Cumberland County Historical Society Speaker Series
Cumberland County Historical Society 981 Ye Greate Street, GreenwichJanuary 28th at 2pm “Tribal Rights are Important Rights”: The Origins, Travails, and Impact of the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribe V. The State of New Jersey Brianna Dagostino, MA Dagostino’s published thesis details the history of her tribe and how modern-day racism over Indian casino gaming has affected not just her tribe but indigenous nations all throughout Turtle Island. Feb 25th at 2pm " Man's Best Freenemy" by Tia Antonelli “Man’s Best Frenemy” will unpack how Cumberland County reacted to rabies and the wild dogs that were accused of spreading the disease. Rabies has been a threat to humans since the dawn of our existence — so why was there such an uptick in fear in the late 19th century? March 24th at 2pm Crap: A History of Cheap Stuff in American Dr. Wendy A. Woloson Woloson tells the history of crap from the late eighteenth century up through today, exploring its many categories: gadgets, knickknacks, novelty goods, mass-produced collectibles, giftware, variety store merchandise. As Woloson shows, not all crap is crappy in the same way—bric-a-brac is crappy in a different way from, say, advertising giveaways, which are differently crappy from commemorative plates. Taking on the full brilliant and depressing array of crappy material goods, the book explores the overlooked corners of the American market and mindset, revealing the complexity of our relationship with commodity culture over time.