American Cool Final Project

In many ways, the concept of "coolness" is uniquely American, shaped by our society’s rejection of authority, our love for rebellion, and the post-WWII prosperity that allowed the youth generation to define its own heroes and cultural icons. For this assignment, you are asked to select one publicly known American from the 20th or 21st century who you believe best epitomizes coolness in their era.

The following criteria should guide your choice of subject:

1. An original artistic vision, executed with a signature style.
2. Cultural rebellion or transgression for a given generation.
3. Iconic power, or instant visual recognition.
4. A recognized cultural legacy.
5. A seminal figure from a non-artistic field (such as politics or advocacy) who was broadly identified as "cool" and had a clear, prominent impact on American culture (e.g., President Obama or Shirley Chisholm).

Once you have chosen the subject for your project, you will need to prepare the two components of the assignment: a 2-3 page essay or a "coolness" resume (see the provided example) and a visual presentation. Each element of your project should address the following questions/topics:

• What does it mean to be "cool"?
• What makes your subject "cool"?
• How does your subject’s "coolness" relate to the era in which they operated?

As an option, you may choose to create a "coolness" resume for your subject instead of writing an essay. If you select this option, your "coolness" resume must include all the elements outlined above.