From “Animal Crackers” to Winter Storm Uri: Reflecting on Blackouts in the United States

Abstract

For the past century, Americans have experienced blackouts both accidental and intentional in many settings, under many circumstances, and for many reasons. Blackouts happen in real time, and we interpret their significance through imaginary as well as documentary depictions. In a 1930s Marx Brothers movie, for example, comical art thieves get to work when a storm causes the lights to go out, and the laughs follow (Figure 1). In the sharpest of contrasts, efforts to prevent a cascading power failure in February 2021 left millions of Texans without electricity for days, with widespread coverage in the news.