Browse Titles - 39 results
Agent Yellow
directed by Christine Choy, 1953-; produced by Christine Choy, 1953- (New York, NY: Filmakers Library, 2006), 50 mins
Agent Yellow is a powerful indictment of the U.S. government’s systematic prejudice against Chinese-American scientists. The film focuses on the mistreatment of Chinese scientists who contributed significantly to American military research, specifically describing the tragic cases of Dr. Wen Ho Lee and Dr. Tsien...
Sample
directed by Christine Choy, 1953-; produced by Christine Choy, 1953- (New York, NY: Filmakers Library, 2006), 50 mins
Description
Agent Yellow is a powerful indictment of the U.S. government’s systematic prejudice against Chinese-American scientists. The film focuses on the mistreatment of Chinese scientists who contributed significantly to American military research, specifically describing the tragic cases of Dr. Wen Ho Lee and Dr. Tsien Hsue-Shen. On June 2, 2006, Dr. Wen Ho Lee, an atomic scientist once suspected of espionage, settled an invasion of privacy lawsuit ag...
Agent Yellow is a powerful indictment of the U.S. government’s systematic prejudice against Chinese-American scientists. The film focuses on the mistreatment of Chinese scientists who contributed significantly to American military research, specifically describing the tragic cases of Dr. Wen Ho Lee and Dr. Tsien Hsue-Shen. On June 2, 2006, Dr. Wen Ho Lee, an atomic scientist once suspected of espionage, settled an invasion of privacy lawsuit against the U.S. government for $1,645,000. Dr. Lee, who worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, brought his case against the government in 1999, the year federal investigators accused him of giving nuclear secrets to China. He spent nine months in solitary confinement awaiting trial. Ultimately, he pleaded guilty to one felony count of illegally gathering and retaining national security data, and he received an apology from the judge in the case. Dr. Lee's case eerily echoes that of Dr. Tsien Hsue-shen's fifty years earlier. After coming to the U.S. from China in 1935 to study at M.I.T. and Cal Tech, Dr. Tsien worked on American government- sponsored research grants for the Navy and Air Force specifically in the development of nuclear weaponry. He worked closely with other scientists at Cal Tech known as the Suicide Squad, whose ideas formed the basis of today's military capability. He was named Director of the Rocket Section of the U.S. National Defense Scientific Advisory Board. During the McCarthy hearings, several scientists of the Suicide Squad were accused of being Communists. Dr. Tsien's close relations with them led to the loss of his security clearance. He was then detained by the Immigration and Naturalization Service where he suffered terribly, losing thirty-three pounds and the ability to speak. In 1955 he was traded to China for several American POWs held since the Korean War. On his deportation to China, Dr. Tsien was named to China's Academy of Sciences and immediately started working on weaponry. His knowledge went a long way toward making Red China a member of the nuclear community. College Adult
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Field of Study
American History
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Christine Choy, 1953-
Author / Creator
Christine Choy, 1953-
Date Published / Released
2006
Publisher
Filmakers Library
Topic / Theme
Chinese people, Communism, Espionage, Scientists, Cold War, 1945-1989, American History, Late 20th Century (1975–2000), Post-war Era (1945–1960), Chinese, 20th Century in World History (1914--2000)
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2006. Used by permission of Filmakers Library. All rights reserved.
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Air War In Vietnam
directed by Jonathan Moore, 1923-; produced by Jonathan Martin, fl. 1990-2010 (Pottstown, PA: MVD Entertainment Group, 2008), 59 mins
The U.S. air offensive in Vietnam was the most awesome display of aerial firepower yet seen. From the mighty B-52 bombing runs over the North to gunship strikes against Vietcong guerrillas, it spanned almost every type of mission and an extraordinary range of aircraft. This DVD uses the pick of combat footage to t...
Sample
directed by Jonathan Moore, 1923-; produced by Jonathan Martin, fl. 1990-2010 (Pottstown, PA: MVD Entertainment Group, 2008), 59 mins
Description
The U.S. air offensive in Vietnam was the most awesome display of aerial firepower yet seen. From the mighty B-52 bombing runs over the North to gunship strikes against Vietcong guerrillas, it spanned almost every type of mission and an extraordinary range of aircraft. This DVD uses the pick of combat footage to tell the full story, from the first U.S. adviser missions in the early 1960s to the massive and sustained operations a few years later....
The U.S. air offensive in Vietnam was the most awesome display of aerial firepower yet seen. From the mighty B-52 bombing runs over the North to gunship strikes against Vietcong guerrillas, it spanned almost every type of mission and an extraordinary range of aircraft. This DVD uses the pick of combat footage to tell the full story, from the first U.S. adviser missions in the early 1960s to the massive and sustained operations a few years later. The U.S. footage is mirrored by footage from North Vietnamese sources, which show their anti-aircraft defenses in action and the effects of the U.S. bombing.
