Alice Guy

Hollywood Froze Out the Founding Mother of Cinema

French filmmaker Alice Guy-Blaché was the first female film director, and renowned as an innovator in the field. Then she moved to Hollywood.
green semi truck

The Populist Power of the American Trucker

How did truckers nudge the American economy toward deregulation?
credit cards on dollars

How Credit Reporting Agencies Got Their Power

Early credit reporting companies urged people to “Treat their credit as a sacred trust” and argued that keeping a good credit record was a moral concern.
Wrigley's gum painting

How Wrigley Chewed Its Way to Gum Greatness

William Wrigley, Jr. started off as a soap salesman and became a prodigy of consumerism. He sold Americans chewing gum with claims of health benefits.
big pharma

How Did Big Pharma Get Big?

One branch of the healthcare industry that receives particular opprobrium for its high costs in America compared to other countries is pharmaceuticals.
credit card decals

A Brief History of the Credit Card

For now-ubiquitous consumer credit cards, bad early results had a hidden benefit.
narcotic stimulants

America’s Workforce Runs on Uppers

Uppers like Benzedrine and cocaine provided a willing workforce for our capitalist economy. Now, Americans are turning to ADHD medications.
consultants

Consultants: Recommending Consultations for 100+ Years

Glassdoor reports that three of the five highest paying companies in the country are consulting firms. To some ...
Vintage Maidenform ad.

This Lingerie Company Transformed Postwar Commercial Beauty Culture

Maidenform was the first company to bridge female beauty standards with workplace culture
"Boycott - Contaminated with apartheid - South African goods" by Djembayz - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boycott_-_Contaminated_with_apartheid_-_South_African_goods.jpg#/media/File:Boycott_-_Contaminated_with_apartheid_-_South_African_goods.jpg

Divestment: the Polaroid Revolutionary Workers’ Movement

Polaroid employees spearheaded an anti-apartheid divestment campaign against their own employer over their company's business in South Africa in the 1970s.