Celebrating Lulu Merle Johnson

Lulu Merle Johnson event

Our undergraduate history club, the Hawkeye History Corps, has planned a great event next Tuesday, February 27, at 6 p.m. in UCC-2520D. During Black History Month, we are celebrating the many accomplishments of Lulu Merle Johnson, PhD.

Dr. Johnson earned a PhD in history in 1941, becoming the first African American woman in Iowa to earn a doctorate. She followed this achievement with a long and illustrious career as an academic, administrator and leader. In 2021, she was chosen as the new eponym for Johnson County Iowa.

Join us to learn more about the fascinating life of Lulu Merle Johnson, and how the work of historians shapes modern life. Dr. Johnson’s great niece, Sonya Jackson, will join historian Rebecca Conard, PhD for this presentation.

Join the Hawkeye History Corps GroupMe for the latest information about this and other events for undergraduate history enthusiasts. 

Rapid Response History: Israel and Palestine

Want to learn some of the history behind current events?

Register now for HIST:1166, Rapid Response History: Israel and Palestine. This off-cycle, one-credit course begins after spring break and features an interdisciplinary lineup of speakers and range of topics:

• Palestine and Israel: An introduction
• Palestine
• Zionism, Diaspora, and Israel
• International Law
• Domestic Politics and Regional Diplomacy
• Arts and Culture
• Human Rights

Tuesdays, March 19 - April 30, 5 - 6:50 p.m., SH140

Graduation checklist

Are you planning to graduate this spring? Apply to graduate today!

After Friday, February 23, submitting an application to graduate comes with a $20 late fee.

Did you RSVP for commencement? Check out the graduation checklist here.

All History majors (not just seniors) are invited to attend our Senior Send-off, Thursday, April 18, 5 - 6:30 p.m. Mark your calendars!

Research Grants for Authors

The State Historical Society of Iowa has officially opened the 2024–2025 cycle of applications for their Research Grants for Authors. They offer up to 10 grants for original research about the history of Iowa or Iowa within the context of the Midwest. Find the details here. 

Continuing research she began as a history honors student, Emily Bronswick (BA 2021) was one of the 2023 grant recipients. Emily shared her project, "’I Felt if Things Didn't Change, the World Would Come to an End’: Black Iowa Women's Activism During the Civil Rights Era, 1945-1965,” for the State Historical Society’s Iowa History 101 series on YouTube. 

First-year Students: Apply for the President’s Leadership Class

President’s Leadership Class (PLC) is a second-year experience that gives you an inside look at the university, developing your student leadership through team and campus projects. You will have an opportunity to interact with leaders from across campus including UI President Barbara Wilson. This is a three-hour, credit-bearing course that is offered to selected students. Students are selected through an application and interview process that occurs in spring 2024. The course occurs Mondays and Wednesdays from 2-3:15pm in fall 2024. Apply online by Friday, March 22 at noon.

"It's not just another class, it's an experience. It's a place where you learn about yourself and make lasting relationships that will shape the rest of your college career and life." 

"This class exposes you to an environment in which you are truly encouraged to grow and embrace your unique leadership traits. By working with driven individuals and learning from established leaders, your understanding of your strengths only further matures. What I initially thought would just be a preeminent credit-bearing course, was so much more. It was the most fun, exciting, and engaging educational experience of my time here in Iowa so far." 

Follow us on Instagram! Win a prize!

♥ I'm trying something new! Enter our first-ever Instagram contest. ♥ 

If you are a *current student* and you love Iowa History, like this post, follow UI Department of History, and tag a friend who loves Iowa History in the comments, and be entered to win a handy, insulated water bottle, emblazoned with the Iowa History logo. Contest ends TONIGHT, Friday, February 23, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.