Media, History, and Memory

This book focuses on the significant role media play in shaping the public memory of people, places, events, and eras in U.S. history. This book focuses on the significant role media play in shaping the public memory of people, places, events, and eras in US history. Public memory—how groups of people collectively remember their past—is a useful lens for critically engaging with history. While public memory includes firsthand testimonials, historical accounts, and oral histories, much of what we know and remember about the past is mediated. News media coverage, books, movies, television shows, websites, museums, history classes, and more contribute to our shared social memories. This edited collection of essays takes a critical approach to US media history by paying particular attention to who tells the story and whose voices have been marginalized, forgotten, or purposely left out of more traditional historical accounts. It also highlights the connections between individual and collective memories, the impact of shared history on social group identities, and the importance of reclaiming the stories of those who have been overlooked and adding them to our shared historical narrative. This book is a notable resource for undergraduates and postgraduates of media and communications studies, history, American studies, and beyond looking to understand the connections between media, history, and memory.