MCC-Blue River instructors contribute at 53rd Annual Missouri Conference on History

Instructors Antonio Holland (l), Sharon Hunter (cntr), and Joseph Volpe (r)

This April Kansas City's Country Club Plaza provided the backdrop for the 53^rd Annual Missouri Conference on History, a statewide meeting hosted by The State Historical Society of Missouri and the University of Missouri-Kansas City Department of History. Outside of the lecture chambers, local university publishers touted their wares to prospective history writers, and colorful enthusiasts, such as a group of Civil War re-enactors who will recreate the Battle of Lexington this summer, represented their upcoming celebrations of history. Three of MCC-Blue River’s instructors joined other well-known experts from throughout the Midwest to discuss Missouri's history, culture and politics.

Instructors Antonio Holland (instructor of history), Sharon Hunter (English), and Joseph Volpe (political science) participated in the conference over a span of two days, attending a large number of panel discussions, listening to

and reviewing research papers and dissertation topics, and delivering their own presentations before packed conference rooms which were filled with academics and scholars from across the nation.

Having a strong multi-interdisciplinary approach the conference appealed to people from several fields of study, as shown by the three disciplines taught by the MCC-Blue River instructors who attended. Among the highlights of the event for the instructors was the opportunity to participate in the latest research on Missouri and its past, much of which was yet to be published.

Hunter, also a graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. at UMKC, gave a presentation on the topic "Doing What They Could: Women Writers and Society's Others,” pointing out exemplary instances of the disparity between the historical female social condition and the same women’s capacity to share insightful and motivational compositions.

Holland discussed "Mortality by Disease of Missouri African American Soldiers during the Civil War," pointing out that this under-recognized portion of Civil War soldiery contended with many dangers beyond the obvious battlefield wounds.

Both Hunter and Holland were well received by their audiences. Volpe, an onlooker at both presentations, stated that "They were both very good—well researched. Everyone at Blue River should be very proud of them for what they accomplished at the conference. I sure was!”

Next year’s Annual Missouri Conference on History will be held in Columbia, Missouri.