Thomas D. Clark
Encyclopedia
Thomas Dionysius Clark was perhaps Kentucky
's most notable historian
. Clark saved from destruction a large portion of Kentucky's printed history, which later become a core body of documents in the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives
. Often referred to as the "Dean of Historians" Clark is best known for his 1937 work, A History of Kentucky. Clark was named Historian Laureate
of the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1991 — one of many honors he received.
to a cotton farmer and a schoolteacher, Thomas Clark received his primary education in a neighborhood school to the third grade . After that he made it only to the seventh grade at his mother's school. He dropped out of school to work at a sawmill and as many southern boys did in those days, helped out on the family farm. At sixteen, he took a job on a dredge boat that scoured the bed of the Pearl River
. His mother urged him to get back in school.
From an interview, Clark recalls:
in September 1925. While there, he met his first mentor, historian Charles S. Sydnor, who held a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University
. Even though Clark had no classes under Sydnor, the two had "deep conversations" about the rich heritage of the old South. Sydnor encouraged Clark to follow his interests into post graduate studies in the field of History.
It was at Ole Miss that Clark discovered the significance of his birthday and understood for the first time what Bastille Day
was about. Clark "fell in love with learning" at that time, improved his use of the English language
and began to develop writing and study habits that framed the disciplines through which he was to accomplish great things later in his life.
Clark had financed his education at Ole Miss with a cotton crop on land his father had given him but before he graduated the funds had all but run out. He then found a golf course that needed tending and took the job. It turned out that budding writer, William Faulkner
, also having a hard time with finances, helped Clark tend the golf course. Clark was later quite surprised to see that Faulkner had "hit the bigtime" with his writing. He graduated with honors earning a BA in 1928.
(AHA). It was there that Clark claims to have been exposed to the profession of the historian through two major personalities he saw at the AHA meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana
(December 1928):
Upon hearing the presentations Clark recalls, " I came home thoroughly convinced I wanted to be a historian."
Receiving scholarships to both the University of Cincinnati
and to the University of Kentucky
, he chose the latter.
Clark went on to receive his Master's degree in history but when he would go further, the financial dilemma struck again. At the last minute, he was offered a fellowship at Duke.
At Duke, Clark centered his research on the American frontier, the development of Midwestern railroads, and slavery issues of the South. While there, he met Martha Elizabeth Turner who was to become his wife of 62 years and mother of his two children . He completed his doctorate in History in 1931. From there, it was back to the University of Kentucky, where he was to teach history by day and develop library resources by night.
Upon receiving news that irreplaceable historical documents were being abused and defaced in Frankfort, Dr Clark rushed to the scene from Lexington. There he found that pages of military records of Kentuckians involved in the Battle of 1812 the Mexican war and the Civil War were being used as temporary sleeping cots and pipe lighters. He appealed to the newly-elected Gov. A.B. "Happy" Chandler to have the documents moved to the Lexington campus. If not for this intervention, vast portions of Kentucky's History would have been missing from the Archives that are preserved to this day. Clark's subsequent appeals to the Legislature and the Governors let to the eventual establishment of the Kentucky Archives Commission in 1957.
Dr Thomas Clark became head of the history department in 1941 and a distinguished professor in 1950. His good natured down-to-earth style and gentle charm made him a favorite among students and fellow faculty which made it possible for him to recruit the vast amount of help needed to build and maintain the growing Kentucky archives. He labored to lead the effort toward completion and retained the workforce even after his retirement as department head in 1965 and his final retirement as professor in 1968.
Clark remained a respected and influential advisor to various government agencies throughout his tenure at the University. He was outspoken in matters of timber and natural resource conservation, fiscal responsibility, [constitutional and education reform and especially Human Rights
. He was capable and articulate in framing current policy against the lessons of history and careful to skillfully represent only primary sources whenever possible - a praxis which earned him immense respect, not only in Kentucky and the US, but around the world. His public visibility earned him a name for taking an appreciation of History to the people - not hiding in the halls of academia.
