students in class

Everything and Everyone has a History

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Teaching history with empathy
How professor Marc Hertzman helps students connect the past with the present
Professor Rosalyn LaPier awarded Mellon New Directions Fellowship
 History professor Rosalyn LaPier has been awarded a New Directions Fellowship by the Mellon Foundation. The fellowship provides funding to support faculty in acquiring additional training outside their discipline to advance their research into new areas. LaPier, an enrolled member of the...
Four history graduate students receive research awards and language fellowships from Illinois Global Institute
Four graduate students in the Department of History were selected by the Illinois Global Institute to receive research awards and language fellowships. They are...
Professor Marc Hertzman receives 2026 Roberto Reis Prize for Senior Scholars from the Brazilian Studies Association
 Professor Marc Hertzman received the 2026 Roberto Reis Prize for Senior Scholars from the Brazilian Studies Association for his book...
Professor Rosalyn LaPier helps create bison exhibit at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
 An exhibit tracing the cultural and ecological legacy of American bison opens May 7 at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. “...
Born to teach
Ruth Veida Mandala’s collaborative approach to history
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Why Study History?

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Take a walk with professor Rosalyn LaPier to learn why the study of history is important today. 

Fall 2026 Highlighted History Courses

Painting of ancient rome

Ancient Rome

Examine the political, social, economic, military, institutional, religious and cultural development of Rome from 753 BCE until 480 CE.

World War II photograph featuring soldiers on tanks

US Foreign Relations since 1917

Explore the impact of the United States on world affairs from roughly 1917 through the end of the Cold War.

topographic map of the middle east

Middle East since World War I

Understand the issues, questions, and controversies that continuously draw the world's attention to the Middle East.

Wanderer above the Sea of Fog painting. Man stands alone on rocks looking at misty ocean.

19th Century Romanticism and Politics

Learn about the period that established our modern world and understand how its ideologies like Romanticism, liberalism, communism, and nationalism continue to shape the present.

painting of a civil war battle on a beach

Origins of the Civil War

Understand the changes in economic, social, cultural, and political life in the United State that ultimately plunged the nation into the bloodiest and most important war in its history.

Scientific illustration of a brain

Madness and Modern Society

Explore the development of the mind sciences in modern Europe from the beginning of state-regulated asylums to the advent of pharmaceutical treatment and care in the community.

BB King plays the guitar on stage

Black Music

What is black music, and how do we know what we think we know about it? Examine musical creations pioneered by Africans and individuals of African descent over several centuries and across hemispheres.

students in class

Chart Your Own Path

Our program empowers you to explore your interests and passions within history and gives you the flexibility to pair the major with advanced language study, internships, study abroad experiences, undergraduate research, and community engagement.  

students studying in the main library reading room

Conduct Your Own Research

Follow your interests and explore topics that excite you. In our program, you'll learn the critical thinking, research, and analytical skills required to produce historical research. And you'll have access to the resources of the second largest university library in the country. 

In the News

Antoinette Burton

The Opinion Pages

Professor Antoinette Burton writes about the value and future of the humanities in the age of AI.

Marsha Barrett

CBS News

Professor Marsha Barrett spoke with CBS News about the cultural comparisons between the Artemis II and Apollo 8 missions, which both occurred during political turmoil.

Rosalyn LaPier

Smithsonian Magazine

Professor Rosalyn LaPier was interviewed about the cultural significance of Bison in Indigenous communities and the new exhibit "Bison Standing Strong."

Calendar

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Chad Kahl

Alumni Spotlight: Chad Kahl (1993)

Chad is an Associate Dean at Illinois State University’s Milner Library. In that role, he administers the Public Services unit that provides collection development, government documents, instruction, reference and research services, and subject librarian services and the Information Technology unit.