Past, Present & Future
THE 2016 REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
1 LETTER FROM THE CHAIR
HISTORY ALUMNI: Chair Brian Ogilvie eased my way. I cannot What are you doing? thank them enough for their dedication to our Fill us in! students and the department. I am happy to report that Barbara will rotate out of the office We’re always interested in getting updates from this year and increase her time as associate our graduates. Email us dean of the Graduate School. We are lucky your news at newsletter@ to have her in that position as we continue history.umass.edu, being to strengthen our graduate program. Anna sure to include your Taylor will become the new graduate pro- graduation year and degree, and we’ll be happy gram director and Brian the new chair of the to include you in our department, so we will be in good hands. next newsletter. If you I want to express my gratitude to Jennifer have any pertinent and Fronc for serving as the Honors Program reasonably high-resolution director this year, helping to guide our thesis photos, include them as attachments. writers and their faculty sponsors through their research projects. My thanks go out to Jessica Johnson, our outreach director, for Joye Bowman. her outstanding contributions to the depart- ment, as you will see in the following pages. Past, Present & Future is I write this note as I prepare to rotate out of idence Program featuring Rebecca Onion on My front-office staffers—Amy Fleig, Suzanne published annually by the the chair’s office; after serving for six years, new media, to a lecture with Edward Baptist Bell, Adam Howes, and Mary Lashway—are Department of History it’s time for me to return to the classroom and on capitalism and slavery. We were honored amazing. They make it possible for all of us Herter Hall my own scholarship. I carry fond memories to host a national summit, “History Commu- to succeed. I cannot thank them enough for 161 Presidents Drive University of Massachusetts of my years as chair, but I’m looking forward nication in the Twenty-First Century,” on the all that they do for each and every one of us. Amherst, MA 01003-9312. to new opportunities. future of the profession, with scholars and We continue to build our relationships This year was as exciting and busy as practitioners in a variety of fields. We also with our alumni. Our new model for a ca- Send news to the editor or by e-mail to newsletter@ any that I can remember in Herter Hall. We supported several community events beyond reer night for students (see page 41) has history.umass.edu. continue to deal with the winds of change the department, including a tribute to the been quite successful. We recognize that, For a PDF version of this swirling through higher education. The hu- Nigerian novelist, poet, and professor Chinua in addition to teaching students about the report, see umass.edu/ manities are suffering, but we remain firm Achebe and Ashes to Ashes, a home-going past, we need to prepare them for the future. history. in our conviction that a history degree pro- tribute to the thousands of lynching victims Consequently, we are trying to facilitate our EDITOR vides students with opportunities that pre- in the United States. students’ transition to the work world. Mark Chelsea Miller MA ‘16 pare them for life beyond UMass. We know I am sorry to report that our colleague Roblee, our internships and career advisor, With assistance from: that there is a role for history and humanities and friend Mary Wilson has decided to retire is helping us to prepare our students for the Jessica Johnson Justin Burch in our world. Our alumni prove that a histo- this year. Her classes on the modern Middle next phase of their lives. Our alumni are Marla Miller ry major can be just the beginning. As you East have been a mainstay of our curricu- key in that process. Thank you to those who Joye Bowman will see in the articles below, our faculty and lum. We will miss her classes, energy, and have reached out, whether by offering your Brian Ogilvie students are making history in higher educa- thoughtfulness. We hope that retirement will services or internship opportunities or by
COPY EDITORS This hand-colored copperplate engraving, published in 1705, is based on an original watercolor by the German- tion’s evolution. We have accomplished much be great for her as she pursues her research giving back in other ways. Your support re- John Sippel born artist Maria Sibylla Merian (1647–1717). From 1699 to 1701, Merian self-financed a scientific expedition this year and remain committed to providing projects and newfound interests. We hope ally does matter. Laura Gomes to the Dutch colony of Suriname, in South America, where she and her daughter Dorothea studied tropical our students with experiences that they will that she will keep in touch and maybe even Please stop in to see us if you find yourself insects and the plants on which they live. On this lemon, Merian included the life cycle of the Monkey Slug Moth DESIGNER remember fondly. consider coming back to teach for us every on campus. Send us your news updates at (top). But she also included a colorful Harlequin Beetle, “to fill and adorn the print.” Merian, the first woman to Michelle Sauvé ’84 The articles within provide a window into now and then. My job as chair has been a bit [email protected]. Feel free to publish studies of insect life, is one subject of Brian Ogilvie’s current research project, “Nature’s Bible: Insects in European Art, Science, and Religion from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment.” life in the Department of History over the easier thanks to my colleagues who support contact me at [email protected] Source: Maria Sibylla Merian, Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium (Amsterdam, 1705). Image from the past year. You’ll read about everything from me in this position. Graduate Program Di- or my successor, Brian Ogilvie, at ogilvie@ Biodiversity Heritage Library. Digitized by Smithsonian Libraries. | biodiversitylibrary.org our Annual Lecture—this one by Antoinette rector Barbara Krauthamer, Undergraduate history.umass.edu. —Joye Bowman Burton, on imperialism—to our Writer-in-Res- Program Director Alice Nash, and Associate
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The Undergraduate Program COURSE HIGHLIGHT:
If you smell pizza, you might be on the sixth group had a chance to meet each returning Shiek, Kara Westhoven, and Dimitrios Xan- rage-Goodwin for “An Unending War: The floor of Herter Hall. graduate. This was an opportunity for profes- thopoulos ’16. Legacy of Agent Orange” (Joyce Berkman). The Joys of the Pizza has long been the refreshment of sional development, as students learned how In between special events, our depart- The winner in the class-essay division was choice for the UMass Amherst History Club, to present themselves and try their hand at ment continues its daily work of offering ex- Ashlyn Collins for “Official Claims and War which meets once a month for history-relat- networking. It also made for a fun evening all citing courses and excellent teaching. Recent Zone Realities” (Christian Appy), with an hon- ‘Integrative Experience’ ed activities. It has become the staple of a around. This event would not have been pos- additions to the curriculum include “Science, orable mention for Kelsey Furey for “How Had series of new outreach initiatives aimed at sible without Mark, Undergraduate Program Technology, and War in Twentieth-Century the Narrative of White Southern Masculinity When our General Education Council mandated a new helping our history majors connect to faculty, Assistant Suzanne Bell, and our alumni who U.S. and Europe” (Emily Redman), “Tradi- Shaped the Memorable Character of Robert requirement a few years ago, faculty members predictably other students, and career opportunities. We gave so generously of their time. tional Japan” (Garrett Washington), and E. Lee in Michael Shaara’s Historical Novel groaned. But once we got past the word “requirement,” the offered free pizza for lunch once a month in Another event was the Phi Alpha Theta “Latin American Revolutions” (Kevin Young). The Killer Angels?” (Sarah Cornell). proposal began looking much like a plan we in the history Herter’s sixth-floor lobby, which led to some dinner and induction ceremony, organized Thanks to the generosity of our donors, Sarah Pesaturo ’16, a Commonwealth department had long discussed: a capstone course giving interesting conversations. The history de- by advisor Garrett Washington. The evening we gave a record number of awards to our Honors College history major with minors students the space to consider their four years of higher partment now holds an advising open house included an inspirational talk by Julio Capó students. The Undergraduate Studies Com- in education and psychology, received the education. The new Integrative Experience (IE) course was an each semester where students can meet Jr., winner of the 2016 College of Human- mittee had the difficult and wonderful task opportunity for both creative retrospection and preparation informally with faculty, check their degree ities and Fine Arts Distinguished Teaching of determining the winners; thank you to for life after graduation. progress, learn about new course offerings, Award, on his transition from journalist to professors Emily Redman, Heidi Scott, and My IE course, “Human Rights and Energy Security,” talk to other students . . . and eat pizza. historian. Current members were on hand to Kevin Young for their work on this and other guides students in linking politically fraught energy issues to Sometimes we offer fancier fare. Intern- celebrate with the inductees and their fami- matters throughout the year. the history of democratization and human rights in the region ship and Career Advisor Mark Roblee or- lies. Inductees included Luke Bergquist, Ha- The winner of the Louis S. Greenbaum around the Caspian Sea, i.e. former Soviet states plus Iran and ganized a formal dinner in March 2016 at ley Clark, Paige Clarke, Lauren Coombes, History Writing Prize for undergraduate re- Afghanistan. Students also consider how the U.S. and Europe which 10 illustrious alumni returned to cam- Frances Fleming, Maddie Hodgman, Emma search papers was Hallie Dunlap for “Mass could or should deal with rights violations by states that pus (see page 41). Twenty-five history majors Kearns, Benjamen Lerer, Samantha Lom- Incarceration: A Method of Social Control in produce oil and gas. Students must keep their writing concise attended, rotating from one table to the next bard ’16, Justin Murphy, Indira Rao, Jorge the Twenty-First Century” (Jennifer Fronc), but meaty, a skill rarely taught. “This is job training,” I explain, while the alumni stayed in place, so that each Reyes-Lebron Jr., Ethan Schwartz, Jaffar with an honorable mention for Miranda Bur- much to the students’ chagrin, “because no employer will want to read your 10-page reflections on fraudulent elections in Kazakhstan.” In the final “self as learner” paper last fall, students told me things I would not have guessed. One said that the debate Phi Alpha Theta members at the group’s 2016 Initiation Dinner. between students playing dictators and those playing human- rights defenders had been a turning point in his college career. “It never occurred to me,” he wrote, “that I could not win an Samantha Lombard ’16 at the Undergraduate Thesis Symposium. argument merely by asserting the morally right viewpoint, that I have to make the case.” —Audrey Altstadt
Robert H. McNeal Scholarship for graduat- ing with the highest overall GPA. Sarah also received the Nicholas Carr Bergstein Scholar- ship, which commemorates the life of Nicho- las Bergstein, a UMass Amherst student who planned on becoming a high school history teacher but sadly passed away in 2015. Nich- olas’s mother was present at our awards cere- mony to meet Sarah and learn more about her senior thesis, “Incorporating LGBTQ Minority History into Massachusetts 8–12 U.S. History Curriculum.” We are moved and grateful to continue his legacy in this way. Another new award this year is the James and Cynthia Redman Scholarship, which honors the life of James O. Redman, father Undergraduate students Brooke Parziale ‘17, Aibhlin Hannigan ‘17, Emilia of Sam Redman and father-in-law of Emily Beuger and Richard Carter ‘17 listen intently during a class discussion in Redman. Recipient Ryan Walsh ’16, a history Professor Altstadt’s IE course, “Human Rights and Energy Security.”
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major with a minor in education and a cer- Grace Keane, Nicholas Kinsman, Andrew tificate in Asian studies, plans to become a Kubin, Samantha Lombard, Shane Maher, high school teacher. Michael Nicholson, Brian Pastore, Sarah The Paul E. Giguere Scholarship in His- Pesaturo, Alexander Ried, Elena Rousseau, tory was established by Paul E. Giguere to Ryan Walsh, and Dimitrios Xanthopoulos. support undergraduates majoring in his- Several awards give students opportuni- tory. Winner Bianca Renzoni is a member ties to travel or gain internship experience. of Commonwealth Honors College with a The David H. MacDonnell Prize is for a rising double major in history and anthropology; junior with an interest in Irish or British histo- she is also pursuing a minor in French and ry. Justin Murphy, a double major in history a certificate in African studies. and political science, is the 2016 recipient. Jus- Another outstanding student is Dimitrios tin, along with history majors Jacob Bensco, Xanthopoulos ’16, recipient of the Harold Emmaline Conti, and Aibhlin Hannigan will W. Cary Prize, which honors the graduat- study at Trinity College, Oxford University, ing history major with the highest GPA in through the UMass Oxford Summer Seminar Hailey Cherepon ’16, Kara Westhoven, and Emily Esten ’16 at the Undergraduate Awards Ceremony. history courses. We thought we were see- Program, thanks to additional funding from ing double at the Graduation Breakfast and the Frederic Gilbert Bauer Endowment and were relieved to find that Dimitrios has an the Department of History Gift Fund. Stephen Platt gives Parziale, Bianca Renzoni, Ethan Schwartz, identical twin. The Richard W. Bauer Scholarship Fund a short talk, “When and Kara Westhoven. Krikor Ermonian ’52, an engineer who supported 13 history majors in exciting sum- Amherst Went to China: This year the History Opportunity Award, The Bungled Disaster loves history but was not a history major, mer internships at such sites as the New established by Professor Emeritus Ron Story, of Lord Amherst’s established the Simon and Satenig Ermonian Bedford Whaling Museum, the Federalist Mission to Beijing recognizes the work of our peer mentors, Scholarship in honor of his parents. It recog- Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, the in 1816,” at a dinner seniors Daniel Cabral, Hailey Cherepon, nizes history majors who have a high GPA Care Center in Holyoke, the Office of Con- hosted by Provost Carl Forgo, and Michael Nicholson. These in history and have taken honors or other gressman Bill Keating, and the U.S. State Katherine Newman. dedicated students kept regular office hours advanced courses. This year’s recipients, all Department in Seoul, Korea. The recipients in the department, mentoring other students, seniors, joined the distinguished ranks of Er- were Dalton Alves, Kaelan Burkett, Lauren tutoring, helping with papers, and brighten- monian scholars: Michael Avanzato, Kaelan Coombes, Emma Hodges, Madeline Hodg- ing the office with their presence. They went Burkett, Hailey Cherepon, Sara Downard, man, Benjamin Lerer, Andrew Marton, above and beyond by representing us on
Emily Esten, John Fitzgerald, Serena Forrest, Dylan Mulvey, Michael Nicholson, Brooke JULIAN DEL PRADO’16 departmental Advising Nights and at the Uni- versity Majors Fair. They came in on week- ends for the university Open Houses, where accepted students and their families visit the campus, and they made us look good. We really appreciate their work. In addition to the departmental awards, Undergraduate Internship and Career Office three of our students won awards from the College of Humanities and Fine Arts: Francis Internship and Career Advisor Mark Roblee helps history majors of recognition for and stories from students returning from summer internships; Henry Schulze (a triple major in finance, prepare for life after graduation by teaching the nuts and bolts of career Laura Lovett’s workshop “Diversity in the Workplace”; and an information economics, and history), Kara Westhoven, development (résumés, cover letters, interviewing, networking) along session on careers in policy, foreign affairs, and international relations by Robert and Emily Esten ’16. with the equally important ability to communicate what their history LaRussa ’76, former Commerce Department undersecretary for international Supporting the success of our students is experience has given them. Employers will ask: “What skills and trade. This year, Mark organized and hosted a dinner with alumni in a variety Suzanne Bell, who spends countless hours perspectives do history majors offer the workplace?” The short answer: of fields (see page 41). If you are also interested in sharing your experience with advising students, troubleshooting problems, “Plenty.” Our students develop valuable critical-thinking, research, a history undergraduate, please consider becoming an alumni advisor at the organizing events, and generally caring writing, analysis, oral-presentation, and collaboration skills, along with Alumni Advisor Network (umassalumni.evisors.com), a new, easy-to-use platform about our program. an appreciation of the diversity of human experience. for helping history undergraduates prepare for their careers. And please join us There’s always something good happen- The 2015–16 academic year saw three new additions to the career on LinkedIn—you can find our group, “UMass Amherst History Alumni and ing in Herter Hall—maybe even pizza. development event series: Internship Celebration Night, an evening Friends,” at linkedin.com/groups/4401850. —Alice Nash, director
Internship and Career Advisor Mark Roblee.
