The CSUSB History Department's Assistant Professor Marc Arsell Robinson has been invited for numerous media appearance and guest lectures following the publication of his new book from New York University Press, Washington State Rising: Black Power on Campus in the Pacific Northwest. It is not unusual for the author of an outstanding new scholarly book in History to be invited to present their findings in an academic context like a guest lecture, but in the past year, in addition to numerous scholarly book talks, Professor Robinson has also seen invitations for keynote addresses, newspaper interviews, and public radio appearances up and down the Pacific coast.
Most recently, the South Seattle Emerald featured a wide-ranging interview with Dr. Robinson in which journalist Adam Willems asked about protest and campus movements. In this interview, as in his recent book, Professor Robinson brings nuance and rich complexity to the landscape of campus protest and movements for social justice over the previous decades and up to the present. From the Black Student Unions of the 1960s and 1970s through the recent Gaza protests and crackdowns, Robinson is able to see both change and continuity in a number of variables such as gender inclusion, law enforcement responses and more.
In the lead-up to the book's August 2023 publication, Dr. Robinson was invited to programs including Libby Denkmann's "Soundside" on Seattle Public Radio's KUOW, and to speak with Brandon Hollingsworth on Spokane Public Radio, KPBX, in partnership with Rick Dulock and our KVCR station here in the Inland Empire. More recently, Robinson was invited to the New Books Network in February 2024 in conversation with Professor Stephen Hausmann of University of St. Thomas's in Minnesota. Also in February, Robinson spoke about his new book with Emmy Award-winning interviewer, Marilyn Solomon, through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. The book was also featured in an article by Leinani Lucas in the Seattle-based community newspaper, Real Change. In addition to these media appearances, Dr. Robinson has been invited to deliver keynote addresses at a number of museums, universities, and other venues from Eugene to Spokane to Seattle, across the states of Washington and Oregon. In nearly two dozen media and scholarly appearances, Professor Robinson has brought a spotlight to a topic and period that is important but underexamined in the history of the Pacific Northwest region and the national history of the Black power movement.
Based on extensive oral history interviews among other source materials, Robinson's new book recounts the development of the Black Student Union (BSU) across campuses in Washington state, tracing the differences in rural and urban contexts, the ways in which the BSU originated and developed across the region, and its impact. While focused on the years 1967 to 1970, Robinson also provides context for later developments in social justice activism up to the present. Washington State Rising: Black Power on Campus in the Pacific Northwest is available from NYU Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other book sellers, in hardcover and ebook version.
History Department Assistant Professor Daisy Ocampo Diaz has received the CSUSB College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Outstanding Junior Faculty Award for the 2023-24 academic year.
Her recent book, Where We Belong: Chemehuevi and Caxcan Preservation of Sacred Mountains was published last year by University of Arizona press, and was featured in a book talk in the new Provost Presents Faculty Research series.
Dr. Ocampo Diaz has also served as historical consultant for a new documentary film, Pa'Chapa: A Mt. Rubidoux Story, which will premiere May 2 at the UCR Arts Life Building in downtown Riverside.
As an inspiring and excellent instructor and advisor, Dr. Ocampo Diaz has taught many popular courses including "Decolonizing Museums," as well as advising many undergraduate students and serving as lead advisor for two Master of Arts students, Lina Tejeda and Gabrielle Velazquez.
Dr. Ocampo Diaz is also curator in the development of a forthcoming exhibit "Fire Kinship: Southern California Native Ecology and Art" for the UCLA Fowler Museum. In developing the exhibit, she has collaborated with Michael Chavez (Tongva), Archaeological Collections Manager, NAGPRA Project Manager, Fowler Museum and CSUSB History BA and MA graduate; and Lina Tejeda (Pomo), Graduate Student Research Assistant and one of her MA advisees at CSUSB.
Of the exhibit, Dr. Ocampo Diaz writes: "Prior the colonization of Southern California in 18th century, Native communities throughout the region deployed controlled fire regimes to ensure the well-being of their local ecosystems. Fire-based land management practices ranged from small burns to spur healthy growth, to larger burns that strategically eradicate invasive species and reduce fuel loads (preventing catastrophic natural fires). Fire Kinship counters attitudes of fear and illegality around fire, arguing for a return to Native practices in which fire is regarded as a vital aspect of land stewardship, community wellbeing, and tribal sovereignty.
