Holocaust Workshop Hosted by UAH

In January, the History Department and the Division of Professional and Continuing Studies at UAH hosted a professional development workshop for 75 middle and high school teachers from across North Alabama. The workshop entitled "Teaching the Complexities of the Holocaust" provided teachers with resources and approaches to teach the complexities of the Holocaust. The regional educators from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum facilitated the workshop, and our own Dr. Johnson hosted the event. The workshop was one of four held across Alabama as part of a series organized by the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center, the Alabama Holocaust Commission, and the USHMM.

To read more about the strategies and goals of the workshop, visit UAH Holocaust Workshop.

Comprehensive Exams Congratulations!

Congratulations to the four graduate students who took their oral comprehensive exams in January and PASSED! -- Brittney Carnell, Lorraine Anderson, Bill Bryant, and Mary Evelyn McCutcheon. All four are student teachers and took their exams in one day - an unprecedented event for the History Department. Time to celebrate!

The Archaeological Institute of America - North Alabama Society is hosting a free public lecture on Monday, January 25th entitled "Reconstructing the Story of an Ancient Hindu Temple." The guest lecturer is Dr. Cathleen Cummings from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

The first lecture will be at 11:10 a.m. in Wilson Hall room 168 at UAH, and the second lecture will be at 7:30 p.m. in the Wilson Hall Theatre.

Phi Alpha Theta Call for Papers

The Phi Alpha Theta regional conference will be held at Spring Hill College in Mobile on March 12, 2016. All undergraduate and graduate history students are welcome to attend and present papers. Papers may address any topic, region, or time period. Non-members of Phi Alpha Theta are also welcome to submit proposals.

Interested students should submit abstracts of no more than 250 words to Dr. Pacino, the UAH chapter advisor, by January 28th. Final paper submissions will be due February 20th. Prizes will be awarded to the best papers for undergraduate and graduate students!

Contact Dr. Pacino for additional information.

Flashback! Phi Alpha Theta at UAH Hosts Alabama Regional Meeting

Throwback Thursday is a time to post fondly about past events, perhaps with a nicely faded photo with no need of filter. Here at the Department of History, everyday is worthy of taking a throwback to the past. It's kind of our thing. So, let's go back to April and take a look at the 2015 Phi Alpha Theta Alabama Regional Meeting, hosted by UAH's Phi Alpha Theta chapter, Tau Omega.

UAH History Students outside Morton Hall
(photobomb courtesy of Dr. Gandila)

After James Xiques and John O'Brien - alumni of the department - won awards for best papers at the 2013 and 2014 Alabama regional meetings, respectively, it seemed fitting for UAH to host the 2015 meeting. Under the leadership of former faculty adviser, Dr. Evan Ragland, the conference got under way. With several students and faculty in attendance from different colleges in Alabama, and even some from Georgia, the meeting was a success. Students mingled over coffee and breakfast in the morning, had a delightful lunch outside of Morton Hall, and also attended a lecture by the department's Dr. John Kvach, who spoke on the Civil War and promoted the Public History Program at UAH. And, most importantly, there were the presentation sessions, including some moderated by UAH history faculty, among them Dr. Andrei Gandila, Dr. Molly Johnson, Dr. Nicole Pacino, Dr. Thomas Reidy, and Dr. Ragland.

Students' presentations focused on several different subjects, areas, and times, ranging from the ancient world to the twentieth-century in the United States. Such variation was welcome, and this was not lost on presenters from UAH. Presentations from the department's undergraduate students included:

• Rachel Byrd, "Too Much Coffee, Too Little Bread: the Revolution of a Hangry People"
• Ashley Coates, "Prudery and Prostitution: Sexual Conservatism in Roman Religion"
• Matthew Johnson, "We Light a Fire: Credulity and Consequence"
• Aaron McNully, "An Unintentional Institution: An Analysis of the Impact of Gregory the Great's Ecclesiology on the Consolidation of Western Papal Power in the Early Middle Ages"
• Daniel Munn, "Propaganda and Public Works in the Augustan Age"
• Nicole Westrope, "Did Philosophy Exist Outside of Europe?"

Graduate student presentations included:

• Lorraine Anderson, "The Midwife's Tale: How Laurel Thatcher Ulrich Unveiled the Previously Unknown World of Post-Revolutionary War Women in Rural America"
• Whitney Andrews, "Racism, Manhood, and Femininity in the Alabama Suffrage Debate: 1915-1920"
• Kelly Fisk Hamlin, " 'This is Rocket City, U.S.A., Let Freedom Begin Here:' The Civil Rights Movement in Huntsville, Alabama"
• Joshua Riddle, "The Criteria of William Gilbert's Experimental Method"

When we're not researching and writing, we're eating.

