Gilder
Lehrman History Seminar Analysis
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Gilder Lehrman History Seminar Analysis
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Analysis of Nominations for Participation
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In June 2002, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and CIC
offered an opportunity for faculty members in American history and related
fields to participate in a week-long seminar that explored the latest
issues in slavery studies. The main goal of the seminar was to offer CIC
history faculty members an opportunity to study with and to exchange ideas
with one of the most renowned scholars of slavery in the world, David
Brion Davis.
Eligibility was initially limited to CIC member institutions. Late in
the process, eligibility was expanded to include non-CIC participants,
with the understanding that all 30 slots would go to CIC historians unless
the number of nominees was smaller than 30. Of the 108 nominations received
for participation in the seminar, 79 were from CIC member institutions
(73%). Six of the non-member institutions are eligible for CIC membership:
Adelphi University, Beloit College, Colby College, Macalester College,
Reed College, and Talladega College (HBCU). One institution, Dillard University,
which had contemplated letting its membership lapse, decided to renew
membership so that it could remain eligible for the seminar.
The South provided 36 nominations, the Northeast, 20, the Midwest, 21,
and the West, two. Ten nominations were received from HBCUs, 9 of these
coming from 8 CIC member institutions: Dillard University, Fisk University,
Lane College (submitted two nominations), Miles College, Oakwood College,
Paine College, Rust College, and Texas College.
Of the 79 nominations received from CIC institutional members, 28% were
for professors, 22% for associate professors, 49% for assistant professors,
and 1% for instructors.
Most nominees shared the view that the responsibilities of teaching at
a small private college take up most, if not all, of their professional
time. Not only does the heavy teaching load take time away from scholarly
writing and research projects; it also makes it difficult for faculty
members to keep up with new scholarship, even in their areas of expertise.
As one professor stated, "I have tried to keep up with the new work
on slavery, but the pressures of teaching and chairing the department
as well as heavy college committee work has prevented me from being adequately
prepared in the field. Summers have been largely reserved for doing my
own research, something which I feel I must do in order to keep myself
intellectually alive." (Philip Racine, Wofford College). This sentiment
is echoed throughout the personal statements, especially in nominations
from professors and associate professors. Nominees expressed a great desire
to learn about recent developments in slavery scholarship, as well as
an interest in observing new techniques in the teaching of this history.
Nearly all of the nominees (87%) hoped to use their seminar experience
to enhance the quality of their teaching, and to improve the content of
existing courses.
Twenty-nine percent (29%) of the nominated professors, associate professors,
and assistant professors planned to develop new courses, workshops, seminars,
or campus lecture series from their participation in the seminar.
Just over a third of the nominees, 36%, hoped to use the seminar to enhance
their own research, writing, or other projects (like John d'Entremont
of Randolph-Macon Woman's College, whose is presently writing a comprehensive
history of Virginia).
Frequently, the nominee is the only faculty member teaching American history at his or her institution, and an undercurrent of professional isolation and loneliness is evident in the nominee's personal statement. For many, participation in the seminar would be a rare opportunity to connect with other likeminded historians.
A third of the professors and associate professors nominated are either
committee or department chairs, or hold significant leadership roles at
their institutions: half of the nominated professors (one chair of faculty
executive committee; six history department chairs; one chair of humanities;
one college president; one academic dean; and a literary magazine editor),
as well as 17% of the associate professors.
Only two of the 40 nominations for assistant professors are department chairs (history and humanities), but assistant professors serve as chairs of the faculty, a diversity committee, a general education review committee, a coordinator of an American studies program, a program director of cultural studies, and a member of a diversity committee/faculty affairs committee.
The professors nominated for the seminar received their PhDs in 2000,
1991, 1990, 1984, 1982, 1981, 1979, 1978, 1977, 1976, 1975, 1971, 1970,
1969, 1968, and 1967. Eighty-one percent (81%) of the associate professors
received their PhDs in the 1990s. Not surprisingly, 82% of the assistant
professors received their PhDs in the 1990s and 2000s.
