One of the best ways to research artifacts in their historical context is to look at reviews and commentary from the time it was created. To find out how it was received when it was released, read reviews in newspapers or periodicals paying careful attention to the date it was written. Someone reviewing a movie that's even a few years old will have a different perspective than when it was first released.
When using a database such as Academic Search Premier or JSTOR, you can easily set the date range of the results to show you items published at a specific time.
Menlo also has a subscription to the New York Times Online for all students. Through the "Times Machine" you can look at scans of the actual newspapers throughout its history. Instructions for logging in are below.
Researching Historical Contexts
New York Times
After activating your subscription from one of the links below, log on to the New York Times site directly using your Menlo e-mail and the password you have set up. iPhone, iPad, and Android apps are available with your login. The Menlo Community has full-text access to the New York Times from 1851 to the present. For the years 1923-1980 there is a limit of 5 articles per day per user.
Times Machine - Images of the The New York Times as it was including layout and advertising
InfoPlease - Online Almanac: Find out what was going on in the news and popular culture for each year from 1900-2015.
To activate your NYT academic pass, click on the link, search for "Menlo College", and follow the instructions to create your NYTimes.com account from off campus. After activating your subscription, log on to the New York Times site (https://www.nytimes.com) directly using your Menlo e-mail address and the password you have set up for your NYTimes account. iPhone, iPad, and Android apps are available with your login. The Menlo Community has full-text access to the New York Times from 1851 to the present. For the years 1923-1980 there is a limit of 5 articles per day per user. Watch this access walkthrough video from NYT for additional assistance with activating your academic pass and registering your NYT account.