Past Institutes

Pivotal U.S. Elections, 1960–2000


On October 25, 2018, Humanities Texas held a one-day workshop in Austin on pivotal U.S. presidential elections in the second half of the twentieth century.

Curriculum

The workshop covered the elections of 1960, 1968, 1980, and 2000. Topics addressed included politics, parties, and realignments from 1960 to 2000, the rise of the Reagan Coalition, and the impact of technology on American politics.

The workshop emphasized close interaction with scholars, the examination of primary sources, and the development of effective pedagogical strategies and engaging assignments and activities. Content was aligned with the secondary social studies TEKS. Teachers received books and other instructional materials and were trained in the examination and interpretation of primary sources.

Faculty

Workshop faculty included David M. Oshinsky (New York University), Kyle Longley (LBJ Presidential Library), Heather Cox Richardson (Boston College), and George C. Edwards III (Texas A&M University).

Location and Schedule

The workshop took place at the LBJ Presidential Library on October 25, 2018. Download the workshop schedule.

Sponsors

The workshop was made possible with major funding from the State of Texas and a Humanities in the Public Square grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Questions about Teacher Institutes

Call 512.440.1991 (press 2) or email institutes@humanitiestexas.org.

David M. Oshinsky, professor of history and director of the Division of Medical Humanities at New York University, leads a seminar on the presidential election of 1960.

Kyle Longley, director of the LBJ Presidential Library, reviews documents related to the election of 1968 during the afternoon seminars.

Heather Cox Richardson, professor of history at Boston College, discusses the election of 1980.