History Commons^™

Chasing The Albino Pygmy Giraffe, Charles H. Haddad

School of Communication and Journalism Faculty Publications

It's never a good sign when someone is knocking on the door of your hotel room at seven in the morning. That's especially true if you have been schlepping eight college students across Western China, as I had been for the past week. I now heard in this soft rapping the death knell of my fledgling professorial career. Wrapping a ratty, threadbare pillow around my head, I tried to shut out the insistent rapping. Of course, that didn't work. Bad news has a way of butting in.

So begins my novel “Chasing the Albino Pygmy Giraffe.” It is a laugh-aloud …

Using Vr And Ar To Create Immersive Experiences That Document Local History And Culture, Susan Swiatosz, Beryl White-Bing, Kevin Pfeil

Library Faculty Presentations & Publications

In 2023 the Virtual Learning Librarian at the University of North Florida’s (UNF) Thomas G. Carpenter Library approached the Head of Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) with the idea to create a virtual reality (VR) experience using one of SCUA’s most accessed special collections: the Eartha M. M. White Collection. She was inspired by several existing VR experiences such as The Book of Distance and The People’s House: Inside the White House with Barack and Michelle Obama. She was also stimulated by the challenge set by the Head of SCUA to figure out a collaborative project with Special Collections. …

Ephemera As A Versatile Primary Resource: A Case Study Of The Nancy Tucker Postcard Collection, Dylan J. Mcdonald, Jennifer Olguin, Monika Glowacka-Musial

Journal of Western Archives

Ephemera are rich primary sources too often overlooked within archival materials and at collecting institutions. This case study argues that archivists and librarians should recognize ephemera, specifically postcards, as powerful historical documents worthy of scholarly investigation. By analyzing a sample set of digitized postcards held at the New Mexico State University Library, we show how scholars can use postcards to develop evidence-based arguments. Through the images, printed texts, and hand-written inscriptions found on these early 20th century postcards, we demonstrate how researchers can examine the pro-development messages found in southern New Mexico postcards.

Comparing Remembrances: The Collective Memory Of The Displaced People Of Shenandoah National Park And Their Descendants, Kaylee Wenger

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Shenandoah National Park (SNP), established in 1935, was the first major case of the United States seizing privately owned land for the creation of a national park. As a result, approximately 500 families that resided in the area of the Blue Ridge Mountains that was to become SNP were removed from their homes on the mountain throughout the 1930s. This experience of removal greatly impacted not only the displaced themselves, but it has had a lasting impact on their 21st-century descendants. The collective memory of the displaced and their descendants is made up of varying themes that can be used …

"Female Faithfulness Encouraged": Gendered Piety In Early American Print, Kadienne Sizemore

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Following the American Revolution, membership in Baptist churches grew exponentially and the influence of the Baptist persuasion was significant. As one of the fastest-growing Protestant denominations in early America, Baptists and their interests were often indicative of larger trends in religiosity. Conceptions of piety, including beliefs surrounding submission, faithfulness, and duty, were central to the structure of Baptist congregations and their proximate communities. This paper explores the role of gender in the discussion, presentation, and justification of Baptist notions of piety in their publications during the Early American Republic. To build on the work of historians exploring female autonomy in …

“Alas Poor Ireland!”: British Prejudice, “The Irish Precedent, ” And The Origins Of The American Revolution, David Arthur Salzillo, Jr.

History & Classics Undergraduate Theses

Of all the claims in the Declaration of Independence, its surety about the existence of an intentional British “design to reduce” the colonists “under absolute Despotism” is perhaps the most questionable one to modern ears. Contemporary historians have largely dismissed such language, and the accompanying concerns about an alleged British plot to “enslave” its Atlantic possessions. However, this paper argues that such a view fails to properly consider the role of “the Irish precedent” of English imperial exploitation in sparking American resistance and rebellion. Namely, through a careful study of what American colonists read and wrote about in the …

Hollywoodlandia: Celebrity Women, Movie Culture, And American Public Womanhood, 1916-1950, Skye Cranney

History Theses and Dissertations

This project proposes to study the ways in which celebrity women’s behavior may have encouraged American women to challenge, but not necessarily subvert, traditional gender roles even as Hollywood publicity continued to emphasize the importance of those same roles in women’s lives. It does that by examining three sites where celebrity women prominently lived, worked, played, and volunteered between 1920 and 1950: the Hollywood Studio Club, a boarding house only for women in the entertainment industry, in Los Angeles; the Sun Valley Ski Resort, the first modern ski resort in the American West, in central Idaho; and the Hollywood Canteen, …

