News from the University of Rochester Department of History

Dear friends,

At this time of crisis and social isolation, it’s nice to remember that, by virtue of a shared alma mater (“nourishing mother,” in Latin), we are in a sense all family. Here in the department of history, we rejoice in those connections, especially at times like this. We hope that news from Rochester can bring a moment of brightness in a stressful day. And we send heartfelt wishes for everyone’s safety and health.

Warm regards,
Laura Smoller, Department Chair

Joseph A. Amato (PhD '70) published his fourth book of poetry, Towers of Aging (independently published, 2020). He has also written on European cultural and intellectual history, exploring the regional, the local, the family, memoirs, philosophy, and fiction.

Leslie Farhangi (BA '83) launched Three Meadows & A Pony ~ Peony Flower Vodka from her farm in the Hudson Valley. Three Meadows & A Pony embodies the farm, where Leslie also boards retired horses. Peony Flower Vodka is a premium, subtly flavored vodka made with botanicals, including tincture of peony. It is available in New York and Connecticut.

J. Stanley Lemons (MA '62) published Retracing Baptists in Rhode Island: Identity, Formation, and History (Baylor University Press, 2019). The volume explores the history of Rhode Island Baptists from Roger Williams to the present.

Rochelle Goldberg Ruthchild (MA '64, PhD '76) is currently a Center Associate at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard and a Research Scholar at the Brandeis University Women's Studies Research Center. She recently published "Russia: The Great War and Women's Political Rights" in The Palgrave Handbook of Women's Political Rights; the review essay "Becoming Communist: Ideals, Dreams, and Nightmares" in Aspasia; and a review essay of five books about the 1917 Russian Revolutions in the Slavic Review. Left on Pearl, the film on which she worked as Executive Producer, was screened in 2019 at film festivals across the country and around the world. She was also the recipient of the 2018 Outstanding Achievement Award from the Association for Women in Slavic Studies. 

Kate Slocum (BA '01) is currently attending a traditional wooden boat building program at The Landing School in Arundel, Maine. She is also a member of the team restoring Presidential Yacht Sequoia, which served all presidents from Hoover to Carter, in Belfast, Maine. Kate will travel to Norway in August 2020 to study boat building methods that date to the Viking age. She hopes to share the enduring value of Scandinavian culture and techniques with a new generation as a proud spokesperson for the relatively few women in the skilled trades.

Gifts to the Department of History help sustain a challenging academic program, promote learning opportunities, and attract the best students and faculty. Your contributions make our department ever better!