Junius P. Rodriguez is a professor of history at
Eureka College
Eureka College is a private liberal arts college in Eureka, Illinois, that is related by covenant to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Enrollment in 2018 was approximately 567 students.
Eureka College was the third college in the Unite ...
in
Eureka, Illinois, who has been the general editor of multiple major reference books on the history of
slavery in the United States and the world, as well as related topics such as black history and abolitionism. His work on the
history of slavery was acclaimed as "outstanding" by other scholars and by librarians, who have recommended it as part of the core collection for every academic library and many public libraries as well.
In July 2017, Rodriguez announced his candidacy for the
U.S. House representing
Illinois's 18th congressional district in the
2018 U.S. federal midterm election, but lost to incumbent Republican
Darin LaHood.
Career
Rodriguez grew up in
Louisiana. After earning his B.A. from
Nicholls State University
Nicholls State University is a public university in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Founded in 1948, Nicholls is part of the University of Louisiana System. Originally named Francis T. Nicholls Junior College, the university is named for Francis T. Nicholl ...
(1979), he taught in the public school system of
Lafourche Parish, Louisiana
Lafourche Parish (french: Paroisse de la Fourche) is a parish located in the south of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Thibodaux. The parish was formed in 1807. It was originally the northern part of Lafourche Interior Parish, whi ...
, for nearly a decade. Rodriguez served a term as Parish Councilman in Lafourche Parish from 1979-1983.
Rodriguez earned his M.A. from
Louisiana State University (1987), and Ph.D. from
Auburn University
Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a public land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama. With more than 24,600 undergraduate students and a total enrollment of more than 30,000 with 1,330 faculty members, Auburn is the second largest uni ...
(1992).
[''Contemporary Authors'', Vol. 170, p. 359; ''Contemporary Authors New Revised Series'', Vol. 125, p.304] Rodriguez has been a professor of history at
Eureka College
Eureka College is a private liberal arts college in Eureka, Illinois, that is related by covenant to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Enrollment in 2018 was approximately 567 students.
Eureka College was the third college in the Unite ...
since 1992. John Greenfieldt and Patrice Bartell recommended his ''Encyclopedia of Slave Resistance and Rebellion'' for public library core collections.
Rodriguez consulted on the development of the documentary ''Human Bondage'', which aired as part of the
History Channel's ''
History's Mysteries'' series in 2000.
In 2002, he helped draw national attention to the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade. Journalist DeWayne Wickham described his efforts as "a perfect teachable moment for discussion and reflection" that was fitting for the event.
Rodriguez unsuccessfully challenged incumbent
Republican congressman
Darin LaHood of
Illinois's 18th congressional district in
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
, running as a
Democrat. He won 27.9% of the vote to LaHood's 72.1%. His number of votes was the second most ever earned by a Democrat in the Illinois 18th District, despite running as a vacancy appointment on a shortened campaign schedule.
Works
*''The Historical Encyclopedia of World Slavery'', two volumes (1997) – ABC-CLIO
**Review: and h
**Reviews ''Journal of Southern History'',
*''Chronology of World Slavery'' (1999) – ABC-CLIO
*''The Louisiana Purchase: A Historical and Geographical Encyclopedia'' (2002) – ABC-CLIO
*''Encyclopedia of Slave Resistance and Rebellion'', two volumes (2007) - Greenwood
**Review: ''Booklist''
**Review: ''Public library core collection''
*''Slavery in the United States: A Social, Political, and Historical Encyclopedia'', two volumes (2007) – ABC-CLIO
**Reviews: ''Library Media Connection''
*''Encyclopedia of Emancipation and Abolition in the Transatlantic World'', three volumes (2007)
**Reviews: ''Against the Grain''
[''Against the Grain'', November 2007, p. 65;]
* ''Slavery in the Modern World: A History of Political, Social, and Economic Oppression'' (ABC-CLIO, 2 vol 2011)
In 2000, ''Chronology of World Slavery'', was included in "Outstanding reference sources 2000", from the
American Library Association.
References
External links
''Encyclopedia of Emancipation and Abolition in the Transatlantic World''— official page at the
Routledge web site.
''Encyclopedia of Slave Resistance and Rebellion''— official page at the
ABC-CLIO web site.
''Chronology of World Slavery''(1999)— official page at the
ABC-CLIO web site.
''Rodriguez for Congress''- campaign web site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodriguez, Junius P.
21st-century American historians
21st-century American male writers
Auburn University alumni
Eureka College faculty
Illinois Democrats
Living people
Louisiana State University alumni
Nicholls State University alumni
Parish jurors and commissioners in Louisiana
People from Thibodaux, Louisiana
Year of birth missing (living people)
Candidates in the 2018 United States elections
Historians from Louisiana
American male non-fiction writers