El Nacimiento Del Rock En Español: ¿Cómo Fue Que Este Género De Música Latina Tuvo Éxito?, Alejandro V. Martinez

World Languages and Cultures

This paper titled El nacimiento del rock en español: ¿Cómo fue que este género de música latina tuvo éxito? will cover information regarding the Spanish rock movement. This essay compares what is written in this paper to that of prior scholars to show that although they do bring valid points, there is a lot more than many of us realize. There are various articles and reports written about the movement, but many do not explain the creation of the movement, let alone its survival in the music industry as a new genre that some had never heard of or had …

Georgia’S Deportation Of The Creeks And Cherokees: A Prelude To The Trail Of Tears, Sean Michael Ahearn Ii

History & Classics Undergraduate Theses

This thesis follows the story of the forced deportation of two Native American groups, the Creeks and the Cherokees, from the state of Georgia. The Creeks were completely removed from Georgia by January of 1828, two years before Andrew Jackson’s 1830 Indian Removal Act, effectively commencing the removal of all Native Americans to lands west of the Mississippi River, now known as the Trail of Tears. William McIntosh, a Lower Creek chief, worked alongside his cousin, George Troup, the governor of Georgia from 1823 to 1827. McIntosh worked alongside Troup and negotiated land sale deals, known as the Treaties of …

“An American Versailles:” Cold War Diplomacy And The Branding Of The American National Image Through The Fashion Of First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, Holly Carew

History & Classics Undergraduate Theses

HIS 490 History Honors Thesis

Reflections About The Academy And Its Centennial, Marco Aldi, Woodward S. Bousquet

Virginia Journal of Science

Brief reflective essays from members of the Virginia Academy of Science were solicited as part of the Academy's centennial commemoration in 2023. The essays received demonstrate the many and varied ways in which the Academy has fostered collegiality, encouraged research, supported science education, and shaped the course of science in Virginia during the organization's 100-year history.

Rethinking Resistance: The Gaspee Incident In The Context Of Rhode Island’S Slave Economy, Hayley Lonergan

History & Classics Student Scholarship

Majors: History and Art History
Minor: Women’s and Gender Studies

Feigned Compliance: The Japanese American Response To Incarceration During Wwii In Light Of Issei And Nisei Conflict, Mary Rose Comerford

History & Classics Student Scholarship

Major: History
Minors: Asian Studies; Business and Innovation

The formation of exclusively Nisei organizations in the 1930s contributed to their rise in community leadership. When WWII began, these Nisei-led groups collaborated with the War Relocation Authority (WRA), which created a narrative of Japanese American compliance. This is evidenced in internment camp newspapers.

J. Sterling Morton: The Founder Of Arbor Day's Political Career And Legacy, Luke Partsch

Honors Theses

J. Sterling Morton was one of the founding statesmen of Nebraska. He played a large role in the Democratic Party throughout his life, being appointed Secretary of the Nebraska Territory, running as the Democratic nominee for Governor four times, and serving as Secretary of Agriculture in Grover Cleveland’s cabinet. A newspaper editor, Morton had a public role in shaping political discourse. He advocated for conservation and founded Arbor Day, a tree planting holiday that continues to this day. His legacy has come under criticism in recent years due to racist comments and political platforms, especially in his younger years. Through …

January 6 And The Politics Of History, James Downs, Stephanie Mccurry, Joanne Freeman, Elizabeth Hinton, Jill Lepore, William Sturkey, Julian E. Zelizer

Gettysburg College Faculty Books

On January 6, 2021, more than two thousand rioters stormed the doors of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., hoping to interrupt the peaceful transfer of power from former president Donald Trump to his successor, Joseph Biden. The deaths, property damage, and vicious rampage that ensued were witnessed on live television as an unprecedented attack on the democratic process and those who strive to protect it.

As an installment of UGA Press’s History in the Headlines series, this book offers a rich discussion between highly respected scholars on the historical backdrop and context for contemporary issues from the headlines. …

New York City’S Health Governance And Activism From The 1950s To The 1970s, Andres Valcarcel

Theses

New York City's expansive network of hospitals and preventative health services has an intense history outside of the popular narratives of biomedical and technological advancement. This thesis will discuss the period between the 1950s and 1970s and the various movements and parties that shaped the city's health and hospital system. During this period, New York City's healthcare delivery system became increasingly privatized and commercialized; processes that improved the quality of healthcare yet simultaneously barred the poorest from accessing it. Communities, healthcare workers, and civil rights organizations worked to address perceived faults and extend their agency in health and hospital policy; …

