Stephen F. Austin the Subject of Austin College Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Lecture
SHERMAN, TEXAS — Austin College welcomed Dr. Andrew Torget, University Distinguished Teaching Professor for the Department of History at University of North Texas, as he presented his lecture titled “Who was the REAL Stephen F. Austin?”. The presentation, sponsored by the Austin College Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) program, took place February 21, 2024, in Wright Campus Center’s Mabee Hall.
Dr. Light Cummins, Austin College Professor Emeritus of History and former Texas State Historian, introduced Torget saying, “He is, without a doubt, one of the most respected, admired, and acclaimed historians in Texas today. And, who better to speak about the person for whom this college is named, than Dr. Andrew Torget. He is the leading historical authority regarding the anglo-American settlement of Texas.”
“Who was Stephen F. Austin? What do we need to know about him to understand all these momentous changes that he brought about?” Torget asked. He continued, saying that Austin is often called the Father of Texas and the Empresario of Texas. “That was how history was handled then, what we call the ‘great man’ idea of history where someone marches in and makes all these decisions—and without them, nothing would have happened. That’s how Austin has been understood for most of history,” he said. “Austin is important, and I don’t want to downplay his role. But, I want to argue that we need to understand Austin as somebody who was part of a world that shaped his choices. He is a human being. We want to understand him as flesh and blood, like you and I, with strengths and weaknesses, pros and cons, good and bad. Austin was fundamental in shaping things—yes, but he was also shaped by the world he was living in.”
Torget is a historian of nineteenth-century North America, with special interest in the expansion of the American South into the West, and developing new digital methods for research, scholarship, and teaching. He is the author of several published works, including Seeds of Empire: Cotton, Slavery, and the Transformation of the Texas Borderlands, 1800-1850, for which the Western History Association awarded him the David J. Weber-Clements Center Prize for Best Non-Fiction Book on Southwestern America. His digital scholarship lab developed the Digital Austin Papers, a project the website states, “seeks to recreate the turbulent world of the Texas borderlands during the 1820s and 1830s, as seen through the correspondence of Stephen F. Austin.”
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 44 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.