Prof. Ngo Vinh Long

Photograph taken by Long’s youngest son, Nhan.
 
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of UMaine History Professor Ngo Vinh Long who died after a brief illness on 12 October 2022.
 
Long was born and grew up in Vietnam and in 1964 won a scholarship to study at Harvard University where he completed his Ph.D dissertation on modern Vietnamese history.  While pursuing his graduate studies, Long joined the Anti-Vietnam War movement and played a leading role in the protests against that war. He spoke at many rallies, appearing along major figures including Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, and Jane Fonda. 
 
Long was an internationally reputable expert of Vietnamese history and Asian contemporary politics.  In 1968, while still a graduate student he published his first book, Before the Revolution: The Vietnamese Peasants Under the French (M.I.T. Press, 1968; Re-issued by Columbia Press in 1991.)  He appeared in many international forums and authored numerous books and articles in English and Vietnamese.  He returned regularly to Vietnam to research and conduct interviews, to teach at the University of Hanoi, and to organize workshops, focusing on questions of current economic development and government policies.
 
In 1985, Long joined the University of Maine where he taught a variety of courses on East Asian and Southern Asian history. He is best remembered for his popular course on the US War in Vietnam.  He also taught graduate seminars and mentored several graduate students. Long regularly shared his expertise with the University community, delivering many lectures on contemporary East Asian politics on the campus of the University of Maine and in Bangor.
 
Long was a dedicated member of the University Maine History Department, devoted to his students and his family.  He was a gifted photographer, poet, guitarist, cook, and had a great sense of humor – always ready to deliver a pun!
We will miss him very much.
 
Alex Grab, Professor Emeritus
 

History Department

The History Department at the University of Maine offers both undergraduate and graduate programs leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy.

We offer a wide variety of chronological, geographical, and thematic courses that enhance individuals’ understanding of themselves and the contemporary world by expanding their experiences to include the experiences of other peoples, both past and present. These courses range from ancient times to the present, cover most geographical regions of the world, and allow topical specialties ranging from women’s and environmental history to military and labor history. History graduates find employment in a wide range of occupations. Traditionally, they have gone into teaching and education careers in primary and secondary schools and, with appropriate graduate-level training, colleges and universities. More recently, increasing numbers of history graduates are finding their way into private and public non-profit organizations and agencies, such as museums, archives and libraries, research and service institutions, legislative bodies, and planning agencies. Others find career opportunities in the private sector, including publishing, journalism and broadcasting, and law firms; in fact, history is an ideal pre-law major.

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Please click below to see what our faculty and students are doing.

Fall 2022 History Department Poster Event

Statement Regarding the Protests Against Racism and Police Violence

History Annual Newsletter

History is Not a Useless Major by Paul B. Sturtevant

Congratulations to the 2022 Phi Alpha Theta Inductees!

Emme Aylesworth, James Bilella, Aurora Burmeister, Delaney Colson, Laura Curioli, Nolan Merz, Tom Pinette, Sean Staton, Laird Stratton, Elizabeth Tibbetts, Andrew Reddy

Department of History 2022 Awards and Scholarships

Undergraduate Awards:

The Ronald F. Banks Scholarship

Tom Pinette

The John J. Nolde Memorial Prize

Chris Duplisea, Sean Staton

The Caroline Colvin Scholarship

Delaney Colson, Hannah Whitley

The Roger B. Hill Scholarship

Chapman Hall, Lauren Potter

The Laurence Evans and Elizabeth Taylor Evans Award

Sadie Richardson

Charles J. Dunn Scholarship

Townsend Larmore

Hildegarde B. Perkins Fund

Laura Curioli

Outstanding Senior Theses

Sadie Richardson

Margaret Campbell

The Black Bear Undergraduate History Journal Essay Award

Tom Pinette

Graduate Awards:

The Ipsen-Weiner Memorial Scholarship

Dylan O’Hara

Canadian-American Center Fellowship

Maggie Kontra-Emmens

New England-Atlantic Provinces-Quebec Fellowship

Darcy Stevens

Bowen Scholarship in Canadian History

Joseph Wrobleski

Trustee Tuition Scholarship

Hannah Schmidt

Frances Robinson Mitchell Schlolarship

Darcy Stevens

Photos from Award Ceremony: