history

history

How accurate is Hamilton?

How accurate is Hamilton?

, , , Other, Research
Hamilton, the ten dollar Founding Father musical released in May 2015, is among the most successful musicals in history.  With the all-time best selling cast recording and a total gross of $463 million by January 2019, not to mention 11 Tony awards and a thoroughly lovable collection of alternative “Hamildrops,” the musical continues to remain in the popular imagination.  But one question that needs to be asked is – Just how true to its history is Hamilton? Alexander Hamilton, by John Trumbull (1806) Nobody listens to a musical for a history lesson.  While a new play by novelist Ishmael Reed asks rather pointed questions about the musical’s accuracy, it can be stated that Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of Hamilton, went … Continued
Spotlight on History: Frederick Douglass

Spotlight on History: Frederick Douglass

, , Website
Born with the name Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey in 1818, the man the world knows today as Frederick Douglass left an indelible mark on American history.  From his bestselling first book, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, first published in 1845, to his groundbreaking work on both African-American equality and women’s rights to his career as minister to Haiti, Douglass is a figure whose time is immortal and whose words continue to carry deep and important meaning today. Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland.  He barely knew his mother, who was separated from him in early childhood and died when he was nine.  The identity of his father, who was white, remained a complete mystery … Continued
From the past to the present: Continuing community engagement at Indiana University East

From the past to the present: Continuing community engagement at Indiana University East

, , , , , , Ann Tobin, Frances Yates, outreach, Programs
The IU East campus has a long history of community engagement. IU Bicentennial intern Maureen Girdler is learning about that throughout the Spring 2018 semester. From interviews with students, staff and faculty, and research using historical documents in the IU East archives, she presents here some highlights of the past editions of the Pioneer Press student newspaper, as well as some reflections from members of the IU East community who have been engaged in service. Circle-K Club, then and now Circle-K Club originally started in 1976. It is a college-based service organization affiliated with the national Kiwanis. After several years’ hiatus, a new Circle-K club was chartered at IU East, in 2016. Rachel Johnson, President of Circle-K at IU East, … Continued
Upcoming Discussion: Politics of Monuments and Memory After Charlottesville

Upcoming Discussion: Politics of Monuments and Memory After Charlottesville

, , , Library Resources, outreach, Programs
Professors Kristoffer Rees, Chera LaForge and E. Scott Lee will lead a roundtable discussion on Confederate monuments on Thursday, February 22nd at Morrisson-Reeves Library. The event starts at 6:30 PM and is free and open to the public. Dr. Rees earned his Ph. D in Political Science and Central Eurasian Studies, while Dr. LaForge’s research focuses on the understanding of historical figures in contemporary political contexts and Dr. Lee’s interests hone in on collaborative decision and policy making, especially for intractable public problems Dr. Rees, whose academic research normally focuses on the former Soviet Union, saw distinct connections between the use of memorials in both the US and in Central Asia. These parallels led him to put together this program. … Continued
News from the Archives – Semester Roundup

News from the Archives – Semester Roundup

, , , , Library Resources, Student Workers
This past semester, the archives has been very busy. We have a few ongoing projects, some new collections in the works, and a few updates. First, some ongoing projects… Bicentennial Oral History Project The Bicentennial Oral History Project is still happening! Oral History Assistant Ashley Clayton started with us this past August, contacting alumni and conducting interviews. This semester, Ashley interviewed 14 alumni, staff, and even a few faculty members, such as retired nursing professor Jane Vincent and current Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs T.J. Rivard. We also have online student Jennifer Haught, who started in October as our second Oral History Assistant, and she has been helping us with transcribing our interviews. So far, Jennifer has transcribed 13 … Continued