Pulling Back The Redwood Curtain: The Chinese Experience In Humboldt In The Nineteenth And Twentieth Centuries, Christopher J. Chu

Cal Poly Humboldt Capstone Honor Roll

Chinese immigrants were integral to many industries of early California. In Humboldt, they worked in industries such as logging, fishing, and railroads, and provided essential services, such as farming, gathering, or laundry, to the local economy. Chinese immigrants in Humboldt County during the late 19th and early 20th centuries faced systemic discrimination that became a defining feature of the region's identity. State legislation, including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, along with national economic instability, particularly the Long Depression (1873–1896) and xenophobic policies in California influenced legislation and attitudes in Humboldt County. These forces combined with long-held local prejudices and …

History Of Federal International Education Policy (1900-2024): A Four-Dimensional View In Action, Winda Wastu Melati

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This dissertation examines the history of the evolution of United States international education policy from 1900 to 2024, employing document analysis methodology to explore key themes that have shaped its trajectory. The study utilizes Cooper et al.'s (2004) Four-Dimensional View of Policy theory (normative, structural, constituentive, and technical) to analyze the complex interplay between diplomatic objectives, economic considerations, national security concerns, immigration, internationalization of higher education, and international students in the United States. The research traces major policy shifts from early initiatives like the Boxer Indemnity Scholarship Program to post-9/11 security measures and recent administrative changes by examining primary sources …

Echoes Of Internment: A Study Of The Removal And Reuse Of Buildings From The Former Minidoka War Relocation Center, Idaho, Ian Lennon Reischl

All Master's Theses

In the study of Japanese American relocation centers, much of the emphasis is put on the centers while they were still active detention centers, and not what happened to them after they closed. The buildings of the centers often were not scrapped and landfilled but removed and repurposed in the farms and towns surrounding the former center sites, and now blend into their current environments.

I built a comprehensive inventory of buildings that were part of the Minidoka Relocation Center, the site of which is now a National Historic Site. I compiled their former uses within the center, current uses, …

Ethical Data Considerations For Engaging In Reparative Archival Practice, Jamie Rogers, Rhia Rae

Works of the FIU Libraries

Archival textually-rich materials--such as warranty deeds, mortgages, legal documents, and letter correspondence--can provide valuable historical insights, and if transcribed and analyzed, can produce data points in the form of unstructured text, tabular data, and geospatial assets. This presentation will provide an overview of the process Florida International University librarians went through to turn the papers of Dana A. Dorsey, Miami's first Black Millionaire, into data. Their work is guided by the concept of "collections as data" as a form of reparative archival practice, enabling the elevation of marginalized individuals' histories. The goal of reparative archival practice is to create a …

The Famine Foods Co-Op / Bluff Country Co-Op Oral History Project, Michael William Doyle

Famine Foods Co-op / Bluff Country Co-op Oral History Project

The Famine Foods Co-op / Bluff Country Co-op Oral History Project collects the oral narratives of people associated with the member owned, cooperatively run natural foods grocery store in Winona, Minnesota. The Project was launched in 2022 by Michael William Doyle, a founding member of the Co-op and a retired History professor, in commemoration of the Co-op’s 50^th anniversary year. It is endorsed by the Co-op’s board of directors and sponsored by Winona State University and the Winona County Historical Society.

This enterprise began as a buying club in spring 1972, inspired by the example of North Country Co-op …

Casar Public Lecture: October Surprise? Iran And Jimmy Carter’S Electoral Defeat In 1980, The Prince Alwaleed Center For American Studies And Research Casar

Performances, Events, and Presentations

September 10, 2023 at 1 pm

AUC New Campus Tim Sullivan Lounge

Event Report by CASAR Research Assistant: Maha Muehlhaeusler

Event Title: October Surprise? Iran and Jimmy carter’s Electoral Defeat in 1980

This event was the Center for American Studies and Reseach’s (CASAR) first event of the Fall 2023 semester. Around thirty individuals were hosted, including faculty members from HUSS, GAP and interested students from across AUC. Snacks and coffee were offered as well. The event was co-hosted by CASAR Assistant Director & Adjunct Faculty Yasmeen El Ghazaly and Director of the CASAR Dr. Mark W. Deets, who warmly welcomed …

The Philippine Economy During The Japanese Occupation, Jasper Lem

Asian Studies: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

The economy of the Philippines was derailed by the Japanese occupation during World War II. As an American colony before World War II, the Philippines had close amicable ties with the United States highlighted by promises of independence on July 4th, 1946. The Philippines also maintained a beneficial economic relationship with the States at this time through extensive foreign trade. However, because of the Japanese invasion, the Philippine economy was robbed of this profitable foreign trade and the promise of independence, severely crippling the island nation and her morale. The first policies implemented by Japan were designed to control the …

