C-SPAN to Cover Southern Miss History Class

Just two weeks ago C-SPAN visited The University of Southern Mississippi as part of its Road to the White House 2012 bus tour. On Friday, the network that covers the nation's political and legislative news returns to the Hattiesburg campus Friday, Nov. 18 to include a history class lecture as part of its programming.

Dr. Susannah Ural's U.S. History to 1877 (HIS 201) class, in which she will give a lecture on the U.S. election of 1860, will be taped for the network's program “Lectures in History” on C-SPAN's American History TV. The show featuring the class is expected to be broadcast during the fall holiday season.

“I'm excited for our class to receive this coverage by C-SPAN,” Ural said. “It's a great way to promote the university and the excellent learning experiences our students enjoy here. It's also a nice reminder for our students and their families about the wonderful history-related programs that C-SPAN offers.”

The program debuted last fall, with the network visiting a different college classroom each week and taping the class session in its entirety. “Lectures in History” will give C-SPAN's audience, which numbers 42 million homes, the opportunity to experience Ural's class from beginning to end without interruption. The network plans to tape approximately 40 classes across the country until end of the fall semester. 

Federal vs. state power and slavery were the central issues in the election of 1860. Abraham Lincoln, who opposed the expansion of slavery, won the presidency and inspired the secession of the Deep South, including Mississippi. The Civil War followed.

“This is a great opportunity for the History Department, Dr. Ural and our class,” said student Hannah Shea Smith of Picayune, Miss. “I enjoy her lectures and I know everyone else does as well. I look forward to our interaction in class with CSPAN in the room.”

C-SPAN's American History TV programming airs each weekend on C-SPAN3 from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Monday. The program will also be available on C-SPAN's website at http://www.c-span.org/  and on the C-SPAN video library at http://www.c-spanvideo.org/videoLibrary/