Class of 1953 Lectureship to feature Berry history professor and author

Dr. Jonathan Atkins, professor of history at Berry College, will be the 21st speaker in the annual Class of 1953 Lectureship Series on Monday, April 28, at 9:15 a.m. in Morris Chapel. 

“This is a great opportunity for our Upper School students to connect with someone who has had an incredible career as a professor and author,” said Vicki Vincent, director of alumni relations. “We appreciate Dr. Atkins for taking the time to share his insights with our young people here at Darlington and are grateful to the Class of 1953 for establishing this annual lectureship that has brought so many interesting people to our campus." 

Atkins grew up in Ypsilanti, Mich., and completed his B.A. at David Lipscomb College (now Lipscomb University) before earning his M.A. at Vanderbilt University and his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. A professor at Berry since 1991, he is a scholar in American History from the Revolution through the Civil War, focusing on political and social history in the 19th Century U.S. with an emphasis on the South. His interests in these areas are influenced by his family’s origins in Middle Tennessee. His father grew up near Fort Donelson, the site of a major Civil War battle, and he frequently visited the battlefield in addition to making several pilgrimages to The Hermitage, the home of Andrew Jackson.
 
An accomplished writer, Atkins is the author or editor of four books; the author of 15 articles and book chapters, 24 essays in encyclopedias and other reference works, and more than 50 book reviews; and is a frequent speaker in public lectures. His most notable works include: 

• "Parties, Politics, and the Sectional Conflict in Tennessee, 1832-1861," a book published in 1997 and the winner of the Tennessee History Book Award.
• “Politicians, Parties, and Slavery: The Second Party System and the Decision for Disunion in Tennessee,” an article published in 1996 and the winner of the 1997 John Trotwood and Mary Daniel Moore Award for Best Article in Tennessee Historical Quarterly.
• "From Confederation to Nation: The Early American Republic, 1789-1848," a textbook for college-level courses on the early history of the United States.
• "Andrew Jackson: Old Hickory in Christian America," a biography of the American military hero and president that focuses on the role of religion in his life and career, published this year by Oxford University Press.

Atkins serves on Board of Editors for Tennessee Historical Quarterly and served previously on the Board of Editors for Georgia Historical Quarterly. He is also a grant reviewer for the Department of Education, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Tennessee Historical Museum. Additionally, he has frequently served as referee for books and articles under consideration for publication by numerous presses and journals.
 
At Berry, Atkins teaches courses on American History from the Colonial Era through the Civil War, Southern History and English History. He also served for nine years as history department chair and twice as interim dean for the Evans School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.
 
For his contributions, Atkins has been recognized with the Dave and Lu Garrett Award for Meritorious Teaching; the Mary S. and Samuel Poe Carden Award for Outstanding Teaching, Scholarship, and Service; and the Omicron Epsilon Delta Leadership Award for Service to the College.

The Class of 1953 Lectureship Series was established in 2003 to commemorate the class’s 50th reunion.