Dr. Brad A. Jones, associate professor, history, was a runner up for The Journal of the American Revolution 2021 book award for "Resisting Independence: Popular Loyalism in the Revolutionary British Atlantic" (Cornell University Press, 2021)

In the book, Jones provides a valuable contribution to studies on loyalism in the Revolution. The book examines four port cities of the British empire — New York, New York; Kingston, Jamacia; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Glasgow, Scotland — to illustrate that more than creating just rebellion, the events of the Revolution served to create a transatlantic British ideology of loyalism. In his comparative study of these four cities, Jones takes readers beyond the feud as it is often portrayed and provides a much broader scope that gives insight into the ways in which the refutation of the colonies’ rebellion called into question what being British meant. Each of these four cities had unique qualities that created specific emphases in defining Britishness that led to divisions and unity co-existing, but an underlying devotion to the responsibility of the British government to protect rights and liberties tied these cities together. A solid piece of scholarship, this book is a worthy addition to studies of loyalism and the effects of the Revolution on a grander scale.

The award — an international award dedicated to nonfiction books specifically on the Revolutionary and Founding eras — has been given annually since 2014 to the work that best reflects the mission of the Journal: to deliver engaging, creative and intelligent content that makes American Revolution history accessible to a broad audience. The award honors original research combined with a well-crafted narrative that appeals to scholars and non-academic readers alike.

The announcement can be found in the Journal of the American Revolution.

Katelyn Spencer, administrative assistant, University Advancement, is the guest speaker at The Rainbow Alumnx and Allies Club, from noon – 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 22. Tickets are available here.

Mark Keppler, professor, Department of Management, and executive director of The Maddy Institute, presented virtually to the Leadership Northern Tulare County (LNTC) for their Public Policy Day session on Feb. 10. LNTC inspires community members to become active leaders in their place of business and in their community. LNTC is a leadership program for mid-career professionals who want to gain more experience in leadership and work as a cohort on team-building projects. This month the group learned about the importance of advocacy and public policy in our community from local experts.