Clark fought to preserve cultural heritage for the benefit of future generations and to promote public awareness and appreciation of the same in his own day:
Clark remained an active member of the AHA
and spoke on countless occasions in many venues both academic and non-academic. He was a proponent of the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1991. He lived to see the dedication and opening of the Kentucky History Center in Frankfort in April 1999. The Center was renamed after Clark in 2005 as the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History
. Clark died on June 28, 2005 at the age of 101.
Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives has a list of Dr. Clark's works at: http://www.kdla.ky.gov/resources/KYHistorianLaureate.htm
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
's most notable historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
. Clark saved from destruction a large portion of Kentucky's printed history, which later become a core body of documents in the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives
Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives
Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives is a collection of library and information resources. KDLA's mission is to serve "Kentucky's need to know" through its services "assuring equitable access" to information and services...
. Often referred to as the "Dean of Historians" Clark is best known for his 1937 work, A History of Kentucky. Clark was named Historian Laureate
Laureate
In English, the word laureate has come to signify eminence or association with literary or military glory. It is also used for winners of the Nobel Prize.-History:...
of the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1991 — one of many honors he received.
Early years
Born in MississippiMississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
to a cotton farmer and a schoolteacher, Thomas Clark received his primary education in a neighborhood school to the third grade . After that he made it only to the seventh grade at his mother's school. He dropped out of school to work at a sawmill and as many southern boys did in those days, helped out on the family farm. At sixteen, he took a job on a dredge boat that scoured the bed of the Pearl River
Pearl River, Mississippi
Pearl River is a census-designated place in Neshoba County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,156 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pearl River is located at ....
. His mother urged him to get back in school.
From an interview, Clark recalls:
"I left the boat in September 1920. Without a job. Without a future, really. I accidentally met a boy who told me about an agricultural high school Choctaw County Agricultural High School. I went down and within 10 minutes of getting off the train I'd registered. The old superintendent didn't ask me one thing about my education. He didn't know if I could read or write. Said you look like a big stout boy. You look like you'd make a good football player. So I was admitted as a football player. I went to that school for four years [and obtained] reasonably basic preparation."
University of Mississippi
Clark had decided that farming, manual labor and river work were not going to meet his needs. At the urging of his parents, he entered the University of MississippiUniversity of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
in September 1925. While there, he met his first mentor, historian Charles S. Sydnor, who held a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
. Even though Clark had no classes under Sydnor, the two had "deep conversations" about the rich heritage of the old South. Sydnor encouraged Clark to follow his interests into post graduate studies in the field of History.
It was at Ole Miss that Clark discovered the significance of his birthday and understood for the first time what Bastille Day
Bastille Day
Bastille Day is the name given in English-speaking countries to the French National Day, which is celebrated on 14 July of each year. In France, it is formally called La Fête Nationale and commonly le quatorze juillet...
was about. Clark "fell in love with learning" at that time, improved his use of the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and began to develop writing and study habits that framed the disciplines through which he was to accomplish great things later in his life.
Clark had financed his education at Ole Miss with a cotton crop on land his father had given him but before he graduated the funds had all but run out. He then found a golf course that needed tending and took the job. It turned out that budding writer, William Faulkner
William Faulkner
William Cuthbert Faulkner was an American writer from Oxford, Mississippi. Faulkner worked in a variety of media; he wrote novels, short stories, a play, poetry, essays and screenplays during his career...
, also having a hard time with finances, helped Clark tend the golf course. Clark was later quite surprised to see that Faulkner had "hit the bigtime" with his writing. He graduated with honors earning a BA in 1928.
University of Kentucky
Clark, through his new-found interest in history had begun attending meetings of the American Historical AssociationAmerican Historical Association
The American Historical Association is the oldest and largest society of historians and professors of history in the United States. Founded in 1884, the association promotes historical studies, the teaching of history, and the preservation of and access to historical materials...
