Theses and Dissertations

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Browsing Theses and Dissertations by Department "History"
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    A Forgotten Appalachia: The Graham Farm of Alabama's Paint Rock Valley
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2016-10-26) Eatherly, Jay Bradley ; West, Carroll ; Pruitt, Lisa ; History
    Scholars have often studied Appalachia. To many, Appalachia ends in Tennessee, North Carolina, and perhaps, the northern tip of Georgia. However, the Appalachian range sees its southern most mountains terminate in north Alabama. The Paint Rock Valley, which sits within the larger Tennessee River Valley, is home to a small community of Appalachian farmers, of which many have deep familial roots. The physical landscape is beautiful but can be harsh, which dictates the type of farming allowed within the region. Despite the difficulties, families have been adopting and practicing progressive farming techniques for well over a century. The cultural landscape shares similarities with other Appalachian regions while maintaining its own unique differences.
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    A Peculiar Beat: St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Decatur, Illinois: A Microcosm of Traditioned Innovation and Adaptive Change in American Protestantism
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2017-04-05) Browning, Robert Michael ; Polk, Andrew ; McCusker, Kristine ; History
    ABSTRACT
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    A Queer Past: The Emergence of LGBT+ Student Organizations in Middle Tennessee
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2020) Odom, Quinlan Day ; Norkunas, Martha ; Holloway, Pippa ; History
    In 1979, Middle Tennessee saw the formation of the Student Coalition for Gay Rights (SCGR) at Austin Peay State University (APSU). The Student Coalition for Gay Rights became the first LGBT+ student organization to receive official recognition at a public institution in Tennessee. Almost ten years later, MT Lambda emerged at Middle Tennessee State University. In my thesis, I look at the history of both organizations and examine the processes they went through to enact change on their campuses. I rely on student newspapers, university documents, and legal records to better understand how these two organizations formed, the arguments used to invalidate their existence, and the ways the SCGR and MT Lambda pushed back. Both organizations were fighting for visibility within their own communities, much like LGBT+ student organizations across the United States.
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    ALABAMA CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAGS: HISTORY, PRESERVATION, AND INTERPRETATION
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2018) Hutson, Stanley Allen ; History
    This thesis focuses on the preservation and interpretation of Alabama Confederate battle flags, mainly those at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. I study the complex history of Confederate flags, along with the now almost singularly known ‘Rebel flag’, in order to better understand modern day preservation and interpretation attempts both at the ADAH and other historic venues across the United States. This thesis explores the society that existed before the Civil War in the southern United States and how that unique culture was eventually tangibly embodied within those flags. I also research the wartime use of Confederate flags to understand what they meant in the context of those times and how they were used as utilitarian military objects in combat, but took on greater meaning and developed in to a source of pride for the men who fought under them. I then explore the post war history of the flags, from their repatriation to archival repositories across the South, to their use by the KKK, and their place in Southern culture. Finally, I briefly explore contemporary issues concerning the flags and how those factors influence their preservation and interpretation. Lastly, I discuss the latest trends at the ADAH concerning the preservation and interpretation of Alabama Confederate flags.
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    Alabama reaction to the Brown decision, 1954-1956 : a case study in early massive resistance /
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1978) Harris, James ; History
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    All Roads Lead: From Ancient Silk Road to Multinational Synthetic Fibers Industry in a Southern Appalachian Town
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2017-11-08) Simpson, Lydia Bodine ; West, Carroll ; Hoffschwelle, Mary ; Martin, Christopher ; Haas, Louis ; History
    In the late nineteenth century, the silk industry came under threat, inspiring chemists to seek out alternative means of production. The pursuit of “artificial silk” ultimately gave rise to a whole new category of textiles – man-made synthetics. Synthetics entered the market just as the shape of global industry shifted east and south, and became a significant feature in the industrialization of twentieth century southern Appalachia. As a multinational, technologically advanced industry, synthetics initially struggled to find their place in the market among more trusted natural fibers, but with the rebranding of artificial silk to “rayon” in the 1920s, manufacturers soon prospered and began expanding into American markets just as the textile industry began concentrating in the South. The junction of the “fabric of the future” and the modern industrial design philosophies developing at the time left behind a unique landscape of which few examples survive. The Milan-based rayon mill constructed near Rome, Georgia in 1928 provides an ideal, intact landscape for understanding the industry, its impact, its place within the larger context of global industrial development, and the creation of public memory and collective identity in an era of environmental regulation and economic destabilization.
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    The American upper class and the American horse industry from 1865 to 1929 /
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2005) Beisel, Jennifer ; History
    This dissertation examines how particular individuals, between 1865 and 1929, used their wealth, leisure time, and participation in recreational activities as a distinctly new method to establish their social identity within a new American national upper class while creating the conceptual and physical framework for the American horse industry. During that process, participants in this multifaceted recreational, leisure, and competitive activity utilized emerging corporate and industrial business practices to create a nationally based professionalized sporting industry and to establish equestrian-oriented country house and rural estate properties. Participants adapted scientific agriculture and model farming principles and hired architects and landscape designers to create new cultural landscapes from the vernacular equestrian horse management tradition resulting in the development of stable complexes that included twenty-six specific elements gathered together and defined here for the first time for historians, preservationists, and curators.
