Ardis E. Parshall
{{Short description|American historian (born 1959)}}
Ardis E. Parshall (born 1959{{Cite web |title=Women as Temple Witnesses within Living Memory: What I Know, and What I Don't Know {{!}} Keepapitchinin, the Mormon History blog |url=https://keepapitchinin.org/2017/12/16/women-as-temple-witnesses-in-living-memory-what-i-know-and-what-i-dont-know/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=keepapitchinin.org}}) is an "independent historian" who researches Latter-day Saint history.{{Cite web |title=MHA Announces New Public History Award {{!}} Mormon History Association |url=https://mormonhistoryassociation.org/mha-announces-new-public-history-award/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Awards {{!}} Mormon History Association |url=https://mormonhistoryassociation.org/awards/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Book 'stole' Mormon historian's work, but publisher offers a settlement to 'make it right' |url=https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2019/08/24/book-stole-mormon/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=The Salt Lake Tribune |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Parshall, Ardis E. {{!}} BYU Library - Special Collections |url=https://archives.lib.byu.edu/agents/people/17763 |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=archives.lib.byu.edu}} Parshall has published her research on her blog, Keepapitchinin. In addition to her research work, Parshall worked for the Salt Lake Tribune as a historical writer from 2005 to 2011. She also published a book entitled, The Corianton Saga. Parshall has co-edited books including Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia{{Cite book |title=Mormonism: a historical encyclopedia |date=2010 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-59884-107-7 |editor-last=Reeve |editor-first=W. Paul |location=Santa Barbara, Calif |editor-last2=Parshall |editor-first2=Ardis E.}} and Dime Novel Mormons.{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/974315496 |title=Dime novel Mormons: Eagle Plume, the white avenger: a tale of the Mormon Trail (1870) ; The Doomed dozen, or, Dolores, the Danite's daughter (1881); Frank Merriwell among the Mormons, or, the lost tribe of Israel (1897); The Bradys among the Mormons, or, secret work in Salt Lake City (1903) |date=2017 |publisher=Greg Kofford Books |isbn=978-1-58958-517-1 |editor-last=Austin |editor-first=Michael |series=The Mormon image in literature |location=Salt Lake City, Utah |oclc=974315496 |editor-last2=Parshall |editor-first2=Ardis E. |editor-last3=Aiken |editor-first3=Albert W. |editor-last4=Powell |editor-first4=David Franklin |editor-last5=Standish |editor-first5=Burt L. |editor-last6=Doughty |editor-first6=Francis Worcester}}
Research
According to W. Paul Reeve, Parshall conducts research that highlights individuals whose stories are largely unknown. In a Salt Lake Tribune article, Reeve expressed that "Ardis [E. Parshall] is one of the most dogged researchers working in the Mormon past" and that "[s]he recognizes...little scraps of history, and their connections to bigger contexts, and is a pro at discovering people who otherwise have been forgotten.
According to a Salt Lake Tribune article, Parshall's research has been used by others "without attribution" on "several" occasions. The Tribune article stated that this "[lack of] attribution" occurs "frequently" in the realm of religious research. Quoting media ethics analyst Kelly McBride, the Tribune article noted that "publishers want to attract [religious] audience[s] 'without the elbow grease you should do and without crediting those who did.'"
= ''Keepapitchinin'' =
Keepapitchinin is a Latter-day Saint history blog created by Parshall. Author and editor Gary James Bergera highlighted Keepapitchinin as a blog that "feature[s] some of the most provocative Mormon-related discussions taking place today."{{Cite web |last=Bergera |first=Gary James |last2= |first2= |date=September 24, 2011 |title=LDS intellectualism is no joke |url=https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=52568573&itype=CMSID |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=The Salt Lake Tribune |language=en-US}} Professor Jared Farmer{{Cite web |title=Scholarly Inquiry: Jared Farmer |url=https://juvenileinstructor.org/scholarly-inquiry-jared-farmer/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=Juvenile Instructor}} called Keepapitchinin "a box of treasures," praising Parshall's "expert historical commentary" included on Keepapitchinin.
