history studentsA new video tells an old story, tracing the UWindsor history department from its founding to the present.

Video relates history of history department

A university department is a creative community, says history professor Steven Palmer. He tried to capture some of what makes his departmental special in a short film produced with the help of students in a new course piloted in the winter semester, “Making Historical Documentaries.”

The 13-minute video, entitled The Department - A Brief History of History at UWindsor, documents the unit from its founding in the 1960s to the present day. Featuring interviews, archival footage, and the music of history alumnus Ron Leary (BA 2004), the profile ends with a focus on the wide-ranging, community-engaged, and multimedia work currently done by faculty and a growing complement of students.

“I’ve always been impressed by the work of my colleagues and by the quality of our students, and this film gives you an inside, intimate look at both,” says Dr. Palmer.

“The film was put together on the fly over a period of only a few days in late March, and it was great to see just how much was going on in the department — community-based conferences with faculty and students participating, research making the headlines, and student events, along with all the other teaching and learning we do.”

Watch the film now: