This Friday, Aug. 16, is the 25th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death, and University of Colorado at Boulder art historian and author Erika Doss is documenting what the date means in American society.
In 1999, Doss wrote "Elvis Culture - Fans, Faith, & Image," an examination of Presley's enduring presence in popular culture. The book takes a hard look at how the performer's image is related to sex, religion and racism in the lives of his fans.
Doss was first inspired to research Presley's celebrity and his admirers more than a decade ago after observing how his images remained ubiquitous long after his death. The tradition continues, she notes, citing his music's central part in the recent Disney movie, "Lilo and Stitch."
In addition to her work as fine arts professor, Doss is director of the American Studies program at CU-Boulder. She also is the author of "Looking at LIFE Magazine" (2001) and "Twentieth-Century American Art" (2002).