Annotated Bibliography
From UANotebook
edith fikes
Crimes of Style by Jeff Ferrell
As author Jeff Ferrell examines graffiti and its context in regards to criminal behavior, it is a sociological approach he takes, as he interprets his “task and passion” as a sociologist to “investigate the social construction of everyday life.” His model for this investigative work is appropriate enough as it is based in the cross-section of the cultural landscape of he city of Denver and its graffiti scene. His narrowing of the broad topic of graffiti art and its array of connotative qualities allows for a more specific study, which is rooted in what he refers to as “Hip-Hop,” or Urban graffiti and the community of both artists and campaigning lawmakers responding to its evolving existence in Denver. Ferrell, rather than attaching his inferences to the work itself as it exists on the street independently of the artist, has chosen to focus on the ‘tagger’ or ‘writer’ by making use of interviews designed to draw out opinions and stories of those within the community of artists comprising the scene. A theme interwoven in this particular study is the interrelated dynamics of criminality and governmental impact as it is associated with the graffiti-writing community. By examining the situation as it existed in the early 1990’s, and making connections between these conflicting yet complimentary bodies, it is an at-times striking look at how we are able to see the way in which graffiti and those who practice the art-form have both “tapped into and transcended their environment.”
The Writing on the Stall by James Green
This study uses bathroom graffiti as a means to methodologically approach the broad topics of gender and language within a social context. Green uses two specific models of studies in communication, the social identity and deindividualization (SIDE) and the communication accomodation theory (CAT), to reference in his analysis. One of his main points derived from both is that "...the toilet is an ideal context for stereotypic gendered behavior to occur." What the basis is for his conclusions on 'stereotypic gendered behavior,' is not made clear, which is what, for me, becomes a major flaw in his research. However, I commend his attempt at analyzing the actual language style of two genders, as it is what sets this study apart in comparison with others which focus research on mainly quantity and topic. Some of the conclusions he has been able to reach do indeed accomplish his goal of shedding light on the topic of gender and language in the social context. What is interesting to me is that in the end of his article, he proposes some ideas on what can be done by researchers in the field to test both the SIDE and CAT theories, as to make both his study and the theories themselves more sound.
Sex and Politics in Public Bathrooms by Irina Gendelman
One of the points I have found to be most interesting about this study was the Irina's positioning of bathroom graffiti within the realm of public space and dissident discourse. Her view on graffiti as a means for public and often political participation, as it is 'a discursive act that requires engagement of others." was well supported by her research. The study cleverly includes information from a number of varying sources, citing some work by Focault on 'the pleasure of disobedience' alongside Benhabib, Fraser, and Sparks who have more recently addressed the value of dissent. The reflexivity of the writing allows us to see both her thought process, which was inclusive of themes I had not formerly considered or have even been familiar with, as well as her methods in the field.
Sequential Parody Graffiti by Gregory J. Longenecker
Western Folklore, Vol. 36, No. 4. (Oct., 1977), pp. 354-364.
Stable URL: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0043-373X%28197710%2936%3A4%3C354%3ASPG%3E2.0.CO%3B2-W
As a social scientist, Longenecker confronts the challenge that he states has been an issue in his field, the inablility to study one's own current times. He does so by conducting his study of what he has termed 'Sequential Parody Graffiti,' or (SPG). In other words, he has found themed lists, which are often numbered, in mens' and womens' bathrooms and has 'tentatively' interpreted them for their significance in current cultural context, as well as for actual meaning of their content. In his article he draws comparisons between lists found on the UCLA campus, and also includes lists found elsewhere such as Boston and Duke University. Se sees the content as deceptively simple, similar and interchangeable. The deception, he claims, lies in his assumption that 'humor is often associated with disguised aggression' and he views the content of his cited parodies as having to do with the coping of both sexes with their societal roles and their respective rights in modern society. All in all, this is a self-proclaimed effort at recognizing the form of SPG, rather than establishing facts surrounding its meaning.
Crack Puns: Text and Context in an Item of Latrinalia (in Collectanea) by Adrian Birney
Stable URL: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0043-373X%28197304%2932%3A2%3C137%3ACPTACI%3E2.0.CO%3B2-U
This article takes a look at a particular trend the author has found in the latrinalia at both University of California at San Diego and Jacksonville University. He discusses the presence of clever puns on the word "crack" as they are inscribed in the white grout between glossy yellow tile. The placement of the graffiti and how it affects the meaning of what is written is a main concern of Birney's as it takes a careful hand to accomplish a legible piece of work on the particular surface he describes. He also addresses the nature of graffiti writers to compete in outwitting eachother, and he proves this to be true by the nature of his study. All in all, reading this article was more comical than informative what with his citing such simple humor in his scholarly writing, but it was not without valuable insight.
Social Analysis of Graffiti by Stocker, Ducher, Hargrove and Cook
Written in 1972, this article sheds a little light upon the progression of Social Analysis, as the terminology in this article is very Freudian (many references to repressed urges, envy and the phallus). Since one of the main purposes of this article is to compile and present in written form the studies which have already been done on the topic, this allows for it to be all the more dated, as the cited sources are often from the 1950's. The language is very forward, and tends to make some sweeping generalizations in the way of gender relations, homosexuality and 'social attitudes', but the forthcoming style of the writing makes it all the more a document of its time. One interesting point in this study is that it includes data from varying secondary education institutions and compares the content of the graffito. This article is worth reading as a beginning place for posing questions before pursuing further research.
'Racist' Graffiti: text, context and social comment by Nick Lynn and Susan J. Lea
This article acknowledges the presence of 'Racist Graffiti,' both overt and clandestine or 'coded' types, in the social and urban landscape in Glasgow. Specifically, the research is founded in analyzing the presence and significance of 'asylum seekers' and how graffiti can be used as a means of expression for racist sentiments held against them. Lynn and Lea classify racist graffiti differently than other forms (other than 'art' or 'latrinalia), finding that it fits best in a 'slogan' category. They state the importance of including racist graffiti in the whole of the field, as what they behold to be true about graffiti in general is expressed as such "As there are no boundries of good taste or censorship for it to exceed, any opinions expressed are frequently candid and, at times, hateful or offensive." Included in their analysis are the 'bottom-up,' 'top-down,' and reflexive methods of people such as Potter, Van Dijk, and Pink. All in all, there is a lot of information in this article in regards to the messages of graffiti and its context.
Public Space and Urban Landscape
Visual Literacy in the Public Space by Matt Siber
This article details the authors' "The Untitled Project," which is his examination of power dynamics by use of mass communication in the public space, specifically "the sophisticated visual vocabulary of modern society". His acknowledgment of the prominence of visual communication in urban spaces is the basis of his research, and the perfomance method he employs in his research includes a critical view of "the corporate/commercial voice," "the municipal voice,""propaganda"(in which he places politically motivated graffiti), "news and mass media," and "the subversive voice" (in which he addresses contemporary westen graffiti). He sets out to prove that text has become an unnecessary as a means for communication in the public space, and concludes that "visual communication has never been as complex or as powerful as it is in the current era." His thesis is very interesting, and poses some serious questions to us, as a part of a whole public audience and as participants in the formation of space. And, I don't believe his intent to be rooted in devaluing text, moreso in highlighting his observation of the evolution of visual communication in the current era, taken as such, all he has uncovered is very valid.
Tina Tu
The writing on the Stall Gender and Graffiti by James A Green
This article by James Green draws many interesting example from different research in the past in regard of graffiti in bathroom stalls. There had been numerous researches for the past 96 years which focused in bathroom graffiti. Each researcher uses different methods but the general outcome from the research is that graffiti from the female toilets tend to be more polite and interactive, whereas those from the male toilets were more argumentative and negative. Both male and female discuss similar issues about politics and sex but the tone in each inscription is very different. Male’s inscription contained more insults and racist remarks while female’s inscription focuses more on support and calming down heated discussions. As we can see that each gender portrays their identities very similar to how society stereotype them to be; male which is rude and argumentative and women gentle and supporting. Even through bathroom stalls inscriptions there is a major different in gender roles, which is very similar to how society stereotype each genders.
Sex and Politics in Public Bathrooms by Irina Gendelman
Irina Gendelman did a great job in differentiating between the public and private sphere in the bathroom stall throughout the article. Irina Gendelman used many studies in the past to support her findings between the public and private spheres such as Benhabib, Sparks, and Frasier. Also a definition of graffiti was defined in a social context very adequately, “graffiti is used to declare identity and express both oppression and resistance.” There were many examples of studies like Rodriguez and Clair sent out people to record text of graffiti from bathroom stalls and their conclusion that it was impossible to eliminate images from texts because the images entwine through the text. I like how this article has many different methods of researching graffiti in bathroom stalls. With these varieties of different methods it gives the reader a bigger picture of how gender differences in bathroom graffiti can be.
Summary on “Rethinking Youth” by Johanna Wyn & Rob White
Rethinking Youth is a very interesting book with various concepts and studies about teenagers in United States and aboard. Throughout the book the authors did very well explaining the concept of youth and how it interrelated with economy, the development of youth, their difference subcultures, transitions from youth to adult, and how youth had been marginalize. Rethinking youth draws many concerns that our youth today is facing. By searching their sense of self, identity, and belonging to society. Being a youth is hard enough in today’s society plus having the media exploit and dissect how much of a problem they are to society. It can be a struggle defining who you are when the media telling you another thing. I highly recommend this book to any youth that is struggling to find their sense of self in today’s society.