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The Honors Program REBECCA ONION REBECCA
The Department of History Honors Program is Nye offered important new courses on the the symposium was informative and lively. pleased to have closed out another success- history of sex and gender discrimination, as In addition to coursework, honors students ful and exciting academic year. In 2015–16, well as the history of domestic violence law. had varied educational experiences. Several our students availed themselves of a num- The senior honors thesis is the capstone of studied abroad this year—from England to ber of opportunities. In the spring semester, the department’s Honors Program, and the South Korea—while others stayed closer to History on alumnus Kenneth Feinberg ’67, attorney and Thesis Symposium is the highlight of the year. home, interning in Senator Elizabeth War- former special master for the September 11th Held this year on April 21, it was attended by ren’s Springfield office. Our graduates will Victim Compensation Fund, offered a sem- students, their families, and history depart- pursue a number of paths after graduation, the Web with inar titled “Historical Responses to Unique ment faculty and staff. Ten students presented including a graduate program at Brown Catastrophes.” Students reported that it was on their individual research projects, which University in public humanities, master’s a transformative experience. ranged widely in topic and time period from degree programs in higher education, and Writer-in- In addition, the program offered a new studies of the Massachusetts towns of New law school in the honors program at Roger course with a specialized honors colloquium, Bedford, Lowell, and Fall River to the Arme- Williams University’s School of Law. “Sex in History—A Global History of the Mod- nian genocide to ISIS and its practice of de- —Jennifer Fronc, director Residence ern World,” taught by Laura Lovett. Jennifer stroying ancient art and artifacts. As always, Rebecca Onion Rebecca Onion, 2016 Writer-in-Residence.
Thanks to the generous support of Five Colleges Inc. in also participated in the History Communication Summit and, partnership with the Department of History, UMass Amherst’s alongside prominent historians, journalists, and thought leaders Writer-in-Residence Program annually brings a writer of from around the nation, joined in an evening of “lightning national prominence to campus for a weeklong residency to conversations” about the future of history communication (see enliven the training of history students in writing for a range of page 9). audiences and venues. In March, the department and the Five On March 4, Onion delivered the Writer-in-Residence College community welcomed Rebecca Onion, history writer Lecture, “Truth, Lies, Clicks, and Shares: How History is Faring
for Slate.com, author of Innocent Experiments: Childhood and on the World Wide Web.” She discussed “what happens with Honors history majors at the Undergraduate Thesis Symposium. the Culture of Popular Science in the United States (University of history in the wild of the web,” away from official channels Left to right: Matthew Smith ’16, Sarah Pesaturo ’16, Alexander Ried ’16, Annie Sandoli with North Carolina Press, forthcoming), and visiting scholar in the curated by academic historians, and examined how social Annie Sandoli, Jack Fitzgerald ’16, Meredith O’Brien ’16, Emily Esten ’16, her thesis advisor, Department of History at Ohio University. media platforms like Twitter and Tumblr transform the way we Samantha Lombard ’16, and Hailey Cherepon ’16. Julio Capó Jr. During her stay on campus, Onion visited several classes, experience history. (If you missed the lecture, you can check it including the graduate seminar “Writing History,” and attended and others out on the department’s YouTube channel). a meeting of the undergraduate History Club. She graciously “Rebecca Onion’s lectures and class visits completely accepted a position on the capstone panel for “Putting History changed the way I think about writing history for broader to Work,” the Graduate History Association’s conference. She audiences,” said MA candidate Rebekkah Rubin, who is pursuing the Public History Program’s “Writing History Beyond the Academy” track. “She showed that nonacademic history need not be simplified and that nonacademic audiences can and do engage with history, although largely on their own terms. It was helpful to hear from Onion about her experiences ED COHEN ED writing both academic and nonacademic histories and crafting her own job as a history writer. Her optimism about the future of history writing on the Internet was inspiring, and I will undoubtedly continue to think about ideas she brought up
during her visit.” —Chelsea Miller ’16MA Meredith O’Brien ’16 discusses her thesis, “‘The Whip Which Brings Us’: Lowell Mill Girls and the Family Economy Model,” at the Rebecca Onion Undergraduate Thesis Symposium. with Jim Grossman, executive director of the American Historical Association.
6 7 event. “This is an important step forward in thinking about how history gets communicated beyond the academy in the digital and mobile age.” The workshop was co-organized with Jason Steinhauer, a public historian based at The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. He has been the leader of the growing movement within the history profession focusing on how historians can AMANDA LYONS, VISUALS FOR CHANGE CHANGE FOR VISUALS LYONS, AMANDA (VISUALSFORCHANGE.COM) best communicate in today’s digital environment. In addition to the two-day series of conversations, on History Communication March 4 the department, in collaboration with the Kenneth Feinberg ’67 Graduate History Association’s annual conference, and Jill Dwiggins ’13MA (center) with students in hosted a public event including a series of “lightning in the 21st Century conversations” in which pairs of workshop attendees their course. explored themes in history communication. Video In March, the Department of History and the Public of these dynamic conversations are now available COURSE HIGHLIGHT: History Program hosted the first-ever national on our YouTube page. The summit’s participants History Communication Summit, convening included Ed Ayers, host of the popular Backstory prominent historians, journalists, and thought radio program and recipient of a 2014 National ‘Historical Responses to Unique Catastrophes’ leaders from across the nation to discuss the Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama; communication of history in the digital age. The Jim Grossman, executive director of the American This undergraduate course, taught by Kenneth R. Feinberg ’67 with seminar with Kenneth Feinberg, while undertaking major research summit consisted of a workshop that examined new Historical Association; Jamia Wilson, executive the assistance of Jill Dwiggins ’13MA, evaluated the circumstances projects on related topics of their choosing. approaches for communicating history to 21st- director of Women, Action, and the Media; Shola under which the United States government provides special Students called the course “life-changing” and “absolutely century audiences and will ultimately culminate in a Lynch, filmmaker and curator at the Schomburg compensation to victims of disasters. Students examined historical incredible” and reported that it helped them to think more new departmental curriculum dedicated to training Center for Research in Black Culture; The Atlantic examples of public compensation and other alternatives to critically about the world and provided them with knowledge and graduate students to best communicate history to magazine’s Yoni Applebaum; John Dichtl, executive traditional tort litigation in U.S. society. Course readings addressed frameworks that will stay with them throughout their lives. “Mr. nonexperts using mobile and digital technologies. director of the American Association for State and perceptions of charity and self-reliance in U.S. history, sovereign Feinberg taught the class as he would one of his law school classes “We are delighted to be convening this important Local History; Harvard University professor and immunity, formal government apology, legal and administrative at Harvard,” says Joye Bowman. “He challenged the students to dialogue on history communication—the first of its New Yorker writer Jill Lepore; and Rebecca Onion, obstacles to compensation programs, political environments do their best work. He established an esprit de corps in the class, kind—at UMass Amherst,” said Marla Miller, public history writer for Slate.com and the department’s contributing to the creation of special compensation funds, and and students became a community. I feel confident that it was an history program director and co-organizer of the 2016 Writer-in-Residence. —Chelsea Miller ’16MA approaches to victim compensation in other parts of the world. experience that the students will remember as they go out into the Students discussed these concepts in a weekly video-conference world.” —Jill Dwiggins ’13MA
2016 HONORS THESES
Hailey Cherepon, “The Armenian Genocide and the Politics of Meredith O’Brien, “’The Whip Which Brings Us’: Lowell Mill Girls and Memory in the United States” the Family Economy Model” Emily Esten, “Charity as Coercion: The La dies’ Branch of the New Sarah Pesaturo, “Incorporating LGBTQ and Gender Studies Bedford Port Society, 1833–1880” into Massachusetts 9–12 United States History Curriculum Jack Fitzgerald, “Questionable Intentions: An Exploration of the Frameworks” Pioneer Fund, John Tanton, and their Affiliates” Alexander Ried, “Mill Wars: The Intersection of Labor and Samantha Lombard, “Social Media, the Western World, and Immigration in Fall River, 1870–1905” UNESCO: ISIS and the Destruction of Ancient Art” Annie Sandoli, “Recollections of Homosexuality in U.S. Catholic Michael Nicholson, “Constitutional Stability in the Western Tradition: The Early Cold War and Vatican II Ideology” Hemisphere” Matthew Smith, “Tensions in National Identity: Early American and Roman Stories of Peoplehood and their Influence on Identity” PHOTOS BY ED COHEN
Cohosts Susan Kaplan and Jason Steinhauer at the The Schomberg Center’s Shola Lynch and Lily Roth of Time lightning conversations. lightning-converse about editing for different audiences.
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The Graduate Program
The graduate program had a wonderful year. Our students participated in a wide va- riety of events that showcased their skills as historians. Master’s and doctoral students presented their research at conferences across the United States and abroad and, of course, organized the campus’s annual Graduate History Association Conference. The graduate program and the department Barbara Krauthamer, Destiney hosted many events that allowed graduate Linker, Camesha Scruggs, Joye students to network with leading scholars, Bowman, Felicia Jamison, museum professionals, archivists, and activ- and Joie Campbell at the ists. As always, our graduate students have 2015 annual meeting and conference of the Association been energetic, creative, and inspired his- for the Study of American Life torians whose work as students, teachers, and History. interns, archivists, writers, and exhibit de- signers continues to enrich our department, 2015–16 Graduate History Association officers Sean Smeland, the campus, the local community, and the Natalie Sherif ’16MA, Sarah Lavallee, and Justin Burch. history profession. GRADUATE STUDENT It is with sadness that I convey the news DEPARTMENTAL AWARDS that Gary Garrison ’16PhD passed away this Dr. Charles K. Hyde Intern Fellowships summer. I know that the history faculty, staff, (See the listing on page 14.) and graduate student community join me Thanks to the GHA’s enthusiasm and ded- ences: the European Society for the History Frederic Gilbert Bauer Research in extending condolences to his friends and ication, the conference was a great success. of Science, Western Association of Women Fellowship family. Professors Joyce Berkman and Dan It covered topics in labor history, art history, Historians, Classical Association of New Adeline Broussan Gordon worked closely with Gary over the digital history, activism, and much more, as England, German Studies Association, and Justin Burch years and gave his dissertation high praise well as a lunch with Matt Becker, executive National Council on Public History. Students Jenna Febrizio for its ambitious scope and sophisticated editor of the University of Massachusetts also participated in a variety of conferences History Department Travel Grants and Graduate School Travel Grants analysis. Press. The conference closed with a roundta- and symposia hosted by universities, includ- Mohammad Ataei In the fall semester, the graduate program ble on history communication moderated by ing Stony Brook University, UC Davis, and Julia Carroll hosted Professor Antoinette Burton of the Emily Redman and featuring Writer-in-Res- UT Austin. Presenting at conferences is, of Michael Jirik
University of Illinois, who gave the annual idence Rebecca Onion, Jamia Wilson (Wom- course, an important component of graduate Joyce A. Berkman Endowed Fund in Five Colleges Distinguished History Lecture en, Action, and the Media), Cathy Stanton education and professional development. Women’s History and Women’s Studies (see page 13). The graduate program also (Tufts University; History@Work), and Jason Thanks to the generosity of our donors, our Kathryn Julian hosted Professor Edward Baptist of Cornell Steinhauer (Library of Congress). graduate program is fortunate to have funds Potash Travel Grant for Latin America, University, who spoke about his highly ac- The GHA hosted graduate students from available to help offset the cost of students’ Spain, or Portugal Jorge Simões Minella claimed history of slavery and capitalism, a wide range of schools and disciplines. Fac- conference travel and expenses. The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and ulty from the Five Colleges also attended the The spring semester ended in the de- Richard Gassan Memorial Scholarship Adeline Broussan the Making of American Capitalism. Bap- conference. I was happy to have the oppor- partment on a high note with the graduate Justin Burch Chloe Spinks and Shay Olmstead work the registration table at “Putting tist’s presentation attracted graduate and tunity to meet Jason Higgins, who traveled awards ceremony. As always, it was a great Simon and Sateng Ermonian Graduate History to Work,” the 12th annual Graduate History Association conference. undergraduate students as well as faculty from Oklahoma to present his paper and visit pleasure to have this opportunity to recog- Awards for Excellence in Graduate from many departments, including history, the department. It’s my pleasure to report nize our students’ tremendous achievements. Teaching economics, anthropology, English, and po- that Jason will enter our doctoral program We were glad to acknowledge the generosity Cheryl Harned litical science. this fall. of all of our donors and were especially de- Shay Olmsted The spring semester was, as always, a Throughout the year, students from our lighted that Dr. Charles Hyde ’66 and Robert The Department of History thanks its dizzying whirlwind of activity in the history program presented research papers and and Jeanne Potash attended the awards cer- generous donors, who make these awards department, including a national summit poster sessions at conferences across the emony and reception. possible. For more information on these awards, see umass.edu/history/programs/ on history communication, the annual Writ- United States and nations abroad, includ- In April, eight master’s students—Canaan GraduateAwards.html. er-in-Residence lecture, and the Graduate ing England, Germany, and the Czech Re- Asbury, Matthew Coletti, Rose Gallenberg- History Association conference “Putting His- public. Students gave presentations at the er, Deborah Kallman, Kathleen Mahoney, tory to Work.” following professional association confer- Chelsea Miller, Julie Peterson, and Natalie
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Sherif—presented their portfolios and re- ceived their degrees at the May commence- Antoinette Burton on ment ceremony. They have embarked on their new careers as historians and we look forward to hearing from them in the months ‘The Trouble with Empire’ to come. At least one of them, Canaan As- bury, is headed to Europe, where he will be a Fulbright Teaching Fellow in Germany. On October 19, Antoinette Burton delivered resistance through work-related protests. This Four doctoral students—Julie de Chantal, the 2015–16 Five College Annual Lecture, “The dissenters’ history offers a new way to look at Gary Garrison, Sandra Perot, and Daniel Trouble with Empire: Challenges to Modern empire, one that links the individual lives of Chard—successfully defended their disser- British Imperialism.” The author of a recent book imperial subjects with larger historical questions tations. of the same title, Burton is interim director of the and theories and provides an alternative analysis History doctoral students received exter- Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities to the unstable rise-and-fall life cycle of empire. nal grants and awards that recognized the and both a professor of history and the Catherine Barbara Krauthamer said that Burton’s talk strength of their work and their continued po- C. and Bruce A. Bastian Professor of Global “generated a lively discussion about empires, tential as scholars. Amy Breimaier received and Transnational Studies at the University of imperialism, and resistance that engaged faculty a dissertation research grant from the New Illinois, Urbana–Champaign. Her work exposes and students from many departments, including England Regional Fellowship Consortium the realities and instabilities of empire, with a history, anthropology, English, and Afro- in conjunction with the Massachusetts His- particular focus on the British Empire. American studies.” —Chelsea Miller ’16MA torical Society. Felicia Jamison was one of Burton’s lecture drew attention to dissent and a select group of UMass Amherst graduate disruption within the British Empire, which she students inducted into the campus chapter of described as “short circuits in imperial power.” the honor society Phi Kappa Phi. She examined frictions along categories of It has been my pleasure to serve as gradu- race, gender, class, and sexuality to show how ate program director this year. As of this fall, indigenous resistance caused “multisided trouble” my place has been taken by Anna Taylor, for the British Empire. Burton argued that who I am sure will enjoy the job as much decolonizing efforts are not limited to large-scale as I have. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to events, but include guerilla fighting and everyday Mary Lashway, Jessica Johnson, Suzanne Bell, Adam Howes, and Amy Fleig, whose
hard work and good cheer keep the graduate Graduate students Ryan Dorsey, Julia Carroll, Sara Patton, Selena Moon, and Shay program running smoothly and effectively Olmstead during the Q&A at Antoinette Burton’s lecture. every day. —Barbara Krauthamer, director Historian Antoinette Camesha Scruggs introducing a panel at “Putting History to Work.” Burton delivers the Five College Annual Lecture to an enthusiastic audience.
