History and American Studies

History and American Studies Symposium – Friday, December 3rd

November 19, 2021 by Susan Fernsebner

History and American Studies Symposium

University of Mary Washington — Department of History and American Studies
Friday, December 3, 2021. All sessions will be held in Monroe Hall.

Seating will be limited and all audience members will be required to wear face masks for the event in keeping with campus safety policies.

SESSION ONE. 9 AM. Monroe 210 – Early Modern Perspectives: The Grim Sultan, 16^th c. Kitchens, and Gift Giving at the Queen’s Court
Moderator: Professor Allyson Poska

Jarod Markle. “Yavuz Selim: Rise of the Grim Sultan”

Nancy Couturier. “Sixteenth Century Kitchens and Dining at Topkapı Palace and Hampton Court Palace: A Comparison”

Shannon Kehoe. “Gift Giving at the Court of Elizabeth I”

SESSION TWO. 9 AM. Monroe 111 – Education: Then and Now
Moderator: Professor Erin Devlin

Morgan Gilbert. “The Pupil Placement Board Records and Desegregation of Chesterfield County Public Schools”

Haylie Stevenson. “The Best Practices to Effectively Teach African American History in Virginia Public Schools with the Standards of Learning”

SESSION THREE. 9 AM. Monroe 110 – Giving the Middle Kingdom the Middle Finger?: ‘New Women’s’ Memoirs and Activist Blogs in China
Moderator: Professor Bruce O’Brien

Erica Banks. “New Women in 20^th Century China”

Chris O’Neill. “Seeking Justice in Ai Weiwei’s Citizen Investigation”

SESSION FOUR. 10 AM. Monroe 210 – Civil Rights
Moderator: Professor Claudine Ferrell

Ashleigh Eileen Liang Foster. “The Fearsome Power of Love: Interracial Love as a Weapon Against White Supremacy”

Samuel Hartz. “’Under Color of Law’: Housing Segregation and Perpetual Poverty in Norfolk’s St. Paul’s Quadrant”

Sophia Hobbs. “Gum Springs, Then and Now: The Fight for a Hidden Treasure in Fairfax County”

SESSION FIVE. 10 AM. Monroe 111 – Witch Trials and Inoculation Controversies
Moderator: Professor Jason Sellers

Allison Love. “Diabolical Witches and Wizards: How the Devil Reinforced the Patriarchy in the Salem Witch Trials”

Emma Whitaker. “The 1721 Boston Inoculation Controversy”

SESSION SIX. 11 am. Monroe 210 – Selected Papers in U.S. History
Moderator: Professor Will Mackintosh

Hunter Dykhuis. “Perspectives on the Battle of Hampton Roads”

Janis Shurtleff. “A Sign of the Times: An Analysis of the Creation and Significance of the 1946 Film The Best Years of Our Lives”

Ashley Dimino. “History, Culture, and the Contributions of Animated Film with an Exploration of Indigenous Cultures Represented in Disney Animated Films”

SESSION SEVEN. 11 am. Monroe 111 – Cultural History and Global Perspectives
Moderator: Professor Nabil Al-Tikriti

Sydney Morrison. “Making Russian Music: Uncovering Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Musical Ideas through His Letters”

Patrick Mackay. “Blokadniki Experiences and American Media Coverage on the Siege of Leningrad”

Antonio DeGeorge. “International Perspectives on the Soviet War in Afghanistan”

Student Film Screening: “Out and Out” by Jesse Frye (9/29)

September 24, 2021 by Susan Fernsebner

Join the History and American Studies Club for a presentation of “Out and Out: Finding Identity in the Blue Ridge Mountains” – a student film created by Jesse Frye.

Wednesday, September 29, 2021 at 6:30 pm at Monroe 116

History & American Studies Club Meeting – Friday (9/24, 6 pm)

September 23, 2021 by Susan Fernsebner

All are welcome!

Exploring Fredericksburg’s Watershed

September 23, 2021 by Susan Fernsebner

Students from the “Virginia Issues and Controversies” class paddled along the Rappahannock River last Friday after discussing the environmental issues facing Fredericksburg’s watershed.

In addition to observing various water pollutants, they had an opportunity to see some of the river’s local residents, including kingfishers, bald eagles, and even Goose George.

Talking History with David McKenzie

September 22, 2021 by Will Mackintosh

History and American Studies – Club Meeting (Sept. 8)

August 31, 2021 by Susan Fernsebner

Internship Opportunity – American Historical Association (deadline 8/27)

August 18, 2021 by Susan Fernsebner

The American Historical Association is seeking undergraduate students to work remotely as interns during the fall semester. AHA interns work on a variety of projects and gain insight into historical and nonprofit work. Students will be matched with an AHA staff member who will mentor and oversee their work. They will have an opportunity to attend departmental and general staff meetings and to learn about the day-to-day work of the world’s largest professional association of historians.

Accepted interns will need to receive either a stipend or course credit from their home institutions; we understand this is not possible in many cases, but we cannot accept an intern who receives neither stipend nor course credit. Hours are negotiable, though we are estimating approximately a 10-20 hour/week commitment during the fall, depending on the student’s schedule.

In their cover letter, interested candidates should indicate which department and/or project they are most interested in working with and any relevant experiences.

Academic & Professional Affairs:
- An intern will assist with the data collection and standardization necessary for the expansion of the Where Historians Work database. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel is required.
- An intern will assist with the analysis and visualization of survey data collected by the AHA’s Survey of Doctoral Programs. Experience with data visualization tools would be helpful, but is not required.
Research & Publications:
- An intern will assist on the “Racist Histories & the AHA” research project by performing database research and working with the AHA’s archive. Experience with data visualization tools is preferred but not required.

Applications are due by Friday, August 27, and will be considered on a rolling basis.

How to apply:

Log into your MY AHA account. If you don’t have an account, you can create one for free.
Click “Available Application Forms” in the AHA Awards, Grants, and Jobs section.

Click Apply next to the AHA Internship link. In the section labeled Supporting Documents, upload a single PDF with a cover letter, CV or resume, and the contact information for two references. Separate letters of recommendation are NOT required.

Please contact Alexandra Levy, AHA’s digital communications coordinator, with any questions.