As well as presenting, UAH students won awards. Matthew Johnson and Daniel Munn won presentation awards among all students presenting, and Ashley Coates, Kelly Fisk Hamlin, and Joshua Riddle won internal paper prizes.

The conference was a success and a boon to all involved. We were so pleased to see so many history students attend, especially the department's own. We are especially proud of their hard work, dedication, and accomplishments.

 

Students Conduct Archaeology on Redstone Arsenal

History students enrolled in the Cultural Resource Management/History 320 course this semester have the unique opportunity to participate in archaeological work on Redstone Arsenal. Surprisingly, the Arsenal consists of 972 archaeological sites across its 38,000 acres. Students learn about a wide range of archaeological specialities, such as lithic technologies (stone tools), prehistoric ceramics, battlefield archaeology, geomorphology, and cave archaeology. The students are currently excavating an antebellum homestead close to Gate 9. 

To read more about the course and the students' insights, visit Redstone Rocket UAH Archaeology.

Dr. Pacino featured in the Journal of Women's History

Dr. Pacino's new article is featured in the Spring 2015 publication of the Journal of Women's History. Dr. Pacino's article is entitled "Creating Madres Campesinas: Revolutionary Motherhood and the Gendered Politics of Nation Building in 1950s Bolivia."

You can read the article at Creating Madres Campesinas.

Dr. Kvach explains the history and symbolism of the Confederate flag

In an article featured on the Humboldt Journal, Dr. Kvach explains the different symbolisms of the Confederate flag to Canadians. Dr. Kvach stresses the importance of recognizing that two distinct histories of the Confederate flag exist.

Visit Confederate Flag Controversy to read more about the history of the Confederate flag, its symbolism, and the Confederate flag's growing popularity in Canada.

Unique double major earns recognition for unprecedented achievements

Erin Looney, a UAH graduate and double major in history and mechanical engineering, earned the Highest Academic Achievement Award from both the College of Engineering and the College of Liberal Arts. Erin accepted her prestigious awards at the May commencement ceremony this year.

Congratulations, Erin! The History Department is proud to have you as a graduate!

To learn more about Erin and her achievements, visit UAH Unique Double Major.

Dr. Gandila Earns Recognition of the American Numismatic Society

Congratulations to Dr. Gandila for earning the recognition of the American Numismatic Society for his work examining Byzantium coinage! Dr. Gandila spent his summer at the American Numismatic Society in New York working on a new book project about the circulation of early Byzantine coins, entitled Money in a Pre-Modern Economy: Coin Circulation in the Eastern Mediterranean, c. 500-650. 

A short interview profiling Dr. Gandila's research can be found at Pocket Change: The Blog of the American Numismatic Society.

John O'Brien recognized for Study on Divorce in the Antebellum South

So much of the study of history revolves around forming a strong argument, backing it up with evidence, and presenting the information well. John O'Brien, who just graduated with his bachelor's degree, shines at this. He recently wrote an outstanding paper on divorce in antebellum Alabama that provides a new interpretation of the issue. Not only did he win the award for best paper at the Alabama Regional Phi Alpha Theta conference, but also the Dr. John Rison Jones Award in Southern History sponsored by the Huntsville-Madison County Historical Society for his work on this paper. 

More information on John's paper can be found here: UAH history student sheds new light on divorce in antebellum South. As a former colleague of the Department would put it, John's clearly an "old pro" at this paper-writing business. Congratulations John! Here's hoping you get paid to tell people about Alabama.

Alumni Watch: Katie Graham

Dr. Johnson recently got in touch with one of the Department's alumna, Katie Graham, class of 2011. She told her some about her job with the Global Deployment Program Office of the Missile Defense Agency as a Document Specialist, Certified Correspondence Reviewer, and Records Liaison Officer. Among other things, she gets to "develop policies, plans, processes, procedures, and guidance for site activation, system deployment, and logistical and operational practices." She will also get to travel to sites where missiles and radars are set up.

For her time at the Department, Katie has much to say. "My history degree has helped me in numerous ways in my career so far. Writing and researching all of those term papers was excellent practice for my work as a Document Specialist and a Certified Correspondence Reviewer for MDA. In this way, I am able to write and review documents detailing the work of the Global Deployment Program Office. Some of these documents eventually make it all the way up to Congress! My favorite role, though, is as the Records Liaison Officer for my office. Starting in September of last year, I began archiving all of the GDPO's records, and I actually JUST finished this archival process last week......this totals over 7,000 records that I archived for our team. The classes that I took for my history degree helped to prepare me for this type of work, and in this way, I helped secure the history of my office for the Missile Defense Agency."

