History

On October 30, the New York Times published an article about the Washington, D.C. mayoral election and how changing demographics in the District could affect the race. The article notes that a surge of roughly 80,000 new voters in the District in recent years could make the election outcome less certain than many expect. George Derek Musgrove ’97, history, associate professor of history, was interviewed for the article. The excerpt from the story can be found below: “This race has a fascinating set of circumstances,” said George Derek Musgrove, a historian at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, who is writing a… Continue Reading George Derek Musgrove, History, in the New York Times

History Professor Kate Brown has been selected as the winner of the American Historical Association’s 2014 Albert J. Beveridge Award for her book Plutopia: Nuclear Families, Atomic Cities, and the Great Soviet and American Plutonium Disasters (Oxford University Press, 2013). The recognition marks the sixth award Brown has received for Plutopia. The annual Albert J. Beveridge Award honors a distinguished book in English on the history of the United States, Latin America, or Canada, from 1492 to the present. In a press release from the American Historical Association announcing the award, David Hollinger, the 2014 Beveridge Award Committee chair, commented that “[Brown’s book] counters dominant… Continue Reading Kate Brown, History, Wins the American Historical Association’s 2014 Albert J. Beveridge Award

An article published October 18 in the Washington Post analyzed the Washington, D.C. mayoral election and the state of the race leading up to Election Day on November 4. Council member Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) is running against council member David Catania (I-At Large) and early voting is underway. George Derek Musgrove ’97, history, associate professor of history, is writing a book about race and democracy in the District and was interviewed for the article. “There is not a great deal of policy difference between them,” said Musgrove when describing the two mayoral candidates. “They are, quite frankly, running on style,” Musgrove said. “Bowser is trying… Continue Reading George Derek Musgrove, History, in the Washington Post

On October 9, Talking Points Memo (TPM) published a story analyzing the recent controversial College Board decision to release a revised framework on the way AP U.S. history is taught. Since the decision was released two years ago, it has drawn backlash from many who call the new framework unpatriotic and revisionist. Scott Casper, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and Professor of History, was quoted extensively in the story and commented on recent shifts in American history education. Casper, who edits the “Textbooks and Teaching” section of the Journal of American History, said the debate isn’t exactly new.… Continue Reading Scott Casper, CAHSS Dean, in Talking Points Memo

On Friday, September 26, WAMU, the NPR affiliate in Washington, D.C., aired a discussion on the history of gentrification and political representation in the nation’s capital. The segment ran on Metro Connection, a weekly news magazine program. George Derek Musgrove ’97, history, associate professor of history, was interviewed for the story and provided historical context and analysis of gentrification in Washington. Musgrove discussed “The Plan,” a concept that newspaper columnist Lillian Wiggins wrote about in the 1970s and believed would transform the city. “She believed that whites in D.C. had a plan to come back and take over the city —… Continue Reading George Derek Musgrove, History, on WAMU’s Metro Connection

An article published September 13 in the Washington Post examines the legacy of Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman’s March to the Sea during the Civil War. Anne Sarah Rubin, an associate professor of history, was interviewed for the article and provided insight on Sherman’s strategy. “It’s very much about saying, ‘Here’s the power of the Union army,’ ” said Rubin. Sherman’s purpose, she said, was to convey to the South that “you cannot stop us. You cannot resist us. You just need to give up.” She also commented on Sherman’s background, saying he was “a far cry from any kind of abolitionist.” To read the full… Continue Reading Anne Sarah Rubin, History, in the Washington Post

History Professor Kate Brown has won two additional awards for her book, Plutopia: Nuclear Families, Atomic Cities, and the Great Soviet and American Plutonium Disasters (Oxford University Press 2013). Brown has been awarded the Heldt Prize in the category of Best Book in Slavic/Eastern European/Eurasian Studies from the Association for Women in Slavic Studies. More information about the award, including prior winners, can be found here. Brown won the same prize for her first book, A Biography of No Place: From Ethnic Borderland to Soviet Heartland (Harvard 2004). The prize will be awarded in November. In addition, Brown is the 2014 recipient of the Western… Continue Reading Kate Brown, History, Wins Heldt Prize and Western History Association’s Robert G. Athearn Prize

An article published September 7 in The Philadelphia Tribune discusses the case of U.S. Rep. Chakka Fattah, a ten term representative from Philadelphia who is facing corruption allegations, charges and guilty pleas surrounding his family. George Derek Musgrove ’97, history, associate professor of history, is quoted in the article and discusses the case of Fattah Sr. and his son, Fattah Jr., explaining that children of Black political families often go into businesses connected to their parents’ political power. “There is a much higher percentage of white political families that produce their wealth from non-government related private businesses than there are Black ones,” Musgrove… Continue Reading George Derek Musgrove, History, in The Philadelphia Tribune