Otis E. Young, Jr., age 90, of Tempe, AZ died September 16, 2016. He was born October 10, 1925 in South Bend, (IN), the only child of Otis E Young, Sr. and Madge Oliver Young and was raised in Mount Vernon, (IN). He served as Sgt., U.S. Army, 1943-46, and was an Air Force Reserve Officer 1948-1962. He received the B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in History from Indiana University. He married Ruth Krost Thomas in 1950 in Bloomington, IN. He was an Instructor, Alpena (MI) Community College, 1952-54, Assistant Professor, Bradley University, Peoria (IL), 1954-63, Visiting post-doctoral scholar, Ohio State University 1959-1960 and Professor of History, Arizona State University, Tempe (AZ) 1963-88. Among many books, scholarly articles and reviews on Western, Military and Mining History, his three most notable books were The West of Philip St. George Cooke, who was the commander of the Mormon Battalion, Western Mining and The Mining Men. Member of Phi Alpha Theta, Pi Sigma Alpha. Arizona president 1970-71 Council on America's Military Past. Charter member and recipient of Rodman Paul Award, Mining History Association. He is survived by his wife, Ruth, two sons, Benjamin Thomas Young of Tempe, AZ and Otis E Young, III, his wife, Susan, and one granddaughter, Riley, of Cabot, AR. Private services have been held at St. Barnabas on-the-Desert Episcopal Church, Scottsdale, AZ. The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Salvation Army. Sage Hospice 5111 N. Scottsdale Rd, #204, Scottsale, AZ 85250.

 Published in The Arizona Republic on Oct. 2, 2016

The University of Nevada, Reno Department of History invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professorship in the history of the American West, with an emphasis on the environment. We seek a scholar with a commitment to construing “the west” broadly, but a particular interest in its environmental aspects. Desirable specializations include, but are not limited to, the 19th century U.S. west; new military history; race and/or ethnicity, especially Chicana/o or Latina/o history, indigenous history, or comparative settler societies; science, technology, medicine, and society; or food studies. Interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and research are welcomed.

 The successful candidate will teach both lower and upper-division classes in the history of the western U.S., as well courses in American environmental history. He or she will contribute to a well-established graduate program in Nevada and western United States history, and participate in the university’s interdisciplinary Core Humanities program. Strong evidence of research potential and teaching promise is required. Ph.D. must be completed by July 1, 2017.

 All applications must be submitted electronically no later than November 1, 2016. Applications should be submitted via website: https://www.unrsearch.com/postings/22065 and include:

-a resume/cv, writing sample, 2 sample syllabi, statement of research and plans and a detailed letter of application which highlights the applicant’s leadership experience and/or potential and indicates how they would contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through their research, teaching, and/or service.

 Letters of recommendation will be sought from finalists. Inquiries may be directed to Dr. Elizabeth Raymond (raymond@unr.edu).

 UNR is the State of Nevada’s historic land-grant institution; it serves approximately 21,000 students. The university is ranked as a Tier 1 institution by US News and World Report and offers an array of degree programs at all levels. Located at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, a 30-minute drive from Lake Tahoe, Reno has a rapidly-growing technology business sector and boasts a vibrant arts and restaurant scene. Reno/Tahoe is recognized as a world-class outdoor recreation area. Additional nearby areas of interest include the Black Rock Desert, Sacramento, Yosemite and Lassen National Parks, Napa/Sonoma, the Bay Area, and San Francisco.

 Diversity is central to the mission of the History department. Our faculty, staff and students strive to foster an environment that is conducive to exploring, engaging, and expressing diverse perspectives and respectful of diverse identities. Women, under-represented groups, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.

