History at Illinois

Several faculty and staff members in the Department of History have received funding from the College of LAS PURSUE initiative to support public and digital history programs for undergraduate research.

The programs that received funding will create new opportunities for history majors to gain hands-on experience in digital methods and creating public-facing scholarship.

Learn more ⬇️

History faculty and staff receive College of LAS funding for undergraduate public and digital history research | Department of History | Illinois Image

Graduate student Alyssa Hirsch's passion for history was ignited when she began fencing.

Her coach immigrated to the United States from the Soviet Union, sparking her interest in the stories of Soviet fencing coaches living in America, the topic of her dissertation research.

At Illinois, she's also discovered a passion for teaching and loves helping students learn something new.

Learn more about her research ⬇️

Graduate student finds love for history through fencing | Department of History | Illinois Alyssa Hirsch explores the stories of fencing coaches who emigrated from the Soviet Union — and finds her passion for teaching at Illinois.

Jerry Dávila, an expert in Latin American history and a leader in global humanities, will succeed professor Antoinette Burton as the next director of the Humanities Research Institute at Illinois!

Read the announcement ⬇️

Professor Jerry Dávila to lead the Humanities Research Institute | Department of History | Illinois Image

Congratulations! James R. Barrett, an emeritus professor of history and African American studies, has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Illinois State Historical Society (ISHS).

His scholarship and mentorship have significantly shaped the preservation and interpretation of working-class and immigrant history in Illinois.

Learn more about his impact ⬇️

Emeritus professor James Barrett awarded Lifetime Achievement Award from Illinois State Historical Society | Department of History | Illinois Image

What can barbarians and silver tell us about the end of the Roman Empire? Professor Ralph Mathisen, a historian of Late Antiquity, recently published a new book that explores the exchange of silver, both as coin and hacksilver, in the late Roman period between Romans and so called "barbarians."

He shows how the use of silver created a monetary zone across northern Europe that sustained trade, payments, and a smooth cultural transition into the early Middle Ages, instead of one fraught with conflict as is often depicted in pop culture.

He also recently edited a new collection of essays on prosopography that opens up new avenues for the study of Roman history.

Learn more ⬇️
https://history.illinois.edu/news/2026-05-28/barbarians-silver-and-relationships-roman-empir

Barbarians, silver, and relationships in the Roman Empire | Department of History | Illinois Q&A with professor Ralph Mathisen

Professor Rosalyn LaPier (Blackfeet and Métis) spoke with Smithsonian magazine about the cultural significance of bison in Indigenous communities and the new exhibit "Bison Standing Strong."

The Buffalo is Life: Inside the Symbiotic Relationship Between Bison and Native Communities The National Museum of Natural History worked with Indigenous experts to spotlight the enduring cultural significance of buffalo in the exhibition “Bison: Standing Strong”

Professor Marc Hertzman teaches one of the department's most popular courses on the history of Black music.

He's a passionate teacher and was recognized for it this year with the 2026 LAS Dean’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and the campus 2026 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award.

One of the fundamental things he tries to teach his students is empathy, which he sees as crucial to understanding history.

“Empathy to me is one of the key things that we do as historians. Because to understand how people who we've never met, travel through this world, we need empathy,” said Hertzman.

Learn more about his teaching. ⬇️

Teaching history with empathy | Department of History | Illinois How professor Marc Hertzman helps students connect the past with the present

Professor Yuridia Ramírez has been named a Lincoln Excellence for Assistant Professor Scholar by College of LAS! The award recognizes her scholarly productivity and contributions to the college's educational mission. Congratulations!

Professor Yuridia Ramírez named Lincoln Excellence for Assistant Professor Scholar by College of LAS | Department of History | Illinois Image

Professor Rosalyn LaPier was awarded a Mellon New Directions Fellowship to study Indigenous star navigation and landscape management practices. Congratulations!

Professor Rosalyn LaPier awarded Mellon New Directions Fellowship | Department of History | Illinois Image

Professor Marc Hertzman received the 2026 Roberto Reis Prize for Senior Scholars from the Brazilian Studies Association for his book "After Palmares: Diaspora, Inheritance, and the Afterlives of Zumbi."
Congratulations!

Professor Marc Hertzman receives 2026 Roberto Reis Prize for Senior Scholars from the Brazilian Studies Association | Department of History | Illinois Image