JUNE 11–13, 2010 • UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI, OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI

Hosted by the University of Mississippi, with support from the College of Liberal Arts, the Public Policy Leadership Institute, the Department of History, the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

INTRODUCTION

The Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture was founded as the Institute of Early American History and Culture in 1943 by the College of William and Mary and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation to foster “study, research, and publications bearing on American history approximately to the year 1815.” Still jointly sponsored by the College and Colonial Williamsburg, the Institute was renamed in 1996, in recognition of a generous endowment pledged by Mr. and Mrs. Malvern H. Omohundro, Jr. The Institute publishes the William and Mary Quarterly, books in its field of interest, and a e-newsletter; organizes and supports a variety of conferences, seminars, and colloquia; and annually offers a two-year NEH postdoctoral fellowship and a one-year Andrew W. Mellon postdoctoral research fellowship.

In June 1995 the Institute inaugurated a series of annual conferences specifically designed to serve as a forum for the rich variety of work under way in the early American field. Organized exclusively by calls for papers and panels and held in a different geographic region each year, these meetings are intended to bring together and facilitate exchanges among junior and senior scholars from several disciplines who share a common interest in the history and culture of early America.

Sheila Skemp (University of Mississippi) chaired the program committee for the 2010 conference. Members include Emily Clark (Tulane University), Sylvia Frey (Tulane University), Joe Hawes (University of Memphis), Peter Messer (Mississippi State University) and Jim Williams (Middle Tennessee State University).