2016 M.A. THESES
Matthew Coletti, “’The Fate Which Takes Us’: Benjamin F. Beall and Jefferson County, (West) Virginia in the Civil War Era”
2015 Ph.D. THESES
Julie de Chantal, “’If There Are Men Who Are Afraid to Die, There Are Women Who Are Not’: African American Women’s Civil Right Leadership in Boston, 1920–1975” Daniel Chard, “Nixon’s War on Terrorism: The FBI, Leftist Guerrillas, and the Origins of Watergate” Gary Garrison, “Rights in Property and Property in Rights: Privacy, Contract, and Ownership of the Body in Anglo-American Political and Constitutional Thought” Sandra Perot, “Theatre Women and Cultural Diplomacy in the Transatlantic Anglophone World: 1752–1807”
12 PHOTOS BY NOAH LOVING FIVE/ COLLEGES 13 Rose Gallenberger ’16MA at her summer internship PROGRAM UPDATES at Historic St. Mary’s City.
The Public History Program
The Public History Program enjoyed another Mahoney ’16MA (WGBH in Boston), Felicia invigorating year, infused with energy from Jamison (W.E.B. Du Bois Homesite), and our students and with new collaborators in Chelsea Miller ’16MA (Institute for Cura- the Pioneer Valley and beyond. We’ll try to torial Practice). Some of these experiences capture the highlights below, but to keep up were supported by Charles K. Hydes schol- with the program and stay abreast of what arships, which help our students complete our alumni are doing, you can also find us high-quality internships when a host site is on Facebook, Twitter (@umassph), and Flickr unable to offer sufficient compensation; we (flickr.com/people/publichistory). remain grateful to Dr. Hyde for this generous Our annual fall field trip last September support of our students’ aims. made a return visit to the Berkshires. It was Over the past year Sam Redman orches- an especially satisfying day, in part because trated the launch of the UMass Amherst Oral we got to see Deborah Kallman ’16MA in History Lab, which brings together students,
action in her new position at Edith Wharton’s faculty, and community organizations to im- Public History fall Mark Schlemmer, The Mount, in Lenox. Her post there is an prove oral-history work of all kinds. During outing to The Mount associate registrar outcome of our field trip to that historic house the fall semester, students in “Theory and in Lenox, Mass. for collections two years earlier, after which Deborah par- Method of Oral History” enjoyed having at the New-York Historical Society, layed contacts made there into an internship their seminar hosted in the new lab space, discusses his and then a full-time position. (We’re happy to Room 121 in the Herter Annex. At the start Twitter initiative, report that Deborah has since moved on to of the semester, Redman collaborated with @ITweetMuseums. another terrific position as director of finance professor Emily Redman and students Julie at Historic Deerfield.) We also enjoyed a visit Peterson, and Natalie Sherif to bring a ver- to the W.E.B. Du Bois Homesite in Great Bar- sion of the “Oral History Crash Course” to rington, led by David Glassberg. It’s exciting Brown University. to see the new developments at the homesite Meanwhile, in another exciting initiative each time we visit there. last fall, Marla Miller’s “Introduction to Public During the September 2015 Internship History” graduate seminar collaborated with Report-Out event, students described their nearly 20 other public history programs from experiences in a variety of summer intern- across the nation in developing a traveling ships: Rose Gallenberger ’16MA (St. Mary’s exhibition, States of Incarceration. Coordi- City), Julie Peterson ’16MA (Eastern States nated by the Humanities Action Lab at the Penitentiary), Natalie Sherif ’16MA (Nation- New School for Social Research, 18 UMass
al Museum of American History), Kathleen students assembled into four teams to pro- Deborah Kallman ’15MA with her Edith Wharton Public History Program assistants, past and present. Front, left to right: Shakti exhibit at The Mount. Castro, Julie Peterson ’16MA, and Richard Anderson ’11MA. Back, left to right: Laura Miller ’14PhD, Emily Oswald ’12MA, and Jill Ogline Titus ’07PhD.
DR. CHARLES K. HYDE PUBLIC HISTORY FELLOWS AND VISITING PRACTITIONERS, 2015–16
Dr. Charles K. Hyde Intern Fellowships Visiting Practitioners
Shakti Castro, Wistariahurst Museum, Holyoke, Massachusetts Danping Wang, Lower East Side Preservation Initiative; City Lore, New York Christine Arato, chief historian, National Parks Service Northeast Region Matt Ottinger, director of facilities and historic preservation, Bostonian City, New York Society Katherine Fecteau, Historic Deerfield, Deerfield, Massachusetts Sue Ferentinos, author, Interpreting LGBT History at Museums and Historic Sites Charles Weisenberger, David Ruggles Center for Early Florence History and Tina Reynolds, activist; founder, Women on the Rise Telling HerStory (WORTH) Cheryl Harned, Swift River Historical Society, New Salem, Massachusetts Kristin Leahy Fontenot ‘04MA, deputy director, Office of Environmental Underground Railroad Studies, Florence, Massachusetts Gregg Mitchell, Monadnock Media, Hatfield, Massachusetts Planning and Historic Preservation, Federal Emergency Management Noriko Sanefuji, program assistant, Division of Work and Industry, National Check out the Public History Program’s Facebook page (facebook.com/ Agency Museum of American History Selena Moon, National Museum of American History, Washington, D.C. UMassPublicHistory) and the history department blog, Past@Present Bill Hosley, principal, Terra Firma Northeast Mark B. Schlemmer, associate registrar for collections, New-York Historical Sara Patton, Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm, Newbury, Massachusetts; Cape Cod (umasshistory.wordpress.com), for accounts of the Hyde fellows’ adventures. Society; creator, @ITweetMuseums National Seashore, Wellfleet, Massachusetts Kathy Kottaridis, executive director, Historic Boston Inc. Molly Stothert-Maurer, archivist, Perkins School for the Blind Rebekkah Rubin, University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst, Katherine Ott, curator, Division of Medicine and Science, National Museum of Massachusetts; Belt Magazine, Cleveland, Ohio American History Jamia Wilson, executive director, Women, Action, and the Media (WAM)
14 15 PROGRAM UPDATES
David Glassberg at the Public History fall outing duce content for the exhibit and related ac- the much-coveted sponsorship of the confer- to the W.E.B. Du Bois tivities (for more, see page 18). ence lanyards: every one of the event’s thou- National Historic Site in Over the course of the year, the program sand-plus attendees wore a maroon lanyard Great Barrington, Mass. At the Institute for Curatorial Practice (ICP) was also thrilled to host a number of Hyde with our logo on it. The program was visible exhibition launch for The Third Space: Textiles Visiting Practitioners; again, we are thank- throughout the meeting in other ways too. in Material and Visual Culture, Chelsea Miller ful to Dr. Charles K. Hyde for the funds that Alumna Jill Ogline Titus ’07PhD joined a ’16MA’s online exhibition: ICP Director Karen allow us to connect our students with so panel considering contentious contemporary Amanda Goodheart Parks ’10MA, Katherine Fecteau, Koehler, Kress Curatorial Fellow Jocelyn Laura Miller ’14PhD, and Marla Miller at the 2016 Edens, and graduate intern Chelsea Miller. many leading public history practitioners conversations around Civil War memorials, Dublin Seminar for New England Folklife. over the course of each year (see below). while Marla Miller, together with alumnae And on the subject of special guests in Hert- Emily Oswald ’13MA and Meghan Gelardi er Hall, a highlight of the spring semester Holmes ’06MA, offered a panel, “Creative was certainly the 10th anniversary of the Aging, Inclusive Aging: How Public Histori- Writer-in-Residence Program (see page 6) ans Can Reach Seniors in New Ways,” ex- and the first-ever summit History Communi- ploring the larger role public historians might cation in the Twenty-First Century (see page play in the care of elderly populations. David 9), which brought to campus more than two Glassberg participated in the discussion dozen of the nation’s most influential public “Historical Interpretation in a Time of Glob- historians for two days of lively conversation al Climate Change.” And Chelsea Miller about this emerging field. ’16MA, Shakti Castro, Natalie Sherif ’16MA, In March, UMass Amherst public history and Katherine Fecteau described our pro- students and faculty headed to Baltimore gram’s work for the Humanities Action Lab for the meeting of the National Council on collaboration on the workshop “Public Histo- Public History. The whole conference felt like ry and Policing: Connect Your Community to a celebration of our program, as we landed a National Memory Project on Incarceration.” A big crew of current students turned out to support one another and take in the program; at a festive gathering of our current students and alumni, it was great bring all these folks together. Next year’s meeting will be held in April 2017 in Indianapolis. If you are in or near Indy and would like to join us at an alumni gathering, please send a note to Pro- fessor Miller ([email protected]). As the academic year drew to a close, we waved farewell to our crackerjack assistants Chelsea Miller and Julie Peterson as they graduate, together with the rest of their ter- rific class of public historians: Natalie Sher- if, Kathleen Mahoney, Rose Gallenberger, Deborah Kallman, and Matthew Coletti. We are excited to see where they head next. —Marla Miller, director
Historic Deerfield Curator and Collections Manager Ned Lazaro with students in Marla Miller’s Public History students, faculty, and alumni at the New England Museum Association 2015 annual meeting. “American Material Culture” graduate seminar.
16 17 STATES OF INCARCERATION: The Carceral State in Public Memory
This year, students in the Public History Program Meanwhile, Felicia Jamison, Rebekkah Rubin, participated in “States of Incarceration,” a national Olivia Ekeh (a PhD student in African American initiative led by the Humanities Action Lab at the studies), Freda Raitelu (Smith College ’16), and Amy New School for Social Research and cocreated by 20 Halliday (MAT, Smith College; gallery director, schools nationwide. UMass Amherst’s contribution Hampshire College) collaborated in crafting content focused on intersections of mass incarceration, gender, for the initiative’s physical exhibition, which began its and reproductive justice in an historical context. travels around the United States in April 2016. Their Marla Miller organized her graduate-level public contribution chronicles the history of reformatories, history seminar around this project and constructed prisons, and jails designed for women in Massachusetts. a one-credit practicum seminar for students to engage Shakti Castro, Chelsea Miller ’16MA, Anna Holley, in dialogues with activists, scholars, and other experts and Peggy Hart curated images and videos for the on the topic. website to accompany the exhibition. Through The research on incarceration in Hampshire multimedia posts and short video interviews, the County done by Sean Smeland, Chloe Spinks, team examined how local and regional activists have Katherine Fecteau, and Evan Howard Ashford (a responded to the carceral state and reproductive PhD candidate in Afro-American studies and a Public injustice. History certificate student) will be used by public Natalie Sherif ’16MA conducted and edited oral history students to create an interpretive plan for an history interviews with members of the Massachusetts exhibition on local histories of incarceration. Danping Statewide Harm Reduction Coalition, Voices from Wang, Sara Patton, Gregg Mitchell, Selena Moon, Inside, and OutNow; she also contributed video clips and Camesha Scruggs conducted a nationwide survey from these interviews to the website. In April, Chelsea and needs assessment among small museums that deal Miller, Amy Halliday, and Solobia Hutchins gave a brief with incarceration. They created a resource kit offering presentation about our contributions to the project at interpretive strategies to help small museums take on the “States of Incarceration” launch and conference, this urgent national issue. with audience support from Marla Miller, Jessica Johnson, Shakti Castro, Natalie Sherif, and Sean “States of Incarceration” exhibit launch and conference. Smeland. Chelsea Miller, Julie Peterson ’16MA, Katherine Fecteau, and Sean Smeland explored how Left: Natalie Sherif ’16MA at the “States of Massachusetts families experience the consequences of Incarceration” exhibit the carceral state for a local exhibition to accompany launch and conference. “States of Incarceration” when it is on display in Center: Chelsea Miller Northampton and Holyoke in spring 2017. ’16MA with the “What Are The history department has devoted its 2016–17 Women’s Prisons For?” Feinberg Series to a consideration of the history and panel at the “States of Incarceration” exhibit current state of these issues. Keep an eye on our website launch and conference. for a calendar of events and updates (umass.edu/history/ Right: Amy Halliday, feinberg-series). —Chelsea Miller ’16MA Solobia Hutchins, and Chelsea Miller ’16MA discuss the history of incarceration in Massachusetts at the “States of Incarceration” exhibit launch and conference.