[Foreward To] Public Workers In Service Of America: A Reader, F. W. Gooding Editor, Eric S. Yellin Editor

Bookshelf

"From white-collar executives to mail carriers, public workers meet the needs of the entire nation. Frederick W. Gooding Jr. and Eric S. Yellin edit a collection of new research on this understudied workforce. Part One begins in the late nineteenth- and early twentieth century to explore how questions of race, class, and gender shaped public workers, their workplaces, and their place in American democracy. In Part Two, essayists examine race and gender discrimination while revealing the subtle contemporary forms of marginalization that keep Black men and Black and white women underpaid and overlooked for promotion. The historic labor actions detailed …

The Jesuit Colleges That Weren't: Conewago Latin School And Guadalupe College, Michael Rizzi

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

This article offers a brief history of two obscure and often overlooked Jesuit schools from the nineteenth century: the Conewago Latin School in Pennsylvania and Guadalupe College in Texas. Although neither school ever fully developed into a true institution of higher education, they began life similarly to other Jesuit schools of the 1800s, and under different circumstances they might have evolved, like those other schools, into true American colleges. The purpose of this historical sketch is to preserve the memory of these nearly forgotten Jesuit institutions.

Silent Voices, Stolen Imagery, And Subjected Violence: Plains Native American Women In Historiography, Bobbie J. Roshone

Graduate Review

This paper delves into the historiography of Indigenous women’s history and experiences on the Great Plains have been recorded. The main question when approaching this subject was, “what does a review of the historiography reveal about how historians have addressed Indigenous women’s history in the Great Plains?” The overwhelming consensus was that Indigenous women’s history of the Great Plains was minimal in regard to articles, however, there was a growth of autobiographies and other historiographical works throughout the same time period. This would lead to a directed look at how individual women in Indigenous Plains history had a larger impact …

I Belong Here Too: An Oral History Of The Immigration Of Bangladeshis To New York City, Subat Matin

Masters Theses, 2020-current

I Belong Here Too is an oral history project which consists of twenty interviews of the Bangladeshi community in New York. The oral histories touch on many aspects of Bangladeshi-American life, history, memory, identity, culture, and the struggles of being an immigrant. It tries to put the interviewees experiences in a larger historical context in order to understand how the Bangladeshi community in Brooklyn, New York has grown and the challenges they faced as immigrants in a new city. The two chapters of this thesis examines the oral history processes and the difficulties of Bangladeshi immigrant women. The project is …

I Belong Here Too: An Oral History Of The Immigration Of Bangladeshis To New York City, Subat Matin

Masters Theses, 2020-current

I Belong Here Too is an oral history project which consists of twenty interviews of the Bangladeshi community in New York. The oral histories touch on many aspects of Bangladeshi-American life, history, memory, identity, culture, and the struggles of being an immigrant. It tries to put the interviewees experiences in a larger historical context in order to understand how the Bangladeshi community in Brooklyn, New York has grown and the challenges they faced as immigrants in a new city. The two chapters of this thesis examines the oral history processes and the difficulties of Bangladeshi immigrant women. The project is …

The Threat To Academic & Intellectual Freedom, Christopher M. Jimenez, Melissa Del Castillo, Stephen Thomson Moore, Lowell Bryan Cooper, Jacqueline Radebaugh, George Pearson

Works of the FIU Libraries

The Academic and Intellectual Freedom Ad Hoc Committee presented a First Thursday discussion on May 4 about academic and intellectual freedom. Starting with a brief definition of these terms, they traced the history of Academic Freedom and how current events affect us at FIU. The committee posed several real-life scenarios threatening Academic/Intellectual Freedom in libraries. All library staff were invited to attend this lively discussion.

The Silence In America’S Classrooms: The Portrayal Of Women And Gender In United States High School History Textbooks, Allie Elizabeth Morris

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the twenty-first century, the process of adopting statewide history textbooks has become a political battleground surrounding concepts of race, gender, and identity in American history. By contextualizing the current discussion surrounding content in American history textbooks, I examine the portrayal of women in secondary United States social studies textbooks from the 1960s to the 2010s. In doing so, I show how portrayals of women's history evolve in the most widely adopted high school post-Civil War American history textbooks in each decade from the 1960s through to the 2000s. By comparing the evolution of the women’s and gender historiography to …