Thursday, February 13, 2014
Doors at 6:30PM Event from 7:30 to 10:30
The Tangent Gallery
Liza Roe and Doug Brooks
Every election season, presidential candidates select songs they hope will inspire, motivate, and energize voters. Some candidates use songs that are already popular, whereas others have musicians craft songs exalting the candidate’s positive qualities while vilifying their opponent. Over time, the art of the campaign song has evolved in response to changes in technology, the expansion of voting rights, and the entrenchment of the two-party political system. From the ludicrous lyrics of “Get on a Raft with Taft,” to the vitriolic verses of “Rockabye Baby, Daddy’s a Whig,” the history of presidential campaign songs is rife with political intrigue, legal landmines, and mudslinging merriment!
Liza Roe received her history degree from the University of Michigan where she studied Presidential Campaign Songs as part of her senior research thesis. A lifetime political wonk, she also enjoys collecting presidential campaign buttons and other memorabilia.
Doug Brooks is a local musician and performs around the Detroit area as a part of buzzbangpow and The Bardsong Renaissance Band.
Facebook - Buzzbangpow
Soundcloud - Bardsongband
Mary E. Byrnes, Ph.D., MUP
The focus will be on these three myths:
1. Detroit was doing fine until one day in 1967. There was a big riot and everything fell apart.
2. Through actions, words, and policies, Detroit’s first African American mayor, Coleman Alexander Young, who took office in 1974, created the racial divisions in this region.
3. Unemployment, poverty, crime, and vacant buildings all stem from character flaws in people, and, obviously, from the residents of Detroit. This presentation not only interrogates and “busts” these three myths but also examines the implications to policy making.
Facebook – Institute for Detroit Studies
Marygrove College – Detroit Studies
Amy Leikert and Chris Tom
Amy and Chris are involved in a polyamorous relationship. Chris is a graduate student at the University of Michigan and advocates for sexual equality and expression with the Rackham Student Government. They are involved in the Bureau of Erotic Discourse (Michigan Chapter), which promotes safer sex practices and consent in a sex-positive atmosphere.