Gayle Wald co-edits the Music section of Public Books. She teaches American Studies at George Washington University. She has written on topics from Sister Rosetta Tharpe to boy bands to Black Power television. Her biography This Is Rhythm: Ella Jenkins, Children’s Music, and the Long Civil Rights Movement, is forthcoming from the University of Chicago Press.
Gayle Wald
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Writing on Public Books
American Music, American War
In World War II, G.I.s waking up in a combat zone in Italy were reported to have belted out “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin,” a blockbuster smash of 1943.
Virtual Roundtable on Women Directors
It’s no secret that Hollywood has a diversity problem, especially when it comes to hiring directors …
Virtual Roundtable on “Empire”
After it debuted last January on Fox, Empire quickly became one of the most talked-about shows on television. Its Shakespearean portrayal of family life, its stylized window onto the hip-hop industry, and its Timbaland-produced soundtrack helped it earn millions of passionate fans (and more than a few critics). To celebrate the premiere of season 2—which […]
