Roberta Senechal de la Roche - In Lincoln’s Shadow: The 1908 Race Riot in Springfield, Illinois

The speaker, a retired historian and sociologist, discusses their journey from being inspired by the book 'Salem Possessed' to researching the Springfield Race Riot of 1908. They detail their academic background, the challenges faced with their dissertation advisor, and the sociological theories they explored. The research took eight years and resulted in a publication that won two distinguished prizes, despite initial resistance from their advisor.

What was the title of the author's first major publication?

What inspired the author to study collective violence?

What significant event did the author focus on in Springfield, IL?

How did the author describe the impact of the race riot on the black community in Springfield?

What was the author's approach to researching the Springfield race riot?

What theory did the author find prevalent in explanations of collective violence?

What was the reaction of the author's dissertation advisor to the chosen topic?