KT Lowe

KT Lowe

Tales from the Comics Database: A Brief Look at EC Comics

Tales from the Comics Database: A Brief Look at EC Comics

, , Library Resources
“It’s a bird!  It’s a plane!  No!  It’s Superman!”  While Superman is among the very first successful comic book characters, period, and the earliest comic book superhero, many important comics came in his wake.  A market whose art and ideas were dominated by immigrants and their children, women and religious minorities, comic books were conceived by and for an audience left out of what might be termed “high culture.”  The success of Superman, and other comic titles like New Fun, All-American Comics and others, led to a thriving comic market, where up to 15 million comic books were purchased by Americans every single week by 1941. Indiana University East boasts a large digital database of comic books, the Underground and … Continued
How accurate is Hamilton?

How accurate is Hamilton?

, , , Other, Research
Hamilton, the ten dollar Founding Father musical released in May 2015, is among the most successful musicals in history.  With the all-time best selling cast recording and a total gross of $463 million by January 2019, not to mention 11 Tony awards and a thoroughly lovable collection of alternative “Hamildrops,” the musical continues to remain in the popular imagination.  But one question that needs to be asked is – Just how true to its history is Hamilton? Alexander Hamilton, by John Trumbull (1806) Nobody listens to a musical for a history lesson.  While a new play by novelist Ishmael Reed asks rather pointed questions about the musical’s accuracy, it can be stated that Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of Hamilton, went … Continued
Spotlight on History: Frederick Douglass

Spotlight on History: Frederick Douglass

, , Website
Born with the name Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey in 1818, the man the world knows today as Frederick Douglass left an indelible mark on American history.  From his bestselling first book, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, first published in 1845, to his groundbreaking work on both African-American equality and women’s rights to his career as minister to Haiti, Douglass is a figure whose time is immortal and whose words continue to carry deep and important meaning today. Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland.  He barely knew his mother, who was separated from him in early childhood and died when he was nine.  The identity of his father, who was white, remained a complete mystery … Continued
Fake News: The Games

Fake News: The Games

, , Other
Still confused about fake news?  Well, maybe all you need to do is play.  Both adults and children use play as a learning tool, and over the past few years a handful of good quality online games have been developed around the theme of fake news.  Each one takes a slightly different focus, which gives them a different level of skill and playability.  But most importantly, they’re all FREE, so you can play all of them! First comes a game developed by FactCheck.org, one of the most reputable sources for seeking out accurate information.  Newsfeed Defenders places you as an admin for a social media news feed.  Your job, as you work your way to the highest administrative level, is … Continued
One Book 2018 – This Far by Faith

One Book 2018 – This Far by Faith

, outreach, Programs
This year’s One Book Day is Wednesday, October 24th.  The featured book, This Far by Faith, discusses a wide range of social and health-related issues in Detroit, such as poverty, joblessness, mental illness and homelessness.  The Reverend Faith Fowler, pastor of the Cass Community United Methodist Church, wrote This Far by Faith to humanize the people who use the services offered by the Cass Community Church and its associated services.  To celebrate This Far by Faith, IU East has scheduled an entire day of events coinciding with the book’s themes. A summary of events, and resource information is in the One Book 2018 libguide. 11:00 – Community Room Film: The Last Days of Chinatown Artist, filmmaker and Cass Corridor resident … Continued