The Society For The Advancement of Social Studies

June Event: Archrivals of History!

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:34:03 -0400

Yankees vs. Red Sox, Aladdin vs. Jafar, Bloody Marys vs. Mimosas…
what would be the point of life without some good rivalries to keep us entertained? Thus, S.A.S.S. is taking you back in time to get acquainted with some classic tales of archrivalry. Our speakers will cover:

- Thomas Edison v. NikolaTesla

- The Medici Family v. Everyone Else

- William Randolph Hearst v. Joseph Pulitzer

What You Need to Know:

Tuesday, June 4th
Public Assembly
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Love Reading? Here are more details:

Tessla v. Edison

David Sheinkopf will relate the shocking tale of the struggle for electrical supremacy in the U.S.A.

Pulitzer v. Hearst

Sam Hayden will give the Lecture of the Century about the Murder of the Century during the apex of Yellow Journalism.

Medicis v. Everyone Else

Laura Hayner will explain how this formidable family finagled their way to the top during the Renaissance.

Sign up for the SASS email list!

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:32:16 -0400

If you haven’t already, sign up for emails from The Society for the Advancement of Social Studies here!

We’ll send you information about upcoming events just once a month, and it’s delivered directly to your inbox by the ghost of this kid:

Meet A May Speaker: Whitney Johnson!

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:01:06 -0400

Whitney is from LA, but moved to NYC for a fancy degree in studying broken things dead people left behind. She’s an editorial assistant in academic publishing which means she gets paid to be extremely nerdy all the time about most things. With degrees in Classics and writing, you’ll most likely see her on the subway with her head in a book or arguing with someone about the provenance of the Elgin Marbles. She really likes people from history who tell everyone else to fuck off and would like to buy them a bourbon.

Come buy her a bourbon, or buy yourself a bourbon and listen to her talk about women who just said fuck it on May 7th! More details here.

Meet A May Speaker: Augi Lopez!

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:00:57 -0400

Augi grew up in Pittsburgh, PA and moved to New York City for college in 2008, graduating with a degree in film. He’s a writer and artist obsessed with history. In what might be an unhealthy perspective on the subject, history is most interesting for him when thousands of people are killed—war and political assassinations are his favorites. Spending most of his university days online instead of studying led to this way of reading books as historical objects and history as a narrative. His day job is boring, and in his free time, he writes fiction, makes web comics, and does other generally creative things. You can view more of his work at agustinlopez.com.

And you can come hear Augi get excited about thousands of people deciding to throw in the towel in Military Figures who Said “Fuck It” at SASS on May 7th! More information here.

May Event: Historical Figures who said "Fuck it."

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:13:08 -0400

Sometimes you work really hard on something for a long time because you’re super into it but then it kind of drags out a little too long and you realize it’s time to just say “fuck it.”

Believe it or not, many historical figures have also come to this realization at one point or another, and SASS is here to keep you informed. Our speakers will talk about military leaders who gave up when the going got rough, huge construction projects that were abandoned cause they were tough, and ladies who decided they just had enough.

What you need to know:

Tuesday, May 7th with doors at 7pm
Public Assembly BACK ROOM
Facebook Invite

Love reading? Here are more details:

Military Figures who Said “Fuck It.”

King Olaf I, Takeda Shingen, and Joseph Stalin all had one thing in common, and Augi Lopez knows what it is.

Ladies who Said “Fuck It.”

Whitney Johnson is going to tell you about some ladies who just weren’t having it.

They Started, but then Said “Fuck It.”

Becky Sandler takes us on a journey through some major construction projects that didn’t quite turn out as originally intended.

Meet Our April Speaker, Haley Traub

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:00:55 -0400

Haley is a Midwest transplant whose interest in mental health probably stems from the number of times she watched Benny & Joon as a child. When she’s not being confused for Lena Dunham buying juice, she writes and acts in the theater collective CARROLL SIMMONS, lends her voice to narrating naughty harlequin audio books, and plays with puppies. She studied Drama and Mental Health Studies at an overpriced institution, so the pressure is on to both entertain AND enlighten.

