Northwestern history professor has book reviews published in journals
September 16, 2019
Dr. Roger Hardaway
Dr. Roger Hardaway, professor of history at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, recently had two book reviews published in scholarly journals.
Hardaway evaluated “Nicodemus: Post-Reconstruction Politics and Racial Justice in Western Kansas” by Charlotte Hinger and “Dangerous Subjects: James D. Saules and the Rise of Black Exclusion in Oregon” by Kenneth R. Coleman.
“Both books are excellent, and they are welcome additions to the body of literature that exists on the general subject,” Hardaway said.
Hardaway’s review of Hinger’s book was published in The Chronicles of Oklahoma.
Hardaway said Nicodemus, Kansas, was one of several all-black towns established by African-Americans in the late 19th century. He continued by adding Hinger focuses her research on the efforts of several of the town’s citizens to exert some influence over Kansas politics. Their activities led to the Kansas Republican Party nominating Nicodemus resident Edward McCabe for state auditor in 1882. He won the general election, thus becoming the first African-American elected to a statewide office in Kansas history. McCabe was reelected in 1884 and, consequently, served from 1883 to 1887.
He said when Republican leaders adhered to Kansas custom and refused to nominate him for a third term, McCabe’s political career ended. Later, he moved to Oklahoma with the hope of resurrecting his electoral prospects but without success. He did, however, found the all-black town of Langston, which is the site of Langston University, Oklahoma’s only historically black college or university.
Hardaway’s review of Coleman’s book was published in the Pacific Historical Review.
Hardaway said Saules was an African-American who joined the U.S. Navy and deserted once the vessel he was on shipwrecked on the Oregon coast in 1841. Saules married a local Native American woman and earned a living hauling freight, farming, and cooking at missionary outposts. Although he was one of only a handful of African-Americans in Oregon, he was at least partially responsible for white government officials trying to run black settlers out of the territory and prevent others from moving there. The reason these officials disliked Saules, Coleman believes, is that they thought his marriage led him to encourage other Native Americans to attack white settlers and try to prevent them from confiscating native lands.
The editors recruited Hardaway to review these volumes because he has written extensively about African-Americans in the American West.
“One of the responsibilities of historians is to evaluate the work of our peers and give meritorious scholarship a wider audience,” Hardaway said. “These volumes certainly deserve the positive reviews I have given them. I very much appreciate the opportunity to contribute to these outstanding journals.”
-NW-
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