History

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Do you know the history behind Memorial Day?

The location of the first Memorial Day is contested. In the years following the Civil War, there were similar yet independent movements across America to lay flowers on Confederate and Union graves alike.

Wherever these ceremonies were held, they were all united by a single number: 600,000. That number is the low estimate of U.S. Civil War deaths. That number was 2% of the U.S. population at the time, which today would number nearly 7 million.

That number caused a yearning to remember the fallen ever since. Towns across America continued to celebrate the holiday on May 30 through the 20th century, and, in 1971, it became a federal holiday observed on the last Monday in May.

Photos:

Memorial Day, May 30th, New York: Federal Art Project, 1936 or 1937. From the Library of Congress.

Honor the brave, Memorial Day, May 30, 1917. From the Library of Congress.

Memorial Day exercises in the new memorial amphitheater, Arlington National Cemetery, Va., 1928. From the Library of Congress.

Celebration of the fifth Decoration Day at Arlington Cemetery, May 30, 1873. From the Library of Congress.

 #memorialday #remember

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We have so many great History students, it’s not possible to feature them all, but here’s one with some unique achievements. Meet Emily Brophy.

Emily is a senior History major (graduating in December) with a minor in Koine Greek. Her goal: archaeology. So far, Emily has presented her research at several conferences including Harvard University’s National Collegiate Research Conference, Phi Alpha Theta’s Regional Research Conference, and Liberty University’s Research Week. Her presentations have focused on classical archaeology topics such as the ancient Oracle at Delphi and Cicero’s rediscovery of the tomb of Archimedes.

In addition to her research, Emily has volunteered at New London with @HurtandProffitt in their survey at the Bedford Alum Springs Hotel and their excavation at Mead’s Tavern. She also joined the archaeologists from H&P on New London Day to provide live interpretation of artifacts and findings at Mead’s Tavern. In fact, H&P was so pleased with her work, they invited her back to work this fall as lab assistant at their archaeology lab @HistoricSandusky.

Emily says: “I chose archaeology as the field I want to go into because it is a way to make history tangible. There’s nothing more exciting to me than handling and researching small pieces of the past.”

She also says her degree in History from LU has helped prepare her for archaeology by giving her a deep respect for history and a strong foundation in historical methods. “Although history and archaeology are not exactly the same, the desire to understand and learn more about the past that I’ve gained from my history degree will greatly benefit me in archaeology.” Emily has also taken two archaeology classes at LU: Public History and Archaeology and Biblical Archaeology which have added to her knowledge of the field. Her classes in Greek and Roman Civilization in the LU History Department enhanced her understanding of classical archaeology.

Emily plans to pursue an MA in Classical Archaeology and eventually work as a classical archaeologist somewhere in the Mediterranean region.

Great job, Emily! We are looking forward to seeing what your future holds.

#MakeHistoryLU #archaeology #history

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Yesterday our history graduates were recognized for completing their degrees at the College of Arts and Sciences degree conferral ceremony. Congratulations to all our history graduates, including BS, BA, MA, and PhD!

#MakeHistoryLU #graduation #LUGrad #historygrad

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Liberty’s chapter of Phi Alpha Theta continues to shine, most recently at the 2023 Regional Phi Alpha Theta conference, hosted by the University of Lynchburg. Out of eight colleges participating in the conference, Liberty’s chapter sent more than any other.

Fifteen of our graduate and undergraduate students successfully presented their research. One of them, Aleah Schrock, took third place for the World History category. She is pictured with her award in the second picture, second from left. Congratulations to Aleah and all our student researchers!


#historyconference #studentresearch #PhiAlphaTheta #MakeHistoryLU

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“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…”

These are the opening words of one of the most famous movie franchises in American film history, Star Wars. The first film, "A New Hope," hit the screens in 1977, followed by "The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980 and "Return of the Jedi" in 1983. The Star Wars trilogy revolutionized American entertainment, reviving the sci-fi genre with its traditional good vs. evil story and astounding special effects. Star Wars`s success extended beyond the movies to include a massive franchise of toys and collectibles, setting a precedent for movie marketing.

The historical context of the Cold War added depth and resonance to the flashy effects and dramatic story line. In 1983, when President Ronald Reagan proposed the Strategic Defense Initiative, a space-based system to shoot down nuclear missiles launched against the United States, naysayers dubbed his program “Star Wars,” equating Reagan`s plan with the fictional aspect of the recent sci-fi films.

Based on the oft-repeated phrase featured in the films, “May the Force be with you,” fans dubbed May 4 as Star Wars Day. Clearly, the cultural influence of Star Wars continues.

#Filmhistory #Maythe4th #StarWars
Photos courtesy of art-sheep.com

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Congratulations to one of our Lynchburg-area LUO graduates, Caleb Miklas! Caleb is graduating in May with his B.S. in History/Military History and he was recently selected for an internship in Richmond, Virginia. He will be working as an
Accessible Text Transcriber for the American Civil War Museum and as a tour guide for the White House of the Confederacy Museum.

Growing up in Central Virginia, surrounded by historical sites and stories, it was easy for Caleb to become a history enthusiast. Reading history books fed his love for the subject, beginning with a book called I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic 1912 by Lauren Tarshis which he read while in elementary school. The book raised his curiosity about the historical context and his interest only increased from there.

Caleb will be attending LUO this fall for a graduate degree in Public History and he eventually hopes to work at the Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.

Caleb says he has learned that even with a disability such as being legally blind, through faith in Christ, you can succeed.

Congratulations, Caleb!!

#MakeHistoryLU #internship #history #historygraduate #congratulations

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Who’s thinking about summer reading? How about a free book to start your reading list? Here’s how you can enter to win our book giveaway:

1. Follow us on Instagram.
2. Like this post and share it on your story, tagging us @historylu.
3. Tag a fellow history buff in the comments.

On Saturday the 29th, we’ll draw two winners who will get to choose one book each.

#summerreading #giveaway #bookgiveaway #historybooks

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That’s a wrap on Research Week! We can’t feature them all, but here are a few more history students who presented this week.

Doménica Jones is a junior majoring in Social Sciences and minoring in Global Studies. Her presentation was “In Strokes of Pink: How a Painter influenced the Pink Tide movement in Ecuador.” She was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador, and grew up understanding the influence that the painter Oswaldo Guayasamín had on Ecuadorian culture. She has enjoyed sharing her research on the life of Guayasamín and how his art had a social impact on marginalized groups in Latin America. Her advice for students interested in participating in Research Week: “Don’t expect everything to go perfectly. There will be some bumps or adjustments that you’ll have to make. Just do your best and have fun sharing your research!”

Grace Hoisington is a graduating MA History student. She presented her research on freedmen in antebellum Virginia and their impact on the growth of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in rural regions. She has enjoyed learning about how slaves and freedmen found hope in the Christian message, even in the face of bondage and systemic injustice. She loves being able to participate in Research Week because “it is interesting to see how research varies across all the academic disciplines. Some students are uncovering new historical narratives while others are building robot braces to combat carpal tunnel syndrome. It’s a strange juxtaposition, but very interesting!”

Stephanie Wright is also a graduating MA History student. She presented on two topics this week, one titled “The Soundtrack of Our Lives: John Williams and the Revitalization of Classical Orchestration in Film Scores,” and the other titled “Torn Between the ‘Creeds of the Devil’: The German-Finnish Co-Belligerency in World War II.” Her first research topic was inspired by her love for movie soundtracks, especially those by composer John Williams. As for her second research topic, the history of Finland has always fascinated her, because “outside of the nation of Finland, most do not know of its profound struggles to remain a sovereign nation between great powers.”

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Three of our history student workers are presenting during Research Week: Evelyn Loftin, Tom Gillmeister, and Adaline Nolley. Check the presentation schedule posted earlier this week for dates and times. We wish the best to these three and all of our History students presenting this week!

Evelyn is a senior majoring in History and minoring in Military Studies. She is presenting her research on female prostitution in the Holocaust. She was inspired to research this topic after reading "The Tattooist of Auschwitz." This led to further research on women’s sexual trauma during the Holocaust. Her advice for students interested in Research Week:
“100% do it. It is so much fun to share what you are passionate about with your friends and professors. So often we never get to fully hear about our friends’ research and during Research Week we get to do just that.”

Tom is a first-year History graduate student, and he will be presenting on Irish rebel songs that were inspired by the 1798 uprising in Ireland. He chose to research this topic because of his love for Irish music. His advice for those who are interested in participating in Research Week: “Don’t be afraid to do Research Week. Just do it. It is a rewarding experience, and I would totally recommend it.”

Adaline is a junior majoring in Social Sciences and Spanish and minoring in Government and Military History. She is presenting research on the role of French female spies working for the Special Operations Executive in Great Britain during World War II. Adaline’s advice for those interested in participating in Research Week: “Don’t feel like you have any pressure on you to present or research perfectly! Just apply to participate, and if you are accepted, make it fun—there is probably no one in the audience who knows anything about your topic, and you are the expert!”

#researchweek2023 #makehistorylu #studentresearch #historystudent

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📣 Research Week starts today! Check out the list of all the History presentations. This event is open to the public. Come out and support our students!

#researchweek #makehistorylu #studentresearch #historystudent #historicalresearch

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Students in HIST 397/497: Historic Preservation have been busy this semester! So far, they have been to:

~ Rustburg to learn about research with courthouse records
~ A tour of the Campbell County Museum
~ A quick stop at a recent addition to the National Register, the Campbell County Training School
~ Historic Sandusky to tour the historic home
~ A visit to the Hurt & Proffitt archaeology lab where New London artifacts are being processed
~ Downtown Lynchburg for three different class sessions to tour Point of Honor, the historic Virginian Hotel, the Lynchburg Museum housed in the historic courthouse, and the recently restored Academy Theatre
~ New London to learn about the history of the town, see the surviving buildings, and to study Mead’s Tavern with architectural historians and archaeologists

They will wrap up the semester with a tour of Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson’s retreat home and architectural showpiece, led by retiring Director of Restoration Travis McDonald, and a visit to the Winton Farm property, a resort in Amherst County currently undergoing renovation and restoration.

All are invited to attend the end-of-semester presentations of students in the class during final exams, Monday, May 8 at 3:30 p.m. in Demoss Hall 4032.

Students can take advantage of more hands-on history opportunities by signing up for HIST 305: Public History this fall. Email history@liberty.edu for more information.

#MakeHistoryLU #historicpreservation #publichistory #handsonhistory