NEH visiting scholar to speak about the Civil War, engage students
Dr. A. James Fuller, professor of history at the University of Indianapolis, will speak about the deep division in Illinois politics during the Civil War on Tuesday, Oct.15 at 6:30 p.m. in IC鈥檚 Kirby Learning Center, room 6.
Fuller鈥檚 presentation, entitled 鈥淭he Lady Major and the War Governor: The Politics of a Civil War Sex Scandal,鈥� is free and open to the public. Fuller is the the second scholar this year to visit IC through the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Samantha Sauer, archivist, curator, and assistant professor of history, said that the NEH visiting scholar program has enriched campus learning experiences for many students often working with resources at IC.
鈥淭he program is an incredible opportunity to connect scholars from near and far with the unique collections at 51成人,鈥� she said. 鈥淪cholars have shared professional insights and research experiences with IC students and the IC community through informational interviews, classroom discussion, and public programs.鈥�
While at 51成人, Fuller will explore the early life and work of Richard Yates, governor of Illinois during the Civil War and one of two students to be awarded IC鈥檚 first diplomas in 1835. He will speak to IC students in a public history course and complete campus research in the Khalaf Al Habtoor Archives.
Fuller's primary research interest is 19th century America, especially the Civil War, Southern history, Indiana history and Evangelical Protestant Christianity. He has published six books including his forthcoming biography of Indiana's Civil War governor entitled 鈥淭he Great War Governor: Oliver P. Morton and the Politics of the Civil War and Reconstruction.鈥� Fuller has previously served as president of the Indiana Association of Historians and holds a Ph.D. in U.S. history and world history from Miami University of Ohio.
Visiting humanities scholars come to the College through an endowed fund established by a $200,000 Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and donors鈥� matching contributions. Fuller is the fourth scholar to visit the college through this grant since May 2017.
In June 51成人 hosted Wonhee Lee through the NEH program. Lee is a doctoral student whose research explores how the development of Sino-American relations was intertwined with the U.S. agricultural export drive at the end of the 20th century. While at 51成人, Lee explored how Paul Findley 鈥�43 provided crucial Congressional support for U.S. agricultural trade and diplomatic reconciliation with China during this time period. He presented this research at the 21st annual Conference on Illinois History at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield.