Elaine Tyler May addressed the American studies association in 1995 with excerpts of her book titled, " The Radical Roots of American Studies . The speech covers important thoughts regarding American Studies past, present, and future. It makes listeners open their minds' and understand the basis behind American studies and its "roots . Her main argument is that the creation myth behind American studies is not all entirely true. The so-called origins of American studies were white Protestant men who studied white protestant men in an effort to understand American exceptionalism. May expresses more accurately that there are actually 3 intertwined Marxist ideas that represent American studies; Karl Marxism, Leo Marxism, and Groucho Marxism. The Karl Marx school is the first thought, referring to public intellects who seek to motivate masses to pursue their own craft. This thought talks about how in the early 1920's and 1930's people didn't address social or cultural development. During these years the American studies field was loosely defined and off focus. The scholars of this time were sensitive to class division and the ill effects of class divisions. The second thought May proposed was the Leo Marxism thought. May refers to these scholars of the 1950's as being the myth and symbol scholars. The cold war played a huge part in this era and therefore May expresses how it had an effect on the thinking of the time. The thought explained how class was a defining feature of American life. She says that avoiding gender and sexuality was necessary however. The third thought May proposes is Gaucho Marx. It is represented by the recognition of pop culture as being a major force in America culture. It was created not only to express but also create resistance against dominant culture. After the political upheaval in the 1960's, scholars decided to pay more attention to the blacks, gays, and women who had been marginalized earlier. We began st