History

Major • Minor

A broad view of history.

What better place to study the past than a college steeped in its own rich history?

Here, you will learn alongside highly respected, published historians, who consider teaching undergraduates their first responsibility. We will ask you to stretch your mind. As a department, we avoid narrow specialization with the aim of exposing you to as many historical topics and approaches as possible.

Our unique history plus program allows you to supplement your major with study (and an internship) in a range of related fields—from justice to technology to the environment.

Work with a professor as a research assistant. Present your findings at a national meeting of the American Historical Association. Explore digital history and humanities through work with the Martha Berry Digital Archives project. Follow your love of history to any number of universities around the world.

Communication FACULTY

Assistant Professor of Latin American History

Dr. Jennifer Hoyt

Jennifer Hoyt brings her expertise in 20th Century Latin America to her courses on colonial and modern Latin America, world history, environmental history, modern Mexico and Latin American studies. Her current research examines urban reforms initiated in Buenos Aires during the last military dictatorship (1976-1983). Portions of this study have appeared in the edited volume “Beyond the Eagle’s Shadow: New Histories of Latin America’s Cold War” and the journal Urban History.

Take a hands-on approach to public history through work for our two campus museums, organizing collections, designing displays and guiding tours. Work to preserve historical papers and records in the Berry College Archives.

History Courses

HIS 460

History of Rock and Roll

Examine United States society and culture through the lens of rock and roll music. Special attention is paid to the connections between politics, gender, race, class, technology and popular music in the post-World War II era.

HIS 432

The Gilded Age and Progressive Era

Consider the problems and aftermath of the Reconstruction era, evolution of national politics, growth of labor movements, rise and concentration of modern industry, revolt of the agrarians and the Progressive movement.

HIS 322

Modern Mexico

Explore the political, social, cultural and economic development of Mexico from independence to the present day through a variety of sources.

History LIVES

CLASS OF 2014

2014 grad finds true path working at Mount Vernon

An interest in museums led Haley Fortune ’14 to Berry, where she gained valuable experience at the Oak Hill and Martha Berry Museum and in the Martha Berry Digital Archives. A growing passion for presenting the past led to a history major at Berry and to a master’s in visual arts management and curating at The American International University in London. After working for museums in London and Washington, D.C., Haley landed her dream job at George Washington’s historic home, Mount Vernon.