Scholar-in-Residence: Professor James Oliver Horton
Noted Scholar and Author Visits Bullis School
Bullis School welcomed visiting scholar Professor James Oliver Horton on December 13. Professor Horton is the Benjamin Banneker Professor of American Studies and History at George Washington University and Historian Emeritus of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. His distinguished career includes a term as President of the Organization of American Historians and several presidential appointments, including membership on the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, appointed by President Clinton.
Professor Horton has published ten books, most recently The Landmarks of African American History and Slavery and the Making of America. The latter publication was the companion book for the PBS series of the same name which aired in February 2005. Professor Horton has been a consultant to and has appeared in many film and video productions. His historical commentary on the Civil War is included in the DVD version of the movie “Glory.” He was a historical advisor for the 2005 Emmy Award winning History Channel Series “Ten Days That Unexpectedly Changed America.”
In 2006 Professor Horton was elected to the National Academy of Arts and Sciences and received the George Washington University President’s Medal for scholarly achievement and teaching excellence.
Professor Horton gave a keynote address to 400 Upper School students entitled “Slavery: America’s Most Un-American Institution.” His talk discussed the role slavery has played in the shaping of the American identity and how it was a fundamental contradiction with the notions of liberty and equality. Horton also conducted two workshops with the students. The first session focused on the Underground Railroad and the work of Abolitionists, with particular attention to the contributions of William Still. (The son of slaves, Still operated an extensive network of safe houses and was able to purchase his enslaved brother Peter.) The second session centered on the 1850s, a decade of crisis that led to the Civil War. Students discussed the 1857 Dred Scott decision, which ruled that slaves were property regardless of where they lived, and that no African Americans had legal rights. Both workshops had an active question and answer period.
Professor Horton’s visit to Bullis was part of the school’s Scholar-in-Residence program – an integral aspect of our commitment to multi-cultural learning. It also represented an enthusiastic interdisciplinary collaboration between the English and Social Studies Departments. Professor Horton’s visit was coordinated by Dr. Sara Romeyn, chair of the Social Studies department and a former graduate student of Professor Horton. Funding was provided by a generous grant from the Bullis School Parents Association and additional support from the English and Social Studies departments.
An engaging speaker and an accomplished story teller, Horton imparted a wealth of knowledge to the student body in a format that encouraged fresh thinking about a difficult subject.