Half of the nominees (49%) mentioned previous fellowships, grants, and
seminar participation in their nominations. Of the 12 professors who included
such activities in their nominations, only three had received some sort
of assistance or funding from their institution (Bluffton College; Calvin
College; Westmont College), although on more than one occasion in each
case. Professors listed external support from Fulbright, NEH, and Lilly,
among others in their nominations.
Of the ten associate professors who listed seminars or research opportunities,
half have received support from their institution (Bloomfield College;
Converse College; Moravian College; Mount Holyoke College, Wilmington
College) and, as with the professors, there were multiple instances of
support from each institution. Support from external sources came from
Mellon, Fulbright, Gilder Lehrman Institute, Janet Wilson James, Rockefeller
Archives, and the Virginia Historical Society among others.
Forty-two percent (42%) of the assistant professor nominees list fellowships,
grants, or seminar participation in their nominations, including support
from Mellon, Fulbright, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Twenty-percent (22%) of assistant professors had received support from
their institutions (Alverno College; College of Notre Dame of Maryland;
College of Saint Rose; Goshen College; Hampden-Sydney College; Hartwick
College; Lebanon Valley College; Saint Mary's College; Ursuline College),
with institutional support often provided on more than one occasion.
Overall, only 17 out of 79 nominees (21%) have received support from their institutions for their professional development. Nominees express hopes for such opportunities in their personal statements, and statements by nominating deans acknowledge and appreciate this.
The nominations for professors and associate professors show that faculty
members at CIC institutions are actively publishing, despite heavy teaching
loads, albeit with varying degrees of frequency. Sixteen of the 22 nominated
professors (72%) have published a book. Thirteen have more than one book,
or a second book in progress. About ten years after receiving a PhD, a
book is published. Some follow with other books, then the publishing becomes
infrequent. Ten books were published in the last five years by the nominated
professors. Twelve of the nominated professors published a scholarly article
at least once a year. Some nominees also mention work with documentary
films.
Fifty-two percent (52%) of associate professors have a book published
or a book under consideration for publication. Only eight (20%) of the
nominated assistant professors have published a book. (Sixty percent received
their PhDs only in the last five years.) Twenty-eight have published articles
or book reviews, and contributed chapters to encyclopedias and text books.
These are not insignificant publications. They include a winner of the
Organization of American Historians' Frederick Jackson Turner Award, New
York State Historical Commission's Kerr Prize, the Conference on Latin
American History's prize (for an article in the Journal of Interdisciplinary
History), and a book nominated by Oxford University Press for the Pulitzer
Prize in Biography.
The nominated professors, associate professors, and assistant professors
have published too many encyclopedia entries, book chapters, articles,
and book reviews to mention them all here. A list of the journals where
nominees have published articles and reviews would include: American
Historical Review, American Studies, Anuario Colombiano de Historia Social
y de la Cultura, Atlanta Historical Journal, Blue and Gray Magazine, Books
& Culture, British Journal of Sociology, Catholic Historical Review,
Christian Scholar's Review, Chronicle of Higher Education, Denver Post,
East Texas Historical Quarterly, Fides et Historia, Florida Historical
Quarterly, Georgia Historical Quarterly, Hispanic American Historical
Quarterly, Houston Review, Houston Post, Indiana Social Science Quarterly,
Journal of Southern History, Journal of Urban History, Latinamericanist,
Nation, New England Quarterly, New York Times, Mennonite Quarterly Review,
Ohio History, Pacific Historian, Pittsburgh History, Times (London) Literary
Supplement.
Awards for Publications
Elizabeth Urban Alexander:
Award for the Best Paper by a Professional Scholar, presented by the Southern
Association of Women Historians (1999).
Chad Berry:
Richard H. Collins Award for Best Article published in The Register, Kentucky
Historical Society, 1997.
Virginia Bernhard:
Best Historical Publication Award for Ima Hogg: The Governor's Daughter,
presented by the Texas State Historical Commission
John d'Entremont:
Gustavus Myers Center Award for an outstanding book on the subject of
intolerance in the United States (1988).
Nominated by Oxford University Press for Pulitzer Prize in Biography (1988).
Linda Hudson:
Fehrenbach Award for best book in Texas History for Mistress of Manifest
Destiny: A Biography of Jane McManus Storm Cazneay 1807-1878, presented
by the Texas Historical Commission (2001).
