The Dixie State University History Program, in conjunction with the DSU Institute of Politics and Public Affairs, is hosting its third annual History Distinguished Lecture, featuring historian Dr. John M. Coski as the keynote speaker.
Dr. Coski will present “The Confederate Battle Flag: A History of America’s Most Controversial Symbol” at 6 p.m. on Feb. 10 in the Dunford Auditorium, located in the Browning Resource Center on the Dixie State campus. Admission is free, and the public is encouraged to attend.
“We’re excited that the History Program and the Institute of Politics have been able to bring a scholar of Dr. Coski’s caliber to St. George,” Jeremy C. Young, assistant professor of history and director of the Institute of Politics and Public Affairs at Dixie State, said. “John Coski is the foremost academic historian of the Confederate battle flag and a celebrated public intellectual.”
Dr. Coski will share about the history of the Confederate flag, from its creation in 1861 to its evolution into a symbol of the Confederacy, the South as a region, rebels and racists. Additionally, he will discuss how a military banner has acquired various meanings and conflicting viewpoints amid controversies over its public display.
“Evenhanded, judicious and based on decades of careful research, Dr. Coski’s work explains the history and enduring legacy of the Confederate flag in a way audiences will find fascinating and insightful,” Young said. “Whatever your views on the flag, you’ll leave Coski’s lecture with a new understanding of how debates over this American symbol have shaped our history and identity as a nation.”
Dr. Coski serves as a historian at The Museum of the Confederacy, part of The American Civil War Museum, where he has worked in various capacities since 1988. He is the author of several books, including “The Confederate Battle Flag: America’s Most Embattled Emblem” and “Capital Navy: The Men, Ships, and Operations of the James River Squadron” as well as 150 published essays, articles and reviews. Coski earned a bachelor’s degree from Mary Washington College and a master’s and doctorate in history from the College of William and Mary.
Dixie State University’s History Distinguished Lecture aims to increase the visibility of history and political science disciplines and offer the Southern Utah community an opportunity to participate in national discussions about the historical profession and current events. As part of the series, an academic historian with a substantial record of achievement and innovation in the discipline, is invited to campus each year. Previous distinguished lecturers have included Dr. Lori Clune, associate professor of history at CSU-Fresno, and Dr. Susan Matt, Presidential Distinguished Professor of History at Weber State.
To learn more about Dixie State University’s History Program, visit history.utahtech.edu.