Children
Little Mischief
This 25-second "kinetoscope" shot on Vitagraph's roof-top studio in New York City by Thomas A. Edison Inc. in 1898/1899, sheds light on shifting notions of girlhood at the turn of the 20th century.
The House with Closed Shutters
In the years before D. W. Griffith made The Birth of a Nation (1915), the epic film that debuted on the 50th anniversary of the Civil War, he produced 11 Civil War films in which he mastered the art of filmmaking and storytelling. These have surprising relevance to the history of girls.
New Zealand, Maoris at Their Talking House
The photograph shows Maori men, women, and children arranged for a group portrait on the porch of a whare or wharenui (meeting house) in New Zealand. This ceremonial structure, also called a talking house, and the marae (grassy area in front of it) are central to Maori social order and culture.
Childhood Obesity in the United States
The map, issued by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), shows the percentages of substantially overweight, or obese, low-income children by county and in territories and tribal organizations where Native Americans live. The problem extends to both urban and rural populations.
Little Nemo in Slumberland
A young boy slumbers in his bed, ensconced in a non-descript, middle class bedroom. He is jarred awake to find his bed floating out his window and into space. So begins an episode of Winsor McCay's epic series, Little Nemo in Slumberland, which ran in American newspapers from 1905 until 1914.
Arab Countries Youth Population Projection
The 2009 United Nations Arab Human Development Report describes a "youth bulge" as a high proportion of 15-29 year olds relative to the adult population.
Sumerian School Days
This tablet, from ancient Sumeria (as early as 2000 B.C.E.), details a day in the life of a school boy.
Jingle Bells, Batman Smells
This parodic folksong is representative of the "culture"—texts, toys, uses of technology, social practices, and shared meanings—young people create when they selectively incorporate commercial products into their peer activities.
Advertisement for Sale of Newly Arrived Africans
This image is of an advertisement for a nearly equal number of adults and children from Sierra Leone at a Charleston Auction.
