THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF HISTORY

Jay Barry is a History and Social Studies teacher at Arlington High School (MA). He has been a high school teacher for thirty-three years, primarily teaching U.S. history. In recent years Jay’s focus has been on the discipline of “applied history”. Applied history seeks to promote respect for history as a practical method to enlighten and inform students, and to serve as a problem-solving tool by providing historical context for present-day topics. With financial support from the Stanton Foundation, he has conducted research, led teacher workshops, and created numerous applied history case studies.

Vicki Buchanio Earls is a library professional, local historian, and genealogist who has served the historic Franklin Public Library in Franklin, MA for almost 40 years.  Both in her role as Reference Librarian, and as a personal passion, she is dedicated to the preservation of the library’s historic records, its Ray Memorial building, and above all the collection of books donated to the town by Benjamin Franklin.  Vicki has shared her knowledge of library history widely, through interviews on PBS as well as network television and radio. She resides in Franklin with her husband, a writer, and one very stubborn ginger cat.

Erik J. Chaput holds a doctorate in early American history from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. His 2013 book, The People's Martyr: Thomas Wilson Dorr and the 1842 Rhode Island Rebellion (University Press of Kansas) will be coming out in paperback later this year. Chaput is the co-editor with Russell DeSimone of several letter collections on the Dorr Rebellion Project (website: http://library.providence.edu/dorr). He teaches American History at the Groton School in Groton, Massachusetts and online in the School of Continuing Education at Providence College. Chaput is co-editor with Russell J. DeSimone of the Selected Writings of Thomas Wilson Dorr to be released in July 2025 by the Rhode Island Publications Society.

Darcy Daniels is a third-generation teacher who has taught every grade from 5th grade through college in three different countries and four different states. She was part of Teach for America and is a James Madison Memorial Fellow.  Darcy was 2024 History Teacher of the Year for the State of Massachusetts. She currently teaches US History at Nipmuc Regional High School in Upton, Massachusetts, where her department recently was awarded Department of Distinction for 2025 . When not in the classroom, you can find her giving tours on the Freedom Trail in Boston with Hub Town Tours.

Russell J. DeSimone is an independent scholar. He is co-author of Broadsides of the Dorr Rebellion (1992), author of The Dorr Rebellion Chronicled in Ballads and Poetry (1993), A Survey of Nineteenth Century Rhode Island Billheads (2002), Rhode Island’s Rebellion (2009), co-author of Remarkable Women of Rhode Island (2014) and author of Rhode Island Election Tickets – A Survey of Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Paper Ballots (2023). He is editor of Mister Providence College – The Selected Writings of Rev. Joseph L. Lennon, O.P. (2019) and “Fighting Bob” Quinn – Political Reformer and the People’s Advocate (2020). He has also written numerous articles on Rhode Island history. DeSimone currently is co-historian-in-residence with Erik Chaput for the Dorr Rebellion Project (website: http://library.providence.edu/dps/projects/dorr/index.html) sponsored by Providence College.

Daniel MacIsaac has been a history teacher at Nipmuc Regional High School since the 2005–2006 school year. He primarily teaches freshman World History and AP European History. Dan graduated from Providence College in 2003 with a double major in History and American Studies. He earned his teaching license through Framingham State College and later completed a Master of Education at Salem State University.  As a proud member of the Nipmuc Social Studies Department, Dan contributed to the team’s recognition as a Department of Distinction by the Massachusetts Council for the Social Studies in 2025. He is deeply committed to creating an inclusive and engaging classroom where every student has the opportunity to succeed. When he’s not in the classroom, Dan is an avid traveler and a passionate Boston sports fan—interests that nearly rival his love for teaching.

Michael J. Megelsh is a nineteenth century American historian, who graduated with his doctorate from Auburn University in 2021. His research interests include the American Civil War, Reconstruction, the American West, and Piracy in the Americas. His writing projects include military history, nautical history, and Early American history. His first book, Adelbert Ames, the Civil War, and the Making of Modern America was released in 2024 with the Kent State University Press. He currently is an assistant professor of history at Blue Mountain Christian University.

William R. Patterson has a Ph.D. in International Studies from Old Dominion University. He is a former Associate Professor at Camp Community College and Adjunct Professor at ODU. He is co-author of the book Markets and Conflict: Economics of War and Peace (2024) and author of the book Democratic Counterinsurgents: How Democracies Can Prevail in Irregular Warfare (2016) as well as dozens of journal articles and academic reference entries.

David Salzillo Jr. was born in Providence, Rhode Island in 2001 and has since then been a lifelong resident of Providence and Rhode Island, where he attended Providence public schools. He obtained a B.A. in American Studies and History from Providence College in May 2024, and is currently a 1L student at the Roger Williams University School of Law in Bristol, Rhode Island.

Arthur Scherr, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of history at the City University of New York. He has published numerous books and articles about the history of the early American republic. His latest book is The Richmond Enquirer and the Haitian Revolution: Unorthodox Journalistic Voices from the Antebellum South (Palgrave Macmillan, 2025).