 1880 that Thomas Edison, a relative newcomer to the field of research, was able to patent his light bulb design and make it ready for Continue Reading
The Harlem Renaissance
On a quest for self-definition, African Americans in post-WWI America sought a new collective identity for themselves through political mobilisation, social commentary, and a mastery of the arts. The Harlem Renaissance was 1920s Harlem’s artistic and intellectual contribution to this quest, known at the time as the ‘New Negro Movement’. This movement was, in Continue Reading
The AIDs Crisis of the 1980s
The early 1980s was a scary period to live through for American homosexual men. Homophobia and discrimination not only effected day to day life but it went hand in hand with the threat of a highly infectious and fatal disease that had no known cure. The so called ‘AIDS crisis’ of the 1980s originated, paradoxically, Continue Reading
Howard Hughes: Iron Man
‘Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist’ (The Avengers, 2012) – the assured words of Tony Stark’s self-identification are comparable to the impressive historical figure of American inventor Howard Hughes. In fact, the character of Tony Stark and his father (also named Howard) have been confirmed to have been inspired by Hughes’ life and achievements. Born in 1905, Continue Reading
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
Passed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on 2 July 1964, the Civil Rights Act was arguably the most revolutionary legislation concerning African Americans since the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, which freed slaves from bondage. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited segregation in public places, made employment discrimination illegal, and integrated all schools and other Continue Reading