A prompt Plus Delayed Contingency procedure for reducing bathroom graffiti, By Steuart Watson
Researchers had been studying why bathroom graffiti is such a problem on college campus. Through various researches it is still difficult to identify why bathroom graffiti still occurred in public bathrooms and college campuses. It was estimated the cost of eradicating bathroom graffiti can cost up to $4,000,000,000 annually. So it would be more efficient to prevent graffiti instead of removing them every year. A study was done on how effectiveness of posting signs to reduce graffiti in bathroom in three men’s bathrooms on a college campus. The sign stated, “A local licensed doctor has agreed to donate a set amount of money to local chapter of the United Way for each day this wall remains free of any writing, drawing, or other markings. Your assistance is greatly appreciated in helping to support your United Way.” The effectiveness of the sign in this study replicates and extends previous research suggesting that signs can be useful tools for prompting behavior in large groups of people without direct contact.
Using the Lavatory as a classroom: A graffiti Course in CPR
A group of researchers from University of New York posted learning material about Cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the walls of the college and hospital bathrooms. Researchers wanted to know if graffiti will help the student increase their knowledge and enhanced their skills in CPR. There are two phases; the first phase is the posters were hung for three weeks and 286 students were tested in their dorm’s bathroom using twenty five questions from the American Heart Association basic life-support tests. The graffiti readers scored 24% higher than the non-readers. The second phase, the posters were hung for twelve weeks in nursing staff bathroom and the group that took the test after the poster was hung scored higher in their testes. There are pros and cons in this technique of teaching. The pros are that this type of learning does not required any instructors, time commitment, and very low in cost. The cons are that the posters have to be replaced periodically and some people don’t notice it.
Bathroom Graffiti series (Poem) by Opal Palmer.
I thought this poem was interesting when I first came across it. The poem is kind of graphic so if any sexual comments can offend you than I would not recommended you read further.
I
when I send my daughter to college I will tell her to make her first stop the restroom to inscribe all her important thoughts and questions on the walls of the cubicle visit it daily making sure to follow the advise etched under her questions being careful not to flush any comments with her waste products.
II
How often do you masturbate? And how long does it take you to reach an organism? I reach organism through masturbation but never while having sex. What does it feel like is it incredible will I ever reach it please help. Have you discussed this with your lover? If not do so. Have your lover him or her pleasure you the same way you do during masturbation. Try more foreplay and by the time you get around to intercourse there shouldn't be too much problem. On the other hand not all women climax during intercourse see a sex therapist. If all fails try god he gives good head
III
Before you send your daughter off to college pay the exorbitant tuition buy her a personal computer and give her a MasterCard. Insist that she refrains from using the public johns and if by chance she must forbid her to read any of the scribble on the walls. No telling what she might learn or the ideas she might ponder
V
if your daughter's roommate calls you up and says your daughter refuses to leave the john that she visits it daily even cutting classes taking her notebook and computer in the stalls staying in there forever sighing singing crying scribbling frantically before she emerges don't hesitate call the dean of students at once demand that scrubbers and painters be dispatched to the john have all the walls washed and laminated and call the degraffiti john counselor immediately. Your daughter will need all your support. total recovery is almost always impossible
IIX
Your daughter comes home between spring break you notice she has gained weight and she seems obsessed with food you invite her to go jogging with you but she stares at you hard then shaking her head sadly begins to admonish you. You should love your body and eat healthy for lives don’t try to be a 90-pound stick or go on crash diets. You look at her as if she's lost her mind she leaves you feeling stupid and locks herself in the bathroom. confused you pace around five minutes pass your daughter is still in the bathroom ten minutes twenty concerned you knock on the door silence then a flush your daughter emerges with a grin on her face you go to relieve yourself then you see the scribble on the wall. Fat disembowels women bullshit only if you think it does. Arrows connecting both responses you fight back tears your poor daughter stressed from the pressures of school you go to wash your hands and between the sink and the medicine chest sprawled in red. Diets disempowered women love your body. You wash the tears from your eyes take a deep breath and plan what to say to your daughter but words leave you for the bathroom door reads. Lack of self-esteem disembowels women because it makes us vulnerable to all kinds of psychological manipulations. You nod your head in agreement and enter the kitchen feeling very thin
Is It Philosophy or Pornography? Graffiti at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
by Lynn Bartholome and Philip Snyder
Bartholome and Snyder studied the graffiti in the bathroom of a restaurant called Dinosaur Barbeque, located in Rochester New York. This was a very unique Barbeque restaurant, their clients’ ranges from bikers to stock brokers. As part of the dining experience clients are encouraged to write their opinions about the food or anything else on the walls of the restaurants. The data were recorded between September 3rd to September 17th of 2002 in both male and female bathrooms. The result of this studies concluded that heterosexual graffiti were most common and racial/ethnic were the least. Females wrote more heterosexual messages and relied to more original messages, created more poems. I thought it was interesting that graffiti by females comprised at 52% and from males it was only 48%. This contradicted from studies in the past because it is normally males who do more graffiti than females. The result may be skewed due to females were invited to do graffiti instead doing graffiti on their own wills. Neither group surprisingly had a significant occurrence of political or social comments.
Graffiti in the 1990s: a study of inscriptions on restroom walls
By: Otta Emma
In 1990 graffiti data was collected in ten bathrooms of university of Sao Paulo Brazil. These graffiti were used to compare with Wales and Brewer’s 1976 study of graffiti in U.S high schools. The graffiti that was collected were categorized in twenty different categories. Of the 20 categories of graffiti, sexuality and politics were those found most frequently in men’s restrooms. Of the 518 graffiti collected in Sao Paulo Brazil, 424 (81.8%) were in men’s restrooms and 94 (18.1%) were in women’s restrooms. Wales and Brewer found that graffiti in American high schools were found in the girls’ restrooms and only 12% were found in boys’ restrooms. In both research graffiti with romantic content were found more frequently in women’s restrooms than in men’s restrooms. There is not really a significant different between the study that was done in 1976 and 1990s.
Graffiti By: Vicki Gach
The word graffiti originated in Italian, which means, “to scratch.” Graffiti are a variation of an ancient art form, which are etching or scratching designs in glass and clay vases. In the present form graffiti are statements and drawings penned, penciled, painted, crayoned, or scratched on desks and walls. Stone hedge cravings, cave drawings, pyramid hieroglyphics and pomeiian wall writings are among the past forms of graffiti. People in general look at graffiti as an act of aggression and violent. Each inscription of the graffiti on the walls, bathroom stalls, in the elevator, is an expression of thoughts, wish, or attitude. Through graffiti people can communicate attitudes and feelings they would hesitate to utter publicly. Unlike any other form of communications graffiti provide safety from direct rebuttal are more permanent than the spoken word, and reach larger audiences over a period of time. From a historical viewpoint, graffiti record contemporary events with ordinary people’s outlooks. As Robert Reisner author of Graffiti: Two Thousand Years of Wall Writing has stated, “graffiti were, are, and will continue to be, “a sensitive barometer of change in popular preoccupations a twilight means of communication between the anonymous man and the world.”
Notes on Women’s Graffiti: Author unknown
This study discusses differences between women and men’s graffiti and the social factors which contribute to these differences. One of Stocker et al hypotheses is the difference between men’s and women’s graffiti is due to childhood socialization. To test this theory graffiti were collected over a six weeks period from the end of January to the middle of March of 1976, from various locations such as bars, restaurants, and college campus. From the graffiti that was collected the category that rank the highest is philosophical in 18.9%, humor rank the second highest with 15.9%, and lesbian category with a 13.8%. The data seem to show that women do not refrain from writing homosexual graffiti in the presence of a high tolerance for homosexuality. From the data that was collected in the women’s bathroom doesn’t seem to support or discard the hypotheses but rather believed that female bathroom’s graffiti cannot be analyzed in the same ways as male graffiti. From the study by Stocker et al cited women traditionally have produced fewer graffiti than men, a fact due to different socialization process beach gender. Men and women grow up through different environment, women are taught to be obedient and men are taught to express their thoughts so it’s clearly how that would affect why women produced fewer graffiti than men.
Tagging: Changing visual patterns and the rhetorical implications of a new form of graffiti.
By: Daniel D. Gross and Timothy D. Gross
Graffiti is an expression of visual ideas and had been around for many decades. Timothy D. Gross collected various forms of graffiti from bathroom walls to books to analyze and interpret the different forms of it. The finding of Timothy Gross is that graffiti goes through three historical phases, which are: The imitative phase, the transition phase, and the apocryphal phase. The imitative phase is mimicking the perceived world around them, for example a cave man might draw a buffalo or birds on the walls of the cave to keep a record of what it is. The transition phase is adding letters or words to the drawing on the walls. Through this phase social expression is developed. Through words people can express their personal thoughts and opinions of society and the world around them. The apocryphal phase is the newest form of graffiti meaning painting on the wall and it’s also called tagging. The apocryphal phase of graffiti contains words but the words are in disguise to conceal their identity. These are the three phases that graffiti was developed throughout history.
Writing on the Wall for Graffiti guerilla/ Notorious S.F. tagger hit with 20,000 fines. By: Cecilia M. Vega
Twenty years old Carlos Romero from San Francisco was arrested for vandalism. Carlos had been spray painting graffiti marks all around San Francisco from fences to walls, and street signs. He tags words and phases like “monikers as Cream” (which means Cash Rules and everything around Me.) and Queso (which means cheese in Spanish). Carlos is not the only tagger, he has a tagging crew called BST and it is unknown how many members are in the gang. The police finally linked this tagging to who he was and fines him $20,000. Police officers said that Carlos was one of the most notorious tagger in San Francisco and linked him to 11 tagging incidents. The city filed a law suite against graffiti tagger and make Carlos as example. In 2001 the city spends $22 millions of the taxpayer money to cover up and remove graffiti. The number had been increasing significantly year by year. Graffiti vandalism had been a problem not just in San Francisco but nation wide.