U.S. West and Early America

The Yale University Department of History intends to make two senior appointments, one in the history of the American West and the other in the history of early America, both fields  broadly defined to encompass a range of approaches. Appointment to begin July 1, 2017.
Applications are welcome from scholars at the level of advanced associate or full professor who have demonstrated exceptional scholarship and teaching as well as leadership in their field and the profession. Yale University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Yale values diversity among its students, staff, and faculty and strongly welcomes applications from women, persons with disabilities, protected veterans and underrepresented minorities. All applicants should submit a letter of application, C.V., and statement of research and teaching interests to Caryn Carson at caryn.carson@yale.edu. Letters of reference are not required at this initial stage.  The review of applications will begin November 15, 2016 and continue until a suitable candidate is  found for each position.

Western History and the Midwest Virtual Issue

As we thought about what to put in our first “digital extra” to give context to the Western History Association Annual Meeting in St. Paul, we decided to look at how the Western Historical Quarterly has covered the Midwest over its 47 years. We discovered a great wealth of material. However, like so many before us, we began to debate where the Midwest is or was and whether it includes the Dakotas or Oklahoma or Saskatchewan. So we stuck to Minnesota and its borderlands. We hope you enjoy these pieces that showcase the WHQ, its long interest in Minnesota as western and midwestern, and the fine historians who have written about it. We also noticed that we had few articles about labor issues in the Midwest or about white ethnic groups, both crucial to understanding the region, so we added two “classic” articles from the Journal of American History (a sister Oxford University Press journal). We’re hoping this will inspire more research and writing about the West, the Mexican North, the Midwest, the Canadian South or North America, and the broad set of passions that brings us together in St. Paul.

The WHQ Editorial Staff

The Oregon Historical Quarterly (a peer-reviewed journal with a broad scholarly and general readership) seeks to engage readers in historians' discussions around the global and local significance of World War I — including the ongoing impact of that war on global and national economies, citizenship, civil rights, human rights, labor rights, gender, and the stability and fragility of empires and nation-states as well as the war's experience and legacies specifically related to the history of Oregon. To that end, we are planning a virtual roundtable, conducted in writing over several weeks, to be published in our Summer (June) 2017 issue.

More information about the roundtable and instructions for submitting a proposal are available at: http://www.ohs.org/research-and-library/oregon-historical-quarterly/oregon-historical-quarterly-and-wwi.cfm

Dear Members,

The WHA has managed to secure rooms at a second overflow hotel.
 The Double Tree Hilton in Downtown St. Paul is offering WHA conference guests a standard room at $204 per night from Oct. 20 through Oct. 23.  To make a reservation at The Double Tree Hilton, please call (651) 291-8800 and reference “The Western History Association.”  Because of high demand, we recommend that you make your reservations as soon as possible. The deadline is Sept. 30th.

According to Google Maps, the Double Tree Hilton is a 7-minute walk from the conference hotel.

Please contact the WHA office with any questions.  We look forward to seeing you in St. Paul.

Best Regards,

Rebecca George-Heaton
WHA Program Coordinator
(907) 474-6509

Dear WHA Members,

  Thank you to those of you who responded so quickly to our email regarding the need for additional hotel rooms in St. Paul.  The Saint Paul Hotel has set aside a limited number of rooms at $179 per night for WHA conference guests from Oct. 20 through Oct. 23.  Because of high demand, we recommend that you make your reservations as soon as possible. To make a reservation at The Saint Paul Hotel, please call (651) 292-9292 and reference “The Western History Association.”  The reservation deadline is Sept. 29th.

According to Google Maps, The Saint Paul Hotel is about a 6-minute walk from the conference site.

Please rest assured that the office is working to negotiate additional overflow hotels and will send out those details once we have more information.

Please contact the WHA office with any questions.  We look forward to seeing you in St. Paul!

The WHA conference room block at the InterContinental Hotel in St. Paul is sold out.  If you still need a hotel reservation please contact the WHA office by Tuesday September 13.  The WHA Office needs to know how many rooms to request for an overflow contract with a nearby hotel at a reduced rate.  We look forward to seeing you in October.  

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The University of Oklahoma is delighted to announce another 2-year editorial fellowship at the Western Historical Quarterly. For more information, please visit  http://westernhistory.org/WHQFellowship