All Culture
First LookHow a generous Jewish CEO helped fund Black students during Jim CrowJulius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck and Co., spent millions on schools for Black children across 15 states in the 1920s. A national effort to celebrate and restore these “Rosenwald schools” is now underway.
Our knickknack was a running joke. Then we learned it was precious art.When the true value of a piece of family art is discovered, our writer learns that the memories of shared experiences with family are priceless.
In a WordHow language describes, but also changes, the worldThe officiant at a wedding says, “I hereby declare you married,” and that utterance plays a crucial role in making it so.
‘It’s not Queen Lear.’ How one woman approaches Shakespeare’s iconic role.In “King Lear,” veteran actor Ellen McLaughlin has found both a “marvelous” role and a vehicle to help audiences consider how people care for one another.
How I solved the mystery of the rickety homeHistory can vanish. We didn’t know what we were missing until Mrs. Kraxberger appeared.
In a WordA ‘nerd’ can be a ‘geek’ and also a ‘wonk’The word "nerd" originated comparatively recently, in 1950, in Dr. Seuss’ “If I Ran the Zoo.” But the concept of nerdity has a long history.
In Pictures: Inside the fantastical world of an anime conventionAnime lovers at a convention in San Antonio have realized that as much as they enjoy the genre, it’s the community they create that keeps them coming back.
First LookMexican heirloom corn poised for a renaissance in American cuisineSmall farmers in Mexico struggling to preserve colorful native corn varieties are finding new hope in the market. For the first time in many years, those growing native corn in its rainbow of colors are optimistic about the future.
From fig leaves to ‘French Connection,’ the impulse to sanitize cultureWhenever efforts to sanitize the works of the past arise, like now, scholars say those arguments are really about the future – and who gets to decide what’s possible.
How my toddler reawakened my sense of wonderWhen our essayist paused to see the world through her child’s eyes, she found magic in the mundane.
First Look‘Barbie’ box office bash: Gerwig’s opening weekend shatters records“Barbie” broke the opening weekend record for 2023 and shattered the first-weekend record for a film directed by a woman. Box office sales surpassed director Greta Gerwig’s domestic grosses for her previous two films, “Little Women” and “Lady Bird.”
In a WordThe nuances of ‘coup,’ ‘mutiny,’ and ‘insurrection’"Insurrection" and "rebellion" imply wider participation – ordinary people, rather than members of the elite or a military unit, are the drivers.
First LookTony Bennett, 'best singer in the business,' defied pop music trendsTony Bennett, who died Friday, was the last of the great mid-20th-century crooners. He released more than 70 albums, bringing him 19 Grammys – all but two after he reached his 60s – and enjoyed deep and lasting affection from fans and fellow artists.
‘Oppenheimer’: An ambitious – and epic – cautionary tale“Oppenheimer” ignites questions and controversies about the morality of warfare and the limits of power.
Pretty in pink: In tonally uneven ‘Barbie,’ Robbie shines“Barbie” is both a flippy romp and a feminist outcry in shades of pastel pink.
AI, residuals, and lack of trust. Can Hollywood find a happy ending?What led to the first double strike of actors and writers in more than 60 years? Both sides point to a business model under severe strain even before the pandemic and a breakdown in trust.
To speak or not to speak? A case for holding my tongue.Things our essayist regrets saying: “Anything I said to a girl in high school, for example, or whatever I was trying to say in German.”
First LookHollywood actors vote to join writers in strike after talks stallAfter discussions stalled between union leadership and the industry's major employers, the actors guild voted on Thursday to go on strike. The actors join Hollywood's writers, who have been on strike for two months, in the first joint strike in six decades.
How Britain’s Chineke! is changing classical musicIn the United Kingdom, performer Chi-chi Nwanoku saw a way to create diversity – and broaden perspectives on orchestra music and members.
Tom Cruise vs. AI: Can the last movie star defeat computer villain?With his latest blockbuster film, can Tom Cruise once again surmount the impossible and rescue moviegoing from its doomsday reckoning?