Alan Hui-Bon-Hoa
Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Mitchell Duneier's ethnography of street life on Sixth Avenue in the Manhattan borough of New York is an account of his encounters with the homeless, panhandlers, and sidewalk vendors (mostly booksellers) that populate the area. He describes in detail the ways in which these individuals stake out their social space through the creation of a marketplace, the sustenance of their community and public dialog, and negotiation of public space. Additionally, he speaks at length about how these individuals define their identities. Moreover, analyzing these identities help to understand what is loosely termed "street life." There is a sense of achievement among many of the inhabitants of Sixth Avenue: they develop self-respect by earning a living, having good relations, and supporting one another. Duneier cites ideas from the activist and social thinker Jane Jacobs to help explain the underlying mechanisms of public space. Jacobs argues that when there are people physically present in a public space (like a street or sidewalk), there are more eyes watching over the space. When numerous individuals populate such an area, a communal trust is built and it is only after the establishment of this trust that people are at ease to conduct their regular affairs. The regulating systems that serve this urban space allows individuals, particularly marginalized street vendors, to live in a sustainable habitat. In this "habitat," there is a population large enough to support the marketplace set up by the vendors and in turn the vendors can support their own livelihood on the street.
Sex and Politics in Public Bathrooms by Irina Gendleman
The first piece is of particular relevance to the data that I have gathered and even includes analysis of the very same graffiti that I have encountered on campus. The discussion of graffiti as a discursive action and its relationship to space is an idea that I have documented many times, however the theories describing space, discourse, and power brings new questions and ideas, of which I have not previously considered. I am particularly interested in the role of geography and its relationship to values and actions. Another point that I would like to explore is the use of graffiti as an expression of power, particularly how dominant groups (as pertaining to gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, class, et cetera) use graffiti to maintain certain power differentials. Reading these texts, many of which are fragmented and ephemeral, also raises questions about the nature of the reader and audience. Unlike conventional texts, the reader frequently becomes the author of the message, adding to the complex, instability of the words themselves.
The Writing on the Stall by James Green
I found this piece to be somewhat difficult to understand because it assumes its audience is familiar with various communication theories and understands the statistical data. Its self-referential detail is sometimes clumsy, however, it is interesting to note the specific observations that converge between the first piece as well as my own findings. All parties notice that men's graffiti tends to deal with politics and homosexuality and are of a more violent or oppositional nature than messages found in women's bathrooms. When collecting my data, subconsciously, I somehow assumed that there would be themes to each stall or bathroom wall. However, it was not until I read the observations on imitation, the tendency to respond (as opposed to write a standalone message), and, more generally, the prevalence of themes that I became aware of how many stalls I saw that represented messages of similar subjects. In reviewing my data, I notice how each physical area tends to speak about a particular subject, which is in keeping with response strategies and patterns (particularly, how proximity from one piece of graffiti to another helps determine linkage).
Graffiti as communication: Exploring the discursive tensions of anonymous texts by Armando Rodriguez, Robin Patric Clair
The Southern Communication Journal. Memphis: Fall 1999.Vol.65, Iss. 1; pg. 1, 15 pgs http://proquest.umi.com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/pqdweb?did=46949848&sid=4&Fmt=3&clientId=8991&RQT=309&VName=PQD
This article discusses the social parameters that underwrite public graffiti. Its emphasis is on marginalized groups and the tensions that exist among them. It also addresses the nature of graffiti, as being a site of identity, resistance, and oppression as well as an anonymous space that is particularly inviting to those who want to challenge social norms. The researchers gathered data at a predominantly Black university to gather insights on how one racial group interacts. Their findings indicated that marginalized groups have a tendency to perpetuate the dominant social standards regarding sex, sexual orientation, and racial identities.
Philip Thangsombat
Political Protest and Street Art: Popular Tools for Democratization in Hispanic Countries
Lyman Chaffee’s article is about street art as political expressions in the 1980’s. It focuses on three Hispanic countries: Spain, Argentina, and Brazil. The street art takes different forms like posters, wall paintings, graffiti, and murals. Back then, street art was the most popular form of protest. It allowed the public to vent their feelings and advertise their reform programs. This art is a very important tool for political democracy. It is free speech in art form. It is a vital tool of persuasion especially in areas where street culture is flourishing.
Chaffee G, Lyman. (November 1994). Political Protest and Street Art: Popular Tools for Democratization in Hispanic Countries. The Hispanic American Historical Review, Vol. 74, No. 4, pg 695-696. Retrieved January 18, 2007 from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0018-2168%28199411%2974%3A4%3C695%3APPASAP%3E2.0.CO%3B2-G
The Politics of Humor: The Berlin Wall in Jokes and Graffiti
This paper is about squashing the distinction that all gang graffiti is to mark territory. A case study on gang graffiti in Phoenix, Arizona revealed that the characteristics of the gang graffiti that was found illustrated a complex communication system that reflects the social structure of the gang subculture. The gang graffiti’s purpose was to represent their respective gang in a mixture of ways within the social network.
Stein Beth, Mary. (April 1989). The Politics of Humor: The Berlin Wall in Jokes and Graffiti. Western Folklore, Vol 48, No. 2, pg 85-108. Retrieved January 20, 2007 from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0043-373X%28198904%2948%3A2%3C85%3ATPOHTB%3E2.0.CO%3B2-E
Art and Resistance: Haiti’s Political Murals
This article tells the story of political turmoil in Haiti. Since most of the population of Haiti could neither read nor write, murals became the medium for social and political issues to be communicated throughout Haiti. Karen Brown provides background information on some of Haiti’s most influential murals and their meaning from fellow Haitians.
Brown McCarthy, Karen. (Spring 1996). Art and Resistance: Haiti’s Political Murals, October 1994. African Arts, Vol. 29, No. 2, Special Issue: Arts of Vodou. Retrieved January 19, 2007 from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0001-9933%28199621%2929%3A2%3C46%3AAARHPM%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Y
Local Symbols, Global Networks: Rereading the Murals of Belfast
In the past, the political murals of Belfast have always been interpreted as expressions of loyalist or republican communities. This article reexamines the murals through the context of the peace process, in which the loyalist and republican communities are losing their relevance. When these murals are interpreted through the networks of production, signification, and reception it is possible to witness how they disrupt ongoing debates about public art, create inappropriate remarks to other international conflicts, and support a new form of political tourism. Reexamining these murals reveals that Belfast is linked to numerous global networks that were previously unknown by examining through the loyalist or republican communities.
Lisle, Debbie. (January 2006). Local Symbols, Global Networks: Rereading the Murals of Belfast. Alternatives: Global, Local, Political Vol. 31, Issue 1, pg 27-52. Retrieved on January 20, 2007 from http://www.atypon-link.com/LRP/doi/abs/10.5555/alte.2006.31.1.27
New Visions, New Viewers, New Vehicles: Twentieth-Century Developments in North American Political Art
This article traces the history of 20th century political art. Paul Von Blum focuses on how contemporary political artists have expanded on traditional European themes in racism, sexism, economic inequalities, and environmental degradation. He also mentions how 20th century North American political artists use public areas and new technologies (posters, stickers) as tools to spread their messages to the masses.
Blum Von, Paul. (1993). New Visions, New Viewers, New Vehicles: Twentieth-Century Developments in North American Political Art. Leonardo, Vol. 26, No. 5, Art and Social Consciousness: Special Issue. Retrieved on January 21, 2007 from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0024-094X%281993%2926%3A5%3C459%3ANVNVNV%3E2.0.CO%3B2-3
Alison Fujimoto
Taylor, C., Franke, G., and Hae-Kyong, B. (2006). Use and Effectiveness of Billboards. Journal of Advertising 35,4. Retrieved April 18, 2007, from EBSCHost (Accession Number 23495432).
This article argues that there are four main reasons that companies use billboards for advertising: visibility, media efficiency, local presence, and tangible response. Moreover, it discusses eight factors associated with a billboard’s success; such as location, powerful visuals, clever creative, and clarity of the message. It also suggests that gravity models play a part in the successful relationship between advertising and purchasing. Using tables and charts, surveys, and research questions, the article goes further in explaining its conclusions. [1]
Struppek, M. (2006). The Social Potential of Urban Screens. Journal of Visual Communication 5,2 (p.173-188). Retrieved April 18, 2007 from EBSCHost (Accession Number 21835210).
This article discusses the notion of urban spaces and how they can be used for the creation and exchange of cultural ideas via the way the space is filled. It talks about how culture can be developed based on the advertisements (such as billboards) that surround us. Not only does it promote, but this article suggests that it can also, “enhance the connection of remote communities through shared visual displays” (179). [2]
Manovich, L. (2006). The Poetics of Augmented Space. Visual Communication 5, (p.219-240). Retrieved May 1, 2007 from SAGE Journals Online (Doc. ID 10.1177/1470357206065527).
This article discusses augmented spaces and begs the question, “how is our experience of a spatial form affected when the form is filled in with dynamic and rich multimedia information?” It talks about the way people take in the space around them, and how architects, for example must work around that to create a suitable environment. This is more of an abstract thought in terms of the notion of billboards, as it mostly has to do with the creation and design of a more technologically advanced medium. But it does touch upon the ideas of space and location and the way people use them.
Desi
Dr. Blanche Lavizzo Park
2100 S Jackson St.
Dr. Blanche Sellers Lavizzo (1925-1984) was the first African American woman pediatrician in the state of Washington. She was born in Atlanta, Georgia and attended school with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Her work at Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic at Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center as medical director influenced children and adults alike with the motto “Quality care with dignity” [3].
In 1991, the Yesler Atlantic Pedestrian Pathway was renamed as Dr. Blanche Lavizzo Park. This two-acre park is a narrow park between S Jackson St. and E Yesler Way. The park “features a large grassy area with picnic tables and grills, a picnic shelter with fireplace, a long shelter house, a bricked open area with benches, and a small amphitheatre” [4].
