Interview: Can Patriotism be Carved in Stone: A Critical Analysis of Mt. Rushmore’s Orientation Films
Document Type
Interview
Department
Communication
Conference Title
National Public Radio, Backstory
Date of Presentation
5-25-2012
Abstract
This is a country awash in monuments. They adorn traffic circles, street corners and, of course, the National Mall. We’ve memorialized everything from famous soldiers and statesmen, to big ideas or major events – and a lot in between. Yet our ambivalence towards these monuments is as old as our enthusiasm for them. Case in point: The Washington Monument. Ever wonder why there isn’t actually a image of Washington on it?
In this Memorial Day episode of BackStory, we explore the idea of national remembrance. Looking at some of our country’s most iconic monuments, the Guys ask what—and whom—Americans choose to remember, and discover how memorials often tell us more about their creators than what or whom they memorialize.
Host Brian Balogh talks with Teresa Bergman about the evolving film presentations the National Park Service has used to welcome tourists at Mount Rushmore.
Recommended Citation
Bergman, T.
(2012).
Interview: Can Patriotism be Carved in Stone: A Critical Analysis of Mt. Rushmore’s Orientation Films.
Paper presented at National Public Radio, Backstory.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/cop-facpres/1425