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Field of Study
American History
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Jonathan Martin, fl. 1990-2010
Author / Creator
Jonathan Moore, 1923-
Date Published / Released
2008
Publisher
MVD Entertainment Group
Topic / Theme
Aircraft, Airplanes, War, Vietnam War, 1956-1975, Post-war Era (1945–1960), The Sixties (1960–1974)
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of MVD Entertainment Group
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All The Way Home
directed by Lee R. Bobker; produced by Nathan Zucker, Dynamic Films (New York, NY: Dynamic Films), 30 mins
Sample
directed by Lee R. Bobker; produced by Nathan Zucker, Dynamic Films (New York, NY: Dynamic Films), 30 mins
Field of Study
American History
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Nathan Zucker, Dynamic Films
Author / Creator
Lee R. Bobker
Date Published / Released
1957
Publisher
Dynamic Films
Topic / Theme
Prejudice, Racism, U.S. Civil Rights Movement, 1954-, American History, Post-war Era (1945–1960), 20th Century in World History (1914--2000)
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American Cameraman
directed by Steven Ivcich, fl. 1982 (Chicago, IL: Check The Gate Pictures, 2008), 54 mins
American Cameraman recounts the history of motion picture news, starting with the hand-cranked camera and ending with the dawn of video. From the silent newsreels through the first two decades of television, news cameramen were the prime movers of the news business. This film is the story of Bill Birch, who create...
Sample
directed by Steven Ivcich, fl. 1982 (Chicago, IL: Check The Gate Pictures, 2008), 54 mins
Description
American Cameraman recounts the history of motion picture news, starting with the hand-cranked camera and ending with the dawn of video. From the silent newsreels through the first two decades of television, news cameramen were the prime movers of the news business. This film is the story of Bill Birch, who created many of the iconic news images of the 20th century. As Bill puts it, "A cameraman was a reporter with a camera instead of a pencil."...
American Cameraman recounts the history of motion picture news, starting with the hand-cranked camera and ending with the dawn of video. From the silent newsreels through the first two decades of television, news cameramen were the prime movers of the news business. This film is the story of Bill Birch, who created many of the iconic news images of the 20th century. As Bill puts it, "A cameraman was a reporter with a camera instead of a pencil."
When Bill was drafted into the Army, he ended up in the Signal Corps under the legendary film director Frank Capra. They were responsible for the much-watched “Why We Fight” series. After the war, Bill went to Movietone News and then to NBC. He reported on the Leopold and Loeb trial, the desegregation of the schools in Little Rock, and Castro's triumphant march into Havana. He covered presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Nixon, including John Kennedy's fateful trip to Dallas.
Bill Birch had a flair for being in the right place at the right time.
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Field of Study
American History
Content Type
Documentary
Author / Creator
Steven Ivcich, fl. 1982
Date Published / Released
2008
Publisher
Check The Gate Pictures
Speaker / Narrator
Bill Birch, fl. 1940
Person Discussed
Bill Birch, fl. 1940
Topic / Theme
Life histories, Biographies, Television, Broadcast news, Cameras, War and Violence, Science and Technology, Political and Social Movements, Late 20th Century (1975–2000), The Sixties (1960–1974), Post-war Era (1945–1960), Depression & World War II (1929–1945)
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2008 by Check the Gate Pictures
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American Cowboy
in Prelinger Collection, of United States. Library of Congress. Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Collection; produced by Ford Motor Company (New York, NY: MPO Productions, 1950, originally published 1950), 31 mins
This documentary, produced by Ford Motor Company, features the American Cowboy.
Sample
in Prelinger Collection, of United States. Library of Congress. Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Collection; produced by Ford Motor Company (New York, NY: MPO Productions, 1950, originally published 1950), 31 mins
Description
This documentary, produced by Ford Motor Company, features the American Cowboy.
Field of Study
American History
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Ford Motor Company
Date Published / Released
1950
Publisher
MPO Productions
Topic / Theme
Livestock, Cattle, Harvesting, Ranch life, Ranches, Rodeos, American History, Post-war Era (1945–1960), 20th Century in World History (1914--2000)
Copyright Message
Copyright owner is unknown. Alexander Street Press is eager to hear from any rights owners who are not properly identified so that appropriate information may be provided in the future. Any information concerning rights to this work can be sent to the editor at the address below.