The park also has a mural along one of the retaining walls of the park. The mural is a scene of children playing outside involved in a variety of activities such as, playing basketball, playing soccer, kite flying, and climbing trees. The mural also features a cityscape with skyscrapers, bridges, and school buses. The names of the children who painted the mural line the bottom of the wall. Graffiti has taken over part of the mural with large and small tags.
In January 2007, an article appeared in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer about how there should be new park hours due to the increased crime rate in the area. The previous hours were from 4:00am-11:30pm and at a recent meeting of the Board of Park Commissioners decided to change the park hours to 6:00am-10:00pm [5]. The commissioners also decided to create a Park Exclusion Zone that would affect neighboring parks in the Central District. It states that a person who is prohibited from one Central District Park would also be prohibited in all other neighboring parks as well. The Park Exclusion Zone prevents inappropriate behavior such as “illegal drinking, drug use and sales, prostitution, and assaults” moving from one park site to another near by [6].
Flo Ware Park
28th Ave S. / S Jackson St.
Florasina Ware (1912-1981) was an activist in the Central District for increasing the quality of local schools and upgrading the care for both the young and old. She was born in Fort Worth, Texas and moved to Seattle in 1947. As an active member in the Seattle area, Flo headed many programs such as Meals on Wheels and Head Start. In addition to being highly involved in the community she also raised 20 foster children. [7].
In 1982, the Jackson & 28th Mini-Park was renamed as Flo Ware Park. This half-acre park is located on the corner of 28th Ave S and S Jackson St. The park features a playground, basketball court, picnic tables, and an entry structure that celebrates Flo Ware’s accomplishments. Before the park’s renovation in 2003, it was a problem area for illegal activity because of the park’s run-down appearance and poor lighting [8].
In 2003, the park received a face-lift from local community members, the Seattle City Council, and Coyote Junior High’s “Hit the Streets” program [9]. The main entryway is made up of four columns that are covered in colorful mosaic artwork. At the top of the columns, there are aluminum silhouettes of the students from Coyote who participated in the renovation project [10]. Throughout the park, the ground is littered with inspirational quotes from Flo Ware herself about pursuing an education and becoming involved in the community. In the back of the park there is also a sign explaining who Flo Ware was and noting her accomplishments.
Map of Jackson & 28th Mini-Park [11]
Garfield Playfield
2417 E Cherry St.
Garfield Playfield was originally called “Walla Walla,” after the Native American Indian Tribe located in southeast Washington. The playfield was created 1912 and in 1923, the Seattle Park Board renamed the park Garfield Playfield after the high school, which honors the U.S. president James A Garfield. This nearly ten-acre park is located on the corner of 23rd Ave and E Cherry St. At the playfield, there are baseball fields, a playground, picnic tables, tennis courts, and a community center [12].
The shelter house at the park was designed by Donald N. Sherwood in 1958, who was the parks department architect. Originally, colorful murals covered the entire exterior of the building. However, currently only one wall has a painted mural of a cityscape stating “We Love Garfield,” which was painted in 1998 [13].
Map of Garfield Playfield [14]
Gerber Park
Martin Luther King Jr. Way / E Cherry St.
Sidney Gerber was born in Seattle, where he also met his wife Anne Convisar [15]. He started his own business manufacturing skiing equipment in the 1930’s. The two of them met on a blind date, while she was a student at the University of Washington majoring in art. They married on May 6, 1935 and began collecting art once Sidney’s business began to make more money. They had a large collection of Northwest Indian artifacts, which are on display at the Burke Museum. On May 16, 1965, Sidney’s plane crashed while flying over Stevens Pass with city council member Wing Luke and secretary Kay LaDue; the plane was not found until October 5, 1968 [16].
In 2002, “twenty–four kids worked with four public artists to design & build eight 12’ urban totems that now highlight this major Central Area intersection. Using wood, aluminum, tile & milestone, they made reference to urban nature and topped each totem with a 3–panel aluminum whirligig” [17]. Each of the mosaic totems is unique, which include pictures of flowers, butterflies, birds, and ladybugs. The totem poles took five weeks to build and six months to plan [18].
Map of Gerber Park [19]
Homer Harris Park
2401 E. Howell St.
Dr. Homer E. Harris Jr. (1916-2007) was Seattle’s first African American dermatologist. He was also born and raised in the Seattle area and attended Garfield High School. He was the first African American captain of the Garfield football team in 1933. Attending college at the University of Iowa, Homer became the first African American captain of a Big Ten Team and was the Most Valuable Player in 1937. He began his dermatology practice in 1955 and his work was “honored in 1989, by the black heritage Society of Washington State as a black pioneer in dermatology” [20].
This half-acre park small neighborhood park is located on E Howell St with views of the Cascade Mountains and Lake Washington. The park is located on land once owned by William Grose, “a black pioneer, who bought it from Henry Yesler in 1992 for $1,000 in gold” [21]. In May 2005, the park was dedicated to Homer Harris at a grand opening ceremony. The park features artwork, a “Unity Plaza” gathering place, a child’s play area, picnic tables, and barbeque grill.
The Seattle Parks Foundation headed up the project of turning this piece of land into a community park that could be enjoyed by everyone. An anonymous donor gave $1.3 million to the Seattle Parks Foundation to create this park to honor the beloved doctor and athlete. This gift is thought to “be the largest single private donation made toward a park in the city’s history” [22]. The Seattle Parks Foundation “is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving and expanding Seattle’s parks and green spaces” [23]. The foundation was founded by leaders in the Seattle community in 2001, in order to provide more resources for park restoration and building new parks.
The artwork was created by a local artist Monad Elohim, who has taught art in Seattle schools for many years and owns a studio in Madrona. The park features a twelve-foot bronze tree, which Monad is calling “The African American Heritage Tree” [24]. The bottom of the tree has individually pressed bark petals and towards the top are the heads of the spiritual ancestors. The artwork in the park symbolizes “the oneness of all things and the struggles faced by African Americans--rising from shackles and limitations to achieve freedom” [25]. In addition to the tree, there are also bronze animals, including a cat and dragon, which guard the statue. Along the walls of the park, which also serve as a seating area, have bronze leaves dedicated to the people who made this park possible.
Map of Homer Harris Park [26]
Isaiah Edwards Memorial Art Garden
2511 S Jackson St.
Isaiah Edwards (1913-1994) was the first Washington African American delegate to attend the Democratic National Convention in 1952. He worked at Boeing for over 40 years in addition to being a civil rights activist in bring equality to Seattle. He fought for integrating the Seattle Fire Department and ending the use of the infamous “chokehold or sleeper hold” in prisons. In the Central District, he created a youth baseball league and established a senior center for the area. [27]. He also helped to establish the African American Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in 1969 by opposing a police precinct in the Central District [28]. In the 1990’s Edwards received a Jefferson Award for his upstanding service in the community [29].
The Isaiah Edwards Memorial Art Garden is located on S Jackson Street between two buildings. In 1996, the Coyote “Hit the Streets” transformed the vacant lot into a small community park. Twenty-four kids used, “concrete, chicken wire, wood, metal wiring, glass & mosaic” to create chess tables, an entryway, and benches [30]. Unfortunately, the park has been recently bulldozed and all that is left are few mosaics and a carved wooden coyote on the East wall. The brightly stenciled mural also remains stating “Isaiah Edwards Park” on one wall and “Community Place for All” on the other.
Medgar Evers Memorial Pool
500 23rd Ave
Medgar Wiley Evers (1925-1963) was a Civil Rights activist who fought in World War II. After the Brown v. Board of Education decision, he applied for admission at the University of Mississippi Law School, but was denied. This caught the attention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored people (NAACP), who offered him the field secretary position. He was an investigator of the infamous Emmet Till case in Mississippi. In the Don Sherwood files it reads, “he became a hero, not because he died, but because he learned to live with mounting probability of violent death and refused to turn aside. Because his life so symbolized the struggle of a whole people to be free” [31]. On June 12, 1963, Evers was shot in his driveway at 12:40am, when he was checking on the “Jim Crow Must Go” T-shirts in his car [32]. The prime suspect, Byron De La Beckwith was tried and acquitted twice “after two all-white juries deadlocked.” In February 1994, Beckwith was tried again and convicted to life in prison; “he died in January 2001 at the age of 80” [33].
The Medgar Evers Memorial Pool is one of eight indoor pools in Seattle, which is right across from the Garfield Playfield. The pool has 6-lane pool, diving board, and exercise equipment. The façade of the building is covered in decorative mosaic depicting Medgar Evers and children playing. Coyote’s “Hit the Streets” program in 1999 and 2001 had “twenty–four kids work two summers to create hand built ceramic murals and aluminum waves that depict the purpose and use of this bunker–like facility. With each 10’ x 4’mural, a major goal was to transform a neighborhood fortress into a welcoming place to play” [34]. The children “based their imagery on data collected by the Douglass Truth Library and lessons with King County Council member Louis Gossett” [35].On the exterior walls there are also two murals showing the Seattle skyline and a portrait of Evers. Currently, graffiti is covering most of the murals. Before this mural was put up, there was a previous one called “Omowale,” which used “typical African and Afro-American artistic/social manifestations of past and present/future heritages” to show black spirituality [36].
Map of Medgar Evers Memorial Pool [37]
Plum Tree Park
1717 26th Ave
Formerly named 26th Ave Mini-Park it was renamed “Plum Tree Park.” This is a neighborhood park was originally designed with telephone pole stubs to create benches, climbing walls, and stairs. The park has recently undergone a face-lift with new play equipment and removing the old telephone stubs [38]. There is also no longer a mural located in the back of the park, which was painted by Frank Hinijosa in 1976 [39]. All that is left of the original park are a few telephone stubs that line the periphery.
