Stephen J. Whitfield is Professor of American Studies at Brandeis University where he holds the Max Richter Chair in American Civilization. Among other works, he is the author of Into the Dark: Hannah Arendt and Totalitarianism (1980), A Death in the Delta: The Story of Emmett Till (1988), and The Culture of the Cold War (1991, 1996). He has published widely in modern political and intellectual history, and particularly in American Jewish history.

"This superb book is a treasure and a delight. Penetrating interpretive essays by almost thirty distinguished historians offer thoughtful perspectives on a turbulent century that brought sweeping changes to the United States even as the nation surged to global dominance. A Companion to 20th-century America is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the forces that have shaped contemporary America."—Paul S. Boyer, University of Wisconsin-Madison"This is an important contribution to our understanding of modern American history, with illuminating contributions by many first-rate American historians."—Richard Pells, University of Texas-Austin"An indispensable book for anyone who wants to learn what America's best historians have written about the American century and its critics. The breadth of topics is dazzling, and fresh insights appear on nearly every page."—Michael Kazin, Georgetown University

• Notes on the contributors viiiIntroduction xiiiStephen J. WhitfieldPART I: TIME-FRAMES1 1900 - 1914 3Eugene E. Leach2 1914 - 1929 19Glen Gendzel3 1929 - 1941 36Michael E. Parrish4 1941 - 1950 54Allan M. Winkler5 1950 - 1960 71Richard M. Fried6 1960 - 1974 87Jama Lazerow7 1974 - 1988 102Leo P. Ribuffo8 1988 - 2000 123Steven M. GillonPART II: PLACES9 The South 141Raymond Arsenault10 The West 163Anne M. Butler11 The Environment 179Paul S. Sutter12 The City 198Jon C. TeafordPART III: PEOPLE13 Immigration 215Roger Daniels14 Ethnicity 233Hasia R. Diner15 Labor 249Joseph A. McCartin16 Race 266Reed Ueda17 Women 283June SochenPART IV: THE POLITY AND THE ECONOMY18 The Military 301Jerry Cooper19 Foreign Policy 317Justus D. Doenecke20 Consumption 336Charles McGovern21 Law 358Norman L. Rosenberg22 Business 377David B. SiciliaPART V: IMAGES AND "ISMS"23 Journalism and Broadcasting 397James L. Baughman24 Religion 413Charles H. Lippy25 Ideas 430Wilfred M. McClay26 Science and Technology 449Carroll Pursell27 Conservatism 462Edward S. Shapiro28 Liberalism 478Hans Vorlander29 The Visual Arts 493Douglas TallackBibliography 510Index 557