Haley will be joining returning champ Nicholas Gonzales and co-founder Larissa on April 2nd at Public Assembly to give you a Healthy Dose of History. Come for her talk on The History of Mental Health, and stay for the drink specials!

April Lecture: "A Healthy Dose of History"

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:47:00 -0400

A historical fact a day keeps the doctor away (apples, you had your chance…), so SASS is going to take a look at some of the crazy things our ancestors had to do while trying to stay alive- if what they did didn’t kill them first. Our speakers will cover the history of mental health, how medieval folks dealt with the bubonic plague and the advancement (or lack thereof) of surgical techniques through time.

What You Need to Know:

Tuesday April 2nd, with doors at 7pm
Public Assembly
Facebook Invite

Love Reading? Here are more details!

Surgery Through the Ages

Remember the good ol’ days when all you needed to amputate someone’s foot was a hack saw and a bullet to bite? Nick Gonzalez does, and he’s gonna tell you about it.

Enough with the Hysterics!

Haley Traub helps shed some light on the dark history of mental health.

Bring Out Your Dead!

If you’re not dead yet, come listen to Larissa Hayden explain some of the curious cures devised over the years in response to the dreaded Black Plague.

Meet our guest speakers for March's SASS!

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:02:42 -0500

Can’t tell you how excited we are for S.A.S.S. Presents: The History of Booze on March 5th, starring these alcohol experts from Urban Oyster.

Brian Hoffman on The History of Beer

Brian is a trained actor (and waiter by default) who in the 10 years he’s lived in New York has developed a passion for the city, its culture, and its food. There’s nothing he loves more than walking through the streets as the neighborhoods, people, and architecture change. In addition to giving tours, Brian has a food blog (Eat This NY) and web series where he searches for the most authentic and delicious food adventures in the city. His last feature entry focused on the best beer in New York City and his research sent him to breweries far and wide to taste their beer. It was brutal work.

David Naczycz on The History of Wine

David is a dedicated urbanist and amateur historian who loves cities and their histories. He has traveled to and lived in a number of cities all over the world and, everywhere he goes, he immerses himself in the history of that place. A resident of New York City for over ten years, David has a special interest in the world’s greatest city and its history. Now, through Urban Oyster, David has found a way to combine all the things that he loves: cities, history, sustainability, and food. David developed Urban Oyster’s Brewery Winery Distillery Tour and did extensive research into the history of wine in general as well as in New York City. He also is the leader of Urban Oyster’s Beer/Wine/Liquor tasting events. A food and beverage expert, he has honed his craft on years of study and hands on experience.

Joshua Wood on The History of Whiskey

Josh grew up in Rochester, New York, and after a short stint in Connecticut called college, relocated to the city. Since then he has been exploring all edges of the city looking for unique culinary opportunities. From out in queens to the heart of brooklyn to the shores of Staten Island, Josh has been tasting his way through one of the best cities in the world and then trying to recreate it all in his kitchen. Additionally, Josh fell in love with beer while learning to homebrew at Wesleyan University, and today is a prolific brewer of tasty suds. Who said you don’t learn anything practical in college? More recently Josh’s focus has turned to liquor as leader of Urban Oyster’s Brewery Winery Distillery tour Josh has jumped feet first into distilling. Not literally, not yet.

History of Booze in March with Urban Oyster! Woo!

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 23:01:00 -0500

As you may have guessed, we are pretty big fans of booze and booze-related endeavors here at S.A.S.S., so we have teamed up with the good folks at Urban Oyster Tours to bring you a lovely evening of lectures about the history of hooch.

Urban Oyster has lent some of their finest tour guides to educate us uwith three lectures on beer, wine and whiskey. These guys know their stuff!

BONUS: The chance to win tickets to Urban Oyster’s new spring waterfront tour.

What You need to know:

Tuesday, March 5th with doors at 7pm
Public Assembly, Williamsbueg
Facebook Invite

About Urban Oyster:

Amazing as it is to imagine now, New York Harbor may have once contained half the world’s oysters. Over time, however, many oyster beds died off due to pollution and over-consumption. Learning from this history, Urban Oyster was founded on the belief that, like oysters, the neighborhoods of New York are treasured resources that require nurturing and cultivation in order to survive and flourish.