Great job on your success Katie. We wish you the best.

Congratulations to the Spring 2014 History Graduates!

Yesterday, Sunday, May 4th, the Department said farewell to some of its students as they walked across the stage and graduated from their studies at UAH. Congratulations to everyone!

Undergraduates included Kirsten Currier, Andrew Donovan, Heather Gargis, Seth Kelly, David Kemmerer, John O'Brien, David Smith, and Chase Tate. Graduate students were Elysha Francis, Charity Ethridge, Chris LeQuieu, and Nathan Raby.

We in the Department are very happy for all of your hard work and accomplishments. This was no easy task, yet you all prevailed. Whatever lies ahead, we hope the best for all of you.






Kristen Currier on her way to the ceremony

Nathan Raby with Dr. Stephen Waring
               

John O'Brien with Dr. Stephen Waring and Dr. Nicole Pacino

Congratulations to the 2014 Phi Alpha Theta Inductees!

The Department can be rigorous at times, but the hard work pays off. Not only do our students win awards, they also get into honor societies. On April 12, our annual induction ceremony was held for Phi Alpha Theta, the international history honor society. The standards are high. Students must have twelve hours of history classes under their belts, with a 3.5 GPA in these courses, and a 3.0 overall.

Dr. John and Ann Kvach hosted the event again at their lovely home, and it was a success. Friends and colleagues gathered to talk, snack, and even climb in trees. Most importantly, we were there to congratulate and recognize our inductees. This year's inductees included Megan Renee Anders, Charlotte Ashley Cain, Ashley L. Coates, Todd Fulda, Cole B. Kelley, Young Nicole Westrope, and Adrienne Woodland.

It was a lovely day, and we were glad to be there. Thanks to the Kvachs, and congratulations to the inductees!  

Congratulations to Honors Day Recipients!

Thursday, April 1st marked Honors Day, which included the College of Liberal Arts Academic Honors Convocation. Students and faculty from the Department received several awards.

Kirsten Currier and Kelly Fisk won, respectively, the Outstanding Undergraduate and Graduate Achievement Awards for the Department of History. Ross Compher won the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Alabama History Essay Award for a paper he wrote for Dr. Christine Sears. Kirsten won another award, the Colonel Walter Aston Chapter of the Colonial Dames of the XVII Century History Award. John O'Brien received the Dr. John Rison Jones Award in Southern History, sponsored by the Huntsville-Madison County Historical Society, for his paper "If You Burn It, They Will Come: The Housing Authority and Huntsville, 1941-1960," which was published in the Huntsville Historical Review. Tish Cates received the National Society Daughters of the American Colonists Medal Award.

There were also awards for disciplines related to the Department that history students received. Brad Irwin won the Outstanding Classics Achievement Award, and Kayla Lowery and Kayleigh Last won a joint award, the Kathryn L. Harris Women's Studies Paper Competition Award, Graduate Academic Division for two papers they wrote for Dr. John Kvach on southern women and the "Lost Cause." Both papers were so good, they could not decide between either Kayla's or Kayleigh's.

Speaking of professors, Dr. Kvach was awarded as one of the Outstanding Junior Faculty Members, and Dr. Andrew Dunar was recognized, along with other professors, on their upcoming retirement and service to the university.

We are so grateful and happy for our award winners and for the recognition of the Department of History at Honors Day. Who says a liberal arts degree can't get you anywhere?

Jennifer Staton, UAH History Alumna, Headed to University of Leeds

Those UAH history degrees keep sending people places, this time with Jennifer Staton, who graduated in 2009. This fall, she will be on her way to the University of Leeds to study for an MA in Linguistics and English Language Teaching. She had a tough decision to make between Leeds and the University of Arizona, but she thinks she has made the right choice. She currently works as a Communications Coordinator at a contracting company with the Department of Defense. Her duties involve working on marketing projects, as well as aiding with "proposal coordination and research" and serving as an administrator for the company's Internet server. 

Jennifer sees her time at the Department of History at UAH as beneficial to her current job. She writes, "I couldn't have made it this far without the critical thinking skills that I learned from being encouraged by you guys (ack, passive voice!) to dig deeper at whatever I was studying.  Those skills apply even to my current occupation as a Communications Coordinator, and I've been very successful to date specifically because I was surrounded by great professors who helped push me out of my comfort zone."