(AHA). It was there that Clark claims to have been exposed to the profession of the historian through two major personalities he saw at the AHA meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
(December 1928):
- Ulrich Phillips - with Slavery: The Central Theme of Southern History
- James Breasted - with The New Crusade,
Upon hearing the presentations Clark recalls, " I came home thoroughly convinced I wanted to be a historian."
Receiving scholarships to both the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
and to the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
, he chose the latter.
Clark went on to receive his Master's degree in history but when he would go further, the financial dilemma struck again. At the last minute, he was offered a fellowship at Duke.
Duke University
| Hamilton: You took a doctorate at Duke. I understand your initial train ride to Durham was an eventful one? |
| Clark: Yes, a historic moment. I took the old southern train from Meridian, Mississippi. Rode it up to Atlanta and Spartanburg and up to Gastonia. And there was a tremendous mob of people around the station [at Gastonia]. The train was stopped. We sat, as I recall, almost an hour. That was the strike. That was the beginning of the breaking of the old feudal system of textile labor relations. That was an historic moment in the South. And I was there. Right in the middle of it without knowing what it was all about. |
| That December the AHA met in Durham and I went. Duke used its graduate students as guides and so forth. I took E. Merton Coulter of Georgia, John Oliver of Pittsburg, and Professor Lynch of Indiana out to see the new campus rising out of the ground and they became lifelong friends of mine. I heard James Harvey Robinson deliver his presidential address ["The Newer Ways of Historians," American Historical Association 35 (January 1930)]. I came up close to the Association . . . [for] the second time, which had an impact on me. |
At Duke, Clark centered his research on the American frontier, the development of Midwestern railroads, and slavery issues of the South. While there, he met Martha Elizabeth Turner who was to become his wife of 62 years and mother of his two children . He completed his doctorate in History in 1931. From there, it was back to the University of Kentucky, where he was to teach history by day and develop library resources by night.
Professorship at UK
Clark became a professor at the University of Kentucky in 1931. With few resources at his disposal, he almost single-handedly built Kentucky's history department into a major doctoral program in southern history. At one point its star-studded faculty included Albert D. Kirwan, Clement Eaton, James F. Hopkins, Holman Hamilton, Steven A. Channing, and Charles P. Roland. Clark began a 70-year-long enterprise at cataloging, organizing, rescuing, and preserving Kentucky's history. He established at UK a culture of respect for the heritage and documentation of the past. He re-organized the History department, bringing revolutionary innovations to the way the subject was researched and taught. His comprehensive methods were inclusive and exhaustive in scope and detail yet presented to his students in a logical and eloquent manner.Upon receiving news that irreplaceable historical documents were being abused and defaced in Frankfort, Dr Clark rushed to the scene from Lexington. There he found that pages of military records of Kentuckians involved in the Battle of 1812 the Mexican war and the Civil War were being used as temporary sleeping cots and pipe lighters. He appealed to the newly-elected Gov. A.B. "Happy" Chandler to have the documents moved to the Lexington campus. If not for this intervention, vast portions of Kentucky's History would have been missing from the Archives that are preserved to this day. Clark's subsequent appeals to the Legislature and the Governors let to the eventual establishment of the Kentucky Archives Commission in 1957.
Dr Thomas Clark became head of the history department in 1941 and a distinguished professor in 1950. His good natured down-to-earth style and gentle charm made him a favorite among students and fellow faculty which made it possible for him to recruit the vast amount of help needed to build and maintain the growing Kentucky archives. He labored to lead the effort toward completion and retained the workforce even after his retirement as department head in 1965 and his final retirement as professor in 1968.
Clark remained a respected and influential advisor to various government agencies throughout his tenure at the University. He was outspoken in matters of timber and natural resource conservation, fiscal responsibility, [constitutional and education reform and especially Human Rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. He was capable and articulate in framing current policy against the lessons of history and careful to skillfully represent only primary sources whenever possible - a praxis which earned him immense respect, not only in Kentucky and the US, but around the world. His public visibility earned him a name for taking an appreciation of History to the people - not hiding in the halls of academia.