Map of Plum Tree Park [40]
Powell Barnett Park
352 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Powell Barnett (1893-1971) is most recognized for being the first president of the Leschi Improvement Council in 1967 and also organized the East Madison YMCA. He moved to Washington when he was a child after his father was freed from slavery. His father became a coal miner in the small town of Roslyn just outside Snoqualmie Pass. Not only was he an active leader in civil rights, but he also played on a black baseball team and played the tuba in a local band [41].
This original site was “chosen by the City Planning Commission as the “East Junior High School Site,” it was developed as a running track and athletic field by the nearby Garfield High School” [42]. After those plans were abandoned the park served as Garfield’s running track, however the track was rarely used. In 1966, the Seattle Parks Department bought the land and in 1969 they named the park “Powell Barnett Park.” The park originally had a small play area, tricycle maze, and basketball hoops. Recently the park has undergone a much needed facelift which has included new play equipment, a wading pool, new basketball hoops, and a restroom designed as a castle. Starbucks and the local community, including the Seattle Girls School and Coyote Junior High all pitched in making this happen. Starbucks donated $550,000 to the renovation along with the Pro Parks Levy Opportunity Fun which provided $250,000. After the makeover, Thurston Muskelly, who is the current president of the Leschi Community Council, stated “I knew Powell Barnett. He would have all the people in the community out here, working hard, just like they did this week … he didn’t go marching for a cause. Instead, he brought all the people to the table and heard their points of view” [43].
The park has recently been voted as one of the Top 5 parks in the Seattle area by The Seattle Times because of the unusual toys and decorative artwork[44]. The colorful mosaic benches in the park are symbolic of Powell Barnett’s life. On each concrete bench there are eight individually tiled chairs that represent a part of Barnett’s experiences. Some of the mosaic chairs depict his love for baseball, music, tools used for mining, and even the awards he has won.
Map of Powell Barnett Park [45]
Pratt Park
1800 S Main St.
Edwin T. Pratt (1930-1969) is most remembered by being “the Executive Director of the Seattle Urban League, a member of the Central Area Civil Rights Organization, and a leader in the struggle for integrated housing and education in Seattle” [46]. After attending college he joined the Urban League in Cleveland and Kansas City. In 1956, he was appointed as the Community Relations Secretary for Seattle [47].To gain equal opportunity housing in Seattle, Pratt worked with many other community leaders to allow African Americans to freely choose where they decided to live [48]. On January 26, 1969 he was shot and killed outside of his home in Shoreline and the case remains unsolved.
The park “was first purchased by the City in 1958 as a part of the grounds for Washington Junior High School. In 1966 it became the site for a park and low-income housing project” [49]. After Seattle Parks Department the acquired the land and they named the park to honor the work Edwin Pratt in the Central District. Currently, the park features a full basketball court, a play area, wading pool, and picnic tables. The 1994 makeover, was a way for the community to “celebrate Seattle’s diversity and be a source of pride and reflection” [50].
The park also features artistic expression through the mosaic tiles lining the wading pool, the colorful murals that line the perimeter, and the tree bench in the center of the park. The murals from each corner of the park are unique. Currently, many of the water toys in the wading pool have been removed because they were a “finger hazard” to children. However, there are still some toys left along with plaques dating the dedication. The murals that decorate the walls of the parks vastly differ in their individuality. In the basketball court shed there are basketball players and fans sitting on benches. Towards the back of the park there are African inspired landscapes and paintings of people from all over the world. Over each section of the mural there are the names of those who donated and contributed to it’s creation including the City of Seattle, Seattle Police, and Pratt Park Neighborhood Council. The murals are beginning to show their age with graffiti tags and water damage. The tree bench also provides an innovative touch to the park. The bench was designed by Paul Sorey and “it’s based loosely on the idea of a gossip chair, or a conjoined set of three seats” [51]. Sorey explains how, “the tree symbolized the living, growing, and diverse branches of human culture that come together to form a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts” [52].
Jordan
The Memory and Myth at the Buffalo Bill Museum, By Greg Dickinson, Brian L. Ott, & Eric Aoki
This article, from the Western Journal of Communication, describes how a specific place, the Buffalo Bill Museum, serves as a pedagogical device for teaching its visitors about the West and its main man—Buffalo Bill. Because museums are thought of as depicting truths, it is the common notion of many Buffalo Bill Museum guests to believe that the histories they are learning are truthful, when, in fact, they are not. The main theme of the article is that the museum portrays the West as a land of settlement dominated by the white man. Through its collections, exhibitions, and representations, the slaughtering of buffalo and Native Americans by the one and only William Cody (Buffalo Bill), is cast in an almost non-existent light. At the same time, these collections, exhibitions, and representations tend to naturalize a peaceful, settled land where white men just came to be. Any violence that the museum does portray is via the old Buffalo Bill shows that William Cody would create. In this way, what was in fact savage violence is treated as entertainment, and fun. How the West was won loses its historical truth through its representation and instead is carnavalized for the many families to admire.
Public Figures of the Central District in Seattle
[53] Click on this link to see the different locations of buildings, streets, and parks that are named after historical public figures.
Barnett, Powell...
Blackpast.org: This site contains a brief summary on the life of Powell Barnett along with a photo. Barnett was a leader in his community. His main focus was to improve race relations and civic unity. Barnett was involved with the Leschi Improvement Council (a neighborhood organization), the East Madison YMCA, and a committee that revised the Seattle Urban League. He played the tuba and baseball. [54]
Historylink.org: This site contains a more detailed biography and was used as a reference for the site mentioned above. Barnett was born in Brazil and moved to Washington at a very young age. His father was a coal miner, but Powell went a different route, eventually becoming the clerk for a Washington State Senator. He was an advocate of integration. On the website, there are also several photos of Powell Barnett and his friends. [55]
Braxton, Peppi...
Seattle.gov: This site contains a very brief description of Peppi Braxton and his connection to the park/playground. Since he was only eight years old when he died, there is little written about him in history. Peppi’s Playground is named after Peppi Braxton, an eight-year-old boy who was tragically killed in a bicycle-automobile accident in 1971. The park, located by the Leschi School and community, had been in the works since 1953, when petitions for children’s facilities in Frink Park first appeared.[56]
Carter, Randolph...
I couldn't find anything for Randolph Carter both online and in the library system.
Colman, James...
Seattle.gov: This is a website about the Colman Park. However, it does briefly touch on who James Colman was, and why certain buildings and parks were named after him. Apparently, Mr. Colman was an engineer whose job it was to help build the steam-powered pump that retrieved its water from Lake Washington. When it broke down in 1886, he worked for a solid 36 hours until the pump was fully restored to its working condition. [57]
Douglass, Frederick...
Historylink.org: This site explains the history of the Douglass-Truth Library, as well as how it was named. "The Douglass-Truth Branch, The Seattle Public Library is the home of the largest collection of African American literature and history on the West Coast. Originally named after pioneer and library patron Henry Yesler (1810-1892), the branch has witnessed wide changes in the community it serves. The Central Area has been home to many Jews, Japanese Americans, and finally African Americans." [58]
Frederickdouglass.org: This website depicts the life of Frederick Douglass, one of the persons for which the Douglass-Truth Library was named. Douglass was born a slave in 1818, and was taught the alphabet by his mistress. After this, he took it upon himself to learn how to read. With his knowledge, he was able to eventually escape slavery and lead a very successful and noble life. Among other things, he was a known lecturer, abolitionist, and even founded his own newspaper, The North Star.[59]
Colaiaco, James A. (2006). Frederick Douglass and the Fourth of July. New York. Palgrave Macmillan.: This book describes Douglass as a "self-educated slave, abolitionist, advocate for women's rights, orator, journalist, and diplomat." It also describes him as the "most famous black person of the 19th century." The book depicts his struggle with both accepting and celebrating America and the Declaration of Independence on its birthday, and at the same time having contempt for the ways blacks were treated in the country.
Evers, Medgar...
The Mississippi Writers Page: This site contains biographical information about Medgar Evers as well as links to current media fare that depict his life. Evers, born in 1925, was also an advocate of de-segregation in the school setting. After his time with the US Army, he was denied the right to vote. This sparked his drive for racial equality, leading him to eventually establish local NAACP chapters and leading boycotts for organizations that refused to serve blacks. He became Mississippi's first NAACP field secretary. [60]
Wikipedia.com: This site contains biographical information in more detail, separating his early life, his service in the NAACP, his assassination, and his legacy into separate sections. Like the link above, this website describes Ever's time in the US Army, his struggle to achieve equal rights in both the educational and political realm, and his achievement of becoming the first Mississippi field secretary for the NAACP. It discusses, in detail, the events leading up to Ever's assassination which occurred on June 12, 1963 at his home in Mississippi. [61]
Evers, Medgars W; Evers-Williams, Myrlie; Marable, Manning. (2005). The Autobiography of Medgar Evers: a hero's life and legacy revealed through his writings, letters, and speeches. New York. Basic Civitas Books.: This book discusses the origins of Ever's political life, his career as an Assistant Field Secretary for the NAACP, and other details of his life. It is an autobiography and contains copies of actual memorandums that were sent to his colleagues. It describes him as a key part to the Civil Rights movement even before the media was making an issue out of it. It also touches on the fact that Evers is not a household name, but that he, himself, would want it that way because he wants only "recognition of the mission and the little people."
Frink, John...
Frinkpark.org: This was about the only sites I could find online that contained biographical information regarding John Frink. It is part of the Frink Park website that houses information regarding the park's history, location, features, and its different members. John Frink was born in Pennsylvania in 1885 and moved to Kansas where he attended college and began a career in teaching. He eventually moved to Seattle and gained financial success when he made some wise investments in developing real estate. He had purchased the originally private park that set along Lake Washington, and gave it as a gift to the City of Seattle. [62]
Garfield, James...