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Chinatown Files
directed by Amy Chen, 1957-; produced by Amy Chen, 1957- and Ying Chan (New York, NY: Filmakers Library, 2001), 58 mins
Amy Chen’s acclaimed new documentary The Chinatown Files reveals the hidden story of Chinese-American men and women who were hunted down, jailed, and targeted for deportation during the Cold War hysteria of the 1950’s and l960’s. Their interviews are interwoven with rare home movies, photographs and archival...
Sample
directed by Amy Chen, 1957-; produced by Amy Chen, 1957- and Ying Chan (New York, NY: Filmakers Library, 2001), 58 mins
Description
Amy Chen’s acclaimed new documentary The Chinatown Files reveals the hidden story of Chinese-American men and women who were hunted down, jailed, and targeted for deportation during the Cold War hysteria of the 1950’s and l960’s. Their interviews are interwoven with rare home movies, photographs and archival films exploring the prejudice and xenophobia surrounding U.S.-China relations. During the McCarthy era witchhunts, the loyalties of ov...
Amy Chen’s acclaimed new documentary The Chinatown Files reveals the hidden story of Chinese-American men and women who were hunted down, jailed, and targeted for deportation during the Cold War hysteria of the 1950’s and l960’s. Their interviews are interwoven with rare home movies, photographs and archival films exploring the prejudice and xenophobia surrounding U.S.-China relations. During the McCarthy era witchhunts, the loyalties of over ten thousand American citizens of Chinese descent were questioned based on their ethnicity and alleged risk to national security. Henry Chin, a laundry worker and president of the Chinese Hand Laundry Alliance and the China Daily News, describes how "Chinese immigrants came to America for a better life for themselves and the loved ones they left behind in their impoverished villages." Yet for sending money home, his friends were charged by the U.S. government for trading with the enemy and his life was shattered by constant FBI surveillance and harassment. Other people featured in the film include several members of Mun Ching, the Chinese American Democratic Youth League in San Francisco who were harassed by the FBI. Several agents speak candidly of the FBI objectives in Washington, D.C., San Francisco and New York. The Chinatown Files is a cautionary tale of how nationalist paranoia can quickly lead to racially-motivated violations of civil rights and liberties. It serves as a dramatic and enduring reminder of the fragility of constitutional protections, encouraging viewers to reexamine the democratic promises of the American government and to hold all of society responsible when rights are infringed. College Adult
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Field of Study
American History
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Amy Chen, 1957-, Ying Chan
Author / Creator
Amy Chen, 1957-
Date Published / Released
2001
Publisher
Filmakers Library
Topic / Theme
Chinese people, Citizenship, Communism, Immigrant populations, McCarthy Era, U.S., 1949-1954, American History, Post-war Era (1945–1960), Chinese, 20th Century in World History (1914--2000)
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2001. Used by permission of Filmakers Library. All rights reserved.
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Chronicle of an American Suburb
directed by H. James Gilmore, fl. 1997-2013; produced by Lawrence Jaquith, fl. 2002, Neil Novello, fl. 1997 and H. James Gilmore, fl. 1997-2013 (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 2002), 58 mins
This fascinating, multifaceted documentary is an extraordinary portrait of one of America's quintessential postwar suburbs, Park Forest, Illinois, from its founding to the present. The film deftly interweaves remarkable archival footage and contemporary interviews to explore the ideals and aspirations of the town'...
Sample
directed by H. James Gilmore, fl. 1997-2013; produced by Lawrence Jaquith, fl. 2002, Neil Novello, fl. 1997 and H. James Gilmore, fl. 1997-2013 (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 2002), 58 mins
Description
This fascinating, multifaceted documentary is an extraordinary portrait of one of America's quintessential postwar suburbs, Park Forest, Illinois, from its founding to the present. The film deftly interweaves remarkable archival footage and contemporary interviews to explore the ideals and aspirations of the town's builders and residents, the sociology of the suburban "Organization Man" as documented in William H. Whyte's famous Park Forest resea...
This fascinating, multifaceted documentary is an extraordinary portrait of one of America's quintessential postwar suburbs, Park Forest, Illinois, from its founding to the present. The film deftly interweaves remarkable archival footage and contemporary interviews to explore the ideals and aspirations of the town's builders and residents, the sociology of the suburban "Organization Man" as documented in William H. Whyte's famous Park Forest research in the 1950s, and the town's subsequent struggles to survive economic, racial, and societal change.Looking at the real-estate situation after World War II, a group of Chicago businessmen saw a huge population of returning veterans, but little available housing. Why not, they thought, build an entire new community for these people? They bought up 2,400 acres of cornfields 30 miles south of Chicago and designed clusters of rental apartments around a central shopping mall, with ranch-style and split-level houses for sale on the periphery. They marketed affordable homes and the promise of happiness.Park Forest opened in 1948. Unlike the Levittowns, Park Forest was planned and built to be a complete, self-contained village. It provided housing, utilities, local shopping, and a citizen-based town council -all designed to create a new way of living. The idea seemed to work. In the 1950s Park Forest became famous through William H. Whyte's social analysis in 'The Organization Man.' Park Forest, he wrote, was 'like every other suburb, only more so... a harbinger for the way America is going to be.'By the 1960s the schools were excellent, the median educational level was the highest of any Illinois community, and the population had grown to 30,000, including a cross-section of races and religions. While much of the country was wrestling with segregation and discrimination, Park Forest became a model of peaceful integration in suburbia.But societal changes in the late 1960s and 1970s hit Park Forest hard. The companies that had promised "The Organization Man" a lifetime of employment security reneged on their promises. Big shopping malls were springing up, and the central shopping plaza that had been the heart of the village failed. As quickly as Park Forest had been built, it had become outdated. Many residents eagerly left town in search of newer suburban utopias offering four-bedroom houses, two-car garages, and half-acre lots.For better or for worse, Park Forest helped create the suburban nation that America is today. Award-winning filmmaker and former Park Forest resident H. James Gilmore returned home during the town's 50th anniversary celebrations to interview the pioneers of the planned community and document the rise, fall, and attempted revival of a unique American dream. 'Chronicle of an American Suburb' will stimulate thought and discussion in a variety of courses in American history and studies, sociology, urban and regional planning, social psychology, and political science. It was produced by H. James Gilmore.
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Field of Study
American History
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Lawrence Jaquith, fl. 2002, Neil Novello, fl. 1997, H. James Gilmore, fl. 1997-2013
Author / Creator
H. James Gilmore, fl. 1997-2013
Date Published / Released
2002
Publisher
Berkeley Media
Topic / Theme
Housing, Veterans (Armed services), Community relations, Suburban life
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2002 Berkeley Media
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The Democratic Promise: Saul Alinsky and His Legacy
directed by Bruce Orenstein, fl. 1999 and Bob Hercules; produced by Bob Hercules and Bruce Orenstein, fl. 1999 (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 1999), 56 mins
This exceptional and compelling documentary, narrated by Alec Baldwin, examines the life and legacy of legendary community organizer Saul Alinsky. From the late 1930s until his death in 1972, Alinsky led the movement to empower disenfranchised communities through collective action. Today, hundreds of community org...
Sample
directed by Bruce Orenstein, fl. 1999 and Bob Hercules; produced by Bob Hercules and Bruce Orenstein, fl. 1999 (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 1999), 56 mins
Description
This exceptional and compelling documentary, narrated by Alec Baldwin, examines the life and legacy of legendary community organizer Saul Alinsky. From the late 1930s until his death in 1972, Alinsky led the movement to empower disenfranchised communities through collective action. Today, hundreds of community organizations nationwide have embraced Alinsky's vision and are using it to reshape America's body politic. In a larger sense, the film ex...
This exceptional and compelling documentary, narrated by Alec Baldwin, examines the life and legacy of legendary community organizer Saul Alinsky. From the late 1930s until his death in 1972, Alinsky led the movement to empower disenfranchised communities through collective action. Today, hundreds of community organizations nationwide have embraced Alinsky's vision and are using it to reshape America's body politic. In a larger sense, the film explores the restoration of American democracy through shared public participation in civic life -- a vital concern in an era of increased citizen alienation and political apathy, even among college students.The first half of the film focuses on Alinsky's organizing methods and is filled with a rich combination of archival film clips and photographs as well as eyewitness testimonials. It provides case studies of three key Alinsky organizations to show the development of his methods over time. The Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council in Chicago's stockyards neighborhood was the pioneering first organization, started by Alinsky in 1939. The Woodlawn Organization, in Chicago's predominantly African-American South Side, was founded in 1959 and won several landmark concessions in important battles with Mayor Richard Daley's powerful Democratic Party machine. In the mid-1960s, the FIGHT organization in Rochester, New York, took on the Eastman-Kodak company over racist hiring practices and won a series of impressive victories.These three organizations show how Alinsky's ideas, in turn, influenced the Civil Rights Movement, the farmworkers' struggle, and many Vietnam-era political protests.The second half of the film jumps forward to the late 1990s and examines two contemporary organizations that share Alinsky's enduring legacy. The East Brooklyn Congregations is shown struggling with various New York City administrations to fulfill its goal of building 1,200 low-income housing units in one of America's most blighted neighborhoods. In Dallas, members of Dallas Area Interfaith are shown lobbying state legislators in an effort to increase funding for an innovative public education program called the Alliance Schools Initiative."The Democratic Promise" will inspire discussion and analysis in a wide variety of courses in American history and American studies, sociology, urban studies, political science, and African American studies, among other disciplines. It was produced by Bob Hercules and Bruce Orenstein and is a presentation of the Independent Television Service.
