55th Annual WHA Conference

October 21-24, 2015 - Portland, Oregon 

2015 WHA President: Elizabeth Jameson

Dr. Jameson has been at the University of Calgary since 1999 as holder of the Imperial Oil-Lincoln McKay Chair in American Studies. She earned her Ph.D. at the University of Michigan, and before coming to Calgary was on faculty at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and the University of New Mexico. She is an internationally renowned expert in women’s history, labour history, and the history of US-Canada western borderlands. She is the author or co-author of five books, and dozens of articles and book chapters. She has received numerous awards and honours, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Coalition for Women’s Western History, and an Honourary Life Membership in the Western History Association.

2015 WHA Program


Browse or download the 2015 Conference Program by clicking on the program cover

View the Conference Program Errata  

View the 2015 Call for Papers: "Thresholds, Walls, and Bridges" 

Program Committee

José Alamillo, Calif. State Univ. Channel Islands (Co-Chair)
Lori Ann Lahlum, Minnesota State Univ., Mankato (Co-Chair)
Karen Leong, Arizona State University (Co-Chair)

Benny Andrés, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
Matthew Basso, University of Utah
Kent Blansett, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Elise Boxer, University of South Dakota
Keith Thor Carlson, University of Saskatchewan
Dee Garceau, Rhodes College
Susan Gray, Arizona State University
Tom Isern, North Dakota State University
Katrina Jagodinsky, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Amy Lonetree, University of California, Santa Cruz
Jeremy Mouat, University of Alberta
Lydia Otero, University of Arizona
Jeff Pappas, New Mexico Historic Preservation Division
Adele Perry, University of Manitoba
Louise Pubols, Oakland Museum of California
Tyina Steptoe, University of Washington
Samuel Truett, University of New Mexico
David Wrobel, University of Oklahoma

Local Arrangements Comm.

Peter Boag, Co-Chair
Katy Barber, Co-Chair
Sue Armitage
Eliza Canty-Jones
Natalia Fernandez
Steve Fountain
Christin Hancock
Tim Hills
Kim Jensen
David Lewis
Laurie Mercier
Marsha Weisiger
Susan Wladaver-Morgan
Lissa Wadewitz
Elliott Young

Western Historians on C-SPAN3

Elizabeth Jameson talked about her research into the roles of women in western American history. She also spoke about her role as president of the Western History Association and the...



[alt text]

African American Slavery in California

Professor Jean Pfaelzer talked about African-American slavery in California. She spoke about how and when slaves were brought West and talks about California’s role in the Civil…



[alt text]


Western History Myths

History professors talked about some of the prevailing myths about western history. The panel was titled “Doing Battle with the Zombies of Western History.” The zombies,…



[alt text]

Professor Tai Edwards talked about the history of the Native American Osage tribe. She spoke about why the tribe was moved from their ancestral lands in modern-day Missouri, and why…



[alt text]

Luke Willert talked about 19th century detective work and the role detectives played in the settlement of western territories. He spoke about why detectives went west and why many of…




[alt text]

Professor Sarah Keyes talked about her book project on the Oregon Trail. She spoke about the threats people faced on the trail, and explained how they dealt with death along the…




Christopher Foss talked about his research on congressional politics and globalization in the Pacific Northwest. He discussed the definition and origin of globalization in the region…

2015 Sponsors

 Coordinating Council for Women in History

 Lewis & Clark College

 Library of Congress

 Linfield College

 The Oregon Historical Society

 Portland State University

 University of Alaska Fairbanks

 University of Calgary

 University of Oregon


Western History Association

UNO History Department

6001 Dodge Street

Omaha, NE 68182   (402) 554-5999

wha@westernhistory.org 



The WHA is hosted on the campus of the University of Nebraska at Omaha and benefits from the generous support of the College of Arts and Sciences and UNO Department of History. The Western History Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.