In 2010, Parshall made a blog post entitled, "The Best Beards in Mormon History: Results Show."{{Cite web |title=The Best Beards in Mormon History: Results Show {{!}} Keepapitchinin, the Mormon History blog |url=https://keepapitchinin.org/2010/10/19/the-best-beards-in-mormon-history-results-show/ |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=keepapitchinin.org}} This post won a blogging award from the Association for Mormon Letters.{{Cite web |last=Langford |first=Jonathan |date=2011-03-31 |title=2010 AML Awards |url=https://www.associationmormonletters.org/2011/03/2010-aml-awards/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=Dawning of a Brighter Day |language=en-US}} In addition to the Association for Mormon Letters blogging award, Parshall's Keepapitchinin won several Bloggernacle awards, published on a blogging website: Wheat and Tares.{{Cite web |date=2010-09-30 |title=About |url=https://wheatandtares.org/about-2/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=Wheat & Tares |language=en}} In 2008, Keepapitchinin won a Bloggernacle award for "Best New Blog." In 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2013, Parshall's blog won a Bloggernacle award entitled, "Best Solo Blog."Parshall's Keepapitchinin also won Bloggernacle awards for the "Best Historical Post" in 2008 and the "Best Doctrinal Post" in 2010.{{Cite web |date=2014-01-27 |title=Wheaties/Tareific Results |url=https://wheatandtares.org/2014/01/27/wheatiestareific-results/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=Wheat & Tares |language=en}}
= The ''Century of Black Mormons'' project =
According to W. Paul Reeve, the Century of Black Mormons project is a "digital history project" that "recover[s]...the identities of Black Latter-day Saints" who lived between 1830 and 1930.{{Cite journal |last=Reeve |first=W. Paul |date=2019 |title=Century of Black Mormons: A Preliminary Interpretation of the Data |url=https://crdh.rrchnm.org/essays/v02-03-century-of-black-mormons/ |journal=Current Research in Digital History |language=en |volume=2 |doi=10.31835/crdh.2019.03 |issn=2637-5923|doi-access=free }} Parshall contributes to the University of Utah's Century of Black Mormons project as a "contributing scholar."{{Cite web |title=Century of Black Mormons · Credits · J. Willard Marriott Library Exhibits |url=https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/credits |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=exhibits.lib.utah.edu}} Additionally, Parshall works as a member of the project's advisory council, with Reeve also being a member of the advisory council.
Recognitions
= John Whitmer Historical Association =
In 2018, Parshall received an award from the John Whitmer Historical Association alongside Michael Austin. Together, Parshall and Austin won the Association's "Best Anthology" award for their work on Dime Novel Mormons.{{Cite web |title=Dime Novel Mormons awarded Best Anthology at JWHA |url=https://gregkofford.com/blogs/news/dime-novel-mormons-jwha?srsltid=AfmBOoourpkxkYDlzGRWg-Lw5vUEDE9VLDW_tiMnCozPFsNL32uINEfL |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=gregkofford.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=JWHA 2018 Award Winners {{!}} JWHA.info |url=https://www.jwha.info/publications/newsletter/2018-2/jwha-newsletter-no-113-oct-dec-2018/jwha-2018-award-winners/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=www.jwha.info}}
= Mormon History Association =
As noted by JSTOR, the Mormon History Association (MHA) is "an independent non-profit...organization devoted to all aspects of the scholarly study of the Mormon past."{{Cite web |title=Mormon History Association |url=https://www.jstor.org/publisher/mormonhistassoc |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=www.jstor.org}} In 2024, the MHA awarded individuals for their work related to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and Community of Christ.{{Cite web |last=Stuart |first=J |date=June 15, 2024 |title=Mormon History Association Awards 2024 |url=https://juvenileinstructor.org/mormon-history-association-awards-2024/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=Juvenile Instructor}} MHA identified Parshall as "a pioneer in Mormon Studies public history" who has made "major contributions" to Latter-day Saint public history. MHA named an award after Parshall entitled the Ardis E. Parshall Public History Award. This award is given to individuals who "rigorous[ly]" contribute to public history. The award was first distributed in 2021 to Parshall, herself, for her blog, Keepapitchinin.
