Americana (culture)

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Apple pie, baseball, and the United States flag, three well-known icons associated with Americana Motherhood and apple pie.jpg
Apple pie, baseball, and the United States flag, three well-known icons associated with Americana
Liberty Enlightening the World, a print version of the portrait of the Statue of Liberty by Currier and Ives Currier and Ives Liberty2.jpg
Liberty Enlightening the World, a print version of the portrait of the Statue of Liberty by Currier and Ives

Americana artifacts are related to the history, geography, folklore, and cultural heritage of the United States of America. Americana is any collection of materials and things concerning or characteristic of the United States or of the American people, and is representative or even stereotypical of American culture as a whole. [1] [2]

Contents

What is and is not considered Americana is heavily influenced by national identity, historical context, patriotism and nostalgia. The ethos or guiding beliefs or ideals which have come to characterize America, such as the American Dream, are central to the idea. Americana encompasses not only material objects but also people, places, concepts and historical eras which are popularly identified with American culture.

The name Americana also refers to Americana music, a genre of contemporary music that incorporates elements of various American music styles, including country, roots rock, folk, bluegrass, and blues, resulting in a distinctive roots-oriented sound. [3] [4]

As nostalgia

From the mid to late 20th century, Americana was largely conceptualized as a nostalgia for an idealized life in small towns and cities in the United States around the turn of the century, roughly in the period between 1880 and the First World War. [5] It was believed that much of the structure of 20th-century American life and culture had been cemented in that time and place. American author Henry Seidel Canby wrote:

It is the small town, the small city, that is our heritage. We have made twentieth-century America from it, and some account of these communities as they were ... we owe our children and grandchildren. [6]

Many kinds of cultural artifacts fall within the definition of Americana: the things involved need not be old, but are usually associated with some quintessential element of the American experience. Each period of United States history is reflected by the advertising and marketing of the time, and the various types of antiques, collectibles, memorabilia and vintage items from these time periods are typical of what is popularly considered Americana. The Atlantic described the term as "slang for the comforting, middle-class ephemera at your average antique store—things like needle-pointed pillows, Civil War daguerreotypes, and engraved silverware sets". [7]

The nostalgia for this period was based on a remembrance of confidence in American life that had emerged during the period due to such factors as a sense that the frontier had finally been "conquered", with the U.S. Census Bureau's declaration that it was "closed" in 1890, as well as the recent victory in the Spanish–American War. [5] By 1912, the contiguous United States was at last fully politically incorporated, and the idea of the nation as a single, solid unity could begin to take hold.

As Canby put it,

Americans at this time "really believed all they heard on the Fourth of July or read in school readers. They set on one plane of time, and that the present, the Declaration of Independence, the manifest destiny of America, the new plumbing, the growth of the factory system, the morning paper, and the church sociable. It was all there at once, better than elsewhere, their own, and permanent. ... They had just the country they wanted...and they believed it would be the same, except for more bathtubs and faster trains, forever ... for the last time in living memory everyone knew exactly what it meant to be an American." [6]

On growing up Italian-American, novelist Don DeLillo stated:

It’s no accident that my first novel was called Americana. This was a private declaration of independence, a statement of my intention to use the whole picture, the whole culture. America was and is the immigrant's dream, and as the son of two immigrants I was attracted by the sense of possibility that had drawn my grandparents and parents.

Conversations With Don DeLillo [8]

The zeitgeist of this idealized period is captured in Disneyland and Magic Kingdom's Main Street, U.S.A. section (which was inspired by both Walt Disney's hometown of Marceline, Missouri and Harper Goff's childhood home of Fort Collins, Colorado), [9] as well as the musical and movie The Music Man and Thornton Wilder's stage play Our Town . [5] Especially revered in nostalgic Americana are small-town institutions like the barber shop, [10] drug store, soda fountain and ice cream parlor; [11] some of these were eventually resurrected by mid-twentieth century nostalgia for the time period in businesses like the Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour chain, with its 1890s theme. [12]

Examples

Americana in architecture: the Oroville State Theatre in the historic downtown of Oroville, a former gold mining town in Northern California Oroville State Theatre during blue hour (2024)-L1005456.jpg
Americana in architecture: the Oroville State Theatre in the historic downtown of Oroville, a former gold mining town in Northern California
Flag girls at a Rodeo National Bullriding Championship Finals 2024-104A3770.jpg
Flag girls at a Rodeo
Cowboys are a quintessential figure of the Wild West and American frontier The Cow Boy 1888.jpg
Cowboys are a quintessential figure of the Wild West and American frontier