18 19 PROGRAM UPDATES
The Outreach Office FORTY YEARS AFTER:
As you’ll read in these pages, the Depart- Incarceration” project; bringing an array of Jennifer Fronc, Easthampton High School Collections and University Archives. They ment of History’s faculty, students, and alumni public speakers to our campus; organizing social studies teacher Kelley Brown, and a learned about histories of women’s move- Chinua Achebe and are engaged in an astounding array of pub- our national summit on history communi- team of archivists at Special Collections and ments, Latino/a organizing, and communes lic projects, from delivering public talks and cation; coordinating our online classes (in- University Archives, we brought two bus- from historian archivists Kathleen Nutter penning influential op-eds to curating exhib- cluding a new Gen Ed on the history of med- loads of Easthampton ninth-grade students ’98PhD, Rob Cox, Penni Martorell, and Maria Africa in the Global its and collaborating with local nonprofits. icine, which recently became a foundational to campus for a day of history immersion. Stu- Cartagena. We thank our partner, the Col- It is an honor to be a part of a department course in the new Medical Humanities Certif- dents learned about film history with Jennifer laborative for Educational Services, and the with such a robust commitment to community icate Program at the College of Humanities Fronc, received a personalized tour of the li- Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Imagination engagement. and Fine Arts); co-authoring grant proposals; brary with history librarians Kate Freedman Sources Program for their support. The department’s Outreach Office played supporting the Five Colleges/Mellon Initia- and James Kelly, met with more undergrad- By the time you read this, the 2016–17 Fein- On February 18, 1975, the great African writer Chinua Achebe a role in a number of these projects in small tive in the Public and Applied Humanities, uate and graduate students in history than berg Family Distinguished Lecture Series, presented a Chancellor’s Lecture at the University of Massachusetts, and large ways. Over the course of this year, and more. I also had the opportunity to help could be mentioned in this short article, and “The U.S. in the Age of Mass Incarceration,” “An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.” It it was active in coordinating the “States of plan a daylong workshop with legendary dug into primary sources at the archives. In will be well underway. Over the course of was subsequently published in The Massachusetts Review and has activist Loretta Ross the evaluations, each and every one of the 76 this past year, planning the series was a tre- since become celebrated and iconic: a remarkable moment both and collaborate with students reported that the experience piqued mendous experience. Taking up the man- in literary criticism and in a broader cultural assessment of how Alice Nash in bring- their interest in attending college. We can’t tra “nothing about us without us,” we were Africa has been perceived and represented in the Western world. ing Native Ameri- wait to do this again next year. honored to work collaboratively with local In making his case, Achebe challenged the entire framework in can hip-hop artist This year’s History Institute—our annu- community leaders and formerly incarcer- which works of art would be judged and the discussion of Africa Supaman to a local al professional development series for K-12 ated people to develop the series, as well sustained. middle school. educators—was another highlight for me. as with faculty experts from across the Five To mark the 40th anniversary of this epic moment, as well as Another highlight The 2015–16 series explored social change Colleges. As you can see from the schedule, the 40th anniversary of the Distinguished Faculty Lecture Series of the year was our in the 1960s. Over the course of the year, 15 the resulting program is our most robust and at UMass Amherst, the Department of History co-sponsored a first annual “High history teachers explored materials at the creative to date. I hope to see you at one of symposium presented by the Interdisciplinary Studies Institute School History Acad- Sophia Smith Collection, the Wistariahurst the many panels, lectures, performances and and devoted to the impact of Achebe’s lecture and its continuing emy.” Working with historic house, and UMass Amherst’s Special exhibits, or perhaps at our associated series legacy. Panelists and speakers included NoViolet Bulawayo, for K–12 educators, “Teaching in the Age of Jules Chametzky, Johnnetta Mass Incarceration.” Cole, Achille Mbembe, Maaza Over the course of this year, our excel- Mengiste, Okey Ndibe, Caryl lent staff of undergraduate students—Enjoli Phillips, Ekwueme Michael Easthampton High School ninth-graders dig into primary sources at Special Pescheta, Kiyanna Sully, Julian del Prado, Thelwell, Esther Terry, and Collections and University Archives during the High School History Academy. and Samantha Lombard—and graduate stu- Chika Unigwe, among others. dents—Communications Assistant Chelsea Miller ’16MA, Public History Assistant Julie Peterson ’16MA, as well as Five College/An- PhD student Camesha drew W. Mellon Foundation Bridging Initia- EVENT HIGHLIGHTS: FIVE COLLEGES/MELLON INITIATIVE IN THE PUBLIC AND APPLIED HUMANITIES Scruggs and John Higginson. tive Graduate Fellow Cheryl Harned—sup- • Visits to the Joseph Allen Skinner Museum at Mount Holyoke • “Beyond the Page and the Gallery: Reading, Viewing, and the ported the department’s outreach initiatives. A full audience in the Bernie Dallas Room in Goodell Hall for the Chinua Achebe Symposium. College, Amherst College’s Mead Art Museum, the UMass Museum Mediated Platform,” panel discussion with Peter J. Russo, director, To say that we couldn’t have done it without of Contemporary Art, the Smith College Museum of Art, and the Triple Canopy, and Matthew Battles, associate director, metaLAB, Hampshire College Library. Harvard University. them would be an understatement. Profuse thanks as well to the other students, faculty • “Best Foot Forward” workshop and “Museum Futures” lecture by • “ITweetMuseums,” lecture by Mark B. Schlemmer, founder, members, and organizations—too many to Dan Yaeger, executive director, New England Museum Association. @ITweetMuseums Twitter initiative. mention—who support and collaborate on • “Public Humanities: Looking Back and Looking Ahead” lecture by • “The Topography of Literacy: The Early History of Books and Tactile the department’s community engagement Steve Lubar, director, Public Humanities Center, Brown University. Graphics for the Blind,” lecture by Molly Stothert-Maurer, archivist, projects. Finally, a special thanks to our fac- Perkins School for the Blind. • “Connecting with College Faculty: Research in Practice at the ulty officers and staff: Suzanne Bell, Joye Metropolitan Museum of Art,” report by Maggie Lind, associate • “The 1937 Project Exposition: Resurrecting the Lost Towns of Bowman, Amy Fleig, Adam Howes, Barbara director for academic programs and public education, Smith the Swift River Valley,” gala and exhibition curated by Applied Krauthamer, Mary Lashway, Marla Miller, College Museum of Art. Humanities Learning Lab fellows, with keynote speaker Matthew Christopher, photographer and author of Abandoned America: Alice Nash, and Brian Ogilvie. The Age of Consequences. (See pages 22–23 to learn more about —Jessica Johnson, director the Applied Humanities Learning Lab.)
20 21 PROGRAM UPDATES Enjoli Pescheta, Katherine Fecteau, and Marla Miller model 1930s-inspired hats.
A MELLON-FUNDED INITIATIVE: Building Bridges from the Liberal Arts to Humanities Careers
Over the past two years, the Public History Program has been resources already present across our campuses in and around engaged in an exciting effort to pull together significant Five public history practice into a whole greater than the sum of its College resources at the intersection of museums, archives, art, parts. and public history in order to strengthen and clarify pathways Our participants engaged in three main activities. First, they BEN BARNHART / FIVE COLLEGES FIVE / BARNHART BEN from undergraduate humanities education to professional created a two-year seminar for program planners (directors of Guests explore the student-curated exhibition careers in the public and applied humanities. academic programs around the Five Colleges as well as staff at the “1937 Exposition” gala. The opportunity to embark on this large project was from the Five College museums) aimed at helping them better provided by Five Colleges Inc., which in 2011 received a large to know one another and their programs and to collectively grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to explore learn about emerging trends in the field. Next they created On the evening of March 24, all was miraculously in place. After curricular innovations. In fall 2013 the Public History a course for undergraduates, the wildly successful Applied Applied Humanities weeks of intensive preparation, “The 1937 Project Exposition and Program was funded to explore how we might better serve Humanities Learning Lab (led by our project’s graduate fellow, Exhibition” opened its Student Union Ballroom and Gallery doors undergraduates wondering how the knowledge and skills Cheryl Harned, and covered on page 23). Finally, the team to the public. In the ballroom, guests were greeted with an artist’s gained by way of a liberal arts education can be applied in created a robust, yearlong seminar for faculty eager to explore Learning Lab Redux rendition of the Enfield Town Hall clock that marked past and professional settings. David Glassberg and Marla Miller, how to better incorporate career exploration into their regular future time as, for a few borrowed hours, the Swift River Valley together with Outreach Director Jessica Johnson, assembled pedagogy. This year’s Applied Humanities Learning Lab moved from a came back to life. a steering committee with representatives from UMass The course-development seminar brought together 10 January-term intensive course into a fully supported experimental The first hour consisted of class project displays. Team Amherst’s history and art history departments and Five faculty members representing all five campuses and a wide four-credit course that led students straight into the heart of Advancement reimagined a SRVHS with issues of disability access College partners. They sought to unite the extraordinary range of departments, including Italian at Mount Holyoke complex public humanities territory. The course was generously at the fore. Team Communication provided a listening station for College, cognitive science at Hampshire College, American supported by a Five Colleges Inc./Andrew W. Mellon grant. their lost town podcasts and 1930s photo booth. Team Exhibition studies at Amherst College, and Smith College’s Program for Sixteen undergraduate students from the Five Colleges— curated “The Exodus: Interpreting Displacement,” an online the Study of Women and Gender. Sam Redman represented including history majors Emily Esten ’16, Emma Hodges, Devon exhibition they presented while joining with guests around a UMass Amherst Public History. Participants roamed the region, King, Kyran Schnur, Rebecca Shailor, and Kara Westhoven— kitchen table to delve into issues of displacement and community. from the Emily Dickinson Museum to the Mead Art Museum kicked off the program (facilitated by PhD candidates Cheryl Team Programming highlighted future programming templates to the Hampshire, UMass Amherst, and Smith libraries to Harned and Mark Roblee) during the January Intensive with team as they displayed a farmers’ market and explored opportunities the Mount Holyoke College Museum of Art, thinking about project work with the Swift River Valley Historical Society (SRVHS), for community connection through art. Meanwhile, in the gallery how collections-based courses can help students think both trips to the Quabbin Reservoir and the society’s museum, as well as exhibition, each student had researched a former Swift River Valley abstractly and practically about their own disciplines, about intensive skill-, career-, and team-building exercises that drew upon resident and created an evocative silhouette by which to highlight interdisciplinary collaboration, and about how today’s a diverse and exciting cadre of public humanities practitioners and issues of displacement, community, belonging, estrangement, and humanities professionals prepare for careers. experts as guides. home. Water was everywhere. As the project winds down, the steering committee is The goal of the course was to help undergraduates “bridge” their Back in the ballroom, the second hour featured student considering how to apply the lessons it learned. A project humanities educations with relevant professions—particularly presentations about their projects and process before photographer website, The Public Humanitarium publichumanitarium.( in museums, archives, nonprofits, and other public humanities and keynote speaker Matthew Christopher took to the podium org), includes syllabi, course listings, and a library of reading endeavors—through a real-world project. Students were and showcased his own stunning work on abandoned spaces in materials to support similar efforts going forward. Project divided into teams and tasked to strategize about the SRVHS’s America. His unexpected path as a humanities-researcher-turned- leaders would love to be able to find a way to continue offering advancement, communication, exhibition, and programming goals, professional-photographer-and-social-media-entrepreneur held the Applied Humanities Learning Lab, and are considering, and then present their work to the public in an exposition-style particular appeal. At the end of the evening, bells rang out and among other things, a five-year master’s degree program in event. They were also to develop and install a class exhibition in “Auld Lang Syne” was sung as it had been almost eighty years past, public history for Five College undergraduates. Stay tuned for the Student Union Art Gallery about the former Swift River Valley marking Enfield’s disincorporation. The room’s forest-green lights more results from this exciting initiative. —Marla Miller towns flooded in the 1930s to create the Quabbin Reservoir to dimmed to a watery blue and, in a last hurrah, bubbles were blown, provide drinking water for the people of Boston. Five College connecting us all for one last rarified moment to that time before Sam Redman examines artwork in the Mead Art Museum’s study room. faculty mentors Franklin Odo, Karen Sanchez Eppler, Jim Wald, the state’s bulldozers moved in and the waters rose. With that, our and Amelia Worsley offered valuable guidance and feedback. evening drew to a resounding close. —Cheryl Harned
22 23 FACULTY UPDATES David Glassberg with artist Samantha Wood in front of her “Uncertainty Cube” at The Full Disclosure Festival in Greenfield, Massachusetts.
