Murray State University History Department

09/17/2026

Students in HIS 400: Senior Research Seminar recently explore archival material held by the Pogue Library to develop their research projects. The focus for this semester is the History of Death, and students reviewed local cemetery records, artifacts from WWI, accounts of mine disasters, material about the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, and regional ghost stories (including paranormal activities on campus!)
CHFA at Murray State Murray State University Murray State Libraries

09/16/2026

Congratulations to the 2026-2027 Department of History Scholarship Awardees! Award winners were recognized at the Easley Lecture last week. Congratulations to everyone who received a scholarship!

James W. Hammack Jr. History Scholarship
Sierra Gee
Matthew Graves
Caroline Mikez
Trenten Moore
Daniel Sandefur
Shane Tanner

Dr. T. Wayne Beasley Memorial History Scholarship
Emma Alexander
Emmalee Knight
Sara Parkerson

Dr. Joe Fuhrmann Memorial Scholarship
Brielle Green
Shelby Howard
Jonathan Phillips
CHFA at Murray State Murray State University

09/15/2026

In addition to giving a great lecture, Dr. Sneff also met with a number of our students during her visit to Murray State. She met with students from Dr. Humphreys’s Early America: From Colonies to Constitution class to talk about her current research project and shared her experiences of transitioning from history student to a history professional with students from Dr. Lindner’s HIS 400: Senior Research Seminar class.
CHFA at Murray State Murray State University

09/15/2026

09/14/2026

Thanks so much to Dr. Emily Sneff for a wonderful lecture “When the Declaration of Independence was News” last week for the 2026 Sid Easley Lecture. Thank you to all of the students, former and current faculty, and community members who attended the talk and asked insightful questions. Thank you to Dr. Humphreys and everyone from the Office of Development for putting the event together, the Easley family for sponsoring the annual talk, all of the students who help out on the night, and the Wrather Museum for the use of the auditorium. This was a great way to recognize the 250th anniversary of the writing, signing, printing, translating and engraving of the Declaration!
CHFA at Murray State Murray State Alumni & Friends Murray State University

09/11/2026

Celebrate the U.S. Constitution 📜 with Murray State this Thursday! Join us at the Curris Center Theater on September 17th for four panels discussing the Constitution’s impact in the U.S., from law to politics and, of course, history.

Featuring presentations from esteemed legal expert Cr, political science professors Dr. Paul Foote and Dr. Brenton Hereford, and the Murray State History Department's own Dr. Jim Humphey, Dr. Brian Clardy, and Dr. Olga Koulisis in four panels, you for sure don’t want to miss out on Murray State’s celebration of the federal government's founding documents!

🗓️Schedule:

🕤9:30-10:20: Attorney Chris Hendricks, “Common Misconceptions About and Recent Developments in Fourth Amendment Law.”
🕥10:30–11:20: Dr. Paul Foote, “Trump v. Barbara, Birthright Citizenship Case.”
🕦11:30-12:20: Dr. Brenton Hereford, “The Government the Constitution Forgot: Local Government, the Tenth Amendment, and the 90,000 Governments of America.”
🕝2:30-3:20: Dr. Jim Humphreys, Dr. Brian Clardy and Dr. Olga Koulisis, “"Did the Constitution Reflect the Promises of Liberty in the Declaration?"

09/11/2026

Thank you so much to Dr. Emily Sneff for sharing her research during an amazing presentation last night! We had a great turn out of students, faculty, and community members! If you were unable to attend the event, but are interested in hearing Dr. Sneff’s talk on "When the Declaration of Independence was News," thank you to Murray Ledger & Times for posting the recording of it!!

Thank you again to everyone who joined us and to everyone who helped make the event happen! Murray State University: College of Humanities and Fine Arts Murray State University Alumni and Friends Murray State University

09/10/2026

TODAY is the day!!!

The Easley Lecture 2026 takes place tonight at 7:00 pm at Wrather Auditorium. Join us to hear Dr. Emily Sneff speak about “When the Declaration of Independence was News”. The event is free and all are welcome. A reception and book signing will take place after the talk.

Thanks again to Emmi for creating this social media graphic, and to everyone who helped put this event together!
CHFA at Murray State Murray State University Murray State Alumni & Friends

09/09/2026

One day to go….
Tomorrow the Department of History hosts Dr. Emily Sneff!!!

Join us for a Meet & Greet organized by Murray State Phi Alpha Theta and History Club at 3:00 pm in the Department of History Conference Room.

Then come to Wrather Auditorium at 7:00 pm for the main event—Dr. Sneff’s lecture “When the Declaration of Independence Was News” All are welcome and the event is free! (This is also a great opportunity to get some extra credit for your classes!)

Hope to see you there! CHFA at Murray State Murray State University

09/04/2026

Ready to take the next step toward your career? Join us for a full day of professional development designed to help you put your best foot forward—from your résumé to your personal brand!

The Humanities+ Career Ready Conference schedule includes:

8:45 a.m. — Welcome
9:00–10:30 a.m. — Resume Review & Job Search Skills with Tara Siress, Career Services
10:45 a.m.–12:00 p.m. — Personal Statements Workshop with Danielle Nielsen
1:00–2:15 p.m. — Crafting a Personal Brand: Digital & Virtual Design Principles for Job Seekers with Jim Bryant
2:30–4:00 p.m. — Professional Headshots with Cintia Segovia Figueroa
Students can also register for a free pizza lunch here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdqekrODdXBj_H9J0HeoI1WjJshBZsPVofE5ihOsjsWPMCE8Q/viewform