= Contributions to other scholars =
Parshall's research has been used by many Latter-day Saint scholars. Among these are Steven C. Harper (referenced Parshall's research in his work entitled First Vision: Memory and Mormon Origins),{{Cite book |last=Harper |first=Steven Craig |title=First vision: memory and Mormon origins |date=2019 |publisher=Oxford university press |isbn=978-0-19-932947-2 |location=New York (N.Y.) |pages=IX, 167}} Nathan Oman (received "research notes" from Parshall when writing an academic article entitled, "The Blessing That's Anticipated Here Will Be Realized in the Next Life"),{{Cite journal |last=Oman |first=Nathan B. |date=2023-07-01 |title="The Blessing That's Anticipated Here Will Be Realized in the Next Life": The Development of Modern Latter-day Saint Marital Sealing Rules |url=https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/uip/jmh/article-abstract/49/3/103/376258/The-Blessing-That-s-Anticipated-Here-Will-Be?redirectedFrom=fulltext |journal=Journal of Mormon History |language=en |volume=49 |issue=3 |pages=103 |doi=10.5406/24736031.49.3.04 |issn=0094-7342}} W. Paul Reeve (referenced Parshall's research in his book entitled, Religion of a Different Color: Race and the Mormon Struggle for Whiteness),{{Cite book |last=Reeve |first=W. Paul |title=Religion of a different color: race and the Mormon struggle for whiteness |date=2015 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-975407-6 |location=New York |pages=ix, 299, 307, 310, 315}} and Matthew Grow (mentioned Parshall's research in his academic article entitled, "Biography in Mormon Studies").{{Cite journal |last=Grow |first=Matthew J. |date=2015 |title=Biography in Mormon Studies |journal=Journal of Mormon History |volume=41 |issue=1 |pages=193 |jstor=}}
Selected literary works
= ''The Corianton Saga'' =
In 2022, Parshall wrote The Corianton Saga, which provides insight into the life of Corianton, a man referenced in the Book of Mormon.{{Cite book |last=Parshall |first=Ardis E. |title=The Corianton Saga |date=August 28, 2022 |publisher=By Common Consent Press |isbn=978-1948218528}} Although briefly mentioned in the Book of Mormon, Parshall stated that Corianton's story was "arguably the most popular and well-known narrative from the Book of Mormon" for "earlier generations of Latter-day Saints."{{Cite book |last=Parshall |first=Ardis E. |title=The Corianton Saga |date=August 28, 2022 |publisher=By Common Consent Press |isbn=978-1948218528 |pages=VII-VIII}} In The Corianton Saga, Parshall supports this claim by exposing readers to various forms of media that highlighted Corianton's story.
= ''Dime Novel Mormons'' =
This work was co-edited by Parshall and Michael Austin in 2017. Dime Novel Mormons highlights four examples of dime novels that "represent[ed] different aspects of the Mormon image." The four novels highlighted in Dime Novel Mormons were published between the years 1870 and 1903.
= ''Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia'' =
Parshall co-edited Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia alongside W. Paul Reeve. The Encyclopedia was published in 2010. Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia includes discussions about various topics related to the LDS Church and its history. More specifically, the book highlights various "[e]ras" in Latter-day Saint history. It also discusses "[e]vents," "[p]eople," and "[i]ssues" related to its history.
References
External links
- [https://keepapitchinin.org/ Keepapitchin]
- [https://keepapitchinin.org/2010/10/19/the-best-beards-in-mormon-history-results-show/ "The Best Beards in Mormon History: Results Show"]
- [https://mormonhistoryassociation.org/awards/past-awards/ Mormon History Association's list of past award recipients]
{{Authority control}}
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Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers
Category:American Latter Day Saint writers
Category:American women historians
Category:Historians of the Latter Day Saint movement
Category:Historians of the American West
Category:Latter Day Saints from Utah
Category:Mormon studies scholars
Category:21st-century American women writers
Category:Writers from Salt Lake City