Audrey Altstadt reports: After more than were destructive in this and similar cases anything I’ve ever written, a lot of it critical she really enjoyed running this remarkable a decade of archival research, interviews, and aimed to create a Soviet culture. and angry. Among last year’s talks, including six-week summer program and working with writing and rewriting, my new book The Pol- one in D.C. at the National Book Festival, I the bright and eager students who participat- itics of Culture in Soviet Azerbaijan, 1920–40 Christian Appy reports: This was a transi- especially enjoyed speaking for the UMass ed, she knew it was time to turn her sights is finally out. It was published by Routledge tional year for me. I’m still giving numerous Alumni Association in Boston and on cam- much, much farther east. She therefore was (London) in June 2016. It examines the early talks about my recent book, American Reck- pus. Last November, I was honored to be on sabbatical for 2015–16, working on her Soviet cultural policies that collided with the oning: The Vietnam War and Our National chosen the university’s Spotlight Scholar. I second book, Imperial Women in the Mongol programs and achievements of Azerbaijan’s Identity (now a Penguin paperback), but I’m continue to love teaching and look forward World, which covers the political, social, and pre–World War I secular, pro-reform elites in also immersed in a new book about nuclear to offering a new Junior Writing Seminar on economic contributions that Genghis Khan’s language, education, scholarship, and liter- weapons in American politics and culture the nuclear age. female kin made to the formation and expan- ature. I challenge the established notion of since 1945. An online article I wrote for the sion of the Mongol Empire. She reported to us Soviet “nation building” for Azerbaijan and 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Anne Broadbridge stepped down in August from Mongolia, where she spent her summer other national groups that already had na- Hiroshima (“Our ‘Merciful’ Ending to the 2015 after a three-year tenure as director going to museums, attending cultural perfor- tional consciousness, written literature, and ‘Good War,’” for the Huffington Post and of the UMass Oxford Summer Seminar at mances, and visiting historical and archae- Julio Capó Jr. at history in the pre-war period. Soviet policies TomDispatch) elicited as much email as Trinity College, Oxford, England. Although ological sites important in Genghis Khan’s History Communication life. She returned to the classroom this fall. in the Twenty-First Century. UMass Amherst’s College of Humanities and Fine Arts presented Julio Capó Jr. with the Outstanding Teaching Award, which rec- ognizes excellence in teaching and honors individual faculty members for their teach- ing accomplishments. Capó received a fel- lowship to work as a visiting scholar at the Chelsea Miller ’16MA and Daniel Gordon United States Studies Centre at the University at Antoinette Burton’s lecture in of Sydney for spring 2017. Finally, he contrib- October 2015. COHEN ED uted a chapter to the National Park Service’s groundbreaking theme study to help identi- fy, promote, and preserve LGBT sites in the United States, and he wrote pieces for the Washington Post, Time, and El Nuevo Día Duterte, often compared to Donald Trump now deputy director of the Office of Environ- (Puerto Rico). for his shoot-from-the-hip, crass, politically mental Planning and Historic Preservation incorrect language. Chu looks forward to at FEMA, to talk about climate change and After successfully completing the fall semes- teaching back at the Five Colleges and in- disaster preparedness in his “Conservation ter with courses taught at UMass Amherst troducing a new community-engagement of Nature and Culture” class. In June 2016, he and Mount Holyoke College, Five College service-learning course dealing with Asian introduced former student Steve Bromage Associate Professor Richard T. Chu traveled American communities in the Pioneer Val- ’99MA, now executive director of the Maine under a Fulbright grant to the Philippines, ley. UMass Amherst presented Chu with a Historical Society, as the keynote speaker at where he taught a course at Ateneo de Ma- Provost’s Community Engagement and Ser- the annual Massachusetts History Confer- nila, the country’s most prestigious university, vice-Learning Fellowship Award for 2015–16. ence. Glassberg’s research remains focused and worked on his next book project, which on understanding the cultural impact of cli- focuses on the racialization of the Chinese David Glassberg had a busy year collab- mate change—how the prospect of rising in the Philippines under the early American orating with the Springfield Climate Justice global temperatures and sea levels affects colonial period. He gave lectures around Coalition on a public/environmental history traditional Western ideas about nature, the country and was able to witness and project which will continue in 2016–17 with justice, progress, and senses of history and participate in the country’s presidential elec- funding from a UMass Amherst Public Ser- place—the topic of a book he hopes to com- tions, which brought to power Rodrigo “Rody” vice Endowment grant. He also continued plete by fall 2017. to develop support for interpretive program- ming at the W.E.B. Du Bois Homesite and Daniel Gordon returned to full-time teaching other Great Barrington locations associated in the history department after serving two Richard Chu’s students from the Ateneo with Du Bois. In November 2015, Glassberg years as interim dean of Commonwealth de Manila University, on a tour to Manila’s Chinese Cemetery. welcomed Kristin Leahy Fontenot ’04MA, Honors College. Among his courses were
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FACULTY AWARDS, 2015–16 “Twentieth-Century European Intellectual College of Humanities and Fine Arts Outstanding Teaching Award History” and “Ideas That Changed History,” To Julio Capó Jr. the latter an Integrative Experience course for juniors and seniors. Gordon completed an Community Engagement and Service Learning Fellowship John Higginson and To Richard T. Chu, to create a course in which UMass Amherst and Five College article on the history of the moral debate over Joye Bowman at students will collaborate with Pioneer Valley Asian/Pacific/American organizations suicide in Western thought, to be published Antoinette Burton’s and communities.
lecture in October. NOAH LOVING FIVE/ COLLEGES in the journal Historical Reflections. For the Consulting Scholar Appointment journal Society he completed an article on Manisha Sinha introduces panelists at To Jennifer Fronc, to consult on a new National Endowment for the Humanities the history of the word “civilization,” chal- the launch for her new book, The Slave’s Planning Grant for the Mass Humanities Council to help establish a public lenging post-colonial theory and arguing Cause: A History of Abolition. humanities center at Holyoke Community College. that the term has generally been used for Core Fulbright Program Appointment ethical purposes. Society will devote an To Richard Chu, to teach at the Ateneo de Manila University while conducting entire volume to the article and responses research for his book project on the racialization of Chinese immigrants in the Philippines during the American Colonial period, 1898–1946. to it. Gordon became the faculty advisor to project, the history communication summit, Princeton, New Jersey, as a member in the Jon Berndt Olsen had a wonderfully pro- the University Union, a student club and de- and the Mellon-funded grant to develop path- School of Historical Studies, an academic ductive sabbatical leave this past fall. He Flex Grant for Teaching/Faculty Development To Jennifer Fronc, to establish the History Exchange Program with Easthampton bating society. It organized three debates in ways from liberal arts degrees to humanities wonderland. Aside from giving three presen- spent three months in Berlin working on a High School and teacher Kelley Brown. the 2015–16 academic year, including one, professions. But other fun has been squeezed tations on my work, finishing a book, starting new book project on the history of travel and Institute for Advanced Study Fellowship “Opposing Views of Israel and Palestine,” into the calendar as well. new collaborations, and making friends, I tourism in East Germany. While going on To Jason Moralee, to complete his book Rome’s Holy Mountain: Transformations that drew an audience of 500. In January, it was a pleasure to complete played a lot of table tennis. In June 2016, I vacation in a communist country may strike of the Capitoline Hill in Late Antiquity, 180–741 C.E. (Oxford University Press, the study “A Generous Sea: Native Hawai- had a research trip to Rome, where I secured some as out of place, the East German state forthcoming).
Barry Levy reports: I earned a sabbatical for ians, Pacific Islanders, and the Jewish Com- rights for images for the above-mentioned was among the first to guarantee several Institute for Social Science Research Scholar Program Appointment academic year 2014–15 to work on a longue- munity in New Bedford Whaling and Whal- book and spent an exciting couple of days in weeks of vacation in its constitution and in- To Libby Sharrow, to support her drafting of a grant application to fund research durée study of the military in Massachusetts ing Heritage,” an ethnographic report for the the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana. There, in vested a large amount of national resources exploring the long-term effects of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 society from 1691 to 1820, with special focus New Bedford Whaling National Historical the famous manuscript reading room, I con- in subsidizing vacations. Olsen also present- on political mobilization, participation, and opinion. on the Bunker Hill battle and monument and Park co-authored with alumna Laura Miller sulted the papers of one of the most important ed papers about German memory culture Interdisciplinary Studies Institute Faculty Seminar Fellowship, 2015–16 the people of Groton and northern Middlesex ’14PhD with assistance from Emily Esten ’16 archaeologists of the late nineteenth century, at the annual German Studies Association To Jennifer Fronc, to participate in ISI’s 2015–16 seminar, “Privacy, Publicity, County. I note here the influence of the de- and Lauren Aubut ’13. I was also delighted Rodolfo Lanciani. I also organized a panel in meeting this past fall in Washington, D.C., Secrecy, Security.” partment’s public historians on my historical to travel to Washington, D.C., to help advise honor of Carlin Barton’s 2015 retirement and and chaired a session on memory politics Interdisciplinary Studies Institute Faculty Seminar Fellowship, 2016–17 thinking. I was asked to give a paper at the the Congressional Commission to Study the publication of her latest book. The pan- in Eastern Europe at the Association for To Joel Wolfe, to participate in ISI’s 2016–17 seminar, “Trespassing.” Revolution Conference at the Massachusetts the Potential for an American Museum of el, “Imagine No Religion,” will take place in the Study of Nationalties in New York City Office of Research Development Investigator Initiated Workshop Grant Historical Society in April 2015; from that, I Women’s History; I led a team charged with November 2016 in San Antonio at the annual this spring. He continues to cochair UMass To Marla Miller and Jessica Johnson, for funding associated with the Public History Program’s contributions to the Humanities Action Lab’s national memory was asked to give a paper at the Society for contemplating how best to support collabo- meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature Amherst’s Digital Humanities Initiative and project, “States of Incarceration.” Historians of the Early American Republic ration between museum- and campus-based where, in addition to presiding over Carlin’s will begin a three-year term in the campus’s Organization of American Historians’ Distinguished Lectureship Program conference in July 2016 and the Organization historians. And I was pleased to serve as panel, I will deliver a paper on my ongoing Faculty Senate next fall. Appointment of American Historians conference in spring the keynote speaker at the James A. Rawley interests in Greek and Latin epigraphy. To Christian G. Appy, to deliver lectures and lead workshops on behalf of the 2017. I was gratified and grateful that students Graduate Conference in the Humanities at Sam Redman published his first book, Bone Organization of American Historians. who have recently worked with me, or are the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Alice Nash organized a number of campus Rooms: From Scientific Racism to Human President’s Creative Economy Grant working with me, won significant fellowships: As the year drew to a close, I welcomed events in her final year as director of the Prehistory in Museums, with Harvard Uni- To Marla Miller, Duncan Irschick, and Cooper Giloth, for their project “Using 3-D the Nantucket Historical Association named the publication of Bending the Future: 50 Certificate Program in Native American versity Press in March 2016. He wrote three Modeling to Digitally Preserve the Architectural Heritage of Massachusetts: Digital Jeffrey Kovach ’15PhD the 2016 E. Geoffrey Ideas for the Next 50 Years of Historic Pres- and Indigenous Studies, including a live short essays on collecting and exhibiting Preservation of Endangered Historical Building and Educational Outreach.” and Elizabeth Thayer Verney Fellow for his ervation in the United States, coedited with performance by Supaman, an Apsáalooke human remains to accompany the publica- Public Service Endowment Grant study of Quaker women and their meeting Max Page (UMass Press, 2016). But probably (Crow) Nation hip-hop artist who filled the tion of the book. Redman gave lectures at the To David Glassberg and Samuel Redman, for their project “Climate Change and Environmental Justice: Toward a Climate Action and Resiliency Plan for Springfield.” on the island, and the New England Regional the biggest event of the past year was my Student Union Ballroom. Nash took her first Morbid Anatomy Museum, Massachusetts Fellowship Consortium offered a fellowship election as vice president/president-elect of trip south of Miami in May, visiting Mexico for Historical Society, Denver Art Museum, and United States Army War College Commandant’s National Security Seminar Program to Amy Breimaier for her study of children’s the National Council on Public History. I’m a professional meeting and then spending Brown University. He is currently starting To Audrey Altstadt, to examine current national security issues alongside USAWC books and child readers in New England c. flattered and honored to have been selected, two weeks in La Paz, Bolivia, with friends. work on a second book manuscript and has students and scholars.
1780–1830. and look forward with great anticipation to She was recently appointed to the Plymouth also launched the campus’s Oral History Lab, United States Studies Center Visiting Scholar Fellowship serving that terrific organization over the 400 Commission, charged with planning the which brings together students, scholars, and To Julio Capó Jr., to work on his in-progress book as a visiting scholar at the Marla Miller reports: As is often the case, next six years. 400th anniversary commemoration of the communities to improve oral history projects University of Sydney. most of my year is glimpsed elsewhere in this Mayflower’s arrival in Patuxet, today known of all kinds. The lab is the home to a course, newsletter, in articles about the Public His- Jason Moralee reports: I spent the 2015–16 as Plymouth, Massachusetts. “Theory and Method of Oral History,” that tory Program, the “States of Incarceration” year at the Institute for Advanced Study in provides students in the Department of His-
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tory and across campus with practical oral her book project on Title IX of the Education fessor Emeritus Bruce Laurie on April 16, he history experiences. Amendments of 1972 and the political con- delivered a paper, “Parks and Recreation (or structions of sex and gender at several major Not): A Study of Two Northampton, Massa- Sigrid Schmalzer’s Red Revolution, Green conferences, including the Social Science chusetts, Parks,” before the New England His- Revolution: Scientific Farming in Socialist History Association, the American Political torical Association on April 23 at Middlebury China was published by the University of Science Association, and the Western Polit- College. The following weekend he delivered Reflections on Chicago Press in January. The New Books ical Science Association annual meetings. the keynote speech, “Solid Men in Granite: Network interviewed her about it and has Sharrow has been named an Institute for So- Barre’s Twentieth-Century Socialist Mayors,” made the podcast available. She is now cial Science Research Scholar for the 2016–17 in Vermont at the Barre Old Labor Hall for its Mary Wilson’s Career working with two graduate students—Daniel school year. She will use this fellowship to annual Primo Maggio celebration. Talk about Chard of UMass Amherst and Alyssa Botelho seek additional funding for her work on the frisson: he spoke at the same venue where It is with regret that the Department of History bids farewell to our of Harvard University—on a volume of pri- long-term policy implementation effects of Ann Burlak, Eugene Debs, Emma Goldman, longtime colleague Mary Wilson, who has retired. She has been a mary sources on the history of the Science Title IX. Sharrow was named a finalist for and Bill Haywood had once held forth. major contributor to departmental life for many years—a source of for the People movement; the book is under the Visiting Scholars Program at the Amer- wisdom, a font of knowledge about the university and the Middle contract with UMass Press. Schmalzer was ican Academy of Arts and Sciences, and Joel Wolfe reports: During the past year, I East, and a respected, well-liked colleague. We will all miss her thrilled to teach the introductory graduate presented invited talks on her work at Tulane continued to write my book The Global Twen- tremendously. Professor Emerita Mary Wilson. history seminar for the first time and proud University and UMass Boston. ties. I also published “Populist Discourses, Professor Wilson came to UMass from New York University in to become an officer in our faculty union. Developmentalist Policies: Rethinking 1988, having earned her DPhil (PhD) from Oxford University and By the end of the lecture, each and every time, she would have Finally, she has wrapped up a four-year term Garrett Washington reports: This year has Mid-Twentieth-Century Brazilian Politics” in studied at Oberlin and the American University of Beirut. She had succeeded in radically transforming their understanding of the directing the Social Thought and Political been a great one for me inside and outside Transformations of Populism in Europe and also taught as a visiting professor at the American University of nature, scope, and devastation of that conflict. It was a pleasure to Economy Program; it was a wonderful expe- the classroom. I really enjoyed teaching the Americas: History and Recent Tenden- Sharjah and the American University of Beirut. see her in action. rience, but she’s looking forward to returning courses on race, religion, and nation in mod- cies (London: 2016). The essay analyzes the In almost 30 years at UMass Amherst, Professor Wilson Professor Wilson was also an excellent colleague. She served to the history department full time. ern East Asia, traditional Japan, and modern intersection of populist politics and develop- taught approximately 5,000 students. Her classes ranged from willingly on a wide range of departmental and university Japan, as well as the history of women in mentalist economics in Brazil. I’ve continued a six-century survey introducing the most important topics committees and offered knowledgeable insights on topics ranging Libby Sharrow has a coauthored article, modern Japan. I have also had the privilege work on a number of other journal articles in Middle Eastern history to students in biology, engineering, from the graduate program to other schools’ programs, teaching “The Gender of Partisan Polarization: The and pleasure of serving as the department’s in Brazilian history, but my new book has a and communication alike, to her select seminar on the Israeli- jobs, interacting with the public, navigating the shoals of book Conditions of Party Activists’ Support for chapter advisor for Phi Alpha Theta, the na- hemispheric focus, which is both challenging Palestinian conflict, where she and a dedicated band of advanced publication, and even crafting good presentations. Throughout, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton in 2008,” tional history honors society. I have been and (for me, at least) a lot of fun. My “History students would grapple with the complexities of that tragic her discretion and subtlety were noteworthy: Professor Wilson was forthcoming in the Journal of Women, Poli- busy doing and presenting research. Last of Baseball” became a General Education struggle for an entire semester. One of her mainstays, “The Modern particularly valued for her delightful talent for offering advice only tics & Policy. She presented scholarship from fall, at the Midwest Conference on Asian class last year, making it even more popular Middle East,” dealt with her specialization and was routinely when it was actually sought. Affairs, I presented a paper on the role and among Five College students. offered to advanced undergraduates and as an honors class. Other Her dedication to service and her colleagues’ high opinion of perspectives of Japanese Christian women undergraduate classes included “The Mediterranean Region,” “The her are demonstrated by the fact that Professor Wilson was elected within Japanese imperialism. In June I made Kevin Young reports: I had a hectic but very Making of Modern Lebanon,” “Nationalisms,” “Ottoman History,” department chair by her peers, a position she held from 1997 to a short research trip to Japan. While in Tokyo, enriching first year in the department. I and “The Middle East and World War I,” to name a few. 2000. She served multiple times as director of the Middle East I gave an invited lecture at Keio University taught courses on Latin American capitalism, Professor Wilson also taught graduate seminars, including Studies Program, director of the History Institute (which performs on Japanese Buddhism and Christianity in revolutions, and social movements and fin- “Approaches to World History,” and was always willing to tailor outreach to K–12 teachers), and graduate program director. She was the wake of the Great Kanto Earthquake of ished revising my book manuscript, Blood of special-readings courses to individual graduate-student needs. also active in the national Middle East Studies Association, serving 1923. I am also hard at work on two book the Earth: Resource Nationalism, Revolution, In addition, she advised quite a few undergraduate honors variously on program committees, prize committees, and ethics projects. The first is the transformation of my and Empire in Bolivia, which the University theses, sharing her invaluable expertise with students navigating committees, often as chair. When needed, she addressed the public dissertation into a book on the influence of of Texas Press will release in spring 2017. I the complex politics and society of the modern Middle East. on Middle Eastern and Islamic topics, including at such times of the Protestant church space on the making also published an article on interethnic an- Furthermore, she routinely taught and mentored Middle East national stress as the weeks after September 11, 2001. of modern Japan; the second, for which I am archist mobilization in 1940s Bolivia, which studies majors in addition to history majors interested in the Professor Wilson’s books include King Abdullah, Britain, and both editor and a contributor, is a volume will form one part of a larger research project Middle East and the modern world. the Making of Jordan (Cambridge, 1987), and A Modern Middle on Christianity and modern women in East on social movement coalitions in the Andes Her students remember her as clear, organized, and possessing Eastern History Reader (University of California, 1993), which she Asia. and Central America. a subtle sense of humor. One of her most striking lectures began edited with Albert Hourani and Philip S. Khoury. Both have been when she would ask the class about the length of World War I. translated into Arabic, making her work accessible to scholars Rob Weir had a busy April: in addition to Invariably they responded that it lasted for four years, and some in the Arabic-speaking Middle East. This is a standard to which speaking at the symposium in honor of Pro- proudly offered the dates they had learned elsewhere. She would all Western scholars should adhere but few actually do, making then fix them with a querying eye and ask: “Are you sure?” Once Professor Wilson’s achievement all the more impressive. the doubt began to creep across their faces, she would launch into It is with real sadness that we say goodbye to such an important her description of World War I in the Ottoman Empire, where and valued colleague, and we wish Professor Wilson all possible Our lanyards from the National Council on Public History meeting. fighting went on not for four years, but for 11, from 1911 to 1922. delight in her new and joyous life as a retiree. —Anne Broadbridge
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Emeriti Updates
Joyce Berkman reports: I whip up this ac- joy this continued participation with our de- who was responsible for the image, variously screed. Now I can write real stuff—in fact, count just days before I fly to Iowa and then partment’s graduate program in an array of known as “Gordon,” “Peter,” or “Whipped Pe- a cheap thriller. (Although I have to admit, Germany. During the next five weeks of trav- ways. My endowed gift provides support for ter”—depicting the deeply scarred back of a it incorporates much that I learned as a his- el, I carve a hiatus in my music studies and graduate students in history and the Depart- formerly enslaved man—that is arguably the torian of Cold War science and technology.) activities, the prime motive for my retirement. ment of Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies. most widely recognized image of a slave in Here’s the blurb that appears on the back I will particularly miss my piano lessons, my Our department is fortunate in attracting U.S. history. The key figures in this story were cover of Dark Trajectories: An Owens-Lieb- work on music theory and composition, and outstanding students, evident this past year not celebrated soldiers or known abolitionists ert Adventure #1 (published in 2016 under my friends in The Piano Connection, a group as I read through applications for the Human- but two ordinary soldiers from western Mas- the pen name William Liebert): “The fate of in which individuals play for one another and ities and Fine Arts Scholarships, a service I sachusetts, one from Northampton and one the world hangs in the balance. Threatened occasionally for community groups and that valued. We have a remarkable program; I from Northfield. The article is forthcoming in by a Doomsday virus, a missing atomic fosters two- and four-handed piano playing. trust our alumni know and cherish that. electronic form in The Massachusetts Review. bomb, and a rogue ICBM, the future rests While much absorbed with my musical jour- I was also recently elected to the Society of in the hands of a surprising threesome: a ney, I stay deeply committed to my historical On February 20, friends and family of Profes- American Historians, founded in 1939 to rec- retired historian of science from New En- interests and values. sor Emeritus Mario S. De Pillis Sr. celebrated ognize and encourage “literary distinction in gland; a young assistant professor and rock With greater time for its nurture, my his ninetieth birthday at the University Club. the writing of history and biography.” climber from Spokane, Washington; and scholarship blooms. During the past aca- He was overjoyed to see so many older col- an unassuming librarian from the plains demic year, I published two essays in edited leagues in attendance. His last publication Gerald McFarland reports: It’s been a good of Nebraska.” I have a number of copies I’d volumes on Edith Stein. Another essay on was “The Spiritual Mormon,” the text of a year in several categories. I continue to lec- be happy to give away. I can be reached at this extraordinary woman appeared in the lecture delivered at the request of the Com- ture on United States history to visiting dele- [email protected]. Professor Emeritus Charles Rearick. spring 2016 issue of the Journal of Feminist munity of Christ, formerly known as the Reor- gations of young professionals from Argen- Studies on Religion. I now serve as secretary ganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day tina and Pakistan for the Donahue Institute’s Robert Potash reports: “El golpe en el golpe: and newsletter editor for the International Saints. He is grateful to Joye Bowman for Civic Initiative. I’ve also been asked to consult la destitución de Onganía,” the fourth chap- Association for the Study of the Philosophy keeping him connected to the department. with various scholars about material that ter of my biography of the twentieth-century of Edith Stein. originally appeared in my books on Mug- Argentine military-political figure General Cambiantes sobre los Llanos Orientales de for release next year, one hundred years I continue as an oral historian with zeal. Will Johnston reports: My book on common- wump reformers (1975), families in westward Alejandro Agustín Lanusse, appeared in the Colombia desde 1980” was published in Ter- after her execution by a French firing squad During the past year I interviewed four alities between Austria and Hungary, 1890– migration (1985), and a true-crime Vermont Argentine magazine Todo es Historia, No. 582 ritorios y Fronteras Mirados desde las Cien- for (allegedly) helping France’s enemies as prominent retired leaders of UMass Am- 1938, was published in Vienna a year ago. murder case (1991). Conclusion: Books have (January 2016), pp. 64–78; the fifth chapter will cias Sociales y las Humanidades, edited by a spy in wartime. herst’s music department as part of a mul- It shows how Hungarian thinkers can pro- staying power. appear in the magazine’s pages before the Alexander Betancourt and José Guadalupe tiyear project to collect its history. My love vide an “estranging perspective” on familiar Among some highlights in my postretire- end of 2016. In January, my wife and I had River Gonzales (Barcelona: Antropos Edito- Ron Story reports: The main development for oral history was further manifested as Austrian ones and thus counteract today’s ment activities as a novelist: The Last of Our the pleasure of receiving in our home the 10 rial, 2015). Jane is continuing her research on of the past year was the publication by the I copresented in February the oral history obsessive focus on Vienna. In September Kind, the third volume in the Buenaventura young Argentine women who had received 20th-century Colombia with two quite differ- UMass Press of The Other Jonathan Edwards, theories and activities of the Valley Wom- 2015, I gave a lecture on “house museums” to Trilogy, received good reviews, notably an Fulbright awards to attend a six-week study ent projects: “Modernization and Changing coedited with Gerald McDermott, crammed en’s History Collaborative (VWHC) for Libby celebrate such a collector’s residence found- evaluation in Kirkus Reviews describing it program at Mount Holyoke College. The Spe- Perceptions of Animal in Bogotá, Colombia, with head notes, and warmly reviewed—a Sharrow’s and Jennifer Nye’s classes on our ed in Melbourne by my namesake William as “a very satisfying blend of the historical cial Collections and University Archives of 1960 to the Present,” and “Santiago Pérez gratifying final book. I also delivered a campus, as well as for Molly Meade’s class H. Johnston. novels of James Michener and the spiritual the University of Massachusetts Amherst Li- Triana (1858–1916): The Extraordinary Life sermon at First Churches in Northampton at Amherst College, which collaborates with Along with other Austrianists, I am advis- accounts of Carlos Castaneda.” The trilogy’s braries informs me that they have completed and Work of a Member of Colombia’s Classic (later lengthened for other presentations) on Wistariahurst, the famed historical-house ing on strategies for a museum of Austrian second volume, What the Owl Saw, made the the digitization of my Argentine papers as Generation.” In her leisure time she enjoys how Jonathan Edwards would have been museum in Holyoke. Relatedly, on behalf of history. The Haus der Geschichte takes its short list in the New Mexico/Arizona Book part of its CREDO collection. Included are playing her flute in the Holyoke Civic Sym- a staunch supporter of Pope Francis’s Lau- the VWHC I conducted two interviews of the name from Vienna’s very successful Haus Awards competition in the “best adventure tapes and transcriptions of interviews con- phony and volunteering at the Dakin Animal dato Si’, the recent encyclical on climate first founder of a feminist bookstore in the der Musik. The concept will sound familiar novel” category. That led to an invitation to ducted over a 40-year period with Argentine Shelter in Leverett, the Amherst Senior Cen- change. I am now apparently a “leading Pioneer Valley. Besides being engaged with to UMass colleagues, and I am conveying to travel to New Mexico to participate in the military and political leaders. Meanwhile, the ter, and the Jones Library. light” of Edwards scholarship—a weird and the collaborative in diverse administrative Austrian planners insights gleaned from our Gallup Authors Festival in April. Historical Argentine book publisher Edhasa informs unexpected position for an ex-Marxist (and ways, I delight in helping out at the Five Col- department’s emails about ways to improve footnote: El Rancho Hotel, where I stayed in me that it will be publishing a Spanish edi- Charles Rearick continues to work on Paris even more ex-Southern Baptist). Probably lege Women’s Studies Research Center, e.g., the skills of history communicators. As we all Gallup, was home base to dozens of movie tion of my 2008 memoir, Looking Back at My history, using the city’s incomparable librar- time to snooze. serving as commentator on scholarly papers know, for decades UMass Amherst historians crews and Hollywood stars while they filmed First Eighty Years. ies and archives for several months twice of selected associates from many parts of our have helped shape good practice among Westerns in the 1930s through the 1950s. It’s a year. Back home, he published a couple country and world. public historians. With a certain glee I be- listed on the National Register of Historic Jane Rausch served as panel chair and of reviews, including one on French popu- Additional professional commitments per- latedly embrace that role! Places. commentator at the 63rd annual meeting of lar songs. His most unusual bit as historian sist. As of September 2015, I was still serving the Southeastern Council of Latin American this year was to do a filmed interview about as chair or reader on four history department Bruce Laurie reports: My latest piece, “The Larry Owens reports: Even though recently Studies in Cartagena, Colombia, March 8–12, Paris entertainments circa 1900 for a doc- doctoral dissertations. By April 2016, two had ‘Chaotic Freedom’ of Civil War Louisiana: retired, I still have the urge to write; thank- 2016. Her book chapter “Frontier, Región, umentary on the pseudo-Javanese dancer successfully defended; now two remain. I en- The Origins of an Iconic Image,” discloses fully, however, it needn’t be stale academic Zona Fronteriza Internacional: Los Conceptos Mata Hari. The documentary is scheduled
30 31 Felicia Jamison, Rebekkah STUDENT UPDATES Rubin, Freda Raitelu, Amy Halliday, and Olivia Ekeh following the Public History graduate seminar presentations.
Dan Allosso split his time this summer be- ied collections pertaining to the records of
tween raising heritage chickens and writ- printers, booksellers, and schools, along with Julie Peterson ing his dissertation, “Peppermint Kings.” those collections rich in personal writings ’16MA presenting Running a small farm while writing about and inscribed juvenile literature. her master’s 19th-century rural America and teaching Amy also presented some of her research portfolio in April. “American Environmental History” through at the American Library Association con- Continuing Ed, Dan is amazed at how much ference in Orlando in June 2016. Her paper, those old farmers were able to get done. Once “Caleb Bingham’s Vision for America: A Case the dissertation is complete, there’s proba- Study of the Youth’s Library 1806 Catalogue,” bly a story to be told about chickens in ear- was part of the Library History Round Table ly America. You can catch up with some of Research Forum “History of Reading and Dan’s activities at environmentalhistory.us Readers in Libraries.” and reach him @DanAllosso on Twitter. First-year master’s degree student Nolan This academic year was a busy one for Amy Cool reports that the New York Historical Breimaier. In late June 2015, she participated Association has accepted his article, “Pelts in the “Reading Children” Summer Seminar and Prosperity: The Fur Trade and the Mo- in the History of the Book in American Cul- hawk Valley, 1730–1776,” for publication. It ture at the American Antiquarian Society in will appear in a forthcoming issue of New Worcester, Massachusetts, attended by ju- York History. nior faculty, graduate students, and museum Sara Patton at professionals. Conversations throughout the In early October 2015, Erica Fagen partic- Smith College’s week of the seminar helped to refine her dis- ipated in the seminar “Jews and the Study Sophia Smith Collection. sertation prospectus, which she successfully of Popular Culture” at the German Studies defended in early December 2015. Association conference in Washington, D.C. She then taught “U.S. History to 1876” on- It was attended by faculty and graduate stu- line as part of the university’s Continuing dents from North America and Europe; Pro- and Professional Education Program. She fessor Jonathan Skolnik of UMass Amherst’s took time to conduct research at the Massa- Department of German and Scandinavian chusetts Historical Society in Boston in late Studies was also a participant. Following August 2015 with the support of a Department the conference, Erica undertook archival of History Travel Grant. Amy taught “History research at the United States Holocaust Me- of Western Science and Technology II” in morial Museum. fall 2015 and spring 2016 for the Residential From late October to mid-December 2015, Academic Program. Erica traveled to Germany and Poland to This summer, Amy traveled extensively conduct oral history interviews with tour conducting research throughout New En- guides and education directors at con- gland. In March 2016, she was awarded a centration camp memorial sites including New England Regional Fellowship Con- Neuengamme, Sachsenhausen, Dachau, Gregg Mitchell sortium grant for 2016–17. Under this grant, and Auschwitz-Birkenau. These interviews and Katherine she conducted research at the Connecticut proved to be quite fruitful and will be an Fecteau at Historical Society and Rhode Island Histor- excellent addition to her dissertation. the “History ical Society in June 2016 and Historic Deer- The interviews done at the Neuengamme Communication” lightning field in September 2016; she will continue and Auschwitz-Birkenau sites proved to be conversations. to conduct research at the New Hampshire the basis of her paper “Narrating the Holo- Historical Society in early January 2017. A caust on Social Media: Auschwitz-Birkenau, Department of History Dissertation Jumpstart Neuengamme, and the Challenges of His- Grant allowed her to continue research at torical Memory,” presented at “Putting His- the Massachusetts Historical Society in July tory to Work,” the annual Graduate History 2016 and the American Antiquarian Society Association conference. She received lots of in August 2016. At these archives, Amy stud- great questions and comments during the Julie Peterson ’16MA building the Oral History Lab’s new website.
