The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) will present its 2011 Dorothy Riker Hoosier Historian Award to Dr. Donald E. Pitzer, professor emeritus of history and director emeritus of the Center for Communal Studies, at its annual Founders Day Dinner on Monday, December 5, in Indianapolis.
(Media-Newswire.com) - The Indiana Historical Society ( IHS ) will present its 2011 Dorothy Riker Hoosier Historian Award to Dr. Donald E. Pitzer, professor emeritus of history and director emeritus of the Center for Communal Studies, at its annual Founders Day Dinner on Monday, December 5, in Indianapolis. The Dorothy Riker Hoosier Historian Award is given annually to a historian who has made significant contributions to either the field of historical scholarship or the affairs and activities of the IHS.
Pitzer received his doctorate in 19th century social and intellectual history in 1966 from The Ohio State University. He joined the history faculty at the University of Southern Indiana in 1967, two years after the University opened. He directed its Center for Communal Studies from 1976 to 2007 and was the first chair of the History Department when USI became an independent state university in 1985.
Pitzer will appear at the IHS Holiday Author Fair with his new book, New Harmony Then and Now, on Saturday, December 3, at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center in Indianapolis. The book recounts the ideals and heritage of the Harmonist and Owenite founders of New Harmony, Indiana, and features the color photographs of co-author Darryl Jones.
In 1975, Pitzer was a founder of the Communal Studies Association ( CSA ) and served as its first president and executive director. The CSA, in 1994, granted him its first Distinguished Service Award, which was then named in his honor. He also has contributed to scholarly and intentional community-related publications, including America's Communal Utopias, which he edited in 1997.
USIŒs Dr. Darrel Bigham, director emeritus of Historic Southern Indiana and professor emeritus of history, and William Bartelt, former adjunct instructor in history, received the Hoosier Historian Award in 2002 and 2003, respectively. The award has been known as the Dorothy Riker Hoosier Historian Award since 2005.
About the Indiana Historical Society Since 1830, the Indiana Historical Society has been Indiana's Storyteller, connecting people to the past by collecting, preserving, interpreting and sharing the state's history. A private, nonprofit membership organization, IHS maintains the nation's premier research library and archives on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest and presents a unique set of visitor exhibitions called the Indiana Experience. IHS also provides support and assistance to local museums and historical groups, publishes books and periodicals sponsors teacher workshops and provides youth, adult and family programming.
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