Explore the past, and through it, shape the future.
Past is Prologue
At Purchase, history isn’t just about knowing what has happened; it’s about understanding it. It’s about figuring out how society works and where we fit into it. If you’re looking to untangle the complexities of the world, a major in history might just be for you.
Gain Valuable Skills
Far more than the mere memorization of dates and events, history is a living world waiting for us to set it free. Its study presents the opportunity to discover new stuff, generate original insights, revise the conventional view, and influence the world in which we live.
Whether you become a professional historian or not, majoring in history will give you the knowledge, analytical skills, and perspective you need to make the most of your journey into the future.
Proof of Purchase
-
Special Effects + Pyrotechnician -
Senior Staff Writer
-
Policy Strategist -
Journalist
-
Historian, Author, Content Manager
News:
-
Assistant Professor of History Jessica Levy Receives NEH Grant
The competitive National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipends support humanities scholars in undertaking archival research for books and articles.
-
Elizabeth Hyman ’11 Signs Deal With Harper Perennial
The Girl Bandits of the Warsaw Ghetto: A Female Military History of the Warsaw Ghetto and its Uprising, a narrative history, will be published in 2025.
Upcoming:
-
Feb
3
“Never Alone” Film Screening
Time: 7:00pmNEVER ALONE tells the gripping story of Jewish refugees seeking safety in Finland during WWII. As Nazi influence grows, the Finnish-Jewish businessman Abraham Stiller (Ville Virtanen, Netflix’s Bordertown) risks everything to protect the refugee community. This powerful film showcases courage, resilience, and the fight for hope amidst overwhelming adversity.
-
Mar
5
A Credit to the Nation: European Jewish Immigrant Bankers and American Finance – A Talk with Prof. Rebecca Kobrin
Time: 7:00pmWhat happens when we place commerce at the center of American Jewish immigration history?
Between 1870 and 1930, thousands of East European Jewish immigrant bankers transformed both Jewish migration and American finance. In this talk, Prof. Rebecca Kobrin explores how these entrepreneurs financed migration, extended credit when mainstream banks would not, and left a lasting mark on New York City’s economic landscape. Drawing on court cases, memoirs, and immigrant press, her work reveals the overlooked power of immigrant banking in shaping transatlantic Jewish life.