Encyclopedia Americana: This page contains detailed information about President James Garfield's life. It describes his early life and career, his service in the Civil War, his career in Congress, and finally his brief service as the President of the United States. Garfield grew up in poverty and took it among himself to create a new life. He was deeply religious, and preached at the Ecletic, a Disciple school. He was against slavery and wanted to preserve the Union. During his time in the Civil War, he demonstrated true leadership and was promoted to major general. In 1862 he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and in 1880 to the Presidency. He was only President for a short time, however. On July 2, 1881, Garfield was assassinated at the age of 49. [63]
Taylor, John. (1970). Garfield of Ohio, the available man. New York. Norton.: This book describes the life of President James A. Garfield, touching on key parts of his life. These are times such as his birth in Cleveland, Ohio, his beginnings in politics, his career as a general, his experience as a congressman, and finally, his short time as the President of the United States. The book also contains a small collection of photos and art prints.
Judkins, Norman...
Cityofseattle.net: This is the only website I could find on the internet that contained any information on Norman B. Judkins, the man for which the park was named. It contains a very short description of who Norman Judkins was, and a map of where the park is located. "In 1869 a pioneering realtor named Norman B. Judkins wanted everyone to know who had added this latest development to the city’s plots, so he named several of the streets in the new development after himself. The streets were Norman; B; Judkins; Addition; Town; Seattle. Today, only Norman and Judkins streets survive to remind us of his initial plan." [64]
King, Jr., Martin Luther...
Wikipedia.org: Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, GA. He attended three different colleges, receiving a degree in sociology, a Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.), and a Ph. D. in Theology studies. King became involved in civil rights activism when he was in his mid-twenties. At this time, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, thereby disobeying the Jim Crow laws of the time. "King correctly recognized that organized, nonviolent protest against the system of southern segregation known as Jim Crow laws would lead to extensive media coverage of the struggle for black equality and voting rights. Journalistic accounts and televised footage of the daily deprivation and indignities suffered by southern blacks, and of segregationist violence and harassment of civil rights workers and marchers, produced a wave of sympathetic public opinion that made the Civil Rights Movement the single most important issue in American politics in the early 1960s." Remembered most for his civil rights leadership and his "I have a dream" speech, King is memorialized through the naming of many schools, streets, parks, and even a national holiday. [65]
Frady, Marshall. (2002). Martin Luther King, Jr.. New York. Penguin Group.: This book depicts the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He grew up in a family of pastors and himself became one. After attending segregated schools in Georgia, King graduated from high school at the age of 15, and from there went to Morehouse College. He became a member of the executive committee of the NAACP and was an extremely strong leader in the civil rights movement. He received the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 35, making him the youngest man to ever have recieved the honor.
Lavizzo, Blanche...
Historylink.org: Information regarding Dr. Blanche S Lavizzo can be found at this site. It describes the doctor's beginnings, and mainly her accomplishments in the medical field here in Seattle. Lavizzo and her husband came to Seattle from New Orleans. She soon became the first African American woman pediatrician in the state of Washington, as well as the director of the Odessa Brown Children's Clinic. She is known for her mothering ways and how she turned the clinic into such a comfortable and efficient facility. [66]
Marshall, Thurgood...
Thurgood Marshall: This page describes the life and case victories of Thurgood Marshall. Born in 1908, Marshall attended Lincoln University in Chester County, PA. He eventually received a law degree from the Howard University Law School and was greatly influenced by one of his professors to apply the tenets of the Constitution to all Americans. After serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals, Marshall was eventually nominated to the United States Supreme Court. He is known for supporting those without voices and fighting for equal rights among different races. [67]
Williams, Juan. (1998). Thurgood Marshall: American revolutionary. New York. Times Books.: This book is fully detailed in its description of Marshall's life, with depictions of his family, education, the beginnings of his career and his relationship with the NAACP.
Pratt, Edwin...
Historylink.org: This was one of the only detailed websites that I could find in regards to Edwin Pratt. It contains biographical information, including his assassination, and some photos. Pratt was born in 1930 in Miami, Florida. He received a degree in social work from Atlanta University and eventually became the executive director of the Seattle Urban League. He was a true advocate of integration and supported all efforts to achieve it, including the Triad Plan, which worked to reorganize elementary schools. Pratt was assassinated on January 26, 1969 at the age of 38.[68]
Smith, Sam...
Seattle.gov: This site describes Sam Smith Park, as well as Sam Smith, the person. It contains information about Mr. Smith's service on the Washington State legislature, as well as his service on the Seattle City Council. Smith was born in 1922 and grew up to be a man of politics. His political career lasted 34 years, and included five terms in the Washington State Legislature and five terms on the Seattle City Council. He is remembered for trying to "bridge the cultural gap" between blacks and whites in Seattle. [69]
Secstate.wa.gov: More information regarding the career and life of Sam Smith can be found here. In addition to general information, there is also a nice collection of photos to look at. Smith was raised in Louisiana and grew up listening to political conventions on broadcast radio. By the time he was 14, he had decided that he wanted to become an elected official. After moving to Seattle, Smith's political career took off. He became the second black man on the Washington State Legislature and the first on the Seattle City Council. He even became the Council's president for eight of his 24 years of service with it.[70]
Sullivan, Leon...
Medaloffreedom.com: This site contains a detailed biography on Leon Sullivan, describing his education, career, accomplishments, awards, and honors. "Reverend Dr. Leon Howard Sullivan was born on October 16, 1922, to Charles and Helen Sullivan in Charleston, West Virginia. He was educated at West Virginia State University, Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary." Smith promoted justice, equal rights and equal employment opportunities for all people. He advocated self-help principles that basically helped people to better help themselves. Eventually, Smith founded the Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC), which provided employment and training to those who lacked workplace skill. [71]
Thesullivanfoundation.org: The Leon H. Sullivan Foundation has this webpage that describes the foundation's mission, its upcoming events, how others can support the foundation, and so on. It contains a detailed biography of the man for which the foundation was named. Sullivan became a Baptist minister when he was only 18 years old. When he moved to Philadelphia, he learned of the dire situation regarding unemployment in the local neighborhoods. He believed that finding people jobs, and helping people find their own jobs, was the key to building a healthy and successful community. He battled discrimination in the work place and eventually established the OIC, mentioned above.[72]
Sullivan, Leon H. (1969). Build, brother, build. Philadelphia. Macrae Smith.: This book is a compilation of self help programs that is mixed with Reverend Sullivan's spiritual touch. It describes various programs such as the 10 Feet Tall program, and discusses in heavy detail the Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC). Sullivan's book is aimed at helping people set goals/dreams for themselves and reaching them.
Truth, Sojourner...
Wikipedia.com: This site contains detailed biographical information about Sojourner Truth, the other person for which the Douglass-Truth Library was named. Truth was born some time in 1797 into slavery. After being bought and sold repeatedly for some time, she was forced to marry and produce children. When the talk of abolition arose, Truth was promised freedom after a certain point. After a bumpy road, she finally received her freedom and became a traveling speaker. She would preach about abolition and women's rights. Her most famous speech is "Ain't I a woman?" delivered at the Ohio Women's Rights Convention.[73]
Bernard, Jacqueline. (1967). Journey toward freedom; the story of Sojourner Truth. New York. Norton.: This book is a biography on Sojourner Truth that depicts her life growing up and eventually becoming a champion of the abolitionist and women's rights movements. It is both factual and acts as a lyrical narrative at the same time.
Ware, Flo...
Flowarepark.org: This is a website that describes Flo Ware Park, and that has a special page dedicated to explaining who Flo Ware was. Florasina Ware was a true care-giver. She raised 20 foster children while being actively involved in the Central Area School Board, the Foster Parent Association, and Meals on Wheels. When she noticed how poor of a state the Central Area schools were in, she became a mover and shaker in improving the area's academics and facilities. She also strove for improved healthcare for the elderly. After her death, a park on the corner of 28th and Jackson was named in her honor.[74]
Yesler, Henry...
Historylink.org: Henry Yesler was born Maryland in 1810. He traveled to Ohio, where he took up running a saw mill full time. He eventually made his way to Seattle, and noted the high supply of timber in the area. He established the first steam-powered saw mill in the Puget Sound area, bringing an early advantage to Seattle. Eventually, one of the roads (now Yesler Way) was coined, "Skid Road" due to the fact that logs would slide down it to the mill. Among other things, Yesler was well known for his friendship with Native Americans in the area. He would, in fact, employ them at his mill. He was made King County's first auditor and served as Seattle's mayor in both 1874 and 1885. [75]
Finger, John R. (1968). Henry L. Yesler's Seattle years 1852-1892. Thesis/Dissertation/Manuscript.: These papers serve as a detailed description of Yesler's time in Seattle. After his arrival to Seattle, Yesler built a steam-powered sawmill, bringing economic success to the area. He is considered the economic father of Seattle, and its first millionaire.
Anya Pavlovic
The Motel in America by John Jakle
Jakle, John A., Sculle, Keith A., Rogers, Jefferson S. The Motel in America. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996.
Preface:
• Until 1960’s Motels catered largely to white, middle class Americans. Many owners and operators were of the same class, excluded were black Americans, and in certain parts of the US-other minority groups as well. (xii)
• Civil rights advanced from motels as activists traveled cross country. Today substantial portions of Asian Am. Own and operate the hospitality industry and see it as a window of opportunity. (xiii)
Chapter 1: Introduction
Motels originally arose from locally organized municipal camps to control activity of automobilists who carried cooking pots and tents for camping along the highway. Originally the camp had anti-modernist implications which gave way to the upgraded consumer. The motel set a template for highway commercial strip which is so fundamental to the automobile city, a city of exaggerated consumption in the post-industrial age. In the 1940-1960’s, motels came to be commodities and packaged as commercial products-and they offer a window of comprehension of both American commercial and social change. The anonymity of motel use came to have deviant implication-illicit love, immorality, and a tendency toward crime.
