Staples, Thomas S.

Item

Connection to Legacies of American Slavery Database
Contributor to the Lost Cause
Name
Staples, Thomas S.
One-line bio
Dean and Professor of History at Hendrix College, Thomas S. Staples, worked as a prominent historian of Reconstruction, publishing his book, "Reconstruction in Arkansas, 1862-1874," in 1923.
Biography
Thomas S. Staples was a professor of history at Hendrix College from 1908 to 1949. He also served served as Dean of Students from 1928 until his retirement in 1949. Staples studied at Columbia University and was a member of the Dunning School of Reconstruction history. His book, "Reconstruction in Arkansas, 1862-1874" (1923) applied the Dunning School's approach to Arkansas. Originally a teacher at the Hendrix Academy, Staples also coached the college's baseball and football teams and served as Vice Director of Athletics. Staples taught a range of courses, including Ancient History, Medieval and Modern Europe, French Revolution, and notably, the History and Government of Arkansas. He was also known as a “legend” to students and renowned for his intimidation tactics, so much so that campus publications circulated cartoons about him. Upon his retirement, the T.S. Staples History and Political Science Prize for senior majors was created in his honor. The prize was awarded from 1950 to 2015 before the History Department discontinued it. Staples Auditorium, a building built in 1951 and named for Staples when he died in 1958, also recognizes his contributions to Hendrix College.
Date of Birth
1879
Date of Death
1957
Historical Period
1890-1945: Era of the Lost Cause, Jim Crow legal segregation and discrimination, and organized anti-Black racism
Related Organization(s)
Southern Historical Association
Arkansas State Board of Education
Employed By
Hendrix College; Conway, Arkansas
Learn More About this Subject
Thomas S. Staples, Reconstruction in Arkansas, 1862-1874 (New York: Longmans, Greens & Co. for Columbia University, 1923)

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