Through dynamic hands-on tour and event experiences, Urban Oyster aims to connect people to the local treasures of this great city, and in doing so, promote an appreciation for the neighborhoods we inherit. Our Tours and Events explore how we can live in neighborhoods today in ways that support and value local production and consumption, cultural diversity, historic preservation, and sustainability for the benefit of generations to come.

Learn more here: http://www.urbanoyster.com/

Introducing: Michelle Legro

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:28:19 -0500

Michelle Legro is an associate editor at Lapham’s Quarterly and the editor of laphamsquarterly.org.

She is also the lady behind the hit blog, My Daguerreotype Boyfriend, and will be teaching us all about early American photographic portraiture via pictures of some handsome gents of yesteryear. Also, hopefully she will also teach us how to say “daguerreotype.”

Tuesday the 5th at Public Assembly!

We <3 The Brooklyn Brainery

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:00:00 -0500

Partners in crime, The Brooklyn Brainery, have graciously offered to fund your next date. Come to The 2nd Annual Sexy SASS on Tuesday, Feb 5th for some awesome lectures AND a chance to win a date for two to the Brooklyn Brainery!

We’ll be playing Missed Connections of History that night, and if your knowledge reigns supreme, you’ll be given a gift certificate that could be used on all sorts of fun dates- like maybe Europe vs. The Censors: How the Movies Got Sexier or MYSTERIOUS BEAST MONSTERS!.

Come! Learn! Play! Win!

Second Annual Sexy S.A.S.S.!!

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 16:09:00 -0500

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching so we’re gonna have some sexy history lectures to help get you in the mood ;)

Where: Public Assembly

When: Tuesday, February 5th with doors at 7pm

Cost: Free!

Facebook Invite!

Lectures:

My Daguerreotype Boyfriend: The Lecture!

Michelle Legro tells us the history behind some of her favorite old-timey portraits of handsome gentlemen. You can get a sneak peek by checking out her super awesome blog.

But WHY did He Go to Jared’s?

SASS co-founder and resident gemologist, Anna Rasche, will tell you all about the origins of engagement rings, and why we still care about them today.

Houses of Ill Repute in the City that Never Sleeps

Columbia Grad Student, Angela Serratore, teaches us the history of brothels in the Big Apple. Hint: there were lots.

BONUS:

Audience members will get a chance to compete in our “Missed Connections of History” Trivia Game, and one lucky person will win two gift certificates to the Brooklyn Brainery so they can take their crush on a hot yet informative date!

Winter Break!

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 11:21:04 -0500

Since we’ve always loved winter break in school, and since the first Tuesday of the month falls on the 1st of January, S.A.S.S. will take a very brief intermission and return with a vengeance in February. See you then!

Meet Zachary, Our Jewish History Expert!

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:17:30 -0500

Zachary Paul Levine has engaged with Jewish history and culture, usually as an incredulous observer, for much of his life. A recovering graduate student, Zachary’s expertise is in modern European Jewish history, especially Cold War eastern Europe. Yet, since escaping the mostly ambivalent clutches of the ivory tower’s guards, Zachary has worked as a curator at Yeshiva University Museum (YUM) developing contemporary art and history exhibitions.

He recently curated It’s a Thin Line: The Eruv and Jewish Community in New York and Beyond, which explores the history, culture, artistic interpretations, and divisive issues behind the Eruv, an invisible line surrounding many Jewish neighborhoods, which makes it possible for religious Jews to carry on the Sabbath. You heard correctly, an exhibition about an invisible line that makes carrying things ok. Check it at at the Center for Jewish History, 16th street near Union Square.

And of course, check Zachary out tomorrow night at SASS Presents: A Religious Experience at Public Assembly.

December Lecture: A Religious Experience

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 16:03:35 -0500

What you need to know:

Do you struggle to find meaning in the day-to-day? Are you confused about your purpose on this earth? Do you enjoy drinking beers on Tuesday evenings?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, S.A.S.S. may be the answer you’re looking for.

Come join our family, and experience the ecstasy of knowledge as we enlighten you about the origins of the Christian bible, explore the history of Judaism through some of its more unusual artifacts and delve into the history of the Church of Scientology.