Being at UAH also helped her decide to study at Leeds: "The reason why I've chosen to go to Leeds for a linguistics degree is because of the time spent at UAH as a Writing Center consultant helping the Intensive English Program students, along with the work I did as a Fulbright ETA in Celle, Germany.  I want to go back into doing that type of work, either as an ESL teacher or as a leader in the education industry."

We hope everything goes well for you in Leeds, Jennifer. All the best!

Dr. John Kvach promoted to Associate Professor

It just keeps coming in for the good professor. Last week, the Department's own Dr. John Kvach received tenure and was promoted to the position of Associate Professor. Furthermore, he was named Outstanding Junior Faculty Member for the College of Liberal Arts. As noted on this blog, his book De Bow's Review: The Antebellum Vision of a New South was published last November by The University Press of Kentucky, and he recently won two awards from the Daughters of the American Revolution. 

Dr. Kvach's hard work both in and out of the classroom has certainly earned him these designations. This is all wonderful news, and we are happy for our colleague. Cheers, Dr. Kvach!  

Dr. Frances Roberts in Alabama Women's Hall of Fame

Dr. Frances Roberts was something of an institution at UAH. She was one of the first faculty members of the university, and she played a role in making the Department of History, as well as serving as the Department's first chairperson. Last March, she was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame at Judson College in Marion, Alabama.

Charles Westbrook (BA, Political Science and History, 2010, UAH) and Dr. Johanna Shields, Professor Emerita from the Department of History, were very helpful and persistent in getting Dr. Roberts in the Hall. Westbrook has done extensive research on Dr. Roberts, and Dr. Shields was hired by, and worked with, Dr. Roberts. Both Westbrook's and Dr. Shield's efforts paid off, and to a wonderful success.

More information on Dr. Roberts and the work of Westbrook and Dr. Shields can be found here: http://www.uah.edu/news/people/5438-uahuntsville-hosts-honorary-reception-for-frances-roberts-hall-of-fame-induction#.Ux9myD9dXkt

Todd Fulda on his Master's Work at UAH

The Department likes to keep updated on its alumni, and last December Todd Fulda graduated with his Master's in History from UAH. This was a well-earned achievement that required a great deal of work, but Todd doesn't seem to mind. He writes, "I enjoyed every moment I was a grad student in UAH's history department. I went in with high expectations and each professor I had exceeded those expectations. Call me masochistic, but I enjoyed the late nights spent doing research in the library and writing papers on various topics. All together, I feel I grew significantly as a historian while working on my master's and it made moving back to Alabama worth it." It's good to see his time was well-spent (and from the looks of it, filled with caffeine).

For his Master's, Todd wrote a thesis titled The Badgers of Reform. His abstract give a brief glimpse into his work: "This thesis examines the Progressive and Socialist movements both on the national scene and in the state of Wisconsin to discover their similarities and differences. The analysis relies upon extensive primary sources including newspapers and archival documents as well as secondary sources including books and journal articles to answer this question. Ultimately, the information provided by these sources shows that the Progressive and Socialist Movements in Wisconsin both developed their own, distinctive ideologies and methods that were often quite divergent from their parent movements on the national level. The Badgers of Reform argues that these differences were key factors in helping Wisconsin Progressivism and Socialism survive through the 1920s while the national movements died out in the wake of World War I."

We are happy for Todd's achievement and wish him future success. Congratulations Todd!

Recent Awards and Book Publication for Dr. John Kvach

It's nice to receive awards. It's also nice to get a book published. Getting both done around the same time is especially nice, and possibly conducive to getting a big head. While he has not gotten the latter, thankfully, the department's own Dr. John Kvach recently accomplished the former two.

Last November, Dr. Kvach's book De Bow's Review: The Antebellum Vision of a New South was published by The University Press of Kentucky. The book, which is based on Dr. Kvach's dissertation, looks at the magazine of J.D.B De Bow, a nineteenth century southerner who was influential in helping form the idea of the "New South" even before the beginning of the Civil War. More information about his book can be found here: http://www.uah.edu/news/people/7091-uah-professor-s-book-gives-historic-precedent-for-importance-of-compromise#.UwyzB-NdXkt

Earlier this month, he was awarded the Historic Preservation Award and the Historic Preservation Medal by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. More information about his thoughts on the awards and his work in earning them can be found here: http://www.uah.edu/news/people/7233-uah-history-professor-earns-prestigious-dar-award-and-medal#.Uwyx0-NdXkt 

We are very pleased for our colleague's success. Congratulations Dr. Kvach!