CBU professor chosen to participate in national history seminar on the Civil War

Riverside, Calif. (April 3, 2018) – Dr. Kenya Davis-Hayes, associate professor of history at California Baptist University, was selected to participate in a national seminar on the topic of “The Civil War and American Memory.”

The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History choose Davis-Haye as one of 25 faculty members nationwide to participate in a seminar June 10–14, at Yale University.

Seminar participants will assess the historical memory of the Civil War in addition to addressing the recent and current crises and debates over Civil War monuments and symbols.

Davis-Hayes said she feels honored to represent CBU at the seminar.

“The Civil War is still so relevant within people’s communities and family histories both across the nation and within the church,” Davis-Hayes said. “Gaining a deeper understanding of the way the Civil War is remembered and still celebrated could assist in both spiritual healing, as well as intellectual understanding.” 

Rickhard Ekman, president of CIC, said the seminar’s topic is a relevant one.

“Strengthening the teaching of American history at colleges and universities is of critical importance to maintaining informed citizen participation in a democracy. The Civil War has been used and misused to bolster contemporary arguments about conflict resolution, race and the role of America in the world,” Ekman said. “Participants in the seminar will be better prepared to teach a new generation of students how to understand major social and political issues of today in light of history, the different perspectives in different eras and recent debates over Civil War monuments and symbols.

“We believe that Dr. Davis-Hayes will play a strong role in the seminar,” Ekman said.