I’ve lived in Northern Virginia for about three years now and it’s downright shameful that it has taken me this long to finally make a pilgrimage to Philadelphia–an easy 3-hour drive. As a historian of the American Revolution, an avid viewer of 1776 the Musical, and as John Adams’s #1 fangirl, Philadelphia has been at … [Keep on Readin’]
A few blog posts ago I threatened to start a Virginia Historical Maker Project, seeing as how Ashton and I have spent most of our off days chasing these down. If you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, click here. This post has been shared over 200 times on Facebook, which led me to believe … [Keep on Readin’]
***Update: Blog Post Chosen as Digital Humanities Now Editors’ Choice, May 2017! *** If you are a friend, family member, or co-worker of mine there is a really good chance you’ve heard me blurt something out about the Loyalist Claims Commission. You were also probably very nice about it and kindly nodded your head when … [Keep on Readin’]
I am the world’s worst at keeping secrets. When other folks tell me bits of information that they want to keep “hush hush” I never mumble a word of it. But if there is something interesting that has to do with me I will shout it from the rooftops. Ask my poor husband. I don’t … [Keep on Readin’]
I think it’s pretty apparent to everyone–in and outside of the field of history–that I have a slight obsession with my dissertation topic. As an aspiring academic, I spend my days researching and creating historical data sets on loyalists. As a regular (ha!) person I spend my evenings and weekends going to historic sites and … [Keep on Readin’]
It’s been an interesting year creating my new data sheets based on the Loyalist Claims Commission and the Book of Negroes. Using these incredibly detailed document collections has allowed me to create datasets listing all of the interesting social data that will allow me to better understand my loyalists, reconstruct their communities, day to day … [Keep on Readin’]
efore I ever started the prospectus for my dissertation I struggled with one of the most basic questions anyone in the business of loyalism has ever faced. Out of the thousands of people who claimed to be Tories during the American Revolution, how do we determine who gets to be labeled a loyalist? The question … [Keep on Readin’]
In history Ph.D. programs, we spend months, and even years, preparing for comprehensive exams. It is the worst moment of all of our academic lives. Was the Civil War inevitable? And if it was not at what point did it become inevitable? How would you periodize the American Revolution? Was racism learned or innate in … [Keep on Readin’]
As a Ph.D. candidate, I see myself as an apprentice of history. I take documents and scrape them for data. Then I realize I should have organized that data another way. So, I start over. Then I think I’ve found an argument. I proceed to read yet another book and realize that my argument is baseless. … [Keep on Readin’]
Raise your hand if you are in a Ph.D. program and no one has asked about your completion schedule? **crickets** That’s right. None of you. Getting a Ph.D. in anything comes with a special kind of social abuse. However, getting a Ph.D. in the humanities pretty much means everyone gets to have a negative opinion … [Keep on Readin’]
fter giving my talk at Historic St. Luke’s in August and having the opportunity to tour Glebe Church in Driver, Virginia, I’ve received quite a few questions about Reverend John Agnew. This is most likely due to the fact that even the most seasoned lovers of Virginia history have never had the opportunity to engage with … [Keep on Readin’]
Over the last few months I’ve scoured the loyalist claims, archives, and digital databases in attempt to locate loyalists from all over Virginia during the Revolutionary War. I’ve been through thousands of stories that painstakingly detail the Revolutionary experiences of each person and there are some that are just more memorable than others. Without a … [Keep on Readin’]
Opening my inbox to see an e-mail from an organization asking me to speak to their club or historic site is without a doubt my favorite part of being a historian. If you know me personally, you know that I love to talk. There is no way you could be in a room with me … [Keep on Readin’]
My CV: To view my academic Curriculum Vitae, please click the link below for an online PDF. Stephanie Seal Walters 2017 CV My Digital History Portfolio: Here is my digital portfolio: a compilation of all my digital work since I was accepted as a graduate student at George Mason University. This portfolio includes my blogs … [Keep on Readin’]
‘ve studied loyalism in Virginia during the American Revolution for almost five years now. I’m “that loyalist girl” that people at conferences and history conventions have sort of, kind of, maybe heard of. But why loyalists? Better yet, how in the world did a woman from South Mississippi decide to dedicate her early academic life … [Keep on Readin’]
Thank you for visiting stephanieanneseal.com or stephaniesealwalters.com. It all lands in the same place! Over the next few weeks this website will be under just a teeny bit more construction. Please check back this month to see new things added as I get used to the new plug-ins and find some interesting things to write … [Keep on Readin’]
For my final Clio I project, I chose to clear up a few questions I had from my MA thesis. My thesis examined loyalists in Virginia during the American Revolution, specifically in the Williamsburg area. After more research at the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library in Colonial Williamsburg, I gathered information on many of Virginia’s … [Keep on Readin’]
