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Auburn History marks nation’s 250th anniversary with ‘Revolutionary Legacies’ series

Auburn University’s Department of History will celebrate the 250th year of American independence by inviting the campus community to engage with the ways in which the Revolution continues to impact everyday life in its “Revolutionary Legacies” speaker series.

The series of public talks will explore the legacies of the American Revolution on three vital areas of American life: the law, freedom of the press and public health.

“This speaker series will enable students and the wider campus community to deepen their understanding of how the principles that guided the founding of the United States continue to shape our nation today,” said Department of History Chair Melissa Blair. “I'm particularly excited that we are featuring both outside experts and Auburn faculty in the series. So many Auburn faculty have valuable insights into these topics, and I am thrilled we can shine a spotlight on that expertise.”

Three speaking events have been scheduled for the spring semester:

Tuesday, Feb. 3 

University of Central Michigan Associate Professor of History Andrew Wehrman will discuss the Continental Army, vaccination and the Revolution’s legacies on public health. Wehrman specializes in the history of medicine and disease in Colonial America and authored, “The Contagion of Liberty: The Politics of Smallpox in the American Revolution.”

Wehrman’s talk is also part of Auburn’s Medical & Health Humanities Speaker Series.

Monday, March 2

Auburn Assistant Professor of Journalism Autumn Linford will discuss Tory printers and the Revolution’s legacies on freedom of the press. Linford’s expertise includes print journalism, photojournalism and gender, labor and journalism history.

Monday, April 13

Auburn Political Science Professor Steven Brown will discuss the Revolution’s legacies on American law. Brown specializes in American legal history, teaches courses on constitutional law and serves as the Law & Justice program director.

All three talks will be held in Tichenor 215 at 4 p.m.

In addition to the speaker series, the Department of History, the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) will offer a course on the nation’s 250th birthday. The seven-week course will focus on how the Revolution shaped various aspects of life in the U.S. during and after the Revolution, including Native Americans' lives, women's lives, freedom of religion and impact on the nation’s geographical neighbors.

For more information on the speaker series or OLLI course, contact the College of Liberal Arts.

Tags: Community, Outreach and Engagement History Communication and Journalism Political Science