UAH Public History Now an Official Minor!

The September 2013 Board of Trustees meeting resulted in the final approval of UAH's new Public History Cognate!

The Public History Cognate is an interdisciplinary program of study that features classes in historical interpretation, cultural resource management, historical archaeology, and architectural history, and that fosters community service and engagement through outreach projects.

This is the end of a multi-year process, led by UAH historian Dr. John Kvach, to build UAH's Public History Program from the ground up.

Among recent successful events and endeavors spearheaded by UAH Public History was last April's reception at the Weeden House celebrating the new partnership between the Weeden House and UAH Public History. See here some photographs from the event, including student Chase Tate speaking with President Robert Altenkirch and Beth Altenkirch, student James Xiques sharing details on the historic home, and student Cassie Michael (in period attire!) talking about the Huntsville history during the Civil War.

Another recent achievement of UAH's Public History program was the pictorial history of Huntsville prepared by Dr. Kvach, public history students Charity Ethridge and Michelle Hopkins, and UAH history alum Susannah Lebermann, that was published by Arcadia Publishing in April 2013. All proceeds go to benefit the UAH Public History Program.

For more information on UAH Public History, check out the website or Facebook page.

We look forward to a very bright future for UAH Public History!

MA Alum Alan Backer Creates Online Exhibit on "Retro Huntsville"

History MA Alum, Alan Backer, is currently finishing his last semester of a Master's degree in Library Science at the University of Alabama, while he works as a Library Assistant at the Bailey Cove Branch Library in Huntsville. As part of his internship in the Archives Department at the Main Branch of the Huntsville Madison County Public Library, he created a photograph exhibit called "Retro Huntsville," containing 145 photos of scenes from Huntsville and Madison County during the 1970s and 1980s.

Click here to check it out!

Belated Congratulations to 2012 and 2013 History Graduates

As we begin a new academic year, the faculty of the history department congratulates last year's graduates.

In December 2012, the following students graduated with BA degrees in history: Mary Jane Fleming, Christoper Ryan Frevert, Kenneth Franklin Garcia, William Ryan Griffin, Keith David Harris, Jennifer Mellard, Hannah Ross, and Jesse Thomas.

In Spring 2013, Nick Lacasse and Patrick Riley received MA degrees in history, and Michael Lake, Jessie Mauney, Cassie Michael, Julia Paul, Sabrina Rabah, David Shaw, Samantha Smith, and Cameron Umphrey earned BA degrees in history.

Pictured here are Jessie Mauney and Cassie Michael, and also Julia Paul, Patrick Riley, and Jessie Mauney, at spring graduation.

Congratulations to you all! We are very proud of you!