"A selection of baskets, ollas, rabbit sticks, bark skirts, and a canoe in this exhibition were made possible through the relationship between people, place, and fire. Commissioned video, sculpture, portrait paintings, and installations by contemporary artists respond to and rejoin these cultural objects, spurring a dialogue of critique, reflection, and futurity. The exhibition presents a living history that centers the expertise of Tongva, Cahuilla, Luiseño, and Kumeyaay communities (past and present?). Fire Kinship reintroduces fire as a generative element, one that connects California residents to their past and offers many more a path toward a sustainable future."
Congratulations on this richly deserved recognition, Dr. Daisy Ocampo Diaz!
Associate Professor Cary Barber (CSUSB History) was invited by Prof. Michele Bellomo to give a guest lecture at Universitá di Milano on April 4, 2024. The lecture -- "The 'Senatorial Middle Republic' (320-130 BCE): New Approaches and Models" -- was part of a larger Roman History unit within a brand-new English-language BA program (co-hosted with Università Ca' Foscari Venezia) entitled Ancient Civilizations for the Contemporary World, which has the following mission: "The Bachelor’s programme ACCW, jointly hosted by University of Milan La Statale and Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, addresses the current, multi-disciplinary and international debate on the relevance of studying Ancient Civilizations for critically assessing the complexities of today's world."
This invited lecture in Milan was part of a research trip that took Dr. Barber across Lombardia, Imperia, and Liguria, IT and Provence, FR (named after the old Roman province!) as part of a project entitled "The Huntress and the Queen: Religious Symbolism, Indigenous Resistance, and the Establishment of Frontiers in Rome's 'Italian Empire.'" Dr. Barber also recently published a new co-authored article in the journal Administration & Society (Q1 for Public Admin, Sociology, and Political Science): Van Wart, M., Hall, J. L., Barber, C. M., & McIntyre, M. (2024). "Another Civil War in America? Comparing the Social Psychology of the United States of the 1850s to Today." Administration & Society, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00953997241244701. This new article was co-written with CSUSB faculty from Public Administration, History, and Psychology. Abstract: Scholars warn that another American civil war is increasingly plausible, if still unlikely; professional political commentators express greater concerns. This study examines the likelihood of another U.S. civil war by comparing perspectives of the 1850s with those of today by using a negative social capital framework as the analytic lens. The analysis finds striking similarities between the two periods. Yet, civil war is a relatively rare phenomenon in developed countries, and the analysis also points to contemporary mitigating examples. At least for the foreseeable future, more likely are trajectories moving toward other types of social unrest short of civil war: ongoing civil strife, additional insurrections, decades-long intraregional political gridlock causing widespread administrative dysfunction, and even a failure to relinquish power. The negative social psychology has already had an extraordinary impact on public administration and is unlikely to decrease in the near term; it may yet increase exponentially as it did in the 1860s.
We invite you to a symposium on Contemporary Africa, Wednesday, April 24 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in CGI 218. You can join us in person or by Zoom. Please see attached flyer for details (link). Zoom here or click the below button https://csusb.zoom.us/j/85041173797
Faculty Presenters:
- Jiri Preis, University of West Bohemia, Czech Republic
- The Africa We Want (and Why We Should Want it)
- Sylvia Croese, University of California, Irvine
- Localizing Urban Transitions in Africa
- Tiffany F. Jones, California State University, San Bernardino
- Gender and Development Initiatives in South Africa, Thirty Years After Apartheid
- Arianna Huhn, California State University, San Bernardino
- De-Centering the West in African Heritage
Sponsored by the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies.
For further information, please email Mike Kohout: mkohout@csusb.edu.
Students from CSUSB and Dr. Michelle Lorimer have been working to support regional 4-12th grade students for National History Day (NHD). In early March 2024, History majors and credential-level CSUSB students joined Dr. Lorimer at Rialto’s Wilmer Amina Carter High School to serve as volunteer judges for the San Bernardino County NHD regional competition.
Judges viewed student-produced websites, exhibits, performances, and listened to podcasts focused on the theme “Turning Points in History.” Projects that placed in the top of their categories advanced to California State NHD competition (NHD-CA), held in Sacramento April 19-21, 2024. CSUSB pre-credential history student Kathleen Boswell supported the research needs of Priti Garcia (a senior) and Carlos Gutierrez Gonzalez (a junior) from Oak Hills High School working with teacher Mrs. Jeni Boulanger (pictured) to revise their project to compete at the state level NHD-CA.
With a project titled “Deinstitutionalization: How California Led a Turning Point in Mental Health History” (pictured), these students medaled at the state competition as Honorable Mention – placing 4th in their category! Along with judging state-level projects, Mrs. Boulanger, Dr. Lorimer, and CSUSB students Kathleen Boswell and Leah Clark are working to develop opportunities to expand NHD support for teachers and students in San Bernardino County in 2024-2025 and beyond!
