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New College is hosting the 53rd Annual Florida Conference of Historians, a two-day series of sessions March 1 and 2, with noted historian Dr. Paul Kramer of Vanderbilt University delivering the keynote address.
More than 100 scholars are confirmed for the event, presenting research in 30 sessions with topics including representations of gender, Latin American history, music and the African-American experience, representation of violence in the media, consumerism in America, Florida heritage and history, French culture, U.S. education and policy, carnival and circus, the Iraq war and more.
Students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend the keynote address and to drop in on individual panel sessions, but seating is limited for the panels. Anyone wanting to attend all sessions should register for the conference at fch.ju.edu/
This is the first time New College has hosted the annual conference, which is unusual in that it features research from undergraduate students, as well as graduate students and faculty, said David Harvey, professor of history and chair of the Division of Social Sciences. Harvey and Brendan Goff, visiting assistant professor of history, are the conference hosts.
Harvey noted that the conference features a keynote speaker of note. Dr. Paul Kramer of Vanderbilt University is a leading scholar of 20th century American history in the transnational context. His 2006 book, “The Blood of Government: Race, Empire, the United States and the Philippines,” won two major prizes from historians’ associations.
Two sessions are of particular local interest. One assesses the career of Sarasota Congressman James A. Haley, who represented the area from 1952 to1976. Four scholars will present research on aspects of his tenure. Another session will discuss Gideon v. Wainwright, the Florida case that led to a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 1963. Attorney Bruce Jacob, who represented the state, will speak about the case.
Panel discussions run from 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. Friday, March 1, and from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, March 2. The keynote address is at 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 1. All events are in the Sudakoff Conference Center. For a complete schedule and list of presentations, visit ncf.edu/events.