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Field of Study
American History
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Bob Hercules, Bruce Orenstein, fl. 1999, Alec Baldwin, 1958-
Author / Creator
Bruce Orenstein, fl. 1999, Bob Hercules
Date Published / Released
1999
Publisher
Berkeley Media
Speaker / Narrator
Alec Baldwin, 1958-
Person Discussed
Saul David Alinsky, 1909-1972
Topic / Theme
Democracy, Social activism and activists, Associations and organizations
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1999 Berkeley Media
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A Deterrent Weapon
directed by Jakob Gottschau, fl. 2002; produced by Jakob Gottschau, fl. 2002 (Copenhagen, Capital Region (Denmark): DR Sales, 2008), 39 mins
When the USA exploded two nuclear bombs over Japan in 1945, it was perhaps the largest demonstration of power in the history of civilization. But there was more to follow, for the devastating explosions over Hiroshima and Nagasaki were just the starting point of a desperate arms race between the USA and the Soviet...
Sample
directed by Jakob Gottschau, fl. 2002; produced by Jakob Gottschau, fl. 2002 (Copenhagen, Capital Region (Denmark): DR Sales, 2008), 39 mins
Description
When the USA exploded two nuclear bombs over Japan in 1945, it was perhaps the largest demonstration of power in the history of civilization. But there was more to follow, for the devastating explosions over Hiroshima and Nagasaki were just the starting point of a desperate arms race between the USA and the Soviet Union - and during the next 40 years, the nuclear stockpiles of the super powers would grow at an alarming rate, leading, on several o...
When the USA exploded two nuclear bombs over Japan in 1945, it was perhaps the largest demonstration of power in the history of civilization. But there was more to follow, for the devastating explosions over Hiroshima and Nagasaki were just the starting point of a desperate arms race between the USA and the Soviet Union - and during the next 40 years, the nuclear stockpiles of the super powers would grow at an alarming rate, leading, on several occasions, to the world being close to a nuclear war. It wasn’t until the end of the cold war that thousands of nuclear bombs were disarmed - and the world could once more breathe easy - at least for a while. Today, the number of countries with atomic weapon arsenals is on the increase ?and alongside the likelihood that terrorist groups could, any day, get their hands on this deadly technology, is greater than ever. The film makes use of significant archival footage to tell the story. Einstein, Oppenheimer, Truman, Stalin, Reagan, and many others are depicted as they grapple with the dilemma posed by nuclear weapons. Commentary by historians such as Prof. Lawrence S. Wittner, University of Wisconsin, and Scotland’s Prof. Gerard De Groot gives the viewer a perspective on past events. Roland Timerbaev, former UN ambassador from Russia, gives an insider’s view of the Soviet Union’s policy during the Cuban missile crisis, as well as Gorbachev’s efforts towards disarmament. College Adult
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Field of Study
American History
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Jakob Gottschau, fl. 2002, Brian Patterson
Author / Creator
Jakob Gottschau, fl. 2002
Date Published / Released
2008
Publisher
DR Sales
Speaker / Narrator
Brian Patterson
Topic / Theme
International relations, Nuclear warfare, Weapons testing, Cold War, 1945-1989, American History, Late 20th Century (1975–2000), Depression & World War II (1929–1945), Post-war Era (1945–1960), 20th Century in World History (1914--2000)
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of DR Sales. All rights reserved.
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The End Of The Woolen Mills
directed by David Hoffman, fl. 2012 (Pottstown, PA: MVD Entertainment Group, 2013), 8 mins
This documentary, directed by David Hoffman, discusses the end of the woolen mills, the mills that produced wool, in Camden, Maine.
Sample
directed by David Hoffman, fl. 2012 (Pottstown, PA: MVD Entertainment Group, 2013), 8 mins
Description
This documentary, directed by David Hoffman, discusses the end of the woolen mills, the mills that produced wool, in Camden, Maine.
Field of Study
American History
Content Type
Documentary
Author / Creator
David Hoffman, fl. 2012
Date Published / Released
2013
Publisher
MVD Entertainment Group
Topic / Theme
Industrial occupations, Industry
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2013. Used by permission of MVD Entertainment Group
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