Clark fought to preserve cultural heritage for the benefit of future generations and to promote public awareness and appreciation of the same in his own day:
Clark remained an active member of the AHA
American Historical Association
The American Historical Association is the oldest and largest society of historians and professors of history in the United States. Founded in 1884, the association promotes historical studies, the teaching of history, and the preservation of and access to historical materials...
and spoke on countless occasions in many venues both academic and non-academic. He was a proponent of the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1991. He lived to see the dedication and opening of the Kentucky History Center in Frankfort in April 1999. The Center was renamed after Clark in 2005 as the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History
Kentucky Historical Society
The Kentucky Historical Society , established in 1836, is committed to helping people understand, cherish and share Kentucky's history. The KHS history campus, located in historic downtown Frankfort, Kentucky, includes the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, the Old State Capitol and the...
. Clark died on June 28, 2005 at the age of 101.
Timeline
- 1903 - Born in Mississippi on July 14, 1903
- 1919 - 1920 worked a 'dead end' job on a dredge boat
- 1920 - 1924 attended Choctaw County Agricultural High School
- 1925 - 1928 University of Mississippi
- 1928 - 1929 Graduate work at University of Kentucky
- 1929 - 1931 Fellowship at Duke before it was Duke UniversityDuke UniversityDuke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
- 1931 - 2001 70-year tenure at the University of KentuckyUniversity of KentuckyThe University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
- 1933 - first book published - The Beginning of the L&N (railroad) - married Martha Turner
- 1935 - rescues precious historical documents from destruction at Frankfort
- 1937 - published most famous work, A History of Kentucky
- 1957 - becomes first chair of the new Kentucky Archives Commission
- 1982 - pushes through Department for Libraries and Archives
- 1986 - helps establish Friends of Kentucky Public Archives, Inc.
- 1990 - Kentucky General AssemblyKentucky General AssemblyThe Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
names Clark - Kentucky's Historian Laureate for life - 1992 - The Kentucky Encyclopedia published in which Clark was a "driving force"
- 1994 - Mississippi Historical Society's - B.L.C. Wailes Award
- 1999 - Kentucky History Center dedicated in April - Frankfort, KentuckyFrankfort, KentuckyFrankfort is a city in Kentucky that serves as the state capital and the county seat of Franklin County. The population was 27,741 at the 2000 census; by population it is the 5th smallest state capital in the United States...
- 2001 - Vic Hellard Jr. Award - November 14 - Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center
- 2005 - on June 28 Dr. Clark dies at the age of 101.
Authored
- Beginning of the L&N, From New Orleans to Cairo, the Illinois Central (1933)
- A Pioneer Southern Railroad from New Orleans to Cairo, (University of North Carolina PressUniversity of North Carolina PressThe University of North Carolina Press , founded in 1922, is a university press that is part of the University of North Carolina....
, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1936) - A History of Kentucky (Prentice HallPrentice HallPrentice Hall is a major educational publisher. It is an imprint of Pearson Education, Inc., based in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, USA. Prentice Hall publishes print and digital content for the 6-12 and higher-education market. Prentice Hall distributes its technical titles through the Safari...
, New York, 1937) - The Rampaging Frontier: Manners and Humors of Pioneer Days in the South and Middle West (Bobbs-Merrill, Indianapolis, Indiana,, 1939)
- The Kentucky (Rivers of America SeriesRivers of America SeriesThe Rivers of America Series is a landmark series of books on American rivers, for the most part written by literary figures rather than historians. The series spanned three publishers and thirty-seven years.- History :...
) (Farrar & RinehartFarrar & RinehartFarrar & Rinehart was a United States book publishing company founded in New York. Farrar & Rinehart enjoyed success with both nonfiction and novels, notably, the landmark Rivers of America Series and the first ten books in the Nero Wolfe corpus of Rex Stout...
