Murray State University History Department

08/31/2026

On Saturday, August 29, Emmi and Dylan from Dr. Lindner’s HIS 400: Senior Research Seminar course visited a number of historic sites in Hopkinsville, guided by Alissa Keller, executive director of the Museums of Hopkinsville-Christian County. The theme of this semester’s class is the History of Death, and the students were shown a variety of artifacts held at the Pennyroyal Area Museum, including mourning outfits, embalming equipment, funeral announcements, and demographic records from the nineteenth to twentieth centuries, which the students are planning to use in their research papers. The students also toured historic cemeteries in Hopkinsville and helped preserve history by cleaning graves at the Union Benevolent Cemetery #5, which is a historic Black cemetery in Hopkinsville. Thanks so much to Museums of Hopkinsville for having us!! CHFA at Murray State Murray State University

08/28/2026

📣Calling all Writers at Murray State!📣

The Department of History invites undergraduate and graduate students to participate in the “We Hold These Truths” Essay Contest!

✍️Essay Prompt: Have Americans fulfilled the ideals of the Declaration of Independence?
🏆Top Prize: $1,500
🎓Two Categories: Undergraduate & Graduate
🗓️ Deadline: October 15, 2026
➡️ See the QR code for the website with full contest guidelines.

For questions, contact Dr. Koulisis ([email protected]).
We can’t wait to read your essays! Murray State Phi Alpha Theta and History Club CHFA at Murray State Murray State University

08/27/2026

The countdown has begun! Two weeks until the 2026 Sid Easley lecture by Dr. Sneff entitled “When the Declaration of Independence Was News”! See you on Thursday, September 10 at 7 pm in the Wrather Auditorium!
CHFA at Murray State Murray State University

08/26/2026

08/26/2026

Join the Murray State Phi Alpha Theta and History Club for a meet and greet with Dr. Emily Sneff, our 2026 Easley lecturer!
🗓️ Thursday, September 10th
⏰ 3 P.M.
📍 history department conference room (faculty hall 6b)
This will be a great opportunity to make a professional connection and learn some more about the field. Bring lots of questions, and be sure to attend Dr. Sneff’s lecture that night in Wrather Auditorium at 7! CHFA at Murray State

08/25/2026

Your next great discovery might be waiting halfway around the world! Join Dr. Kathy Callahan of for the Humanities+ session, “Passport to Discovery: Student Research Abroad,” on Friday, September 11 at 2:00pm in Faculty Hall 208.

Get practical tips for finding and making the most of research opportunities while studying abroad, and learn how to turn your travels into meaningful academic discoveries.

.studyabroad

08/24/2026

In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the Department of History will host Dr. Emily Sneff for this year's Sid Easley Lecture, "When the Declaration of Independence Was News” on Thursday, September 10 at 7:00 pm in the Wrather Auditorium.

Dr. Sneff is a historian of the founding era of the United States and a leading expert on the Declaration of Independence. Based on her highly acclaimed book "When the Declaration of Independence Was News," her talk will illuminate the many conflicting views toward the movement for American independence and will enable us to better understand the revolutionary document on which the colonial struggle for freedom was based.

Thanks to the generosity of the family of Murray State alumnus Sid Easley, the program is free and open to the public. A Reception and Book Signing will follow the lecture.

Hope that you can join us for this great annual event!!!

08/19/2026

The MSU Phi Alpha Theta will meet for the first time this semester on Monday, August 24th! We will do introductions, eat some snacks, and discuss some of the exciting things we have planned for the upcoming year!

🗓 Monday, August 24th
⏰4:30 P.M.
📍 Faculty Hall Room 201

All History majors, History Minors, and History fans welcome!

For more information, contact Dr. David Pizzo ([email protected]) or Emma Alexander for more info. And make sure to follow MSU History Club/PAT on social media!

06/11/2026

Earlier this week, Dr. Jim Humphreys, Dr. Tamara Feinstein and Dr. Christine Lindner joined students Emma Alexander and Gabe Crass to participate in the annual meeting of the Kentucky Museum and Heritage Alliance in Paducah. The group shared their experiences exploring Public History on the roundtable discussion “Experiential Learning Through Public History: Teaching History Beyond the Classroom.” Alumni Zach Alexander and Nathan Lynn also attended the annual meeting. Over the three days, they met with museum professionals from across the commonwealth who discussed the items in their collections and spoke about their experiences working in the field of public history. They also learned new skills to read historic documents, like quilt drafting charts! The meeting included excursions and activities including a visit to Wickliffe Mounds, the Hotel Metropolitan, the Quilt Museum and the Market House Museum which was hosting an exhibit on regional artist Helen LaFrance. Thanks so much to KMHA and all who helped put together the conference. Murray State University: College of Humanities and Fine Arts

06/02/2026

Next week, Dr. Humphreys, Dr. Feinstein and Dr. Lindner, along with students Emma Alexander and Gabriel Crass will be attending the annual conference for the Kentucky Museum & Heritage Alliance (KMHA) which is taking place in Paducah! They will present on the roundtable discussion entitled “Experiential Learning through Public History: Teaching Beyond the Classroom,” where the professors will reflect on recent experiential learning projects that they have developed, while the students will share their experiences participating in these projects.

The conference is from Sunday June 7 to Tuesday June 9, with the roundtable being on Monday afternoon. There is still time to register to attend the conference, either for all three days or just for one day! For more about the conference visit https://kymuseums.org/conference/