PBS
How American Culture Changed the Zombie
After the Haitian Revolution, Vodou evolved in the United States, blending West African, indigenous, and European traditions, which French slave owners brought over. By the 20th century, Vodou and zombies became intertwined with American...
PBS
Origins of the Zombie: Vodou, Enslavement, and the Loss of Free Will
The origins of the zombie are deeply rooted in the spiritual practice of Vodou, distinct from the popularized Voodoo. Vodou's zombie concept emerged as a representation of a body without free will, manipulated by spiritual forces, often...
PBS
Are Werewolves Transitioning From Monster to Metaphor?
As we continue to evolve in our understanding of nature and humanity, modern werewolf stories are exploring more sensitive and introspective themes, shifting away from the violent, tortured archetype of the past. The future of werewolf...
PBS
Renaissance of the Werewolf in 1990s and Early 2000s Pop Culture
The 1990s saw a resurgence in werewolf popularity, particularly in video games, movies, and television. Games like Altered Beast and films such as Ginger Snaps revived and modernized werewolf lore, connecting transformations to themes...
PBS
Werewolves of War: From Nazi Propaganda to Post-War Pop Culture
After World War I, some German soldiers who refused to disband formed a group called "Werewolf," which later became an elite recruiting source for the Nazi regime during World War II. Werewolves were integrated into Nazi propaganda,...
PBS
The Evolution of Werewolves in Film
The dawn of the film industry influenced the depiction of werewolves in popular culture. Beginning with early 20th-century movies that incorporated werewolf lore often included a demonization of non-white populations. Later, the werewolf...
PBS
How Industrialization and Urbanization Changed Werewolf Legends
In the 19th century, the werewolf shifted from a feared monster to a symbol of literary fantasy, fueled by industrialization, urbanization, and the rise of science. Stories about werewolves became popular in Gothic literature, penny...
PBS
The Enduring Myth and Medical Mysteries of Werewolves
Throughout history, the concept of werewolves has been closely intertwined with both supernatural and medical explanations. Initially, lycanthropy referred to both literal shape-shifting into wolves through magic and a form of mental...
PBS
Evolution of Werewolf Legends During the Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages, werewolf legends evolved, becoming more widespread and demonized by the church. Changes in farming, particularly the rise of sheep farming, positioned wolves as a threat to livelihood, which reinforced their...
PBS
Cultural Variations and Christian Influence on Werewolf Legends
Influenced by Germanic and Nordic traditions, werewolf legends spread throughout Europe. This resulted in a variety of werewolf stories across different cultures. From transformations caused by drinking from a wolf's footprint to legends...
PBS
Myth, Symbolism, and Cultural Origins of the Werewolf
Wolves have played a unique role throughout human history, being both feared predators and admired creatures. This video explores the origins and evolution of the werewolf myth across various cultures, emphasizing three main types of...
Curated Video
The Real History of the Partition of India & Pakistan in Ms. Marvel
But a lot of the magic behind the bangles has been lost to time, war, and trauma. And Kamala has yet to learn how to control these forces. Based on real historical events, Kamala's family was forcibly displaced and lost loved ones during...
Curated Video
Why Kate Bush’s Viral Success from Stranger Things is Radical
So what does “Running Up that Hill” tell us about the history of music royalties? How has Kate Bush been challenging the music industry since the 70s?
Curated Video
The Surprising Origins of Vampires
Our fascination with vampires has spanned centuries, but it didn’t all start with Dracula. In fact, the first vampires (dating back to the 1800s!) were actually women. This genre of literature gave writers an outlet to explore female...
Curated Video
The Untold Origins of the Black & Blind Musician
There’s a long history of blind Black musicians in the US dating back to the 19th century, from Blind Tom to Ray Charles. Join recording artist Lachi and Professor Danielle Bainbridge to discuss the history on why blindness seems like a...
Curated Video
What We Can Learn From These Native American Comedies
Native American representation in film and TV used to be confined to Westerns and storylines of defeat. Today, a new wave of Native American comedies, written and created by Native peoples, are taking back their narratives. Shows like...
Curated Video
What Is Pansexuality And Why Is It So Popular In Modern TV
Lesbian. Gay. Bisexual. All fabulous identities along with many more that are housed under the LGBTQIA+ community. And yet, in recent film and TV, there’s one identity that has been particularly visible: pansexuality. Professor...
Curated Video
What Is The Asian Himbo And Why Is This Character So Popular
Black Kung Fu films reigned in the 1970s – a fusion of Blaxploitation and Kung Fu where protagonists took justice into their own hands…in style! These films were wildly popular, a welcome response to the anger many people felt against...
PBS
The Origins of ‘Big Bug’ Science Fiction
Insects make up 80 percent of the world’s species, so it's not all that surprising we’ve occasionally made them into monsters in science fiction and horror. What is staggering is why the “big bug” subgenre took off in the 1950s. Find out...
PBS
Death Worms: Fact or Fiction?
Rumored to roam some of the world’s most desolate places the poisonous, killer death worm can trace its history in folklore back thousands of years. Made more famous and frightening with science fiction series like Dune and Tremors,...
PBS
Don’t Let Them In! The Urban Legends of Black-Eyed Children
An urban legend that exploits our fears of an obstructed gaze and the deeply unsettling idea that the youngest of our species are out to destroy us, the lore of Black-Eyed Children, or Black-Eyed Kids, is a modern construction. But the...
PBS
Leprechaun: From Gold-Loving Cobbler to Cultural Icon
Leprechauns are associated with St. Patrick’s Day and Irish culture, but do you know why? The jovial, red-haired little man dressed in green standing next to a pot of gold is a modern invention—the diminutive faerie folk was once more...
PBS
The Crazed Hunt for the Himalayan Yeti
Dr. Zarka examines the yeti’s origins, from Tibetan folklore and religion to the Westernized abominable snowman version. She explains how Buddhist beliefs, a series of intrepid 20th-century explorers, and a creatively translated word...
PBS
Fire Cat or Fire Cart? The History of Japan’s Kasha
Swooping down from the heavens on a fire ball, the Kasha drags the bodies of the dead to the underworld for a life of damnation. Most frequently depicted as a demonic, flaming cat, the kanji for ‘Kasha’ actually translates to “Fire...