One of the most acclaimed historians of the Civil War has established an endowed professorship in American history at Gustavus Adolphus College. Dr. James M. McPherson, professor emeritus at Princeton University and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, donated a major gift of $1 million to fund the new professorship.
McPherson is among the most respected and widely read scholars of American history. Author of more than 20 books, he won the Pulitzer Prize for the best-selling Battle Cry of Freedom, regarded as the preeminent single-volume history of the Civil War. Two more of his books have earned the Lincoln Prize. McPherson served as president of the American Historical Association and the Society of American Historians. He has also worked to communicate the latest research by academic historians to general audiences. McPherson has guided numerous tour groups at Civil War battlefields and taken a leading role in battlefield preservation.
Having grown up in Saint Peter, McPherson enrolled at Gustavus without a plan for a future career path or even a major. He developed a fascination with American history as an undergraduate and went on to earn his doctorate at Johns Hopkins University. McPherson spent his entire academic career at Princeton, joining the history department in 1962 and retiring in 2004 as George Henry Davis ’86 Professor of American History.
McPherson credits his Gustavus professors with preparing him to become a scholar, especially historians Rodney Davis and Doniver Lund and English professor Gerhard Alexis. McPherson recalls that the readings in Davis’ introductory course on European history, which he took in his first semester of college, were a particular challenge. “When (with difficulty) I managed to master this material, it was a revelation that inspired me to begin to think that I might be able to become a historian myself someday,” he said.
In establishing the professorship, McPherson seeks to support the kind of teaching and mentoring he gained as a student. “I wish to help Gustavus do for current and future students what the College did for me all those years ago,” he explained.
Provost and Dean of the College Brenda Kelly introduced history professor Greg Kaster to the Gustavus faculty last Friday as the first James and Patricia McPherson Endowed Professor of American History. A member of the Gustavus history department since 1986 and scholar of 19th-century American history, Kaster teaches courses on the Civil War era, slavery and abolitionism, and history in film. In 2018 he received the Edgar M. Carlson Award for Distinguished Teaching.
“James M. McPherson is the leading Civil War historian of our time,” Kaster said. “His generous gift––which also honors his late wife, Patricia––brings special distinction to the Gustavus history department. More importantly, it enhances our ability to provide students a challenging, engaging, and state-of-the-art education in historical thinking and writing that will serve them well no matter what paths they pursue as graduates.”
McPherson likewise sees an understanding of history as useful for students in various fields. “An ability to understand history and historical sources is valuable for whatever profession someone chooses to pursue.” He also maintains that awareness of history is essential for meeting our responsibilities as citizens. “Given all of the political and social and foreign policy issues Americans confront today, it is crucial that we know something about the historical evolution and context of these issues, if we are to solve them.”
Kelly explained that endowed professorships are integral to Gustavus’ mission as a liberal arts college. “Endowed professorships allow us to hire and retain exceptional faculty, who teach, research, and innovate within a liberal arts context,” she said. “We encourage our students to explore a variety of disciplines, including the humanities, sciences, and arts. With committed faculty as teachers and mentors, they are able to dig deeply into the disciplines they are passionate about in preparation for purposeful lives.”
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