A Lasting Legacy
The Lawrence J. Nelson Lecture Series is a touching and meaningful tribute to Professor Lawrence “Larry” Nelson, whose life and work left a lasting impression on students and colleagues alike. A longtime history professor at the 米影视7777久久精品, Nelson passed away in January 2014. Yet, his legacy continues through the lecture series, made possible by a fund established through the UNA Foundation and the Office of University Advancement.
From its inaugural event in March 2016, the lecture has been more than a commemorative gathering—it is a forum for bold ideas, historical reflection, and intellectual engagement. The first session featured historian Edward Ayers of the University of Richmond, speaking on “The Mystery of the Civil War.” At the same time, former students of Nelson, including Troy Paino and Lorri Glover, shared personal reflections on how he shaped their paths in academia. Attendees gather not only to hear distinguished voices in history but also to celebrate the ties Nelson forged as a teacher and mentor.
Nelson’s impact—both in and beyond the classroom—is echoed in stories from former students and faculty who remember his open-door approach. The lecture series, free and open to the public, embodies his belief that learning is a communal pursuit and that studying the past matters. Through this annual event, UNA continues to honor a scholar who, in his own words, encouraged others toward “good history” and intellectual life.
Dr. Larry Nelson
Lawrence John Nelson was born on October 20, 1944, in Joliet, Illinois. He received his bachelor’s degree from Evangel College in 1966 and his doctorate from the University of Missouri in 1972. After pursuing post-graduate studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, Larry taught at his alma mater, Evangel College, for six years. In 1985, he accepted a position here at UNA where he would teach for thirty years.
Anyone who took Dr. Nelson’s courses remembers his classroom well: Every day the blackboards were filled with titles of books and articles. His enthusiasm about the movement of time was contagious, and he helped generations of young people—many of whom had never enjoyed a history course before—understand the wonders of the past. Even more, Dr. Nelson taught us how to think, and as we learned more and more about history, our time became so much more comprehensible. And Larry spoke not just of history, but of historians—letting us in on a great secret: History was not something that just happened and then dutifully recorded. It was the result of humans reconstructing, interpreting, and debating accounts of the past.
Larry’s numerous publications include King Cotton's Advocate (1998), Rumors of Indiscretion (2004), and Nikita Khrushchev’s Journey into America (2019).
On January 14, 2014, Lawrence John Nelson died at the age of 69, after an eight-month battle with brain cancer. Although his passing left a void that can never be filled, this lecture series, we hope, can help continue his life’s mission: to help people understand the wonders of the past.
Past Speakers