Interesting Quotes:
“We consider motels an element of landscape, an orientation that derives from cultural geography. Landscapes as containers of human life-and their structuring and reorganization as reflecting essential cultural or social values: they are to be read for their social meaning” (14).
“Motels enjoyed a degree of freedom previously unknown in other kinds of accommodations-there was something about hotels which encouraged deviant behavior, or was it simply social change played out in a place of relative freedom? (17).
“Many motels were located beyond city limits and where the force of municipal law beyond was beyond legislated virtue” (17).
“Restless freedom implicit in transient mobility”-social norms and mores changing, encouraged by anonymity and convenience. (18).
“Motels peaked in the 1960’s at 61,000 then there were 52,000 in 1972 and 40,000 in 1980 because they gave way to chains and larger establishments, but in 1972 there were 2.5 million rooms where in 1994 there were 3.1 Million rooms” (20).
“Motel entrepreneurs associate themselves and their motels with the cultural and historical themes central to the American Experience. They promote exotic association which suggested an escape from the mundane routine” (21).
Chapter 3: The Mom and Pop Enterprise
This chapter generally traces the evolution of motels from the mom and pop enterprise of the 1920’S and 1930’s to the development of chains and large corporation motels in the 1940’s through1960’s. The 1920’s allowed for a large boom of motels that came with the automobile revolution paired with an ease of construction and changing/transitional values of modernity. Seen as capitalism’s cultural heroes, mom and pop stores were generally small, independent family businesses in which women carried a preponderant amount of labor and were considered work-hermits. 1940’s-1960’s saw the largest motel boom of its time when more motels were built than ever before. There was a large print publication boom as well citing the steps necessary for starting a motel as well as managerial and procedural advice that was sold on the street as well as seen at the University level. Also during this time we see the rise of professional associations such as the America Motor Hotel Association that encouraged incredible organizational and professional effects on the industry. The Çold War called for large amounts of dependable housing both for national defense as well as non-war workers; it was during this time that mom and pop stores received federal help encouraging motel development. In 1982 the federal census cited that mom and pop motels still comprised over 54% of the motel industry, though in the 1960’s small motels were engulfed by the rising tide of big investors such as the Holiday Inn.
Interesting Quotes:
“Names of motels, such as cottage and village, were suggestive of a security seeking age. The motel reference was considered very modern considering that it incorporated the motor automobile and the hotel” (60).
“1939 a Directory of Negro Hotels and Guest Houses was created for a few blacks who could afford luxury of a car and sleeping on the road” (73).
“Among notable values and characteristics of motels included location, climate, highway attractiveness, landscape, parking, town proximity, tourism, as well as competition” (76).
“The modernizing effects of atmosphere came to take precedent and an entrepreneurial spirit for mom and pop. Initial investment tripled by 1954 with necessities such as picture postcards (advertising), telephones, and increased housekeeping” (79).
“Mom and pop were engulfed by rising investors of the 1960’s with the economic boom post-war, as well as an increase in the leisure industry and the baby boom” (79).
“The tide against racial discrimination attacked motels since they were the prime providers of public accommodation. As prime places of social interaction motels became sites of historic events associated in national memory with the positives and negatives of democracy’s fortunes. The death of Martin Luther King confirms the importance of roadside lodging had for the national experience. Later on blacks were involved further in shaping capitalist history because many were hired when the chains took over for labor” (85).
Chapter 9 The Nation’s Innkeeper : Conclusion
Central to this chapter is the idea of security which the author cites is an integral part of human consciousness which aligns with the adventure sought on the road. It reflects on how motels were designed to reflect security and as a private place of retreat where loneliness of alones could take place. It also mentioned the life cycle of the motel, in which a motel goes from fulfilling an American dream to the point where land becomes more valuable than the hotel and pressure builds to redevelop the property with something more profitable-the preservation of the hotel gives way to redevelopment, which is the case of many motels today. The author also cites the idea of the hidden homeless found in today’s motels, usually recently impoverished, long-term residents; people on social security, the disabled, transient, or maintenance people. He also suggests that further research must be an oral project in which building rapport with retired personnel is necessary in order to understand the reasons for decisions unknown to the public.
Interesting Quotes:
“The roadside can be made to mirror proclivities either toward or away from sociability” (325).
“The motel architecture reassures security through color, space etc. Security is simultaneous with adventure and is a basic trait of human consciousness” (327).
“Owners try to give an illusion of a catered/carefree home on the road while reality buzzes outside on the highway” (328).
“Blacks and Hispanics are largely underrepresented save in the menial labor category. Also there is a disproportionably low amount of female owners” (331).
Vanishing Seattle by Carl Humphrey
Humphrey, Clark. Vanishing Seattle. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. 2006.
This book is a wonderful compilation of several historical Seattle sites which have been demolished or closed down in recent times. It is split into general overview sections including from restaurants, bars and nightclubs, transportation, and buildings/streetscapes, among which one can find related pictures and descriptions of specific Aurora Avenue businesses. Below is what the author had to say generally about each section, as well as a list of Aurora Avenue businesses and the pages where their information and pictures can be found in the book.
I. Restaurants: [33]
• There was a time when Seattle had Penny’s and not penne. The city’s restaurant scene used to be less concerned with pretense and more concerned with pleasure. A hearty, if unadventurous, meal at a reasonable price could be had almost any where. Even ritzy expense account eateries stuck with basic American favorites such as steak, seafood, and chicken.
• In the late 1940’s full service restaurants in Washington could start serving liquor, as long as they earned a certain portion of revenue from food. This move both increased restaurants’ profit potential and spurred them to devise higher-end menu options.
• Fast food arrived in force in the 1950’s, initially from local entrepreneurs. Chain restaurants showed up in the 1960’s, but so did seedlings of an educated, sophisticated approach to cooking and eating. Serious gourmet dining options exploded at this time.
• Listed Aurora restaurants are the following:
1. King Oscar’s Smorgasbord [38]-King Oscar’s on Aurora (advertised as the “House of the Artesian Coffee Pot”) was one of the few major Scandinavian-themed restaurants in a city known for its large Nordic population. It operated from the late 1950’s through the mid 1970’s. (Author’s Collection).
2. Bessie B. Lunch [44]-Bessie B. Lunch, with its log-cabin-esque exterior, was the leading coffee-shop restaurant in Richmond Highlands (later Shoreline) from the 1920’s through the 1950’s. The building later became an appliance store. Built on old Interurban Railway right-of-way, it was razed in 2004 for a hiking and biking trail (Shoreline Historical Museum).
3. Twin Teepees [Inside Front Cover]-Twin Teepees Restaurant (also known over the years as Clark’s Twin T-P’S and Power’s Pancake House) opened in 1937 on Aurora Avenue. Delland Harris’s design featured a bar and kitchen in the northern cone and a dining room with an open-pit fireplace in the southern cone. Harlan Sanders once worked in the kitchen while perfecting his fried-chicken recipe. A kitchen fire closed the place in 2000; its landlord demolished it without a notice a year later. The site remains vacant today. (MOHAI, Seattle-Post Intelligencer collection, No. 1986.5.11405.)
4. Dag’s Drive In [Front Cover]-The Aurora Avenue “world headquarters” of Dag’s Drive-Ins served “Beefy Boy” and “Dagilac’ burgers from 1955 to 1993. Founders Boe and Ed Messett named the chain after their father. The brothers had previously sold cemetery monuments at the Aurora site. Eight other Dag’s opened over the years, and the chain was noted for its inventive promotions and slogans. One slogan referred to a nearby upscale steakhouse: “This is Dag’s…Canlis is ten bucks north.” (Museum of History and Industry [MOHAI], No. 2004.57.)
II. Bars and Nightclubs: [53]
• Washington state enacted Prohibition in 1916, four years ahead of the nation. Repeal came with heavy regulations intended to prevent any return of the saloon culture. Hard liquor in bottles could only be sold in state-owned stores and only be served by the drink in private clubs. Commercial bars served only beer and wine, and these had to close by 1 AM and stay closed on Sunday.
• The result was a plethora of small, plain, dimply lit neighborhood taverns, serving mostly male clientele. The rationale is “the need for dark places to transact dark business.”
• Restrictions eased slowly and restaurants were allowed cocktail lounges in 1949, leading to an immediate boom in upscale steakhouses.
• The 1990’s allowed cocktail lounges without restaurants, which caused many fancy lounges and music clubs to open, particularly in Belltown and Freemont, which has caused residents to complain about noise and rowdy behavior. The cycle has gone full circle.
• Listed Aurora nightclubs are the following:
1. Spanish Castle-a roadhouse dance hall [61]-The Spanish Castle on Highway 99 between Seattle and Tacoma opened as a “roadhouse” dance hall in 1930. Surviving the switch from jazz to rock, it hosted a wave of local hit makers (including the Wailers, the Ventures, the Frantics, the Sonics, and a teenage Jimi Hendrix) until its 1968 demolition. (Seattle Public Library Seattle Room.)
III. Buildings and Streetscapes: [67]
• What many locals remember are the odd, impractical, and playful structures that brought a welcome smile to a passerby. They fondly recall the classic roadside architecture of the Twin Teepees, the commercial yet comforting neon pitches for bread and cookies, and the low-rise office buildings that did not need to loom over everyone to express their importance.
• Today tall hotels and taller condominiums move the cityscape even higher. In the residential neighborhoods old building lots are being joined together to fit mini-mansions or split up for duplexes. In newly designed “urban village” zones, residential-retail “mixed-use” projects replace old supermarkets and gas stations.