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    An African American Oral History Narrative: Labor, Race, Class, and Gender in a Coal Mining Community
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2016-03-18) Whitley, Lindsey Robinette ; Norkunas, Martha ; Holloway, Pippa ; Beeby, James ; Eller, Jackie ; History
    ABSTRACT
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    An Exploration of Tennessee's Historic Hotels as Cultural Heritage Tourism Assets
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2017-10-20) Cannon, Virginia Foster ; West, Carroll Van ; Evins, Mary ; Martin, C. Brenden ; Sikes, Kathryn ; History
    Partnerships are the foundation on which public history is built. As federal funding waivers, public historians must seek out partners whose interests are aligned, have access to capital and possess robust platforms to reach the public. This dissertation illustrates the intersecting interests of public historians, cultural heritage tourism professionals and historic hotel professionals namely their focus on compelling stories, preservation and authenticity using Tennessee as an example.
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    Anglo-American rivalry at the Cairo and Teheran Conferences, 1943.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1983) Dressler, James ; History
    This study focuses upon Anglo-American rivalry and its manifestation of the Cairo and Teheran Conferences. A brief examination of the history of Anglo-American relations with special attention given to the period between the outbreak of World War II in Europe and American entry following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is included. Careful attention is given to the development of the special Churchill-Roosevelt relationship and its implications for Anglo-American affairs. Major areas of friction between the two nations and their leaders are noted, and the conferences at Cairo and Teheran are examined as case studies, illustrating the effects of such conflict upon the conduct of World War II.
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    Apocalyptic rhetoric in the old Southwest /
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2007) Fletcher, David ; History
    Apocalyptic Rhetoric in the Old Southwest inquires how end-of-the-world and millennial language was used by those who inhabited or visited the nation's southwest frontier in the early 1800s. Emphasis is placed on the use of apocalyptic language in relation to two key events the revivals of 1800 and the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812-and the social and political changes of the early antebellum period, particularly in Tennessee. During the early nineteenth century, apocalyptic language in the Old Southwest came predominantly from Protestant or Christian sources, and its use by non-Christian sources was negligible. What is argued chiefly is the inherent ambiguity of apocalyptic language as represented by antithetical interpretations of the same event. This uncertainty is to be expected, because apocalyptic rhetoric is religious language filled with symbol, metaphor, and hyperbole. The fluidity of apocalyptic thought also illustrates the complex evolution of opposing millennial ideas, religious and political, that developed during the antebellum era. Eight illustrations, seven examples of primary texts, and a bibliography are included.
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    Archives and historic buildings : a perfect match or a disaster waiting to happen? /
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2012) Davis, Jane ; History
    The reuse of buildings and adaptation of an existing structure to a new purpose is not uncommon. A warehouse is converted to trendy loft apartments, a former school becomes offices for school administrators, a church becomes a theater; these are all fairly common reuses of existing buildings. While the idea of adaptive reuse seems simple, the decision to adapt a building to a new use that is far different from the original intended use can be quite complex. If the new use design has specific architectural requirements, a number of factors can influence the adaptive reuse of the building. Buildings to house archives have very specific architectural requirements and needs but in many communities, archives are housed in historic buildings adapted for this purpose. How does a community make the decision to reuse a historic building as an archival building? How does an archival facility differ from other adaptive reuse projects? Are certain building types better suited for reuse as an archive? What organizational structures best support an effective adaptive reuse of a historic building as an archive? What role does an archive in a historic building play in its communities? By examining case studies of communities that have dealt with issue of adaptive reuse of historic buildings for archives, we can hopefully answer these questions and set forth a discussion of best practices to guide future projects.
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    Battles on the Homefront: Battlefield Reclamation and Interpretive Challenges at Civil War Historic Sites
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2013-03-29) Finch, Rachael ; West, Carroll ; Van Zelm, Antoinette ; History
    This thesis examines the twenty-first-century push for battlefield reclamation in the context of the broader historic preservation movement, discusses new avenues for present and future battlefield reclamation activities, and reviews decision processes and strategies with the central focus placed on interpretive issues at Civil War historic sites. Public and private partnerships, formed between historical and heritage organizations, allow cities and state entities to determine the issues of urban encroachment, funding, interpretation and the scope of the landscape to be preserved. These challenges for the twenty-first century battlefield reclamation may be solved through strong, viable partnerships that serve as the catalyst for local preservation efforts to continue.
