Brian Clardy Receives Maness Award from Jackson Purchase Historical Society

The Jackson Purchase Historical Society is pleased to announce that Brian K. Clardy, Associate Professor of History at Murray State University, has received the Dr. Lonnie E. Maness Award for the outstanding article in the Journal of the Jackson Purchase Historical Society in 2020. Dr. Clardy’s article, “Blood at the Root: A Historiographical Commentary on Lynching in America” provides an overview of the tragedy of lynching in the United States by reviewing how historians have approached the subject and the substance of their writings. When informed his article had been selected for award, Clardy said, “This is a profound honor and blessing. Dr. Maness was one of my professors at UT Martin and played a direct role in my interest in Diplomatic History. My thanks and gratitude go to the Board, my supportive colleagues, and the family of Dr. Maness. I hope that I made him proud!” Jackson Purchase Historical Society president Bill Mulligan said, “I am happy for Brian, who has been a colleague and friend for many years. The quality of the articles in our journal is always quite high so being selected by the editorial board and offices of the Society for this award is no small thing. I hope Brian’s essay and another in the journal on an incident in Hickman will stimulate thought and discussion on a timely issue.”

Journal editor Jim Humphreys commented, “We were glad to publish Dr. Clardy’s article in the Journal of the Jackson Purchase Historical Society, because it sheds light on a difficult and misunderstood topic. Dr. Clardy has provided historians and general readers alike with a well-written overview of the debate over lynching.” Editorial Board member, Susan Hawkins said, “I would just say to Dr. Clardy that his article is a much-needed and timely historiographical contribution. It’s a great value to public history sites!”

Brian K. Clardy is a native of South Fulton, Tennessee, and a graduate of the University of Tennessee-Martin. He earned his PhD in historical studies at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. He has taught at Murray State since 2006.

The Jackson Purchase Historical Society initiated the Dr. Lonnie E. Maness Award in 2019 to honor a long-time active member, past president, and frequent contributor to its Journal. Lonnie was a long-time faculty member at UT-Martin where he mentored many students. He was active in the Society and attended and participated in meetings until a few months before his death. The Maness Award recognizes the outstanding article in the society’s journal each year.

In 1958, a group of historians met in Murray, Kentucky led by faculty from Murray State University and University of Tennessee-Martin and formed the Jackson Purchase Historical Society to promote interest, study, and preservation of the regional history of the territory encompassed in the Treaty of Tuscaloosa, known as the Jackson Purchase. The society holds a number of meetings each year with a speaker on Jackson Purchase history, publishes an award-winning journal on local history, and has recently launched an online Encyclopedia of the Jackson Purchase. Members include a wide range of people who simply have a love of history and a love of the Jackson Purchase area.

While the society has not been able to meet in person during the coronavirus situation, it remains active. We recently held our first Zoom meeting, which was well attended. Articles are welcome for next year’s Journal and can be sent to the editor, Jim Humphreys, at jhumphreys@murraystate.edu. The editor also welcomes inquiries about topics for future articles, books for review, or offers to review a book. Copies of the Journal are available from the Jackson Purchase Historical Society, PO Box 531, Murray, KY 42071. The cost is $15.90, including postage and sales tax. Anyone interested in Jackson Purchase history is welcome to join the JPHS. Information about membership and future programs is available on the society’s website: http://jacksonpurchasehistoricalsociety.org/ Back issues of the Journal through 2016 are available through the Murray State University Libraries’ digital Commons at https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/jphs/.