SPARTANBURG, S.C. (courtesy converse.edu) — Associate Professor of History Dr. Angela Elder has received a $5,000 American Philosophical Society Franklin Grant for her book project tentatively titled The Dry Tortugas, A History of American Resilience.
Franklin Grants are awarded for noncommercial research and are designed to assist with costs such as research travel, research material purchases, fieldwork expenses, and/or applicable laboratory research.
Elder’s book project focuses on the Dry Tortugas, a collection of islands 70 miles from Key West, upon which the United States built Fort Jefferson. “At this place, nineteenth-century debates over life, liberty, and happiness played out in a particularly dramatic fashion,” Elder explained in her grant application.
“Men and women, people free and enslaved, white and Black, soldier, civilian, sailor, wr34ecker, and even pirate collided here. They struggled to survive in an environment that was sometimes paradise but often hell. I hope this book will increase our understanding of American resilience, and what resilience means to Americans.”
Elder said she is thankful for the impact this grant will have on her project, sharing that it will help her focus on her work rather than worrying about research costs. “I deeply appreciate the American Philosophical Society’s support and am pleased that they see value in my research on the Dry Tortugas,” she said. “Some collections, like the Calvin Shedd papers, are available digitally, but many collections are not. With this grant, I am looking forward to discovering more stories.”
She also recognized two colleagues on campus, Associate Provost for Research and Engagement, Professor of Biology Neval Ertürk and Assistant Vice President of Advancement Services Rebecca Parrish, for their encouragement and support throughout the grant writing process.
“Dr. Ertürk’s support through the Converse University Humanities Grant I received last summer definitely made me more competitive for this award,” she explained. “I’m also thankful to Rebecca Parrish for putting this grant on my radar several years ago and helping me through the application process.”
Elder encourages colleagues to be persistent in their efforts to gain support for their projects. “This grant was very competitive, and I was not successful the first time through. Revise and resubmit for the win!”
Elder holds a PhD in History from the University of Georgia and served as a Virginia Center for Civil War Studies postdoctoral fellow at Virginia Tech. She teaches a variety of American history courses at Converse, including her specialty in the Civil War and women’s history, and unique courses like “Duels, Disease, and Disaster: Death in 19th Century America.” She has been honored by both her students and SCICU (South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities) for her excellence in teaching.