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MSU hosts National History Day Regional competition March 1

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Missouri State University will once again host the Region VII competition for National History Day (NHD) March 1, 2024, in the Plaster Student Union.

First round judging starts at 9 a.m., followed by potential run-off rounds. The award ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m.

Each year, NHD competitions showcase historical research projects developed by students grades 6-12. Students compete individually or in groups to curate museum-like exhibits, create documentaries, write historical papers, put on a performance or develop a website.

Students in the Region VII competition represent schools in Springfield as well as Christian, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Hickory, Howell, Laclede, Oregon, Ozark, Polk, Stone, Taney, Webster and Wright counties.

Region VII winners advance to the state-level competition, held in Columbia, Missouri, in April. State winners advance to the national competition in Washington, D.C., in June.

The 2024 NHD theme is “Turning Points in History,” according to the organization’s website.

An educational curriculum, not just a contest

National History Day ends with an exciting competition, but it starts several months earlier as an educational curriculum, according to Sara Zandi, who has served as Region VII coordinator since 2018.

“National History Day is a yearlong academic program that 6-12 grade educators choose to incorporate into their classroom curricula,” Zandi explained. “The curriculum focuses on project- and inquiry-based learning to scaffold learners’ historical thinking and information literacy skills.”

In a given academic year, teachers from 15 different middle and high schools in and around Springfield include NHD in their curriculum, Zandi estimated. The highlight of all that hard work—the competition itself—typically showcases 150-200 student projects.

A child and an adult adjust a display
National History Day contestants set up an exhibit.

[Read more…] about MSU hosts National History Day Regional competition March 1

History alum Dr. Maurice Gipson guest speaker at African and African American Lecture Series

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Missouri State University’s African and African American Studies program welcomed Dr. Maurice Gipson as guest speaker for its annual lecture series Feb. 7.

Gipson, who earned his M.A. in history at MSU, presented “Black Dirt, Black People and Black Power: The Radical Road to Freedom in Arkansas.”

His topic explored the work of Arkansas activists who embraced Black Power as an organizing philosophy during the 1960s and 1970s.

Gipson currently serves as Vice Chancellor, Division of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity at the University of Missouri-Columbia, as well as an affiliate faculty member of the history department. He earned his doctorate in history at the University of Mississippi.

Since its inauguration in 2015, the African and African American lecture series has been held annually, welcoming scholars from Mississippi State University, Rhodes College, University of Illinois, University of Kansas, St. Louis University, University of Minnesota and University of Oklahoma.

The African and African American Studies program is housed within the Department of History.

[Read more…] about History alum Dr. Maurice Gipson guest speaker at African and African American Lecture Series

Alum Matthew Vriesman wins National History Teacher of the Year Award

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Out of over 7,000 nominated educators across the U.S., Matthew Vriesman won the accolade of 2023 National History Teacher of the Year from The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

Photo of Matthew Vriesman
MSU History Alum Matthew Vriesman

Vriesman, a Missouri State University history alumnus, was honored at a ceremony in New York City on Oct. 24, 2023.

The institute is dedicated to K-12 history education and the award celebrates the value of history education by honoring outstanding American history teachers.

As the 2023 National History Teacher of the Year, Vriesman is currently serving as an ambassador for the teaching community and a thought leader on the importance of high-quality American history education.

According to the institute’s press release, Vriesman stood out for his exceptional teaching of American history, which includes facilitating a historic virtual tour of western Michigan.

“It’s an honor to win this award. My students and I were excited when we received the news,” Vriesman said. “I hope this award serves to normalize an antiracist approach to teaching U.S. history classes.”

Vriesman has been teaching AP United States history, AP world history and AP African American studies at East Kentwood High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for about six years now.

“It’s a diverse school with about 90 different languages spoken, which makes it a cool place to teach history,” said Vriesman, a west Michigan native.

Making his Missouri statement

Influenced by his mother’s love for reading and history, Vriesman never wanted to be anything but a history teacher. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Calvin University in Grand Rapids before travelling to Asia.

After teaching U.S. history in South Korea and Kuwait for about seven years, he began a master’s degree program in history at MSU.

“While searching for what school to attend, I discovered that my favorite history textbook, ‘Ways of the World’ was co-written by a professor at MSU, Dr. Eric Nelson,” Vriesman said. “It influenced my decision to come here.”

Nelson is a professor of world history and the director of graduate studies in the history department. He was also Vriesman’s advisor. [Read more…] about Alum Matthew Vriesman wins National History Teacher of the Year Award

History alum Sarah Myers “flying high” with new book on Women’s Airforce Service Pilots

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Dr. Sarah Myers, a 2009 graduate of Missouri State University’s MA in history program, recently published her first book, “Earning Their Wings: The WASPs of World War II and the Fight for Veteran Recognition” through the University of North Carolina (UNC) Press.

Title cover of book
“Earning Their Wings” by Dr. Sarah Myers.

“Earning Their Wings” examines the history of the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program during and after World War II.

A UNC press release states the book reflects on the “long-term consequences for the women who participated and subsequent generations of servicewomen and activists.”

Myers currently teaches courses in U.S. women’s and gender history, public history, oral history, human rights, veterans studies, aviation, and war and society at Messiah University.

She earned her PhD in history from Texas Tech University in 2014.

Discovering the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots

Myers first encountered the story of the WASP veterans while doing other research as an undergraduate.

“I was intrigued by their story and the fact that they were the only women’s unit during World War II that did not receive veterans’ status or military benefits until decades later,” Myers said. “Women were shut out of military aviation for three decades.”

“I found the entire situation infuriating and I needed to know more,” she added.

Myers reached out to some WASP members through a website and grew committed to telling their stories after she heard back from them.

“I was hooked,” Myers said. [Read more…] about History alum Sarah Myers “flying high” with new book on Women’s Airforce Service Pilots

“History on Tap” series provides support and guidance for local history teachers

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One small idea to bring K-12 teachers and university scholars together in an informal setting has grown into the successful “History on Tap” series, and Missouri State University’s Dr. Michelle Morgan has helped pave the way.

Morgan, associate professor in the Department of History, became interested in the “History on Tap” event after learning of it through the Missouri Council for History Education (MOCHE). Morgan has been a member of MOCHE since 2011 and became a member of the board of directors in January 2022. She also serves on the program committee that coordinates the “History on Tap” series.

According to Morgan, the first “History on Tap” event was held in St. Louis when Debbie Schmidt, president of MOCHE, took inspiration for the event from a program she learned about through the National Council for History Education.

To achieve the desired informal atmosphere, the events started being held at local breweries.

“Hence ‘History on Tap,’” Morgan said. [Read more…] about “History on Tap” series provides support and guidance for local history teachers