Lourdes University Professor Brings History to Life
Bringing history to life
Dwayne Beggs, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of History at Lourdes University, brings history to life for his students and the general public. Whether through the recent installments of the Distinguished Lecture on American History Series, re-enactments conducted on the Lourdes University campus, or in the classroom, Dr. Beggs makes history fun and educational.
“I have a passion for two distinct points in U.S. history – the Civil War and the Vietnam War. The time leading up, during and post-war are pivotal to American society. Students, historians, faculty and the average citizen can learn so much by objectively reviewing our past and understanding our present,” says Dr. Beggs.
Dr. Beggs is a member of the Society of Civil War Historians, Society for Military History, The American Historical Society, Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations and the Ohio Academy of History.
This past Spring, Dr. Beggs had the opportunity to travel to Springfield, Illinois and take part in a re-enactment commemorating President Abraham Lincoln’s funeral procession. On May 1st, the 24th Michigan Volunteer Infantry (re-enacting unit) served as an honor guard, following behind the hearse during a march from the city train station to the State Capitol. On May 2nd, the 24th Michigan then escorted the hearse from the State Capitol to Oakridge Cemetery where President Lincoln would be laid to rest.
“It is an honor and a privilege to re-enact history and a way of life for people of all ages. Through re-enacting key events from our nation’s past, such as the Civil War, we provide tangible examples of what life was like in America. In this particular case, we helped the spectators step back in time and see what it might have been like in Springfield 150 years ago. The streets were filled with soldiers and civilians dressed in period attire. Military and civilian camps were set up at the City Park. This gave spectators the opportunity to see how both soldiers and camp followers lived in the 1860s,” says Dr. Beggs.
In the Spring, he along with his wife Susan Beggs, a third grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School in Findlay, Ohio, also participated in Remembrance Day at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan.
A well-respected lecturer, Dr. Beggs is also a published author. Along with Dr. Gary R. Hess, he penned “Lyndon Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Guns and Butter Dilemma,” for Financial History Magazine’s spring 2013 edition. He is currently working on an article on the anti-war stance taken by Ernest Gruening and Wayne Morse during the Vietnam War.
History at Lourdes University
The Lourdes University History Department offers a bachelor of art degree in history. Students can choose to major in American or World History and are required to take three courses each in U.S. and European History and two courses in World History. Mary Robinson, Ph.D., is the department chair. To learn more about the program, visit www.lourdes.edu/history.
Rooted in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, Lourdes University offers baccalaureate degrees in more than 30 academic majors as well as graduate degrees in business, education, liberal studies, nursing, organizational leadership, and theology. Community outreach programs include the Appold Planetarium, the Center for Science Education & the Environment, and Lifelong Learning. A member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, Lourdes students can also compete in a variety of men’s and women’s sports. Named a “Best in the Midwest” college by the Princeton Review, Lourdes University is a nationally accredited, veteran and transfer-friendly institution offering a variety of student scholarships. Explore the possibilities online at www.lourdes.edu or by phone at 419-885-3211.
Captions
Dr. Dwayne Beggs (2nd from left) marching with the 24th MI Vol Infantry as part of the anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s funeral procession in Springfield, IL.
Re-enactment of President Lincoln’s funeral parade procession from the train car to the State Capitol.
Dr. Dwayne Beggs in civilian garb with wife and Third Grade Teacher from Lincoln Elementary School (Findlay, OH) Susan Beggs on their way to a ball as part of Remembrance Day at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI. Behind the couple is their civilian A-frame tent.
Re-enactment of military men with heads bowed and faced away during the Remembrance Day ceremony prayer recognizing all veterans and current military.
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