• Listed Aurora Buildings are the following:
1. Hat and Boots gas station [78]-The Hat and Boots (originally Premium Tex) gas station opened on Highway 99 in Georgetown in 1954. Deigned by Leis Nasmyth and engineered by Bruce Olsen, it was intended as part of a Western-themed shopping center that was never finished. The hat (whose brim measured 40 feet across) contained the station’s office; the male and female boots (22 feet tall) each contained a restroom. A commercial smash in its early years, the gas station later floundered after Interstate 5 became the chief Seattle-Tacoma motorway. After its 1988 closure, the structures deteriorated, and neighborhood activists pushed for years to have the Hat and Boots restored. In 2002, the State of Washington, which owned the land on which the structures sat, sold them to the Georgetown Community Council for $1. The hat’s concrete brim, which had been used often by skateboarders, was deemed too damaged. The boots, and the hat’s steel frame, were moved four blocks to Oxbow Park in December 2003. Work on their full restoration continues. (Pete Kuhns collection).
IV. Transportation: [79]
• Joshua Green’s “mosquito fleet” steamships transported passengers and freight between Puget Sound’s cities and towns before reliable roads were built. The gradual opening of the Pacific Coast’s Highway (later known in Washington as Highway 99) brought an end to both the Mosquito fleet and to the Interurban Railway.
• Interstate 5 divided downtown Seattle from its original bedroom communities of Capitol and First Hills. It also turned Aurora Avenue, north Seattle’s segment of Highway 99, into less of a through-traffic artery and more of a shopping street.
• Listed Aurora related transportation page is the following:
1. Lincoln Towing “Toe Truck” [84]-used to have a tow statue of which one foot is on display at the MOHAI and the second is at the Aurora yard of RoadOne, which bought Lincoln Towing in 2000. The quote underneath the picture says “seeking a happier image for an industry known for giving bad news, Lincoln Towing commissioned its first custom “toe truck” in 1980. A second, “right foot” truck was added in 1996. The first truck is now on display at the MOHAI and the “right foot” one now stands at the Aurora yard of RoadOne. (Author’s Collection).
Gordon Waite
The Gas Station in America by John Jakle and Keith A. Sculle
The American gas station holds a special place in the minds and hearts of everyone who has grown up, or drives, in America. Not only does it provide the necessary product that fuels our automobiles and keeps the U.S. economy running strong year after year—the gas station holds a strong “cultural meaning,” for Americans, according to authors John A. Jakle and Keith A. Sculle. “Indeed,” they say, “in a nation committed to heightened mobility, both social and geographical, they stand profoundly symbolic.”
The “symbolic” significance of the gas station didn’t come by accident. As the many illustrations and photographs demonstrate, this iconic symbolism has been carefully cultivated by oil companies from the beginning of the automobile age, roughly the beginning of the 20th century, through the evolving process of “place-product-packaging.” As a result of this process, our roadways are dotted nationwide with chains of look-alike gasoline stations that not only provide gasoline, but have come to foster “illusions of a carefree reality that many Americans associate with freedom.”
Drive down any freeway in American and you will see your adopted icon—Exxon, Shell, Texaco, etc.—at astonishingly regular intervals. If you have a reliable automobile, you can drive anywhere in the United States and never run out of gas, neither will you run out of potato chips, drinks, magazines, or anything else that you need to get you to the next town. This is the kind of freedom that would have been unimaginable before the advent of the automobile, and impossible without a wide distribution of cheap and easily accessible fueling stations.
There are, of course, many down sides to the “automobilization” of the American continent. For better or worse, gas stations “were in the vanguard of commercial strip development… whereby commerce invaded previously residential neighborhoods in cities.” This is more than an aesthetic consideration, according to the authors: “Localities came to be dominated by sets of standardized behavior settings, such as gasoline stations, universally adopted.” Localities, rather than being valued for their distinctive traits, are increasingly being expected to share universal traits. This universality extends beyond look-alike gas stations to encompass major fast food and retail chains, and puts local businesses at a disadvantage.
“Undoubtedly,” they say in conclusion, “the automobile will continue to influence our lives, perhaps playing an increasingly central role in who we profess ourselves to be as individuals and as community.” But this is not as assured as it might have seemed in 1994, the year of the book’s publication. Higher gas prices, traffic congestion, and concern for the environment are just some of the factors that have spurred our nation to seek alternative fuels and cleaner modes of transportation. Might there also be an eventual aesthetic backlash against the homogenization of our culture, and a movement back towards the local and unique? Further, our dependence on oil produced in politically unstable regions, and the wars that are being fought in those regions to keep them stable, have behooved us reconsider our patterns of consumption of this resource. For Jakle and Sculle, gas stations “stand profoundly symbolic” in the land of the free, but whether we choose to propel the gas station into the future, or next to the Pony Express and the locomotive in the realm of nostalgia, remains to be seen.
Shawn Goicoechea
Fast food : roadside restaurants in the automobile age by John Jakle and Keith A. Sculle
Jakle, John A. and Keith A. Sculle. Fast Food: Roadside Restaurants in the Automobile Age. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 1999.
The book provides readers a light theoretical background from which to approach the material that follows it. Key points in the discussion are the notion of place as well as the role it plays in the restaurant (particularly the 'fast food' restaurant).
The authors encourage readers to consider 'place' on multiple levels. First, place is simply the geographical space of existence. However, there is also the deeper and more social description of place as those imagined spaces defined by codes of conduct. In this definition the user of physical place joins the negotiation of space as place. Place thus becomes historical.
“Every place contains, and thus invites, ongoing behavior viewed as normal. What has gone on before - what appears appropriate - predisposes continuation of the same although the use of any place is, in fact, a continuing negotiation (what might be called a symbolic interaction) through which behavioral change or modification accrues” (16).
As Jakle and Sculle explain here there is a constant change in every place, if only be the passage of time and the change of the people who occupy it.
In our efforts to understand the physical places we encounter it is important to think about what we bring, and what the creators of a place intend for us to read from it. We draw on our personal histories, well established social codes, and various other aspects of our lives. At the same time this “sense of place is used to sell things” as those who create place attempt to use these aspects of 'us' to entice customers (18). Outside in signs and architecture there is an attempt to use recognized symbols and create images that take advantage of already understood 'meaning'. Inside design often works with these established codes to create place for flow and efficiency, among other things. It is a circular game of intention, understanding, and the use thereof. Fast Food describes this circle briefly saying: “[I]ntentionality is a function of both past experience and immediate and long-term objectives - internalized values brought to the fore and acted upon in the context at hand” (18).
All this said, why fast food? What pushes these authors beyond this theoretical work and into fast food? Jakle and Sculle are quite clear in saying that they believe that, because of their theoretical views, the fast food restaurant in American ought to be more closely examined. “Few of us have thought that some images of place engendered might be widely shared. However, the roadside restaurant is too widespread, and to ingrained in American dietary and recreational habits, not to be an institution of considerable public importance” (19). Thus, the two undertake in a historical analysis of the fast food restaurant in America. What follows is largely a detailed and very historical look at specific examples. It is broken into sections such as: hamburger places, breakfast places, ice cream places, chicken places, and so on. In each section there is a general discussion of the particular form being discussed as well as a closer look into specific, prominent examples (ie. Denny's).
The book is a nice resource if you'd like to understand some history behind a specific restaurant, or a brief discussion of a form. There is quite a bit of quantitative data, and interesting visualizations of that data such as dispersion maps.
Among the interesting sources I noted were:
Jackson, John Brinckerhoff. Discovering the Vernacular Landscape. New Have: Yale University Press, 1984. This selection includes the definition of landscape these authors seem to use: “a concrete three-dimensional shared reality” (cited from Jakle 12).
Sack, Robert David. Place, modernity, and the consumer's world: a relational framework for geographic analysis. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992. Cited as support for one of the concepts discussed above. Sounded interesting.
Quotes I noted:
“Every place has a location. Places exist within a geographical or spatial frame of reference that establishes the 'here-ness' and 'there-ness' of life” (13).
“Every place contains, and thus invites, ongoing behavior viewed as normal. What has gone on before - what appears appropriate - predisposes continuation of the same although the use of any place is, in fact, a continuing negotiation (what might be called a symbolic interaction) through which behavioral change or modification accrues” (16).
“Place images may be thought of in terms of belief, attitude, icon, and intentionality” (17).
(these are not quotes, they are how he defines the words above)
belief - exists?
attitude - good? bad?
icon - physical things that symbolize such (above) realities.
intentionality....
(return to quotes)
“Intentionality is a function of both past experience and immediate and long-term objectives - internalized values brought to the fore and acted upon in the context at hand” (18).
“sense of place is used to sell things” (18).
“Few of us have thought that some images of place engendered might be widely shared. However, the roadside restaurant is too widespread, and to ingrained in American dietary and recreational habits, not to be an institution of considerable public importance” (19).
American Ruins, by: Camilo Jose Vergara
Vergara, Camilo J. American ruins. New York : Monacelli Press, 1999.
This book is great for anyone interested in the idea of decay and ruin in America. The author opens admitting that: 'In contrast to those who see these ruins as failures and eyesores that are best forgotten, I record urban decay with a combined sense of respect, loss, and admiration for its peculiar beauty' (11). Some of the pictures in the book are quite beautiful and do an excellent job of affirming this statement. Many of the photos and examples he discusses are from Chicago and Newark. He breifly discusses his methods, and specific things he does to connect buildings with the people around them (thus, there are people in many of his photos).
Theoretically, Vergara discusses what can be learned from images of abandoned buildings. He says: 'Without pretending that structures in the process of being discarded can retain their former economic and social importance, I continue to argue that their power as symbols remains strong. They are an essential part of understanding America' (14).
