Gray Matters: Mulattoes, Miscegenation, and Me
A historical analysis of racial mixing in America interwoven with personal essays examining the implications of being mixed race in today’s world.

American Folk Heroes in Fact, Fiction, and Function
Davy Crockett, Paul Bunyan, and other American folk heroes have been celebrated for generations, but why? Some of these people aren’t even real! I analyze the history behind these figures and what their narratives may mean for our American identity.

Identity and Imperialism: T.E. Lawrence and the Bigger Picture
In my first major art history research paper, I explore the life of T.E. Lawrence and the way he encompasses a dialogue about imperialism and identity.

Join or Die: The Contradiction of American Patriotism
Why do we sing the national anthem? Why do we pledge our allegiance to the flag from such a young age? Why do we consider the United States a great nation? I explore the foundations of American patriotism from the American Revolution through the post-Civil War era and question the ethics and reality of the rise of nationalist sentiment.

The Paranoid Party: Freemasonry and Paranoid Politics in the United States
Who controls history and American government? Who founded the Illuminati? I don’t answer either of those questions, but I do investigate one of America’s most notorious conspiracies—the freemasons. What was all the hoopla really about?

Little Boxes: Levittown and the Rise of American Suburbia
Have you ever wondered who decided that certain neighborhoods should include only houses that look the same? One man surely did and built an empire based on that exact idea. Here, I uncover the history of American suburbs and question the intentions of their founders.