IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom at the Vineyard Church
In the 1950s, Dick Clark changed rock ‘n’ roll from lower-class and black rebellion to sanitized and whitened mass culture with his televised dance party American Bandstand. In so doing, Clark built a financial empire that gave him power and vast wealth. This class tells that story and includes music featured in the early years of his Philadelphia-based TV program. Michael Homel is Professor Emeritus of History at Eastern Michigan University. He specializes in 20th century American history and American urban history. He is the author of Unlocking City Hall: Exploring the History of Local Government and Politics, and other publications on urban politics and education.
