Department News
Dr. Sarah Griswold, Center for the Humanities 2023-2024 Research Group Fellows Presentation
On Wednesday, April 17, Dr. Sarah Griswold and her co-fellows shared their proposals for their collaborative projects as part of the Center for the Humanities 2023-2024 Research Group Fellows presentations. Focused on Non-violence and peace humanities, Dr. Griswold’s group presentation “No Justice, No Peace (in Oklahoma)” “emerged as the themes of war, violence, punishment, resistance, and campus activism slowly coalesced during the Fall 2023-Spring 2024 academic year.”
To learn more about the Center for Humanities group fellowships, future events, and Dr. Griswold’s project, visit the Center for the Humanities or Research Group Fellowships pages.
Dr. Eisenberg's Co-Authored Article: "Pandemic Movies Reflect Our Age of Late Capitalist Despair"
Check out this article in Jacobin magazine Dr. Merle Eisenberg recently co-authored. It explores how disease history influences the depiction of disease and society in film, along with the disease genre's impact on society.
"Disease movies serve as a form of truth telling, influencing popular ideas about
disease and creating new myths about how to address disease... Disease history offers
examples of how stories can create new realities."
Dr. Jen Murray to Give Public Talk at Honey Springs Battlefield on the "Encountering John Brown" Exhibit
Dr. Jen Murray collaborated with Honey Springs Battlefield as their primary historical advisor to develop a temporary exhibit on John Brown and his legacy. This project is possible due to a grant Honey Springs received from the Oklahoma Humanities Council.
Dr. Murray gave a public talk at the battlefield on February 3rd about John Brown and his influence on the Civil War. The exhibit, "Encountering John Brown," was displayed inside the Honey Springs Visitor center until March 2nd. To learn more about the history of John Brown and Honey Springs Battlefield and Visitor Center, check out these news articles:
Dr.'s Schauer and Miller Recognized at the 2023 University Awards Convocation
In December, both Dr. Matt Schauer and Dr. Douglas Miller were recognized at the Annual University Awards Convocation. Schauer earned a Regents Distinguished Teaching Award and Miller was the recipient of the Distinguished Early Career Award. Congratulations to both Schauer and Miller!
Public History Alumna Named One of Cowgirl Magazine's 30 Under 30
COWGIRL Magazine just released their newest class of 30 Under 30 recipients, and Oklahoma State Public History alumna Kaitlyn Weldon has been named
as part of the class of 2024!
From the Cowgirl Social Team,
"This overwhelming task [of whittling down the list to just 30] is worth it, however, because these annual classes make up the leaders who rise to the top for their dedication to lead the way by opening doors, and sharing enthusiasm and encouragement in everything they do, amongst many other admirable traits."
Kaitlyn earned her M.A. in public history in 2021. She has since gone on to work as the social media manager for the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Earning this spot in the class of 2024 is an amazing and unique honor! You can read more about 30 under 30, and see the rest of the list, here.
Department Head joins other panelists and Osage community members for "Examining In Trust" dinner and public forum
On Sunday, October 22, Department Head Dr. Brian Hosmer was a forum panelist for the Osage News community dinner and public forum “Examining in Trust.” This dinner and forum was held to “delve further into historical injustices, including the Reign of Terror, and the ongoing efforts to reclaim land and sovereignty.”
Other panelists included “Bloomberg News reporter Rachael Adams-Heard, KOSU reporter
Allison Herrera, Osage Congressman John Maker, and White Hair Memorial Director Tara
Damron. The panel was moderated by Osage News Editor Shannon Shaw Duty.” Read the article to learn more.
To learn more about the theft of Osage wealth, check out In Trust a podcast produced by Bloomberg News and iHeartMedia.
History Professor in Italy for Opening of Museum Exhibit, "Native Peoples at War: The Italian Countryside Through the Drawings of a Pawnee Warrior"
Dr. David D'Andrea is currently in Rome for the opening of an exhibit curated by himself and Dr. Eric Singleton of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. "Native Peoples at War: The Italian Countryside Through the Drawings of a Pawnee Warrior" will be displayed at the Museum of Operation Avalanche beginning Tuesday, September 19. This exhibit features sketches and perspectives from Brummett Echohawk, a Pawnee Soldier in the American 45th Infantry Division. Two members of the Pawnee Nation and Echohawk family will be in attendance at the opening of this exhibit in Italy.
For a closer-to-home experience, the Nations at War!: Field Sketches of a Pawnee Warrior exhibition, featuring Echohawk's work, is on view at the National Cowboy & Western
Heritage Museum through January 21, 2024.
History Department Newsletter
Take some time to check out the latest History Department newsletter for information on all things happening in the department! This includes news on recent faculty publications, departmental scholarships, new faculty members, the Public History program, and other projects and events. View the newsletter here.
