EDITORS' PREFACE

It is with great pleasure that we present to you the 25th volume of Sonoma State’s History Journal. This year’s collection includes a wide array of topics, ranging from local Bay Area history to international matters. As a journal that is written and edited by students we are honored to have received a number of submissions, which includes not only written work but photography and historical fiction as well.

This is the first year the Journal is published completely online. A special thanks to Zoom and the combined efforts of the editors throughout the year. This volume is devoted to Stayin’ Alive, intellectually. We understand the difficulty that came with the transition to online learning, both for students and academics and we celebrate the ability to persevere in the face of uncertainty.

The ongoing global pandemic proved that transition can be difficult but not impossible. These circumstances have forced us into our homes. To the complaining of many students and faculty, courses traditionally taught in person had to be rapidly converted into online instruction. Students struggled with concentration and finding quiet places to study. Zoom became our classroom and a way to connect. Sometimes, the professor would teach to a sea of black screens with the occasional face and voice popping in and out. This, some people very much liked, as it gave an opportunity to learn in a different way. Instead, with closed eyes students could listen to the lectures, absorbed in its flow of words. Plus we could munch on snacks and show off our pets.

Although we are not out of the woods yet we look forward to the new normal ahead as more people receive the vaccine, businesses reopen, and students return to in person classes this Fall. We would like to thank the students who took the time to submit their work to the History Journal, the faculty that made this possible and to you, the reader, for taking an interest in this year’s publication. We hope you enjoy reading this journal just as much as we enjoyed putting it together.

Finally, we would like to thank Mike and Sheila McQuillen for their generosity and support of The History Journal and the History Department at Sonoma State University.

The Editors

The History Journal

May 2021