I’ve often been asked, “Why do you study the Revolution and Early Republic? Is there really anything else to write about?” The remarkable story of this portrait and Hercules the chef shows just how much we still have to learn. Hercules was sold to President George Washington in 1767. He was a talented chef and [...]
Author: lindsaychervinsky
Spot of Parchment August 2019
The number one question I get about my work is do you work in the White House? The second is who is Stephen Decatur and why do I feel like I know that name? I’ll share a little about who he was, but I mostly want to focus on the story of his death. It’s [...]
How to Create a Winning Panel – New Free Resource!
Over the last couples of weeks, I've written about why I think we should get rid of paper panels, how to create a great round table, and how to find panel participants. SHEAR recently posted their Call for Papers, the Omohundro Institute will do so in September, and the OAH and AHA shouldn't be far [...]
How to Find Panel Participants
Now that conferences have started posting Call for Papers for the next round of conferences, it's time to think about putting together panels. Here are fifteen ways to find panel participants - I promise you know more people than you think! 1. Tap your fellowship community. Look around at the individuals that are working in [...]
How to Create a Great Roundtable
I’ve attended a number of roundtables and been on a few at this point. While even the worst roundtable is better than the average paper panel (in my humble opinion), they are not all created the same. Here are my tips for creating a really stellar roundtable that attendees will remember for years and for [...]
Let’s Get Rid of Paper Panels
After attending a few conferences this summer, I have a suggestion. Let's get rid of traditional paper panels. But I don't believe in bringing problems without offering solutions. So here are the reasons we should get rid of paper panels and what we should do instead. This post is the first of four that I [...]
Spot of Parchment July 2019
Many people know Henry Clay for his long tenure in Congress and his controversial appointment as Secretary of State under John Quincy Adams. But do you know the name Charlotte Dupuy? In 1825, the newly-appointed Secretary of State, Henry Clay, moved into the Decatur House. It was the perfect home for a Secretary of State [...]
