VSU History Department

05/29/2026

When the Cherokees were removed from Georgia along the infamous Trail Of Tears, the man in charge was General Winfield Scott, who died on this day in 1866. The man known as old “Fuss and Feathers” was the foremost American soldier between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Born in Virginia in 1786, Scott served as a general in three wars. He gained national fame in the War of 1812 against the British. By war’s end he had been promoted to major general. In 1838 General Scott supervised the forced ejection of the Cherokee Indians from north Georgia. Then, in 1841, Scott became commanding general of the United States Army and held that post through the beginning of the Civil War. Scott's victories in the Mexican War catapulted him into him into the national spotlight and an unsuccessful run for president in 1852. Learn more about Winfield Scott and Today in Georgia History at https://www.todayingeorgiahistory.org/.

Pictured: Winfield Scott courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

05/27/2026

04/30/2026

If You’re the Youngest of 13 Colonies, Are You Still Invited to the Revolution?

On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 12:30 p.m., the Rhode Island Historical Society will feature Dr. Stan Deaton, GHS’s Senior Historian, for “Liberty at Lunchtime,” a virtual series highlighting partners in the 13 original colonies. This presentation will explore Georgia’s experience as the youngest British colony on the North American mainland, and how, despite lacking the infrastructure of other colonies, it ultimately joined the Revolution.

The program is free and open to all! Register now to join us online: https://www.simpletix.com/e/liberty-at-lunchtime-georgia-historical-so-tickets-263281

04/01/2026

To celebrate America’s 250th birthday, The National Archives Museum in Washington, DC, will open a special exhibition, “Free and Independent: A Celebration of the Declaration,” on April 25, 2026. 🇺🇲

Learn the story behind the Declaration of Independence– the document that created our nation 250 years ago– through over 40 original artifacts and records, including a 1763 Broadside from King George, Lafayette’s Oath of Allegiance, and a selection of Centennial and Bicentennial related artifacts and ephemera.

The exhibit will run through July 5th, 2027 and is free and open to the public. Advance tickets can be reserved online at http://visit.archives.gov/visit. National Archives Foundation Freedom 250 America250

04/01/2026

The Georgia Archives is hiring for an Administrative Assistant position in Morrow, GA.

This entry-level role includes a mix of visitor services, digitization, and administrative support. Responsibilities include assisting visitors at the welcome desk, scanning and enhancing records, creating metadata, answering phones, processing payments, and helping with outreach and events.

Learn more and apply here: tinyurl.com/GAArchivesAdminAssistant or search for it on the University System of Georgia's Careers Portal.

Please share with anyone who may be interested.

03/26/2026

S9E16 Podcast: The Last Adieu: Lafayette’s Triumphant Return

As part of GHS’s ongoing commemoration of the US250, Stan’s guest this week is author and historian Ryan L. Cole, discussing his new book, The Last Adieu: Lafayette’s Triumphant Return, the Echoes of Revolution, and the Gratitude of the Republic (Harper Horizon, 2025). The Marquis de Lafayette arrived in America in 1777 to fight in Washington’s army, becoming a major general at age 19. In 1824, the “Hero of Two Worlds” returned on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the American Revolution, one of the last living links to that momentous event. Lafayette traveled more than 6,000 miles across all 24 states, reminding Americans of their Revolutionary heritage just in time for the country’s Golden Jubilee.

Listen at https://www.deatonpath.georgiahistory.com/s9e16-podcast-the-last-adieu-lafayettes-triumphant-return/

03/21/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LCbvso80PQ

The Declaration of Independence describes King George III as a horrible tyrant. Was he really that bad? Professor Allitt, an Englishman who has spent his lif...

03/13/2026

03/06/2026

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲, 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: 𝗧𝗮𝘅 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀

Tax digests are more than tax records. They can be powerful tools for genealogy and local history research in Georgia.

Why they matter:
• They can help place a person in a specific county and year
• They can help narrow when someone moved or died
• They can point you toward other records, including estate records, marriages, and court minutes
• They can help fill gaps when other records are missing, limited, or unindexed

Tax records rarely state family relationships directly, but they are often one of the best ways to establish where a person was, when they were there, and what records to search next.

Want to learn more about using tax digests in research? Explore the Georgia Archives Tax Records FAQs:
https://www.georgiaarchives.org/research/tax_records_faq.

03/06/2026

For two and a half years in the 1970s, Americans paused each night for the Bicentennial Minute—a one-minute look at the people and events of the Revolutionary era.

In the newest US250 blog post, GHS Senior Historian Dr. Stan Deaton reflects on the series, its legacy, and what it reveals about how Americans have remembered the Revolution. The concept lives on today in GHS’s Today in Georgia History, a daily 90-second look at the people and events that shaped Georgia.

Read the newest post and follow along as we look ahead to America’s 250th anniversary:
www.georgiahistory.com/the-bicentennial-minute/

Discover Today in Georgia History:
www.todayingeorgiahistory.org/