Introduction Schedule

Al Christie Papers, American Heritage Center.

Archives Week is an opportunity for people to learn about the rich archival resources available at the American Heritage Center. From the academic scholar to the hobbyist, from the genealogist to the History Day student, the American Heritage Center collections hold something of interest for everyone.

The American Heritage Center, at the University of Wyoming, is one of the largest archival manuscript repositories in the Rocky Mountain West, with more than 7,500 manuscript collections, 15,000 maps, 45,000 rare books, and more than 500,000 historic photographs. The American Heritage Center collections document the history of Wyoming and the West, transportation, mining and petroleum history, 20^th century American culture, conservation and water resources, and politics and world affairs. The faculty and staff of the American Heritage Center cordially invite everyone to join them in celebrating the important role of archives in preserving our history. Archives Week activities and events are free and open to the public.

Schedule

Tuesday, November 13

1:30 p.m. -- "The Politics and Culture of Anti-Communism"

Presented by Dr. William H. Moore, UW History Department 

When the celebrated political cartoonist Herblock labeled the anti-communist "hysteria" of the post-World War II years "McCarthyism," he performed a disservice to history.  Anti-communism was far more than the product of one politician's destructive mischief, and to think otherwise is to misunderstand the reality of 1940s and 1950s America.  Postwar anti-communism was deeply rooted in the anti-radical traditions of American history.  Years before Joseph McCarthy appeared on the national scene in early 1950, anti-communism permeated both major political parties and several minor ones.  It was part of the fabric of labor union life and of the educational and religious establishments.  The seemingly inexplicable breakdown of the wartime alliance with the Soviet Union and the onset of the Cold War raised legitimate questions about American leadership and, indeed, about the direction of American life itself.  Seen in this historical context, the politics and culture of anti-communism make sense.  Despite its many unfortunate and unfair legacies, anti-communism should be studied as a fundamentally rational phenomenon.

Three of a delegation of Hollywood personalities called to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities in Washington, D.C., 1947.   Adrian Scott Papers, American Heritage Center.

2:30 p.m. -- Break (refreshments)

2:45 p.m. -- "Larry Adler: It Ain't Necessarily So"

Presented by Kim Winters, UW American Heritage Center

Larry Adler, famous for bringing the mouth organ to the "serious music stage," was among the scores of artists blacklisted during the Un-American Activities Committee's investigation into communism in the entertainment industry.  Named in the early 1950s, Adler moved to England in the later part of the decade in a bid to keep his career going.  While the investigation was a personal and professional tragedy for Adler, his career did survive and he performed all over the world until his death in 2001.  This talk explores Adler's life and career before and after the 1950s, while also examining some of the effects of the investigation. 

Paul Draper, dancer, and Larry Adler, harmonica player.  Larry Adler Papers, American Heritage Center.

Wednesday, November 14

1:30 p.m. -- "Cartoon Music Constructions:  The Compositions of Carl Stalling"

Presented by Anne M. Guzzo, UW American Heritage Center

Anne M. Guzzo, composer and music historian, will give a lecture-demonstration on the music of Carl Stalling.  Stalling was the first composer to write soundtrack music for cartoons, scoring Disney's earliest Mickey Mouse films in the late 1920s.

The discussion will continue with the quintessential Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies music, immortalized by Stalling in the 1930s-1950s during his years at Warner Brothers.

Composer Carl Stalling (piano) working with the Walt Disney staff in the late 1920's.  American Heritage Center collections.

2:30 p.m. -- Break (refreshments)

2:45 p.m. -- "The Remarkable Claims of Fritz Lang"

Presented by Richard Henke, UW American Heritage Center

Film director Fritz Lang was adept at self-promotion.  This involved making allegations about his professional accomplishments.  The most significant of Lang's claims shall be explained, film footage examined, and evidence explored.

Fritz Lang.  Fritz Lang Papers, American Heritage Center.