Webb Lecture Series

One of the twentieth century’s most prominent and influential historians, Webb wrote or edited more than twenty books during his long and distinguished career. Although his roots were in Texas, his inquiry encompassed time and space from the Rio Grande to the Great Plains and the Great Frontier. His first book, The Great Plains (1931), was hailed by the Social Science Research Council as the outstanding contribution to American history since the end of World War I. Later, as President of the Texas State Historical Association from 1939 to 1946 he launched a project to preserve the state's history and create “the most useful book that has ever been published in Texas.” His efforts led to the 1952 publication of the Handbook of Texas - a comprehensive encyclopedia of the state's geography, history, and prominent citizens. Today, Webb’s vision lives on as a digital encyclopedia covering the entire history of Texas from the indigenous Native Americans and the Prehistoric Era to the state’s diverse population and the Modern Age.

Each Spring, the Department of History and Geography honors Webb's legacy with the “Walter Prescott Webb Memorial Lecture Series.” The event brings distinguished scholars to the UTA campus to address subjects of historical and contemporary significance. Following the conclusion of the series, guest speakers are invited to revise and polish their lectures for inclusion in an edited collection published by Texas A&M University Press.

Recent Webb Lectures have examined a wide range of topics including travel and travel writing in the modern era; the Medieval Mediterranean world; new historical approaches to the Texas Revolution; transnational perspectives on the Soviet Bloc; and deportation in the Americas.

Upcoming Lectures

• The 58th Annual Webb Lecture Series, focused on the Histories of Health, Medicine, and Science in the Global Longue Durée, takes place on Teams and at the UTA University Center, Red River on April 3rd and 4th.