32 33 Shakti Castro and Anna Holley at the Sophia Smith Collection.
During her summer internship with UMass Press, Rebekkah Rubin assists Executive Editor Matt Becker at the press’s booth at the Massachusetts History Conference in June. Katherine Fecteau and Chloe Spinks at the Sophia Smith Collection.
Katherine Fecteau at the Hatfield Historical Society.
Camesha Scruggs, Sara Patton, Selena Moon, Chelsea Miller ’16MA and Sara Patton at Danping Wang, and Gregg Mitchell after the the New England Museum Association’s Public History graduate seminar presentations. 2015 annual meeting.
question period and afterward from confer- Christopher Fobare reports: In March, I pre- in several historic preservation projects in- Mark Roblee has been busy writing and Amherst architecture students, Camesha Present” at “Nature and Culture: Heritage ence presenters, fellow graduate students, sented a paper, “Republicans’ Free Labor cluding the ongoing restoration of Westfield’s presenting conference papers on imagina- drafted designs, facilitated community meet- in Context,” the seventh annual Conference and undergrads. Ideology and Its Discontents, 1873–1884,” at Old Burying Ground and historic one-room tion and personal divinity in late antiquity at ings, and performed outreach with local on Heritage Issues in Contemporary Society, Erica presented a chapter of her disserta- Boston University’s eighth annual American schoolhouse, as well as in mapping the city’s Smith College; the University of Texas, Aus- schools. After a week of meetings, the group held in Prague. In association with the con- tion at the Trans-Atlantic Summer Institute, Political History Institute Conference, “Re- properties of historical significance. tin; the annual Kalamazoo, Michigan, me- presented their proposal to over 100 people ference, I took the sixth annual field study a 10-day seminar organized by the Center gion, Space, and Place in American History.” dievalist gathering; and UC Davis. He also at the Black History Museum and Cultural course at a Baroque palace site in Valeč, for German and European Studies at the In April, I appeared as a historical analyst John Higgins presented a paper, “Biograph- worked with Cheryl Harned on the Applied Center in Richmond. The group was invited Czech Republic, where I gained hands-on University of Minnesota and funded by that for a Time Warner Cable News story on the ical Genre and Sulpicius Severus’s De Vita Humanities Learning Lab January-term in- to submit a blog post to the National Trust experience in working on the preservation university and the German Academic Ex- history of Mechanic’s Hall in Utica, N.Y. Martini,” at the Classical Association of New tensive and spring-semester course. Mark for Historic Preservation website. She plans of cultural landscape. I also attended the change Service. This year’s seminar was England’s annual meeting at Smith College. continues to chair the Five College Faculty to speak with attendees at the 101st meeting National Council on Public History confer- held in June at the University of Bayreuth Amanda Goodheart Parks continues to There he was honored by the association Seminar in Late Antiquity, which hosted its of the Association for the Study of African ence in Baltimore in March to hear about the with the theme “Reframing Mass Violence in make solid progress on her dissertation while with the Barlow-Beach Distinguished Service third annual public lecture, presented by American Life and History, also to be held in latest projects and developments in the field. Europe and the Americas: The Holocaust and working full-time in the museum field. As Award, its highest honor, bestowed annually Patricia Cox Miller. Mark meets regularly Richmond. Camesha gave guided tours at During the summer, I worked on the pres- Global Memory Constellations.” It brought director of education at the New England to a member who has performed “exceptional with Professor Emerita of History Carlin the W.E.B. Du Bois Homesite during summer ervation of Chinatown in New York City for together graduate students and faculty from Air Museum in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, service to the Classics in New England.” Barton to hammer out the finer points of his 2016. In addition to fielding phone calls and the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative North America and Europe to discuss their Amanda oversees K-12 school programming dissertation over lunch and laughter. email inquiries, she taped qualifying ques- and Place Matters. dissertations. in addition to public, youth, and scout pro- This summer, Selena Moon interned at the tions for the local show As Schools Match grams. In June 2016, she presented a talk at Smithsonian National Museum of American PhD student Camesha Scruggs took part Wits. She loves doing work that connects her Katherine Fecteau completed an internship the Dublin Seminar for Early New England History working on the Executive Order 9066 in a design charrette with the Center for to the public, as is evident with her summer at Historic Deerfield’s curatorial department. Folklife based on her dissertation, “Sweet- exhibition, opening in February 2017 to com- Design Engagement in Richmond, Virginia. projects. She spent the summer researching various hearts and Sea: Love, Marriage, and Mem- memorate the order’s 75th anniversary on The project was directed by faculty mem- pieces in their collection, assisting with col- ory in the New England Whaling Industry.” February 19. bers Max Page and Joseph Krupczynski in Danping Wang reports: This past May, I lection management, and inventorying parts As a member of the Westfield Historical partnership with the Sacred Ground Histor- presented my paper “Preservation of Ter- of the collection. Commission, Amanda is currently involved ical Reclamation Project. Alongside UMass raced Paddy Fields in East Asia: Past and
34 35 ALUMNI UPDATES
John Galluzzo ’93 was recently elected sec- anniversary history of the Buffalo Club in Judge Lowy was one of three judges from the Remembering Gary Garrison retary of the Stellwagen Bank National Ma- Buffalo, New York. Massachusetts Superior Court nominated rine Sanctuary Advisory Council, joining by Governor Charlie Baker to join the com- Gary Garrison ’16PhD passed away causes. He was passionately committed to women’s the executive council and extending his run Jeffrey Kovach ’15PhD is the 2016 E. Geof- monwealth’s Supreme Judicial Court. After in his home on July 1, 2016, shortly moral right to ownership of their bodies and became a as maritime heritage chair for the council. frey and Elizabeth Thayer Verney Fellow at graduating from UMass Amherst, Lowy got before his 54th birthday. His death was dear friend of Joni and Bill Baird, crusaders for many He also joined the board of the Hanover the Nantucket Historical Association. He will his law degree in 1987 from Boston University. totally unexpected by Nels Highberg, Gary’s lifelong partner, decades for women’s reproductive rights and responsible Historical Society in April, and in May was spend three weeks on the island studying with whom he lived in Avon, Connecticut, or by any of us for the Supreme Court case (Baird v. Eisenstadt, 1972) appointed by the Hanover selectman to the the economic status of the women’s meet- Chelsea Miller ’16MA reports: The final in the history department. Gary had recently submitted his that established the right to privacy and freedom from Sylvester School Redevelopment Committee, ing leadership, write an article for Historic year of graduate school was my busiest approved doctoral dissertation to the Graduate School. He government interference in sexual and reproductive which will determine the next incarnation Nantucket, and give two lectures, one for yet, between working as the department’s felt immensely relieved and joyful and should have been able behavior. The Bairds wrote to me that in Gary’s death for an elementary school that began life as the public and one for NHA staff. This work, communications assistant, contributing to to spend the following months reveling in the fruits of his “society lost a great champion of civil rights.” In his the town’s high school in 1927. John just re- along with a chapter Jeffrey plans to add the Humanities Action Lab’s “States of In- arduous labor. His diploma was presented posthumously. graduate course on biography with Marla Miller and in ceived word that his new book on the history on formalized education on the island, will carceration” project, curating an online ex- Gary’s dissertation was an ambitious, brilliant, and freshly my graduate research seminar, he focused on the political of aviation in Massachusetts, coauthored contribute to preparing his work for book hibition for my internship at the Institute for original narrative and analysis of the U.S. history of changes theory of protofeminist Mercy Otis Warren (1728–1814) with friend Frederick R. Morin, will be out in publication. Curatorial Practice, and finishing my degree. and continuities in the legal and political concept of privacy and traveled to various archival repositories to excavate November. He spent his summer working on I was fortunately granted the opportunity to as it pertains to a person’s body. It had a tortuous journey to pertinent documents. His resultant paper offers compelling the centennial history of the Maine State Golf David Lowy ’83 was confirmed by the present my “States of Incarceration” work completion, one marked by periods of respiratory illnesses, new insights into Warren’s pathbreaking political ideas. Association, the 125th anniversary history of eight-member Governor’s Council to serve on at the National Council of Public History’s severe allergy attacks, change of residence, the death of his Gary was not only my student; he was my friend and my the University Club of Boston, and the 150th the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. annual meeting and at the project’s exhibit brother, and the demands of coping with two part-time husband’s. We dined together and explored a range of topics teaching posts (at the University of Hartford and Manchester at my home, always with keen pleasure. I have countless Community College), along with legal consultation work memories of all of us sharing the horror and humor of for Ohio’s Fourth District Court of Appeals. Gary was in his Ned Cloonan ’73 visiting Herter Hall in November 2016 to give a talk, “Winning with the Humanities in the Working World.” 28th year as a member of the Ohio State Bar Association. To A flyer for a lecture our PhD program and to his scholarship and teaching in U.S. by Gary. constitutional and intellectual history, early modern European history, and Enlightenment political theory he brought a rich breadth of experience and learning: a BA in economics (Ohio State University, 1984), a law degree (Capitol University Law School, 1987), and an MA in history (Miami University, 2005). He also brought to his work an unquenchable appetite for archival research and eagerness to grapple with the challenges of intellectual history. The leitmotif of Gary’s professional life was in the realm of civil rights, individual liberties, and social justice. Not American politics. I prized Gary as one of the kindest and surprisingly, his obituary conveys his wish that donations in most compassionate of men. A tiny yet poignant example of his memory be directed to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Gary’s alacrity to care for others occurred when my husband In his brief departmental biosketch, Gary defined his suffered a serious back injury. While attending the graduate research interests as the historical battleground between the seminars that met at our home each Monday evening, Gary state and those over whom the state exercises sovereignty, in offered to move our garbage to the front of our house for particular the ways minority rights and individual liberties its weekly pickup on Tuesday mornings for as many weeks “have been (or, more appropriately, not been) protected,” as it took for my husband to recover. Gary’s peers in my whether by Congress, the judiciary, or broad public opinion. classes often remarked to me about his thoughtfulness in He taught courses on contemporary civil rights and liberties responding to their ideas. He valiantly fought his acute and delivered talks about civil rights issues at the Avon shyness, whether in participating in class discussions or in Public Library, served on the Democratic Town Council in teaching while observers attended his sessions. I know that Farmington, Connecticut, and was a member of a number many of you, like me, will sadly miss his presence in our of national and regional legal, historical, and civil rights lives.. —Joyce Berkman organizations. When Gary first entered my graduate “Topics and Research In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Gary and his Seminar” course on U.S. women’s history, he quickly voiced commitment to social justice and human rights can be sent to his ardent support for the panoply of contemporary feminist the Southern Poverty Law Center. Visit donate.splcenter.org.
36 37 ALUMNI UPDATES
Kristin Leahy Fontenot Kayla Haveles Hopper ’11MA, Kate Preissler ’10MA, ’04MA returns to Cheryl Harned, Jessica Johnson, and Amanda Herter Hall to discuss Goodheart Parks ’10MA at the New England Museum her work as deputy Association’s annual meeting. director of FEMA’s Office of Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation.
Mark Vezzola ’00 and Steve Trieu at their October 2015 wedding.
launch and conference. In April, I was also last spring, Julie Peterson ’16MA returned faculty, and current students to look her up Seanegan Sculley ’15PhD was recently pro- College of William and Mary. Also, I am sec- By May, I was training Red Cross leaders on presented with a UMass Amherst Academic/ home to Colorado, where she is pursuing if they find themselves out west. moted to lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. retary of the local Coast Guard Auxiliary the sovereign powers of California’s tribal Community Transformation Award by the public history work in a variety of ways. She Since 2015, he has worked as an academy and secretary of Williamsburg Association governments. Our litigation work escalated Office of Civic Engagement and Service continues to research prison museums and Mark Popovsky, MD, ’72, is now chief med- professor and chief of the American history of Bicyclists, both of which titles will no doubt during this time, with my office filing two -am Learning. I spent my summer writing the the contemporary carceral state, building ical officer of Velico Medical, a medical-de- division at West Point. He also recently gave be inscribed on my tombstone. My wife and I icus briefs on behalf of tribes in juvenile de- department newsletter, populating our new on her capstone research project, “Inter- vice company developing a therapy to treat a lecture about West Point during the Amer- have traveled extensively, taking in Ireland, pendency cases to enforce compliance with website, assisting Cheryl Harned in creating preting Incarceration: Penal Spectatorship life-threatening blood loss. He is the 2017 ican Revolution. Switzerland, Germany, France, the Nether- federal and state child welfare laws. Citing the Five College Public Humanitarium web- at the Museum of Colorado Prisons.” Julie recipient of the Leo J. McCarthy, MD, Lecture- lands, etc., as well as the U.S. If any history a lack of jurisdiction, I achieved a dismissal site, and working on a collaborative article is working on two forthcoming articles, an ship in Transfusion Medicine from Indiana Ralph Simmons ’62 reports: Thanks to my majors should visit Colonial Williamsburg, in a thorny case involving the California De- for Museums & Social Issues about UMass exhibit review for The Public Historian and University. After serving as chief medical degree, I had a good career in U.S. Civil contact me for advice or whatever; I could partment of Forestry and Fire citing a tribal Amherst’s involvement in “States of Incar- a collaborative piece for Museums & Social officer at Haemonetics Corporation for 15 Service. I finished with 10 great years at even loan you a bicycle. member for burning wood on tribal land. ceration.” I am pleased to announce that I Issues focused on UMass Amherst’s involve- years, Mark retired in 2015 and now serves as the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Finally, I effectuated a transfer of a juvenile have recently been hired as the acquisitions ment in the States of Incarceration national a medical consultant to the company. He has Washington, D.C., where I was in charge of Mark Vezzola ’00 reports: Spring has been a dependent case to tribal jurisdiction so that editorial assistant at the State University of public history project conducted by the Hu- published five books on transfusion medicine space and facilities, procurement, law-book busy season for federal Indian law. In April, I the child could be placed with relatives ac- New York Press. manities Action Lab at the New School for and more than 400 peer-reviewed articles. subscriptions, and sundry for all U.S. courts spoke at the 17th Los Angeles Housing Rights cording to tribal law. Social Research. She looks forward to build- Mark serves on several nonprofit boards other than the Supreme Court. Currently I Summit about the need for housing among After completing her master of arts degree ing on the network she established through and has served on seven medical-journal volunteer twice weekly teaching English to Native Americans transitioning out of prison in history with a public history certificate UMass Amherst, and invites fellow alumni, editorial boards. Chinese people at Literacy for Life at the and those threatened by domestic violence.