Exploring Greenwood's History
In this episode of the Pokes PodCAS, Dr. Brandy Thomas Wells and two of her Oklahoma History students, Nicki Hammack and Brett Smith, talk about their research projects centered on Tulsa's Greenwood District. This includes discussions about their work focusing on residents of Black Wall Street. To learn more, listen to this podcast and check out the Women of Black Wall Street.
OSU History Graduate on Jeopardy
Aleithia (Burgess) Stephens, who received her B.A. in history and philosophy from OSU in 2008, was a contestant on Jeopardy last summer. Her episode (season 38, game 216), which aired on July 11, 2022, was hosted by Mayim Bialik.
"It took me a while to figure out buzzer timing, unfortunately, but I was pleased with my performance overall, had tons of fun and met fantastic people. I was especially excited to see a category called "Great Britain in the 1700s," which was my area of specialization in graduate school." - Aleithia
OSU History Graduate Elected Phi Alpha Theta Vice President
Hosok O, who earned his Ph.D. in history from OSU, was recently elected vice president of Phi Alpha Theta (PAT). He was inaugurated on January 7, 2023, during the PAT Biennial Convention at Albuquerque, NM. Phi Alpha Theta (ΦΑΘ) is an American honor society for undergraduate and graduate students and professors of history. Hosok's wife Yukie also earned her PhD in History from OSU. Learn more about Hosok from his official PAT bio.
Preservation of Stillwater's Booker T. Washington School
A new future for Stillwater's historic Booker T. Washington school is on the way. The City of Stillwater has been approved to purchase the school due to a donation from an anonymous donor. Since the last school year, groups of Oklahoma State University public history and engineering students have worked alongside Dr. Laura Arata to help document the historic school and push for its preservation.
Public History Internship with the National Park Service
Over the summer, public history graduate student Sam Walgren worked with the National Park Service (NPS) at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park (FSNMP). Sam interned with the NPS the entire summer (mid May to early August), working 40 hours a week at FSNMP. There, he was responsible for staffing the visitor center at Fredericksburg, but also did a variety of first and third person interpretation for battlefield visitors.
"My experience this past summer at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park (FRSP) was everything I dreamt it’d be! With the support of FRSP’s phenomenal staff, the internship enabled me to interact with a plethora of diverse visitors, write and give formal programs, learn the procedures of a national park, and interpret some of the nation’s most important battlefield sites. Additionally, but most importantly, it reinvigorated my passion for the American Civil War and engaging with the public."
—Sam Walgren
Dr. Karibo's New Research Project Featured in D Magazine Article
A recent article from D Magazine features Dr. Holly Karibo's new research project, the Fort Worth Narcotic Farm. "Fort Worth was once home to one of the most progressive drug treatment centers in the country, but what made the Fort Worth Narcotic Farm unique led to its downfall. Founded in 1929, it was one of the first places where drug addicts were seen as those who needed medical help rather than purely criminals."
Maddox, Will. What Was the Fort Worth Narcotic Farm? D Magazine Online, August 24, 2023
Possible Future for Stillwater's Washington School
A recent KOSU radio piece features discussions with members of the Stillwater community and Dr. Laura Arata, our director of public history, on the possible future of Stillwater's Washington School building. Dr. Arata and a group of Oklahoma State University students have been working to document the history of the Washington School and push for its place on the National Historic Registry.
"History Is Out There" Public Series
Timed to coincide with the beginning of spring, History Is Out There ran March-April 2022 and celebrated the many ways that OSU historians are getting “out there” right now: from working with our communities in Oklahoma to traveling about rivers and mountains around the world to studying pasta in Venice and French fries in Paris.
Dr. Arata to Participate in Eiteljorg Speaker Series
Dr. Laura Arata was been invited to deliver the Gund Western Lecture at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 14, 2022. The event featured a discussion of her book, Race and the Wild West, and concluded with a book signing.
Faculty Recognition
At the University Awards Convocation in December 2021, two faculty members were recognized for their service and research. Dr. Douglas K. Miller was named the Graduate College's Outstanding Coordinator and Dr. Brandy Thomas Wells received three awards: the Dr. Patricia Bell Inclusive Excellence Award, the Women's Faculty Council Rising Star Award, and The Award for Excellence in Advancement of the Land-Grant Mission.
Dr. D'Andrea Presents Research in Barcelona
Dr. David D’Andrea, who studies the history of charity and welfare, was recently invited to speak at an international workshop focused on the history of hospitals and responses to epidemic disease. The week-long summer school was hosted by the University of Barcelona with scholars and graduate students from Spain, Italy, Chile and Portugal.