Tuesday December 4th, with doors at 7pm
Public Assembly
Facebook Invite

Love Reading? Here are more details:

How the Bible Came to Be

I don’t know if you guys know this, but the Bible is a pretty big deal. Luckily, Jonathan Soma is here to explain how and why it was born.

Artifacts and Oddities in Jewish History

Zachary Levine examines a series of unusual artifacts on an enlightening journey through the world of Jewish history.

Xenu said WHAT?

Chris Hedick teaches us about L. Ron Hubbard and his Church of Scientology, because Knowing how to Know is the best.

Meet November's.....Band, JUMBO BROWN!

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:46:56 -0500

We’re so excited to have Jumbo Brown joining us during our extra special event on November 13, SASS: The Musical. As SASS founders Anna and Larissa share the history of American music with you, the red blooded guys in Jumbo Brown will be rocking out with the greatest hits of the last hundred years. These guys are pure American party rock, and we’re sure they have you learning, singing, and dancing all night long*.

*at least until 9:30.

SASS The Musical is November 13!

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 16:47:00 -0400

The Simpsons, Scrubs, and Buffy have all had musical episodes, so now it’s SASS’s turn to interrupt your regularly scheduled lectures with some spirited singing. As SASS takes you through the history of American Music, the dudes from Jumbo Brown will perform the greatest hits from the 1700s, the 1800s, and the 1900s LIVE. There ain’t no party like a history musical party, so get ready to have your face melted with the story of music in America and your ears bleed with tunes from yesteryear.

Tuesday, Nov 13 with doors at 7pm
Public Assembly
Facebook Invite

Meet Sally, our resident John Smith expert!

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 12:57:56 -0400

Sally Dankas is a gal who loves cats, snacks and scrabble (not necessarily in that order). Her contempt over inaccurate portrayals in Disney movies stems from her love of history and the fact that she was beat up at Disneyland as a child. Like John Smith, she loves spinning a good yarn and is not afraid to exaggerate her own adventures in order to make the story better. She claims to bear a striking resemblance to a young Ray Romano, but we think she is way hotter.

Sally will be joined by returning SASS speakers Glenna Abend and Anna Rasche to teach you about explorers of the New World.

October 2nd is NOT Columbus Day!

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 11:19:53 -0400

What you need to know:

So Christopher Columbus gets his own day every year because in 1492 he sailed the ocean blue and crashed into Haiti and told everyone it was India. Pretty impressive stuff, but we’re not going to talk about him. Instead, we’re going to talk about some of the other grouchy European explorers who made their mark in the New World. We’ll cover the adventures of Henry Hudson, Hernando Cortes and his improbable conquest of Mexico, and learn exactly what John Smith did (besides Pocahontas).

Tuesday, October 2nd with doors at 7pm
Public Assembly
Facebook Invite

Love reading? Here are more details:

Henry Hudson and the Rivers Unknown

Henry Hudson has a whole lot of stuff named after him, so come learn what he did to deserve this geographic immortality.

Cortes and the Aztecs

Find out why Montezuma has been getting revenge for the past 500 years.

But my name really IS “John Smith!”

From Virginia to New England, this guy was breaking hearts and taking names. Ladies?

Famous Firsts: The Storytelling Competition!

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 12:47:00 -0400

For our one year anniversary, SASS will be talking about Famous Firsts in history. But to make the night extra special, we’re asking our audience members to volunteer their own personal Famous First to enter to win VIP tickets to the Intrepid Museum.

Come by next Tuesday evening and tell us YOUR personal Famous First story- if you were the first person to walk down Broadway backwards on a Wednesday night, or the first person to confuse the numbered avenues in Queens (just kidding, everyone does that)- anything!

We’ll ask our favorites to share a 1 minute story on stage for a chance to win tickets to the Intrepid courtesy of our guest speaker and history of space firsts expert, Mr. Mark Roberts.

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is a total must-see if you like military, maritime, aviation or space history! Located on a historic ship, visitors to the Intrepid can explore more than 20 restored aircrafts, the Intrepid Aircraft carrier, the Enterprise Space Shuttle, the Growler submarine, a British Airways Concorde, a Flight Simulator and an extensive array of interactive exhibits. Pret-ty cool.