College of Humanities & Sciences

August 23, 2021

The M.A. in History orientation will be held on Monday, August 23 at the history department conference room, 811 S. Cathedral Place. The graduate teaching assistant orientation is from 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM. The incoming cohort of graduate students will meet from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM. If you have any questions, please contact Professor Emilie Raymond at eeraymond@vcu.edu.  

July 19, 2021

Did you know you can apply as a nondegree-seeking student to take master level courses in a variety of history topics? Find out how. 

September 20, 2021

Join us live and in person September 20 for our twelfth annual Society of the Cincinnati lecture featuring Professor Mary Beth Norton of Cornell University. 

June 9, 2021

Bryleigh Jackson, a VCU history major, provides her insight about the recognition of Juneteenth as a state holiday as well as her affinity for learning all the nuances of American History. 

May 15, 2021

Congratulations to the VCU Class of 2021! And a special congratulations to the VCU history department graduates, including 41 bachelor of arts students, 8 master of arts students, and 5 certificate students. Visit our graduation page to see our newest graduates and watch congratulatory videos.

April 21, 2021

Through the eyes of front-line medical worker Alexander Anderson, a forthcoming book by Professor Carolyn Eastman will explore how New York grappled with yellow fever epidemics.

April 4, 2021

History majors, minors, and those who are interested in learning history, we invite you to visit the virtual course fair website. Each of the course categories have links to a slide show with course descriptions and all the information you need prior to registration. 

April 20, 2021

The VCU Graduate School recently terminated tuition waivers for graduate teaching assistantships in all M.A. programs to take effect in Fall 2021. Concerned about prospects of recruiting a diverse range of competitive students, the department voted to use $10,000 to offer partial tuition funding to GTAs. An anonymous alumnus donor helped make this funding possible. Professor Emilie Raymond talked with M.A. student Will Tharp, who is graduating in May ’21, about the importance of robust graduate funding in his experience at VCU.

April 8, 2021

Professor Andrew Crislip reflects on the nearly three decades of the Blake Lecture in the History of Christianity, the remarkable teaching skills of Dr. Blake, and the relevance of Christianity in today's society. 

March 18, 2021

The 2021 Blake lecture in the history of Christianity titled "Peregrine Palimpsests: Medical-religious border crossing in the lives and luggage of three migrant monks" featured Susan R. Holman; John R. Eckrich Chair and Professor of Religion and the Healing Arts, Valparaiso University. 

February 23, 2021

VCU alumna and chair of the Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project, Ana Edwards, received the VCU history department’s highest honor for graduate alumni on March 18 at the Annual Blake Lecture. In case you missed it, check out the video of her acceptance speech. 

Also see Ana Edwards is preserving Black history — and sharing it with others.

March 29, 2021

Audrey Spann, B.A. History 2020, earned praise from Professor Carolyn Eastman for a paper she wrote on female shoplifters in the 19th century. Sianna Westley, a junior in VCUarts and student worker for the history department, reached out to Audrey to ask her about what inspired her to become a history major, the inspiration behind her capstone paper, and her thoughts on the significance of Women’s History Month. 

March 23, 2021

History major Desiree Johnson wrote about her fall 2020 internship experience with the Junior League of Richmond. She describes how she researched historical events outside the organization and formed connections between the volunteer organization and its impact on the community and global affairs. In addition, she provides her thoughts on the significance of Women’s History Month.

March 12, 2021

John C. Powers, Ph.D., of the Department of History has been reappointed to department chair for a second three-year term.

February 12, 2021

Toneisha Brown graduated from VCU in 2019 with a B.A. in history. She had her heart set on doing an internship at the Maggie Walker house for her senior year, but the government shutdown due to the pandemic caused her to change course. Not deterred, she has found fulfillment through becoming a volunteer at the house. Sianna Westley, a junior in VCUarts and student worker for the history department, reached out to Toneisha to ask her about the Maggie Walker house, her goals for the future, as well as the significance of Black History Month.

December 14, 2020

In an interview with VCU News, history graduate Alex Criqui discusses the work he and artist Dustin Klein have put into Reclaiming the Monument — a project they hope brings people together.

February 9, 2021

In “The Strange Genius of Mr. O: The World of the United States' First Forgotten Celebrity,” Virginia Commonwealth University history professor Carolyn Eastman, Ph.D., tells the story of the meteoric rise and subsequent fall of James Ogilvie, whose oratory performances made him a household name in America’s founding era. VCU News sat down with Professor Eastman to ask about the book. Read the interview. 

November 16, 2020

Richard "Elliot" Martin is a history major with a creative writing minor at VCU. Elliot is the recipient of an Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) fellowship in which he is researching the use of music to combat trauma in Civil War soldiers. Sianna Westley, a junior in VCUarts and student worker for the Department of History, reached out to Elliot to ask him about his UROP fellowship and the challenges of being a student and doing research during a pandemic.  

September 21, 2020

VCU Department of History alumnus ​Marc Noble​ (BA ‘72/H&S) generously established the Marc Noble Scholarship in the History of Technology award in 2013. As a student, Marc recalls the frustrations of navigating financial aid, student loans and tuition payments while balancing schoolwork and a job in a bustling metropolitan city.

“I know all too well what it feels like to be a struggling student, trying to balance working to pay for school and hours spent studying.”

April 24, 2020

Alumnus Fred Wayne recently established the Dr. Ruth Douglas See Scholarship to support students who, like Dr. See, have an academic interest in or work on issues of social and economic justice.