Robert Fogarty:
John Ben Snow Award for best book presented by Syracuse University Press
(1994).
M.K. Cooper Award for Literary Excellence presented by the Ohio Library
Association (1981).
Outstanding Reference Book Award for Dictionary of American Communal and
Utopian History, presented by American Library Association (1981).
Richard Pointer:
Kerr Prize for best article appearing in New York History, presented by
the New York State Historical Commission (1986).
Philip Racine:
Founders Award of the Museum of the Confederacy for distinguished editing
(1986).
Linda Salvucci:
2001 Conference on Latin American History prize for article in The Journal
of Interdisciplinary History; and Hubert Herring Award for Best Article
for article in Historia Mexicana (1985).
Barton Shaw:
Frederick Jackson Turner Award presented by Organization of American Historians
(1985).
Bela Vassady:
Finalist for Throne Aldrich Award presented by the Iowa Historical Society
for best article published in Annals of Iowa (1992).
Melissa Walker:
The Willie Lee Rose Prize for the Best Book in Southern History written
by a woman, from the Southern Association for Women Historians, 2001;
and John Trotwood and Mary Daniel Moore Memorial Award for most outstanding
article in Tennessee Historical Quarterly for 1998 article.
After almost twenty years away from graduate school exposure to the study of slavery, I offered a "Seminar on Atlantic Slavery" this spring. While the course has gone well, it became painfully apparent that the literature on slavery has grown exponentially over the past years. Our teaching load simply has not permitted me to keep up with the literature, nor to refresh my understandings of the topic. (David Sowell, Juniata College)
I have long wanted to develop courses in American and comparative slavery, but the need for multiple sections of the US History survey, and regularly-scheduled courses in Colonial and Early National have allowed me only limited flexibility in developing new courses. I am the only early Americanist in my department. I am now eleven years out of graduate school, something that leaves me a little insecure about current historiography and research in slavery and abolition, so the seminar would provide me an ideal opportunity to "catch up" on some of that important work… (Rosalind Remer, Moravian College)
Teaching obligations outside my field of expertise and administrative responsibilities at Wells College weigh heavily on my time and energy. Participation in the seminar would allow me to immerse myself in the most recent scholarship in ways I would not be able to do otherwise. (Michael Groth, Wells College)
The Gilder Lehrman Institute seminar would afford me not only a chance
to undertake a focused, directed, intensive, exploration of issues absolutely
essential to my teaching and writing, but also invaluable opportunities
to discuss these matters with interested, similarly engaged colleagues-something
difficult to do at my home institution, given the paucity of colleagues
in similar fields.
(John d'Entremont, Randolph-Macon Woman's College)
I am excited at the prospect of functioning as a student again, and rather hope that this experience might serve as a small time of personal intellectual renewal. (Perry Bush, Bluffton College)
As the Chair of the Faculty Development committee for the last three years, I have been searching for more creative ways for faculty to bring their outside academic experience back to the college community. In imagining outcomes for my participation in the seminar, I envision, for example, a workshop in the new scholarship about slavery eagerly attended by many disciplines. (Barbara Machtinger, Bloomfield College)
We are however, with limited resources, a strong, energized teaching institution. Our Academic Dean has been working hard during her first year here to extend greater opportunities for all the faculty. (Edward Agran, Wilmington College)
Professors:
Bluffton College Study Center Research Grants: 1995, 1997, 2001
Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship: 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991,
1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002
Council on International Exchange Seminar: 1998
Delaware Humanities Forum: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
Evangelical Scholarship Initiative, Pew Charitable Trust: 1994
Fulbright: 1984, 1985, 1988, 2000
Lilly Fellow, Program in Humanities and the Arts: 2002
