The lawsuit over Tulip Grove, Andrew Jackson Donelson's Nashville home, has concluded. "A five-year fight over how much money a historic house near The Hermitage should generate for the family that used to own it came closer to its end Friday, with an appeals court ruling in favor of the nonprofit that owns both. Tulip … Continue reading Tulip Grove Lawsuit
Books for Spring 2013 Semester
Time once again to post next semester's readings. I'm doing things a bit differently with my two introductory survey courses. I chose a theme for all of the readings, with the purpose of having the students write a paper that ties all three books together in an end-of-the-semester paper. Early U.S. The theme for this … Continue reading Books for Spring 2013 Semester
BrANCH 2012: Final Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience with BrANCH. The hosts, especially fellow Bulldog David Gleeson, were gracious. I liked conversing with graduate students and senior scholars from the U.K. about history, politics, and culture. The panels were excellent. I can't make the conference every year, but I hope to have the opportunity to present there … Continue reading BrANCH 2012: Final Thoughts
BrANCH 2012: Rethinking Honour and Community
My panel was scheduled for Saturday afternoon. One of my c0-presenters, Ryan Quintana, is from Franklin and is teaching at Wellsley, so we compared notes about our geographic and family similarities. I'll be honest--I find it hard to pay attention during panels on which I am a presenter because I'm thinking about my own presentation. … Continue reading BrANCH 2012: Rethinking Honour and Community
Mitt Romney and the White Horse Prophecy
Recently, I invited three LDS missionaries to speak to my American Presidency students. Considering the possible "Mormon moment" that might arise from a Romney campaign win, I thought it made sense to hear the church's perspective. The three young men, who took time from their personal day to make the visit, were polite and gracious, … Continue reading Mitt Romney and the White Horse Prophecy
BrANCH 2012: Peter Parish Memorial Lecture: Second Slavery and the First (U.S.) Republic
Ed Baptist gave the Peter Parish Memorial Lecture on Friday evening. For someone who flew in shortly before his talk, I thought he did a great job. Baptist opened with a summary of Solomon Northup's life, ending with the observation that overlapping networks and competing claims saved Northup from murder and that financial networks enslaved … Continue reading BrANCH 2012: Peter Parish Memorial Lecture: Second Slavery and the First (U.S.) Republic
BrANCH 2012: Rethinking Honour and Community in the Antebellum South
Saturday's opening session was "Rethinking Honour and Community in the Antebellum South: A Roundtable," chaired by Christopher Olsen and including panelists David Brown, Catherine Clinton, Steven Deyle, Becky Fraser, Lorri Glover, and Emily West. Olsen's introductory remarks focused mostly on Bert Wyatt-Brown and his influence on the field. David Brown was first up. He provided the historical context for the … Continue reading BrANCH 2012: Rethinking Honour and Community in the Antebellum South
BrANCH 2012: Uses and Abuses of African Americans in the 19th Century
The first BrANCH session I attended was "Exploration, Experiment, and Display: Uses and Abuses of African Americans in the Nineteenth Century." (Three caveats: I sat halfway back in a large tiered classroom and had a hard time hearing the two presenters at some points. The Powerpoints were also a bit hard to read due to … Continue reading BrANCH 2012: Uses and Abuses of African Americans in the 19th Century
BrANCH 2012: Slave Communities and Southern Honor
By the time you read this, I should be at Northumbria University in Newcastle-upon-Tyne for this year's BrANCH conference. (The program is here.) This is my first BrANCH (British American Nineteenth Century Historians) conference experience, and I'm glad it's being held in one of my favorite areas of England. I try to post my conference … Continue reading BrANCH 2012: Slave Communities and Southern Honor
The Working Class and Higher Education, Pt. 2
Part 1 is here. Just as I took my time with my first stab at this topic, I've been putting off writing a second post. An IHE article on mid-tier doctoral programs prompted me to the keyboard again. Dean Dad starts with this question, "Why do people continue to apply to, and attend, nothing-special doctoral programs in … Continue reading The Working Class and Higher Education, Pt. 2
Jacksonian America: Society, Personality, and Politics 