This June (2024), Dr. Pedro Santoni will retire from the History Department, and he will be missed by students, colleagues, and coworkers. He is an excellent scholar of Latin America, a demanding and enriching educator, and a stalwart mentor and colleague.
Dr. Santoni’s publications include three books – Mexicans at Arms: Puro Federalists and the Politics of War, 1845-1848 (TCU Press, 1996), Daily Lives of Civilians in Wartime Latin America (Greenwood, 2008), and Mexico, 1848-1853: Los Años Olvidados (Routledge, 2019) – and many other scholarly articles, book chapters, and reviews He earned a doctoral degree in Latin American history from El Colegio de México, a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Puerto Rico, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame.
In addition to being an exacting mentor and editor, Dr. Santoni guided his students at CSUSB through rigorous readings and challenging assignments that helped them grow academically while empowering them with essential skills and knowledge of the field. The department also benefited greatly from his dedication, as he served in numerous committees and as chair for seven years.
I asked him to add a brief note as to what he’d be spending his time on in the coming months and years and to reflect on this moment, and this is what the “man of the hour” had to say: “Well, truth be told, the moment hasn’t ‘hit’ me yet. I’m still hard at work tinkering with my classes and trying to make them as interesting and challenging as possible. I will certainly miss those instances when students suddenly ‘get’ and/or make a challenging/interesting/surprising point, but rest assured I look forward to not having to grade (most) undergraduate essays. And as to what the future holds, well, in addition to having a long queue of books and movies I want to read and see (ranging from the mindless to the historical), I hope to stay limber and somewhat fit with daily swims and/or racewalks and/or yoga sessions (my wife invited me to join her class, and I’ve come to appreciate its benefits), and to continue coaching high school girls and youth soccer (as I’ve been doing for more than a decade now).”
Professor Tim Pytell of our History Department noted that, “Professor Pedro Santoni has been a mainstay and anchor for the department over the years. After assuming leadership and chair of the department – after some rocky times – he righted the ship with his ability to call a spade a spade. He brought the same approach to his teaching and students matured and thrived under his guidance. Appropriately nicknamed ‘El Jefe’ his presence will be missed.”
Another department colleague, Professor Marc Robinson said of Professor Santoni: “I remember first meeting Pedro on the first day, and at the first event, of my campus interview. And, the impression that I got from him then has carried through our years of working as colleagues. Both relaxed and passionate. Funny, with an irreverent sense of humor. I am going to miss seeing him in the halls of the ‘loveboat,’ his technical difficulties in Zoom, and our brief chats about college football, especially Notre Dame. It’s been a pleasure working with you, Pedro! You’ll be missed.”
Thank you, Professor Pedro Santoni!
The CSUSB History Department recognized a group of excellent students with scholarships and awards this spring. The department awards and scholarships are given to outstanding undergraduate and graduate students in the History Department in a number of categories, most of which recognize students who are continuing their studies in the fall.
The Cheryl Riggs Endowed Student Award is given to a first-generation college attendee and/or adult re-entry student with an excellent academic record. Professor Riggs was herself a first-generation college attendee, and she returned to her education as a full-time re-entry student with children. This year, Evy Zermeno earned the Riggs Scholarship for her outstanding academic work, and also for her service to the department and to the campus, from leading the student journal, History in the Making, to collaborating with faculty and students in the CSUSB Anthropology Museum on the Afróntalo exhibit, and much more.
The J.C. Robinson Memorial Scholarship, given to students with outstanding academic records and an interest in Hispanic history and culture, was shared by Moises Leon, Carlos Alberto Camacho, and Maria Mendoza Gutierrez, who have all done excellent work in their studies in the History department.
For her stellar academic record, Stephanie Bullington earned the Margaret McGann Tarter Award, which was established to recognize the academic excellence of “women, veterans, and other students who are pursuing a degree in History in the hope that recipients will value learning, art, and service in their lives.”
The Michael Persell Memorial Scholarship was established to recognize outstanding students with an interest in European history and studying history for its own sake, and this year it was given to Levi James Loup in recognition of his strong academic work and energetic engagement in his classes. The Robert Blackey award, given to excellent students with an interest in History education, was earned by Bshara Alsheikh and Nathan Alexander Camacho. The Schofield-McAfee award, named for Professors Ward McAfee and Kent Schofield, is given to students whose efforts have shown improvement over time and who are nominated by current History faculty based on their outstanding efforts and excellent academic work. This year, Jaron Clampitt and Zackary Hoover shared this honor.