, New York, 1942) - Simon Kenton, Kentucky Scout (Farrar & Rinehart, New York, 1943)
- Pills, Petticoats, and Plows: The Southern Country Store (Bobbs-Merrill, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1944)
- Southern Country Editor (Bobbs-Merrill, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1948)
- The Rural Press and the New South (Baton Rouge, 1948)
- The Emerging South (with A. D. KirwanA. D. KirwanAlbert Dennis Kirwan was the seventh President of the University of Kentucky. He also was the head football coach at the University from 1938-1944....
) (Oxford University PressOxford University PressOxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, New York, 1961) - The South Since Appomattox (Oxford University Press, New York 1967)
- Kentucky, Land of Contrast (Harper & Row, New York, 1968)
- Three American Frontiers. Writings of Thomas D. Clark, (University of Kentucky Press, Lexington, 1968)
- Pleasant Hill and Its Shakers, (Shakertown Press, Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, 1968)
- Agrarian Kentucky
- Exploring Kentucky
- History of Indiana University (4 volumes) (Indiana University PressIndiana University PressIndiana University Press, also known as IU Press, is an academic publisher at Indiana University that specializes in the humanities and social sciences. It was founded in 1950. Its headquarters are located in Bloomington, Indiana....
, Bloomington, IN, 1970) - Pleasant Hill in the Civil War (Pleasant Hill Press, 1972)
- South Carolina, The Grand Tour, 1780-1865 (University of South Carolina PressUniversity of South Carolina PressThe University of South Carolina Press , founded in 1944, is a university press that is part of the University of South Carolina.-External links:*...
, Columbia, S.C., 1973) - A Century of Banking History in the Bluegrass: The Second National Bank and Trust Company (John Bradford Press Lexington, Kentucky, 1983)
- Frontiers in Conflict: The Old West, 1795-1830 (University of New Mexico PressUniversity of New Mexico PressThe University of New Mexico Press, founded in 1929, is a university press that is part of the University of New Mexico. Its administrative offices are in the Office of Research , on the campus of UNM in Albuquerque....
, Albuquerque, 1989) - Footloose in Jacksonian America: Robert W. Scott and His Agrarian World, (The Kentucky Historical Society, Frankfort, Kentucky, 1989)
- Clark County, Kentucky, A History, (Winchester Clark County Heritage Commission, 1995)
- The People's House: Governor's Mansions of Kentucky, (with Margaret A Lane) (University of Kentucky Press, Lexington, 2002)
Edited
- Bluegrass Cavalcade (University of Kentucky Press, Lexington, 1956)
- Travels in the Old South (University of Oklahoma PressUniversity of Oklahoma PressThe University of Oklahoma Press is the publishing arm of the University of Oklahoma. It has been in operation for over seventy-five years, and was the first university press established in the American Southwest. It was founded by William Bennett Bizzell, the fifth president of the University of...
, Norman, Okla., 1956) - Travels in the New South (University of Oklahoma Press,Norman, Okla., 1962)
- Gold Rush Diary: The Diary of E. Douglas Perkins (University of Kentucky Press, Lexington, 1967)
- Off at Sunrise, The Diary of Charles Glass Gray (Huntington Library, San Marino California, 1976)
- The Voice of the Frontier - John Bradford's Notes on Kentucky, (University of Kentucky Press, Lexington, 1993)
Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives has a list of Dr. Clark's works at: http://www.kdla.ky.gov/resources/KYHistorianLaureate.htm
External links
- An Interview with Thomas D. Clark
- Kentucky's Historian Laureate: Thomas D. Clark
- In Conversation with Historian Thomas D. Clark
- 2001 Hellard Award Presented
- THOMAS D. CLARK 1903-2005 By Andy Mead {Lexington Herald-Leader}
- Thomas D. Clark, 'historical conscience,' dies - AP Article Cincinnati Enquirer
- Thomas D. Clark - Distinguished Professor Emeritus - Department of History, Indiana University, Bloomington
- University of Kentucky Alumni Association
- Current coverage of Thomas D. Clark on KET
- The Guide to the Thomas D. Clark collection housed at the University of Kentucky Archives.