Dr. Gene A. Sessions was our guest speaker at the May 2008 dinner meeting. Gene is the Chair of the Department of History at Weber State University, where he has taught since 1976. He received his BA degree from Utah State University and his MA and PhD degrees from Florida State University. At Weber State, Dr. Sessions is one of eight faculty who currently hold the rank of Presidential Distinguished Professor.
After making a few self deprecating remarks about his facial hair, Gene discussed the voyages that Christopher Columbus made to the Americas and their global impacts. In the so-called Columbian exchange, America and Europe were transformed in a variety of ways. For example, in 1493 Columbus brought to Europe potatoes and tomatoes, two crops that were not found in that part of the world. He also brought tobacco, which Gene referred to as the “Indians’ revenge” to the Europeans who brought diseases such as measles, chicken pox and malaria to America.
Dr. Sessions exclaimed that there was little or no celebration in 1992 of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus because many people regard this event in history as the “American holocaust,” a period in which the native Americans and their pristine environment were ravaged and exploited by the Europeans. He explained that peoples have moved around the globe since the beginning and that these movements always create tragedies. However, we should not be apologetic nor should we hold negative attitudes about key historical movements of peoples, including the movement of our Pilgrim ancestors from England to Cape Cod. Gene exclaimed that the Mayflower Compact was the model for what happened in Philadelphia in 1789, the adoption of the Constitution of the United States.
Gene, thank you for a marvelous presentation.