38 39 AMONG OUR NEWEST ALUMNI
The 2016 Alumni Dinner Keeping in the Loop Check out the As a transfer student to UMass Am- Once again this year, the Department of History hosted a dinner with alumni history department’s herst, Elena Rousseau ’16 felt that she representing a variety of fields, including government, public history, education, YouTube channel to faced limited opportunities, having social service, law, publishing, and consulting. Participants included Ashley see and hear this year’s public talks missed nearly two years of relation- Jahrling Bannon ’10, Kevin Delany ’86, John J. Galluzzo ’93, Robert LaRussa including all of the Feinberg Series ship building in the department and ’76, Anne Manning ’80, Amanda Goodheart Parks ’10MA, Christina Poletto lectures, the Writer-in-Residence at the school. However, she writes, ’98, Anne Teschner ’84, and Mark Vezzola ’00. address, and much more at youtube. “The history department, along with Christina Poletto writes: “I felt genuinely happy to be a part of this moment, com/user/UMassHistory. the Career Development Program, mainly because I almost chose a very different path once upon a time ago…. helped me achieve my dreams and As a freshman, I wasn’t at all sure what I wanted to do with my life during and This marks the fourth my current career path. after college, but I was optimistic that my interests in writing, music, design, and year of our Department’s “At the start of my UMass career, culture would somehow connect. Eventually, I found the thread that tied all of blog Past@Present, which I was set on starting a career in sec- those passions together in the form of a history degree. After college, I moved features posts by faculty, students, Elena Rousseau ’16. ondary education, teaching history to New York City and found fulfilling work as a publicist and magazine editor. I emeriti, and alumni. Follow us at in high school. Through my classes, recently left the publishing world and now work as a design writer, interior stylist, umasshistory.wordpress.com. conversations, and career development, I learned about and small-business owner. other career paths for history majors, such as public history, “I credit the size of the UMass campus and student body for being a perfect Are you following us museum work, and law school. The career development primer for city life, and I credit my history studies for being an excellent guide on Facebook? “Like” program helped me hone my résumé skills, job fair skills, for my career paths. However, I’ve said many times that a degree in history truly us at facebook.com/ and interactions with recruiters. Through this work, I found affords students the ability to work in nearly any field. If you are serious about umasshistory and facebook.com/ an internship that would open up doors for me and set me history, you can leave school as a strong communicator who is capable of reading, umasspublichistory. Michael Nicholson ’16. on the right path. writing, researching, proving a point, and, most importantly, telling a compelling “During the summer going into my senior year, I had story. Tell me, what can’t you do with these skills? Follow us on Twitter: an internship in project development with the nonprofit “I have no doubt that the undergraduates in attendance at the alumni event History Department After graduating in May, Michael Nicholson ’16 began an Boston Cares. I essentially worked with various companies understood this notion. These students were impressive, confident, interesting, @UMassHistory internship this summer at the Senator Stephen M. Brewer and corporations in the Boston area and helped place engaged, and very present with their questions and curiosities. They were smart. Public History Program @UMassPH Museum in Barre, Massachusetts. He explains how his volunteer opportunities for their employees. Working as Before long, they will make great authors, curators, writers, and historians. Oral History Lab @oralhistorylab studies have influenced his career path: “I chose this in- a sort of consultant, I learned extensive analytical and They will continue telling the world’s stories, and giving a voice to the history Graduate History Association ternship because I felt it combined my two majors, history critical-thinking skills that were enhanced by my history that’s being made right here and now. But until then, they’re lucky enough to be @GHAUMass and political science, into one. My job at the museum is skills. Prior to starting my internship, I had finally chosen a absorbing the great lectures and momentous ideas from the most dedicated of to archive all of the senator’s material that he collected path that I wanted to embark on: I decided that I wanted to professors. I only wish I could rejoin them!” For photos of events mentioned in during his tenure in office. It has been interesting to me to follow in my original career goals (before transferring) and this publication, check out our photo see historical events that have happened in Massachusetts go into retail, specifically to be a buyer. I discovered The gallery at umass.edu/history/photo. in the documents I was sorting. TJX Companies through a career fair that Mark Roblee had “At UMass, I was a history and political science dual-de- encouraged us to attend. My interactions with the recruiter If you’d like to give to the gree student, in addition to working toward departmental gave me the opportunity to discuss the qualities that the Department, simply visit umass.edu/ honors in history and political science, multidisciplinary company was looking for in their position, and I tailored history/giving or send a check made honors, and undergraduate certificates in international my internship and my skills. out to “UMass Amherst” to: relations and public policy and administration. I will be “In June 2016, I started my dream job as an allocation returning to campus as a graduate student in the fall in the analyst at The TJX Companies. Through the history de- Records and Gift Processing one-year Accelerated Master’s of Public Policy Program partment and the Career Development Program and the Memorial Hall at the School of Public Policy. I hope to either teach history ability they gave me to explore careers, I’ve landed the job 134 Hicks Way or gain employment in a public-sector job, either hired or I’ve always wanted and am on a career path to become a UMass Amherst elected. As an undergraduate student, I also participated buyer in the future. Thank you, especially to Mark Roblee Amherst, MA 01003-9270 in internships at the office of Mayor Mark P. Hawke in the and Joye Bowman for giving me the confidence to venture City of Gardner and State Representative Jonathan D. from the ‘typical’ history major path and start a job that is Be sure to note “History Department” Zlotnik in the Second Worcester House District.” traditionally for business majors!” Faculty, alumni, on the memo line. We appreciate students, and your support! guests at the History Alumni Dinner.
40 41 NEW BOOKS
BY FACULTY
Audrey Altstadt Samuel Redman The Politics of Culture Bone Rooms: From Scientific Racism to Human in Soviet Azerbaijan, Prehistory in Museums (Harvard University 1920–40 (Routledge, Press, 2016) 2016) Marla Miller and Max Page, eds. Examines the practice of collecting and examining human Argues that the Soviet Bending the Future: 50 Ideas remains in American museums, a practice fueled in part by discredited theories about race. policies were in fact a form for the Next 50 Years of of imperialism, with “nation building” and “modernization” Historic Preservation in the imposed firmly along Soviet United States (University of lines. Examines the Sovietization Massachusetts Press, 2016) Sigrid Schmalzer of culture in language policy Commemorates the 50th Red Revolution, Green and the change of the alphabet, anniversary of the National Historic Revolution: Scientific Farming in education, higher education, Preservation Act through 50 new and literature. in Socialist China (University and provocative essays charting of Chicago, 2016) the future of historic preservation. Includes essays written by leading Explores the intersection of politics and agriculture in socialist China preservation professionals, Manisha Sinha historians, writers, activists, through the diverse experiences of journalists, architects, and urbanists. The Slave’s Cause: A History scientists, peasants, state agents, of Abolition (Yale University and “educated youth.” Illuminates the Press, 2015) consequences of modern agricultural technologies to encourage readers A comprehensive new history of the to rethink fundamental assumptions abolition movement in a transnational about science and society. context. Documents the influence of the Haitian Revolution and the Johan Mathew centrality of slave resistance in Margins of the Market: Trafficking and Capitalism shaping the ideology and tactics Across the Arabian Sea (University of California of abolition and illustrates how the Press, 2016) abolitionist vision ultimately linked the slave’s cause to the struggle to Traces the hidden networks that operated across the Arabian Sea redefine American democracy and in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Shows how capitalism was human rights across the globe. forged at the margins of the free market, where governments intervened, and where traffickers turned a profit.
BY STUDENTS AND ALUMNI
Dan Allosso Thomas F. Army Jr. ’14PhD Abby Chandler ’02MA David P. Cline ’04MA American Environmental Engineering Victory: How Law and Sexual Misconduct From Reconciliation to History: Part One Technology Won the Civil War in New England, 1650–1750: Revolution: The Student (self-published, 2015) (Johns Hopkins University Steering Toward England Interracial Ministry, Liberal Beginning in prehistory and Press, 2016) (Ashgate Publishing, 2015) Christianity, and the Civil concluding in the present, Explores detailed case studies of Examines the prosecution of sexual Rights Movement (University explores the ways in which the Civil War to demonstrate how misconduct in Colonial America to of North Carolina Press, the environment has affected strength in engineering became a trace the shifting and contested 2016) the choices that became our critical determining factor in the relationships between Colonial laws Situates the Student Interracial history, and how our choices war’s outcome. and English laws. Highlights the ways Ministry within two historical affected the environment. in which ordinary colonists across New frameworks: the long civil rights England interacted with and responded movement and the even longer to the growing Anglicization of their tradition of liberal Christianity’s legal systems, and argues that these activism for social reform. Sheds men and women saw themselves as light on an understudied facet of taking part in a much larger process. the civil rights movement’s history.
42 43 OUR DONORS
The Department of History depends on contributions from alumni and friends for many of Joseph W. Lipchitz Malcolm J. O’Sullivan Jane M. Rutledge Madeline M. Taylor its essential activities. We sincerely thank this year’s contributors. The following list covers David A. Long Beatrice L. Ottman J. Patrick Ryan & Marilyn Ryan Arthur Terzakis Betty J. Longtin Oxford Creamery, LLC Julia L. Sandy John V. Tomasello donations made between July 2015 and June 2016. If we’ve missed you, please contact the Laura Lovett Laura E. Pagington Gary F. Sargent Allen S. Torrey Department of History so that your name can be added to next year’s honor roll. Catherine E. Luther Veronica G. Panagiotopoulos AnnMarie Schroeder Willem Vanessendelft David MacDonnell Donald F. Paquette Connie L. Schumacher George A. Vannah David W. MacLaughlan Jerold G. Paquette Elaine S. Sears Louisa A. Varnum Barry M. Alman Judith Boucher Cameron James R. Finkle Dr. Charles K. Hyde John M. Macuga Andrew J. Paraskos Paul W. Shaw Carole A. Vernazzarro Melvyn W. Altman David D. Campbell Stephen G. Fisher Institute for Advanced Study Margaret Macuga & Susan D. Parkhurst Kirk E. Shillington & Paul Vilcans & Ellen M. Anderson Manz Thomas P. Campbell Kate L. Fontaine H. Russell Irving Sharon G. Macuga Martin Pasternak Kristen E. Shillington Christine Chamberlain David M. Aronson Karen Canfield Border Danielle Sarah Forde Frank E. Johnson III Stephanie J. Maher Renaldo E. Payne Caitlin M. Sianssian George F. Vogel Alexander B. Austin Paul E. Canham Lee W. Formwalt Janet D. Johnson & Anne B. Manning William K. Peirce Neal C. Siewert & Joseph F. Von Deck Alexander J. Austin III & Gerald L. Canter Eric C. Forsgard Jon R. Johnson Kevin F. Mark Kathy L. Peiss & Peter A. Agree Barbara J. Siewert Graham D. Warder Judith J. Austin Terri L. Carando Marjorie W. Frost Kevin W. Johnson Barbara W. Martin & Jill E. Perez William H. Siles Jack T. Warfel & Susan Warfel Byron C. Backus Robert A. Cardwell James E. Gage Mark Johnson John P. Martin Leslie M. Perrone David Slater Paul B. Watlington III Rebecca L. Bajowski Russell W. Carrier Carolyn Galambos Marybeth M. Joyce Peter A. Mathison Emily B. Pipes Christopher M. Small Anthony S. Weber Barbara J. Bartholomew Richard A. Carter Julie A. Gallagher Catherine D. Jurczyk Stacy A. Mattson Bruce Place & Lanette Place David S. Smith Peter H. Weis Beth A. Behn Michael C. Cass Clare M. Gallogly Cynthia P. Kadzik Kiel J. Maurath Nickolas R. Place Ralph L. Snow John Weston Paul V. Belletti & Donna M. Cawley John J. Galluzzo Alexander C. Kane Richard J. McCraw Jr. Nancy F. Soma & Scott J. Soma Anne C. Wing Elaine M. Belletti Gail A. Kaplan-Wassell & Robert Potash & Jeanne Potash Jules Chametzky Elina Galperin Gerald W. McFarland & William H. Sprague & Jan W. Bergandy & John H. Wassell Austin T. Powell Norman S. Winnerman Malaika L. Chehab Benjamin J. Galvani Dorothy McFarland Karen E. Sprague Patricia A. Bergandy Kristen A. Kearns & Sarah F. 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44 A105182 01003-9312 MA Amherst 161 Drive Presidents Amherst Massachusetts of University HallHerter History of Department On hand to create in real time a “graphic recording” of the major points being being points major the of recording” a“graphic time real in create to hand On Communication Summit, the Graduate History Association devoted its annual annual its devoted Association History Graduate the Summit, Communication workshop explored attendees themes in communication history (see page 9). above) of the company Visuals for Change. Also shown in the photograph are are photograph the in shown Also Change. for Visuals company the of above) Kate Freedman (center foreground) and Chelsea Miller ’16MA (right). Video of of Video (right). ’16MA Miller Chelsea and foreground) (center Freedman Kate these dynamic conversations is posted on the department’s YouTube page. YouTube department’s the on posted is conversations dynamic these Last March, during the Department of History’s first-ever History History first-ever History’s of Department the during March, Last cover: Our conference to a public series of “lightning conversations” in which pairs of of pairs which in conversations” “lightning of series apublic to conference made by the speakers was artist Amanda Lyons (at left in the photograph photograph the in left (at Lyons Amanda artist was speakers the by made
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