Colligan history project lectures set for Spring ‘09

January 19, 2009

Four lectures featuring past U.S. Presidents -- and one detailing the historic 1969 moon landing 40 years later – highlight the Spring 2009 Michael J. Colligan History Project lecture series at Miami University Hamilton.

The theme of the series is Presidents and the U.S. Presidency. The Colligan history project is sponsored by the Hamilton Community Foundation.

“This series continues to gain in popularity in the community, offering an array of timely and interesting topics,” said Michael Carrafiello, Associate Dean and director of the history project. “The Spring 2009 lineup is no exception,” Carrafiello said.

As always, all events are free and open to the public.

Creation of the American nation

Catherine Allgor will kick off the series at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 5, in the Wilks Conference Center with A Perfect Union: James and Dolly Madison and the Creation of the American Nation, also the title of her latest book. Allgor is a history professor at University of California-Riverside and a leading expert on early America and the history of women’s lives. She received both her master’s and doctorate degrees in history from Yale University following a career in theatre.

Allgor’s dissertation on Women and Politics in Early Washington garnered the Lerner-Scott Prize for the best dissertation on U.S. Women’s History in the country. A Perfect Union: James and Dolly Madison and the Creation of the American Nation, published in 2006, was a finalist for the prestigious George Washington Prize.

America’s First Couple: George and Martha

Bruce Chadwick presents George and Martha: The First Couple at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 26, in the Wilks Conference Center. Chadwick spent many years as a journalist before embarking on a second career as a historian, earning his doctorate in history from Rutgers University.

A former crime reporter for the New York Daily News, Chadwick also specializes in the history of forensics and murder spanning the ancient Greeks and Romans to contemporary murders throughout the world.

The City of Hamilton saves Harry Truman

Jim Blount, Butler County’s leading historian, will present Hamilton Saves Harry Truman at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, in the Wilks Conference Center. Blount will discuss pivotal events in the 1948 presidential election – some of which took place in Ohio – and an outcome that embarrassed the political experts and pollsters.

A Hamilton native, Blount earned his bachelor and master’s degrees in history from University of Cincinnati and Miami University, respectively. He has been researching local history for more than 55 years, and has written more than a dozen books.

Blount’s award-winning journalism career included five years at the Cincinnati Enquirer and 23 years at The JournalNews – 15 as editor. He still writes a weekly local history column for The JournalNews, and currently chairs the Butler County Transportation Improvement District.

Guelzo to receive Dolibois Prize

Allen Guelzo, director of Civil War Era Studies and the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College, will present Abraham Lincoln, Philosopher; A Man of Ideas at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 2, in Parrish Auditorium. Guelzo has authored numerous books on American intellectual history and the Civil War era. He is one of the world’s leading experts on Lincoln.

His most important work, Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President, won both the Lincoln Prize and the Abraham Lincoln Institute Prize in 2000. He received his master’s and doctorate degrees in history from University of Pennsylvania.

Guelzo will be awarded the 2009 John E. Dolibois History Prize for his lifetime achievements in history education.

Walking on the moon

Roger Launius, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) historian for the Smithsonian Institute, will discuss the 1969 moon landing 40 years after U.S. astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin, Jr. safely landed on the moon’s surface as part of the historic Apollo 11 mission.

Launius will speak at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 17, in Parrish Auditorium.

Launius received his master’s and doctorate degrees from Louisiana State University, specializing in American frontier and military history. He is responsible for managing NASA’s historical reference collection of materials about the history of the agency, and providing historical services to NASA staff and the public.

Launius’ lecture is co-sponsored by the Mad Anthony Wayne Writer’s Conference.