Junius P. Rodriguez is a professor of history at Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois, who has been the general editor of multiple major reference books on the history of

slavery in the United States The legal institution of human chattel slavery, comprising the enslavement primarily of List of ethnic groups of Africa, Africans and African Americans, was prevalent in the United States of America from its founding in 1776 until 1865 ...

and the world, as well as related topics such as black history and abolitionism. His work on the

history of slavery The history of slavery spans many cultures, nationalities, and Slavery and religion, religions from ancient times to the present day. Likewise, its victims have come from many different ethnicities and religious groups. The social, economic, a ...

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 Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

. 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. Nichol ...

(1979), he taught in the public school system of Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, 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 Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...

(1987), and Ph.D. from

Auburn University Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 26,800 undergraduate students, over 6,100 post-graduate students, and a tota ...

(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 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 History (formerly and commonly known as the History Channel) is an American pay television television broadcaster, network and the flagship channel of A&E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst Communications and the Disney General Entertainme ...

'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 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...

, 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 The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world. History 19th century ...

References

External links

''Encyclopedia of Emancipation and Abolition in the Transatlantic World''
— official page at the

Routledge Routledge ( ) is a British multinational corporation, multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, academic journals, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanit ...

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. * - 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 House of Representatives elections Historians from Louisiana American male non-fiction writers