More About the Department of History
Public Engagement
Making sense of uncertain times
Our faculty stay connected to the larger university community and the broader public
because history provides us with a better understanding of our present. Check out
some of our faculty's recent engagements below.
Faculty Publications
"Why It Matters: Talks on the American Past"
In the past year, history department faculty published five new books. To celebrate
the authors and share their expertise with the public, the department launched a five-part
public program series called, "Why It Matters: Talks on the American Past." Check
out each of the talks below as well as a complete list of faculty book publications.
News
Dr. Jen Murray to Give Public Talk at Honey Springs Battlefield on the "Encountering
John Brown" Exhibit
Dr. Jen Murray collaborated with Honey Springs Battlefield as their primary historical advisor to develop a temporary exhibit on John Brown
and his legacy. This project is possible due to a grant Honey Springs received from
the Oklahoma Humanities Council.
Dr. Murray will be giving a public talk at the battlefield on February 3rd about John Brown and his influence on the Civil War. The exhibit, "Encountering John Brown," will be displayed inside the Honey Springs Visitor center until March 2nd. To learn more about the history of John Brown and Honey Springs Battlefield and Visitor Center, check out these news articles: Friends of Honey Springs... Breaking Down the Battlefield...
You can learn more about Murray's talk through the Facebook event page.
Get to Know Us
Faculty
With a broad range of thematic and regional expertise, our faculty work closely with students to pursue their interests.
Staff
Department of History staff are ready to help you navigate study at OSU.
Alumni Spotlight
Patricia Loughlin
Our M.A. and Ph.D. graduates have been placed at a variety of academic, public and
private institutions and organizations across the country.
“I am a proud graduate of the Ph.D. program in history at Oklahoma State University.
The faculty members in the department emphasized scholarship, professional development
and teaching experiences for graduate students. My writing skills improved in rigorous
graduate seminars and dissertation work. Oklahoma State was the best place for me
to study the American west.”Dr. Patricia Loughlin
Professor of History, University of Central Oklahoma
Patti Loughlin, professor of history at the University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma Historical Society board member, received her Ph.D. in history from Oklahoma State in 2000. She has co-edited with Sarah Eppler Janda"This Land is Herland: Gendered Activism in Oklahoma from the 1870s to the 2010s" (University of Oklahoma Press, 2021), featuring thirteen scholars of Oklahoma history writing about thirteen women activists from the territorial period to the present. In partnership with the Oklahoma Historical Society, the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center and Oklahoma Humanities, This Land is Herland Program Series was held online in the fall of 2020 due to COVID-19. The series marked the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment extending voting rights to women and women’s activism in Oklahoma more broadly. Currently, Loughlin and Janda are writing an Oklahoma history textbook for high school students for statewide adoption in 2025-26.
Loughlin is the author of "Hidden Treasures of the American West" (University of New Mexico Press, 2005), "Building Traditions, Educating Generations: A History of the University of Central Oklahoma" with Bob Burke (Oklahoma Heritage Association, 2007), "Main Street Oklahoma" co-edited with Linda Reese (University of Oklahoma Press, 2013) and "Angie Debo, Daughter of the Prairie" (Oklahoma Hall of Fame, 2017).