This spring term, two students graduated with Departmental Honors, Christian Sierra and Gustavo Alonso. Across the three programs/concentrations in the department, three excellent students were recognized with the highest grade point average. The students are Geoffrey Demke (Pre-Credential Program), Corie Blais (General Concentration), and Jesus Jimenez (Public History). Geoffrey Demke was also recognized as the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus Outstanding Graduate, as introduced in this story.
Each year, many History students distinguish themselves through their academic excellence, their engagement in department activities, and much more. These outstanding awardees are just a few of the students who make our department shine brighter with their commitment to excellent scholarship and service.
On Saturday June 1, 2024, in California State University, San Bernardino’s Center for Global Innovation, a collaborative organizing committee presented the first “Inland Empire People’s History Conference.”
The organizers (see full committee list below) brought together scholars, artists, storytellers, community leaders, and more, and the conference featured panels on a wide range of issues relevant to the past, present, and future of the I.E.
Reflecting on the success of the conference, CSUSB Sociology Professor José Muñoz, a member of the conference organizing committee, remarked, “Being able to collaborate and provide an event to allow for community and institution-based scholars to discuss and speak directly to each other was amazing.” At the end of the day, he continued that he “felt like many folks didn't want to leave.”
Dr. Muñoz also noted that the organizers of the conference consider this to be the inaugural event in what will become an annual conference.
CSUSB History Department Chair and Professor Ryan Keating officially opened the proceedings in a welcome address and noted that “conferences such as this reflect a growing emphasis on the preservation of local and regional histories as fundamental to our broader efforts to preserve the lived experiences of people and develop an inclusive understanding of our shared history." Dr. Keating, an expert in 19th-century US history, continued, "The scope and scale of presentations at this conference reflect the diverse ways in which we as scholars analyze and understand the spaces we occupy and truly reflect the ways in which individual histories impact our broader understanding of the collective past.”
Geography Professor Mike Kohout, whose work focuses on issues facing the desert regions of the Inland Empire, attended and was impressed by the diversity and energy of community activists working throughout the region, noting that "I was proud to see that many of our former students are now community leaders, working hard to ensure the Inland Empire is a great place to live for all." Over a dozen CSUSB alumni were present as either presenters, volunteers, or attendees.
CSUSB Assistant Professor of History, Michelle Lorimer presented her work at the conference, and noted, “The conference organizers created a wonderful scholarly environment that brought together a wide variety of people interested in telling stories of communities in the Inland Empire.” Dr. Lorimer, a California history expert and educator, continued, “Together with regional teachers, we shared newly available digital archival sources and lesson plans developed by educators that tell the rich history of different groups of IE residents. I hope this is the first of many I.E. People's History conferences for our area." Dr. Lorimer’s recent and relevant publications include “Turn Back the Noisy Wheels of Progress”: Modernization, Postcards, and California’s Romantic Booster Heritage," in the journal, California History (May 2024).
The concluding keynote address was delivered by CSUSB History Department alumnus and now Assistant Professor of History at Brown University, Dr. Mark Ocegueda. His keynote address was titled, “Inland Epistemologies: The Power of Historical Knowledge, Erasure, and Imagining A People’s History of the Inland Empire."
Extensive collaborations with regional partners like University of California Riverside, San Bernardino Valley College, University of Redlands, UC Irvine, UCLA, University of Southern California, community non-profits, businesses, and other local groups show promise for the future of this new and vibrant institution in the Inland Empire.
Find a story featuring the conference from local NPR affiliate, KVCR here, and the People’s History of the Inland Empire organization webpage here.
Find a full program of the conference proceedings at this link.
Conference Organizing committee:
- Kevan Antonio Aguilar, Assistant Professor, University of California, Irvine
- liz gonzález, Instructor, University of California, Los Angeles Extension
- Catherine Gudis, Professor, University of California, Riverside
- Dr. Gudis supported the event with a portion of a National Endowment for the Humanities grant.
- Juan De Lara, Associate Professor, University of Southern California
- Audrey Maier, A People's History of the I.E.
- William Medina, Instructor, San Bernardino Valley College
- José A. Muñoz, Professor, California State University, San Bernardino
- Mark Ocegueda, Assistant Professor, Brown University
- CSUSB History Graduate and keynote speaker.
- Jennifer Tilton, Professor, University of Redlands
- Anthony Victoria, Fellow, Frontline News