American Studies

Examines the situation of women coal miners in the U.S., their struggle to be hired, their day-to-day lives in the mines, the economic necessity that first made them seek work as miners, and the opposition they face from their families, the community and their male coworkers.

This cinema-verite documentary examines one of America's most exclusive and enduring social traditions--the debutante ball. The film focuses on the National Debutante Cotillion at the Washington Hilton, following the preparations of Jill Schweitzer, one of the new generation of debs who see beyond the traditional ritual to the valuable career and business connections that can be made.

Examines beauty pageants and the images of women they promote, allowing both pageant supporters and protestors to express their viewpoints. The film focuses on the Miss California Beauty Pageant and the emotionally charged debate that has occurred in recent years.

Offers a lively mixture of contemporary interviews and archival film footage in a thoughtful examination of the social phenomenon of the `flapper,' the provocative `New Woman' of America's Roaring '20s.

A biographical profile of Laura Clay (1849-1941), a key figure in the Women's Rights Movement who devoted her life to the struggle for equal educational opportunities, child custody rights, equal pay for equal work, and the right to vote.

The storytelling tradition of the southern Appalachians comes to life through actress/writer Clarinda Ross's portrayal of four generations of her maternal ancestors.

Portrays religious terrorism in Pensacola, Florida, which has become the epicenter of the national debate over abortion, including a 1984 clinic bombing, the 1993 murder of a clinic physician, and the 1994 murder of another clinic physician and his escort.

Five teen-aged Latinas living in San Francisco's Mission District-most of them recent immigrants from Mexico or other Central American countries-talk frankly about their lives, from discrimination and school , to friends and family relationships, experiences with gang activity and violence, and plans for the future. Their comments are blended with footage of neighborhood life and other activities to provide meaningful insights into the everyday lives of young Hispanic women in the U.S. today.

This video tells the true story of Sarah Emma Edmonds, a 20-year-old woman who, disguised as a man, enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War. She initially worked as a male nurse, later disguised herself as a black soldier and a woman refugee and engaged in espionage work behind enemy lines, and fought as a soldier in battles at Antietam and Fredericksburg, among others.

Since its earliest days, Las Vegas has depended on women. It's a city where the female body is more an object of commerce than anywhere else in America. This video goes behind the Showgirls mythos to tell the true story of real women who live and work in Las Vegas, the mothers, maids, wives, casino executives and showgirls, who struggle against the sex-object stereotype.

Examines the operations of the Bronx Housing Court which annually mediates some 125,000 disputes between tenants and landlords, including evictions, rent strikes and housing code violations. The film also explores the social and economic causes for the growing problem of urban housing decay.

Tells the stories of poor people in Philadelphia who illegally take over or `squat' in abandoned houses in order to get places to live and to change housing policy locally and nationally. The film focuses on a 22-year-old single mother of three small children who becomes a leader in the national squatters movement, and includes numerous interviews with activists, real estate developers and government officials.

Examines gentrification, a process by which an underdeveloped neighborhood is `upgraded' by real estate speculation, with higher income individuals moving into and improving existing properties, but also displacing many of the neighborhood's longtime residents.

Depicts the efforts of Latino residents of New York's Lower East Side who have taken over their own buildings abandoned by landlords. Organizing themselves into Tenants' Associations, they undertake the repair and renovation of their decaying tenements and provide their own services.

Examines the plight of `squatters' in Brooklyn, NY as they try to claim buildings abandoned by the city and to transform them into habitable dwellings.

This video on the subculture of graffiti features interviews with numerous graffiti 'artists,' follows them on "bombing" expeditions, attends a national graffiti art conference, and records encounters between graffiti writers and adults angry about defacement of private and public property.

Filmmaker Nora Jacobson spent eight years documenting Hoboken's battles over gentrification, from boom in the '80s to bust in the '90s. This epic, dramatially engrossing documentary features a real-life cast of long-time residents, newly arrived Yuppies, tenants' organizers, real estate developers, street people, immigrants from around the world, and local politicians.

During the Sixties and early Seventies, banks, insurance companies, the City of New York, and many landlords drew a red-line around the Bronx and abandoned its neighborhoods. More than 12,000 fires burned each year, 300,000 people fled, and in the South Bronx 40% of the homes were destroyed.

Chronicles the history of arms control and disarmament negotiations since WWII, discusses ways in which international conflicts can be most effectively resolved, and suggests how ordinary people can influence progress towards disarmament.

Examines the Santa Fe Fiesta, America's oldest continuous community celebration, which commemorates the Spaniards' "bloodless reconquest" of the Pueblo Indians in New Mexico in 1692.