Cultural symbols

Food

Music

Religion

Clothing and fashion

Brand names

Similar concepts

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coca-Cola</span> Cola soft drink

Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings each day. Coca-Cola ranked No. 94 in the 2024 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by revenue. Based on Interbrand's "best global brand" study of 2023, Coca-Cola was the world's sixth most valuable brand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cola</span> Carbonated soft drink

Cola is a carbonated soft drink flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, citrus oils, and other flavorings. Cola became popular worldwide after the American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, a trademarked brand, in 1886, which was imitated by other manufacturers. Most colas originally contained caffeine from the kola nut, leading to the drink's name, though other sources of caffeine are generally used in modern formulations. The Pemberton cola drink also contained a coca plant extract. His non-alcoholic recipe was inspired by the coca wine of pharmacist Angelo Mariani, created in 1863.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nostalgia</span> Feeling sentimentality for the past

Nostalgia is a sentimentality for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations. The word nostalgia is a learned formation of a Greek compound, consisting of νόστος (nóstos), meaning "homecoming", a Homeric word, and ἄλγος (álgos), meaning "pain", and was coined by a 17th-century medical student to describe the anxieties displayed by Swiss mercenaries fighting away from home. Described as a medical condition—a form of melancholy—in the early modern period, it became an important trope in Romanticism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coca-Cola Vanilla</span> Vanilla-flavored cola

Coca-Cola Vanilla is a vanilla-flavored version of Coca-Cola, introduced in 2002 but subsequently discontinued in North America and the United Kingdom in 2005, though it remained available at certain fountain outlets. It was relaunched in the US in 2007, in Denmark in 2012, the UK in 2013 and Canada in 2016. Vanilla Coke has been available in Australia since its initial introduction in 2002, being produced by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. Originally announced as a limited edition in the UK, it became permanent for several years; however, Vanilla Coke was again discontinued in the UK in Summer 2018, though Diet Vanilla Coke and Coke Vanilla Zero remain available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cocacolonization</span> American culture globalization through American products

Cocacolonization refers to the globalization of American culture pushed through popular American products such as the soft-drink brand Coca-Cola. The term is a portmanteau of the name of the multinational soft-drink maker and "colonization".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barq's</span> Root beer manufactured by The Coca-Cola Company

Barq's is an American brand of root beer created by Edward Barq and bottled since the beginning of the 20th century. It is owned by the Coca-Cola Company. It was known as "Barq's Famous Olde Tyme Root Beer" until 2012. Some of its formulations contain caffeine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phi Iota Alpha</span> American Latino interest collegiate fraternity

Phi Iota Alpha (ΦΙΑ), established on December 26, 1931, is the oldest Latino Fraternity in existence, and works to motivate people, develop leaders, and create innovative ways to unite the Latino community. The organization has roots that stem back to the late 19th century to the first Latin American fraternity, and the first Latin American student organization in the United States. The brotherhood is composed of undergraduate, graduate, and professional men committed towards the empowerment of the Latin American community by providing intensive social and cultural programs and activities geared towards the appreciation, promotion and preservation of Latin American culture.

A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or highest quality, class, or rank – something that exemplifies its class. The word can be an adjective or a noun. It denotes a particular quality in art, architecture, literature, design, technology, or other cultural artifacts. In commerce, products are named 'classic' to denote a long-standing popular version or model, to distinguish it from a newer variety. Classic is used to describe many major, long-standing sporting events. Colloquially, an everyday occurrence may be described in some dialects of English as 'an absolute classic'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tab (drink)</span> Diet cola brand

Tab was a diet cola soft drink produced and distributed by The Coca-Cola Company, introduced in 1963 and discontinued in 2020. The company's first diet drink, Tab was popular among some people throughout the 1960s and 1970s as an alternative to Coca-Cola. Several variations were made, including a number of fruit-flavored, root beer, and ginger ale versions. Caffeine-free and clear variations were released in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadiana</span> Class of books of and about Canadian topics

Canadiana is a term used to describe things, ideas, or activities that concern or are distinctive of Canada, its peoples, and/or its culture, especially works of literature and other cultural products. It can also refer to the collection of such materials, such as in cultural fields like music or art.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World of Coca-Cola</span> American museum of the Coca-Cola Company

The World of Coca-Cola is a museum located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, showcasing the history of The Coca-Cola Company. The 20-acre (81,000 m2) complex opened to the public on May 24, 2007, relocating from and replacing the original exhibit, which was founded in 1990 in Underground Atlanta. There are various similar World of Coca-Cola stores in locations such as Las Vegas and Disney Springs.