National Endowment for the Humanities Seminars: 1983, 1987, 1984, 1992,
1997
University of Pittsburgh Faculty Research Grant: 1983
University of Virginia Summer Seminars: 1992, 1998
Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and Public Policy: 1993, 2000
Virginia Historical Society: 1994
Associate professors:
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Research Fellowship, 1990
Bloomfield College Faculty Development Grant, 1999, 2000, 2001
Chesapeake Regional Scholars Summer Seminar, 1999
Converse College Summer Faculty Development Grant, 1997,1998, 2001
Faculty Resource Network, 2001
Fulbright Seminar, 1996
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, 2001
Humanities Research Group (Ontario, Canada), 1996
Janet Wilson James memorial Scholarship for Research in Women's History,
1991
John Hope Franklin Center for African and African-American Documentation,
2001
Moravian College Faculty Research and Development Council Award, 1993
Mount Holyoke College Faculty Fellowship, 1991, 1995
Mount Holyoke Faculty Grant, 1996
National Endowment for the Humanties, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1998
Rockefeller Archives Center travel grant, 1994
Virginia Historical Society, 1988
Wilmington College Faculty Development Grant, 1999
Assistant professors:
Alverno College Institute: 2000, 2001
American Council of Learned Societies summer research grant: 1994
Andrew Mellon Foundation Fellowship: 1991, 1993, 2002
College of Notre Dame of Maryland Faculty Research Grant for Service Learning:
2001
College of Saint Rose Professional Development Research Grant: 2000
Connelly Foundation Fellowship, Elizabethtown College: 2001
Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Fellow at the Smithsonian, 2001
Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Sargent Shriver Grant: 1999
Fulbright-Hays Study Abroad Fellowship: 1984
Fulbright Lecturing Award: 2002
GLCA Global Partners Grant: 2002
Goshen College Faculty Research Grant: 2001
Hampden-Sydney College summer research grant: 1999, 2000, 2001
Hartwick College Trustee Grant: 2000
Institute of Mennonite Studies, summer research grant: 1995
Iowa College Fund, Faculty Development Grant: 1999
Jean Monnet Fellowship: 2002
Lebanon Valley College, Professional Development and Research Grant: 2001
Lebanon Valley College, Faculty-Student Research Grant: 2000
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Grant: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
National Endowment for the Humanities Seminars: 1981,1993,1995,1998,1999
NEH/West Virginia Humanities Council Teacher's Institute Award: 2001
NEH/West Virginia Humanities Council Fellowship: 2001
Ohio Campus Compact: 2001
Saint Mary's College, Lilly Faculty Fellowship: 1996
Saint Mary's College Grant for Course Development: 1997
Saint Mary's College Faculty Research Grant: 1998
Sydney and Frances Lewis Research Fellowship, Virginia Historical Society:
1993, 2001 United States Office of Education Leadership Development: 1979,
1984
Ursuline College, Professional Development Grant: 1997, 1999
Turkish Institute Library Development Grant: 1999
Institutions that provided faculty assistance:
Alverno College (WI), Bloomfield College (NJ), Bluffton College (OH),
Calvin College (MI), College of Notre Dame of Marlyand, College of Saint
Rose (NY), Converse College (SC), Goshen College (IN), Hampden-Sydney
College (VA), Hartwick College (NY), Lebanon Valley College (PA), Moravian
College (PA), Mount Holyoke College (MA), Saint Mary's College (MI), Ursuline
College (OH), Wilmington College (OH), Westmont College (CA).
Participation would enhance teaching and / or current courses:
Professors: 17/22 (77%)
Assoc. Professors: 15/17 (88%)
Assist. Professors: 37/40 (92%)
Total: 69/79 (87%)
Participation would lead to new courses or lectures:
Professors: 7/22 (31%)
Assoc. Professors: 6/17 (35%)
Assist. Professors: 10/40 (25%)
Total: 23/79 (29%)
Participation would have affect on research or projects:
Professors: 8/22 (36%)
Assoc. Professors: 4/17 (23%)
Assist. Professors: 17/40 (42%)
Total: 29/79 (36%)
Nominees who have received grants and fellowships for development and
research:
Professors: 12/22 (54%)
Assoc. Professors: 10/17 (58%)
Assist. Professors: 17/40 (42%)
Total: 39/79 (49%)
Nominees who have received assistance from the institution where they
teach:
Professors: 3/22 (13%)
Assoc. Professors: 5/17 (23%)
Assist. Professors: 9/40 (22%)
Total: 17/79 (21%)
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