Considering Kodak’s recent financial woes, the imaging giant’s Chapter 11 filing should have come as no surprise. But that hasn’t lessened the cultural impact of losing such an iconic American institution. Kodak has been a part of American culture for more than a 100 years. The company made the first consumer camera, and people even called cameras “Kodaks” at the turn of the century. In this commentary we explore the rise and fall of one of America’s most identifiable brands.