Americana may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australiana</span> Cultural, natural or geographical objects evoking Australia

Australiana is anything pertaining to Australian culture, society, geography and ecology, especially if it is endemic to Australia or has reached iconic status. It includes people, places, flora, fauna and events of Australian origins. Australiana objects can be highly collectable and comprise anything made in Australia or especially made for Australian use. Australiana often borrows from Australian Aboriginal culture, or the stereotypical Australian culture of the early 1900s.

"Salimos de Aquí" is a song written and composed by Puerto Rican rock band Fiel A La Vega. It was their first single from their first album, in 1996, and is considered one of their biggest hits to date. It was written by band singer Tito Auger. The title means "We Came From Here".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Americanization</span> Global influence of US culture

Americanization or Americanisation is the influence of the American culture and economy on other countries outside the United States, including their media, cuisine, business practices, popular culture, technology and political techniques. Some observers have described Americanization as synonymous with progress and innovation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pepsi-Cola Made with Real Sugar</span> Soft drink brand

Pepsi-Cola Soda Shop Made with Real Sugar, originally named Pepsi Throwback and Pepsi Made with Real Sugar and still branded that way in some international markets, is a soft drink sold by PepsiCo. The drink is flavored with cane sugar and beet sugar instead of the sugar substitute high-fructose corn syrup that has been used in the standard version of Pepsi within North America since the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexican Coke</span> Coca-Cola bottled in Mexico

In the United States, Mexican Coca-Cola, or Mexican Coke or, informally, "Mexicoke", refers to Coca-Cola produced in and imported from Mexico. The Mexican formula that is exported into the U.S. is sweetened with white sugar instead of the high-fructose corn syrup used in the American formula since the early 1980s. Some tasters have said that Mexican Coca-Cola tastes better, while other blind tasting tests reported no perceptible differences in flavor.

Fort Center is an archaeological site in Glades County, Florida, United States, a few miles northwest of Lake Okeechobee. It was occupied for more than 2,000 years, from 450 BCE until about 1700 CE. The inhabitants of Fort Center may have been cultivating maize centuries before it appeared anywhere else in Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Americanism (ideology)</span> Nationalist ideology in the United States

Americanism, also referred to as American patriotism, is a set of nationalist values which aim to create a collective American identity for the United States that can be defined as "an articulation of the nation's rightful place in the world, a set of traditions, a political language, and a cultural style imbued with political meaning". According to the American Legion, a U.S. veterans' organization, Americanism is an ideology, or a belief in devotion, loyalty, or allegiance to the United States of America, or respect for its flag, its traditions, its customs, its culture, its symbols, its institutions, or its form of government. In the words of Theodore Roosevelt, "Americanism is a question of spirit, conviction, and purpose, not of creed or birthplace."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhodesiana</span>

Rhodesiana is any artifact, or collection of artifacts, which is related to the history, geography, folklore, and cultural heritage of Rhodesia, the name used before 1980 to refer to modern Zimbabwe. Many objects, both physical and immaterial, can be defined as "Rhodesiana"; a painting of a Rhodesian landscape, for example, could be considered as such, as well as a song by a Rhodesian artist or a tale or personality from the country's history. The things involved need not be old, but need to possess relevant associations with Rhodesia; for Rhodesian people and their descendants, a piece of Rhodesiana will commonly arouse feelings of patriotism and nostalgia.

References

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  2. "Americana". Dictionary.com Unabridged (Online). n.d.
  3. Shriver, Jerry (August 31, 2009). "Grammys will be putting Americana on the map". USA Today .
  4. "2011 Grammy Category Descriptions" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 3, 2015. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 Sears, Stephen (1975). Hometown U.S.A. New York: American Heritage. pp.  6–9. ISBN   0-671-22079-9.
  6. 1 2 Canby, Henry Seidel (1934). The Age of Confidence: Life in the Nineties . New York: Farrar & Rinehart. ASIN   B000857UVO.
  7. Giovanni Russonello (August 2013). "Why Is a Music Genre Called 'Americana' So Overwhelmingly White and Male?". The Atlantic.
  8. DeLillo, Don (January 13, 2005). Conversations with Don DeLillo. University Press of Mississippi. p. 88. ISBN   1578067049.
  9. "Local History Archive Larimer Legends – Old Town & Disneyland – City of Fort Collins, Colorado". Library.ci.fort-collins.co.us. Archived from the original on January 25, 2009. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
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  12. "Farrell's looks to restart growth Owner outlines expansion plans for iconic ice cream chain". Nation's Restaurant News. August 31, 2010. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
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Further reading