Talking History: Holiday Series
Every teacher waits anxiously for that "teachable moment," when for some reason you have your students' special attention. And you only hope you make the most of it. I have been teaching for thirty years, ten of those years in high school, and I have found holidays to provide many of those moments. In 2005 Talking History--the radio voice of the Organization of American Historians--ran a year long series of interviews on the major American holidays with Matthew Dennis, Professor of History at the University of Oregon, and author of Red, White and Blue Letter Days: An American Calendar (Cornell University Press 2002).
The interviews, each lasting about 15 minutes, covered Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, and Thanksgiving. In each interview Dennis and I explore the history and significance of each holiday.
The interviews were well received, and I think your students-- recommended for grades 7 to 12, as well as college--would enjoy listening to them. So we are making them available to you through the OAH. They are free, as part of the OAH’s commitment to you as teachers. We highly recommend that you use Matthew Dennis’s book for background at least for yourself, if not for your students. It will provide you and them with enough information on each holiday to maximize your use of the audio interviews.
Introduction
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Running time: 1m 17s
Martin Luther King Day
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This is the first in a series that will take us through the American holiday calendar year with our guest, Matthew Dennis, author of Red, White and Blue Letter Days: An American Calendar. He discusses the youngest of American public holidays, Martin Luther King Day, with host Bryan Le Beau. Matthew Dennis is Professor of History at the University of Oregon. Running time: 11m 46s
Presidents’ Day
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Matthew Dennis and host Bryan Le Beau continue their year long look at the American holiday calendar. They discuss Presidents’ Day and the rise of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as national heroes. Running time: 12m 54s
Memorial Day
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Matthew Dennis and Bryan Le Beau continue their year long look at American holidays and discuss the origins and history of Memorial Day. Running time: 11m 47s
Independence Day
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This week host Bryan Le Beau and guest Matthew Dennis continue their year long look at the American holiday calendar and discuss the origins and history of Independence Day. Running time: 14m 26s
Labor Day
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Matthew Dennis discusses the origins and history of Labor Day with host Bryan Le Beau. Running time: 13m 38s
Columbus Day
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Talking History’s host Bryan Le Beau and Matthew Dennis continue their yearlong look at the American Holiday Calendar, with a discussion of Columbus Day. Running Time: 15m 11s
Thanksgiving
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Host Bryan Le Beau and author Matthew Dennis resume their discussion on the history and origins of American holidays. In this the final interview in the series, they take a look at perhaps the most celebrated holiday of them all: Thanksgiving. Running time: 14m 51s
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