I am the product of a typical American family, in a typical American community. I was educated in the typically American schools of the 1960’s and 70’s. A brief stint in the Political Science Department at Marshall University, three semesters from 1977 to 1979, saw me produce ten hours of meaningful credits before I left. Life produced jobs and careers, a wife, two children, and eventually two grand-daughters.
Four topics always fascinated me: history, geography, religion, and politics. Basically, most things connected to people, places and ideas. Although my formal education had ended, I never stopped indulging my fascination with those four topics. With the passing of time, my thoughts concerning history, and politics changed. Monumental shifts have taken place in field of history. Political philosophies require historiographies. Most works of history written today do not resemble the history I love. Many of the historical, geographical, and political, and theological works produced today are written to support that specific brand of global Progressive ideology.
History is powerful. It possesses an inherent utility. Many great civilizations evolved supportive histories which bound their peoples together, while also providing a both a direction and a sense of distinction. That is why most “isms” develop their own historiography. Marx’s belief that human development is a story of class struggle is one example of an “ism” historiography. Communism’s historiography propelled the ideology. Today’s global Progressivism is based on an Oppressor/ Oppressed narrative, based on Race, Class, and Gender identities. When ideology or politics informs your history, you produce propaganda. History should inform ideology and politics.
As soon as my youngest child left for college, I returned to school. At 52 years of age I re-enrolled at Marshall University. I finally graduated in 2016 with a B.A. in History, at the ripe old age of 57. HISTORY PRESENT is the fulfillment of a dream. After much hard work and a great deal of help from family, professors, and friends it is a reality. My desire is to produce informative works of history that people will also enjoy.
History Present 