Back to the Past with Doc Butler

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About Doc Butler

Dare to Know!

Steven R. Butler
Associate (Adjunct) Professor of History
Ph.D. University of Texas at Arlington, 2006
M.A. University of Texas at Arlington, 1999
B.A. Rhode Island College, Providence, R.I., 1976
A.A. Rhode Island Junior College, Warwick, R. I. 1974
Attended Richland College, Dallas, Texas 1972-1973

Office(s):

A-110 (Richland College)
K-239 (Collin College, Spring Creek)

Phone(s):

972-238-6140 (Richland College)
972-881-5759 (Collin College, Spring Creek)

E-mail:

sbutler@dcccd.edu
(Richland College)
srbutler@collin.edu
(Collin College, Spring Creek Campus)

Office Hours:

By Appointment

Areas of Interest in History:

U.S. History, Anglo-American history (in particular, the relationship and connections between Britain and the United States), U.S.-Mexican War (1846-1848), local, state, and regional history (Texas, particularly Dallas and Collin Counties)

On October 16, 2009, I appeared on the "Art & Seek" portion of KERA-TV's THINK program. Here's a link to the segment: http://www.kera.org/artandseek/content/2009/10/16/artseek-on-think-tv-fair-park-public-art-quirks/

Doc Butler in London, 2011
Dr. Butler in London, 2011

You're Invited to view my Special Personal Photo Collections

Teaching Style

I teach a "warts-and-all" view of American history, with a particular emphasis on political and social struggles and issues that have engaged and in some cases, continue to engage, thoughtful and concerned American citizens.

Whenever it is relevant, I try to show my students how local history connects with larger national events.

Biography:

I received both my M.A. in History (1999) and my Ph.D. in Transatlantic History (2006) from The University of Texas at Arlington.  I am also a graduate of Rhode Island College, where I was awarded a B.A. in 1976, and Rhode Island Junior College, from which I earned an Associate degree in 1974. A native of Dallas, Texas, I began my undergraduate work in 1972 as a "charter student" at Richland College, one of the two schools where I teach today.

I am a veteran of the Cold War. Between 1968 and 1971 I served in the United States Navy, on land and also at sea aboard the aircraft carriers U.S.S. Yorktown (CVS-10) and U.S.S. Intrepid (CVS-11). As a Third Class Petty Officer, I participated in several NATO antisubmarine warfare exercises in the North Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Baltic Sea, and Arctic Ocean. The purpose of these exercises were to prevent a surprise nuclear attack upon the United States and its allies by the Soviet Union.

I have an interest not only in U.S. history but also the history of Great Britain, where I resided (in London) from 1977 to 1982. The United Kingdom is also a country to which I still have close personal ties and to which I travel from time-to-time, most recently in May and June 2011.

I am married and have two adult sons and one grandson.

Hobbies and Interests: Travel, Photography, Family History (Genealogy), Collecting "Pieces of the Past". In keeping with these interests, I also maintain several other websites, which you are invited to visit.

I have written for, or been associated in some way, with these publications and TV productions:

American Past and Present Special Texas Edition 2008 American Past and Present Special Texas Edition 2008 Marshall Cavendish's The Old West
Marshall Cavendish--The Old West

"The U.S.-Mexican War"
by PBS/KERA-TV, Dallas

"A Fair to Remember"
a documentary film about
the State Fair of Texas
by Media Projects, Inc.

When Art Worked:
The New Deal, Art, and Democracy

by Roger G. Kennedy, former director
of the National Park Service and director emeritus
of the National Museum of American History.
(I contributed five photographs to this book.)

Read my article Honoring the Past: Confederate Monuments in Dallas

Read my article Dallas Volunteers in the Mexican War

Read my article Pioneer Personified: The Life and Times of Capt. Preston Witt

Read my article From Water Supply to Urban Oasis, Part One

Read my article From Water Supply to Urban Oasis, Part Two

Read my article Reichenstein and Manley
Read my article
Read my article George Clifton Edwards and the Progressive Impulse in Dallas

Read my article Dad Garrett: The Wizard of Dallas, Texas

Read my article A Tale of Two Artists
(Not yet online.)
Includes 5 of my own photographs.

Read my article The Army of Occupation at Corpus Christi

Listen to WRR online

This issue includes my article comparing the presidential elections of 1972 and 2008.

I also served as Historical Advisor to:

White Rock Lake Museum
Visit White Rock Lake Museum online

This website copyright © 2006-2012 (except where noted) by Steven Butler, Ph.D. All rights reserved.