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    Behind the Scenes: Corporations, the Moviegoing Experience, and the Preservation of Tennessee's Small-Town Theaters
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2014-01-13) Bennett, Cassandra ; West, Carroll ; Myers-Shirk, Susan ; History
    Historical scholarship about twentieth century movies and America is rich but narrow. Scholars have looked at urban movie palaces at length but neglected small-town theaters, except for those "new cinema history" scholars who have looked some to the moviegoing experience in the United States. The Crescent Amusement Company's network of 132 mostly small-town southern theaters provides a valuable case study to help remedy these scholarly gaps. Centered in Tennessee, the regional chain monopolized small-town exhibition sites. About two-thirds of the chain's theaters were located in towns with fewer than 10,000 people; these numbers mirror national trends. By 1930, Crescent's network was the largest unaffiliated chain in the nation. Therefore, Crescent serves as a microcosm of the national film and exhibition industry. Within the regional chain, the Park Theatre, in McKenzie, Tennessee, provides a more focused study of mid-twentieth century small-town theaters. An examination of this theater yields insights into the industry, the moviegoing experience, and the promise of historic preservation today. By examining the Crescent network's history alongside the critical preservation issues presented by small-town theaters, this study illuminates the role these buildings played and can still play in the economic and social wellbeing of their towns.
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    THE BERLIN MOMENT IN AN AGE OF PERIL: AMERICAN PRESS COVERAGE OF THE 1958 BERLIN CRISIS
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2015-04-09) Curtis, Shannon Elizabeth ; Baran, Emily ; McCusker, Kristine ; History
    U.S. press coverage of the 1958 Berlin Crisis through Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev's 1959 visit to the United States reveals the extent to which American newsprint reinforced President Eisenhower's image as he changed his approach to foreign policy. The press helped Eisenhower maintain his reputation of strength and the support of the American public as he abandoned his hardliner platform in favor of peaceful negotiations with the Soviet Union. The structure and language used by journalists and editors involved in Eisenhower's covert propaganda initiative, Operation Candor, placed Americans and Berliners in solidarity and reinforced the implications of a military conflict over Berlin. Moreover, American newsprint laid the groundwork for resolution of the crisis and relief of tension through diplomatic rather than military action. Shifting the tone from aggressive rollback to strength through peace, the media helped Eisenhower transform his foreign policy while maintaining his steadfast reputation. Likewise, American newsprint alternated its depiction of Khrushchev between a belligerent boogey-man and a bluffing buffoon, fostering fear at times and mockery at others. Rather than characterize it as a sign of weakness or submission, the media reported favorably on Eisenhower's invitation to Khrushchev to visit the United States and to talk informally about the German question. The result was a propagandistic picture of Eisenhower as both a cold warrior and a brilliant strategist for peace who called the bluff of the Soviet leader.
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    'The best thing that ever happened' : the Civilian Conservation Corps and South Carolina's state park system /
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2007) Mielnik, Tara ; History
    Prior to 1933, the state of South Carolina had no state parks. With the advent of the New Deal and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the state suddenly found itself able to use this federal labor and the guidance of the National Park Service to construct a system of state parks throughout the state, providing the genesis of a successful state park system today. This dissertation examines CCC work in South Carolina's fledgling state park system, including the experimental Recreational Demonstration Areas and Wayside Areas. Tangible evidence of the CCC, as well as other New Deal programs, in South Carolina demonstrates programs that changed the landscape of the state while these programs simultaneously improved the living conditions of the state's citizens. The dissertation synthesizes administrative and social history with architectural history to fully examine the impact of the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps in South Carolina, both on the people and the landscape, and concludes that the CCC was successful in both endeavors.
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    Black Americans and their contributions toward Union victory in the American Civil War, 1861-1865.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1983) Mays, Joe ; History
    The central focus of this study is to provide a comprehensive survey of the history of black Americans during the Civil War, 1861-1865, and to demonstrate the role they played toward helping the Union win the war. Both the direct involvement of black Americans in the war and their contributions behind the Union lines are discussed.
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    Blacks in American history textbooks : a study of selected themes in post-1900 college level surveys.
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 1983) Mitchell, Reavis ; History
    This research surveys selected college level United States history textbooks published after 1900 to focus on several themes related to the treatment of black Americans in history textbooks. In the period after 1900, historians revealed that black Americans comprised an essential element in American history. The aim of this research is to examine the depiction of black Americans in United States history survey textbooks during three distinct periods of the nation's history. The targeted periods are the Reconstruction era, the vogue of Social Darwinism in America, and the era of the New Deal. This research examines textbooks to discover if the period when the textbook was written was significant to the author's presentation of black Americans.
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    Braided Channels: Negotiations Spaces Within the New Deal Landscape of Fort Peck Reservation Montana, 1933-1941
    (Middle Tennessee State University, 2018) Teal, Sherry ; History
    Between 1933 and 1941, there was no place an indigenous person living on Fort Peck Reservation, Montana could turn and not see symbols of federal government control carved into the landscape through the execution of an engineer’s schematic. While the Assiniboine, Sioux, and Chippewa navigated the complexity of New Deal social programs’ effects upon their society, hundreds of white government workers from various agencies amassed on the reservation, building dams, reservoirs, wells, and irrigation works upon the traditional cultural landscape. Within the context of the federal assimilation programs targeting Native peoples in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, control of natural resources is a seldom discussed component in the narrative. This thesis examines the connections between end of allotment, federal water projects, and the ways the Native peoples of Fort Peck persisted through the changes to their traditional cultural landscape.