Historian from South Fayette to talk about concept of freedom

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South Fayette resident Maroon A. David will give a presentation Feb. 28 on how the ever-evolving concept of freedom has played an integral part in United States history and how it helps us understand the cultural issues that have shaped the nation.

The event featuring David, a Carnegie Mellon University doctoral candidate, will be held at the South Fayette Township Library.

Although he now specializes in 19th century U.S. history and land policy as a historian, his love of history began at a late age and took a circuitous route.

David was working as a regional entertainment manager when a card from the Community College of Allegheny County arrived in the mail. The school was alerting him that he needed just two more classes to graduate with an associate's degree in theater — he'd been taking theater classes as a sideline interest.

He took those two classes, one of which was a world history course taught by an instructor who made his students think about history as a “living thing.” David was hooked on history and made a complete career change.

He transferred to California University of Pennsylvania, where he completed his undergraduate degree and realized that teaching and studying history would be his new life's work. He won the Dr. Edna B. Mc­Kenzie Prize for Academic Excellence in History.

He worked as a curatorial intern at Heinz History Center and Old Economy Village and as an archival intern with the Carnegie Library Special Collections. He won competitive graduate student grants as well as a Van Horne Fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University. He also was the recipient of the 2011 Littleton-Griswold Research Grant for Research in U.S. Legal History.

Based on his knowledge of historical canceled land claims, he has spoken on the topic at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and at the Journal of Policy History Conference in Richmond, Va.

His presentation at the South Fayette Township Library, 515 Millers Run Road, begins at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public. For more information, call 412-257-8660.

Charlotte Smith is a Tribune-Review contributing writer. Reach her at 724-693-9441 or charlotte59@comcast.net.

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