Richards Center Graduate Student Conference, "In Search of the State: The U.S. and Its Citizens in the Long Nineteenth Century" will be held at the Days Inn on February 5-6. (pdf of Program and Flyer) Graduate Student Workshop with David Greenspoon entitled, "Bringing Up Benevolence: Missionary Appeals to Children in Antebellum American," March 5, 4:00 pm, 102 Weaver Building. Professor Lori D. Ginzberg will be speaking on her book, Elizabeth Cady Stanton: An American Life, at the Central Library in Philadelphia on March 24, 7:30 pm. (additional details) Graduate Student Workshop with Andrew Prymak entitled, "Honorable Contracts and Treasonouse Notes: Debts and Loyalty in the Civil War Era State," April 2, 4:00 pm, 102 Weaver Building. Richards Center Lecture with Tobias Brinkman, Malvin and Lea Bank Associate Professor of Jewish Studies and History, April 9, 4:00 pm, 102 Weaver Building. Dr. Brinkman's talk is entitled, "Fighting for Emancipation: The Chicago Jewish Community and the Civil War." (lecture abstract)
William Blair was appointed by the College a Liberal Arts Research Professor of American History in recognition of his excellence in research and teaching and his leadership as Director of the Richards Center. Carol Reardon was named George Winfree Professor of American History in recognition of her record of scholarship, teaching and service to Penn State and the profession. This is a newly-endowed professorship the College has just received through the generosity of the McCourtney family (George Winfree was the great grandfather of Tracy McCourtney.)
The Penn State University Libraries and the George and Ann Richards Civil War Era Center recently were awarded a planning grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The grant entitled, "The Pennsylvania Home Front in the Civil War" will identify and assess materials of potential value to advance research into the Northern home front during the Civil War. (award announcement)
The fifth book in the series, Lincolns Proclamation: Emancipation Reconsidered edited by William A. Blair and Karen Fisher Younger was released in November 2009. This book is based on the 2007 Symposium on Emancipation held at Penn State and consists of essays from eight distinguished contributors including Richards Center faculty William A. Blair and Mark E. Neely, Jr.
To celebrate our College's Centennial this year Susan Welch, Dean of the College of the Liberal Arts, recently announced the selection of twenty-nine Centennial Fellows whose significant accomplishments have made their communities and their professions better and whose lives have “swelled …the fame” of Penn State and the College of the Liberal Arts.
Congratulations to the following Richards Center Board Members who were recently named Centennial Fellows:
*Steven Brose, ’69, Partner and Department Head of Regulatory and Industry Affairs at Steptoe & Johnson, a Washington D.C. law firm involving matters of the oil and gas pipeline industry;
*Lewis H. Gold, ’59, Attorney with Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, a top national full-service law firm, and former President of the Penn State Alumni Association;
*George T. Richards, ’54, Retired CEO of Vitex Packaging, manufacturer of materials for the tea industry
Additional information on the Centennial can be found on the College of the Liberal Arts web site.