By JORDAN EVANS
Staff Reporter
The Northwestern Institute for Citizenship Studies played host to the seventh annual Presidential Lecture Series on Tuesday.
Dr. Michael Cohen, associate research professor of history at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, discussed the life and career of “America’s most important unknown president,” James K. Polk.
Cohen received his undergraduate degree in history and mathematics from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota and earned his master’s and Ph. D from Harvard University.
He also has his post-doctorate from Rutgers University. Carlton has been working on the correspondence of James K. Polk, which has been published in 13 volumes.
Cohen began the conversation by discussing the Polk Project.
The James K. Polk Project is an organization that makes documents more accessible to those who are studying history. These documents are compiled and converted to a digital format.
Cohen has compiled and transcribed Polk’s personal correspondence and compiled them into a series of print and digital books.
Cohen went on to talk about Polk’s personal life. Polk was born in 1795 in North Carolina, near Charlotte. His parents were successful farmers and decided to travel west to Tennessee when Polk was ten.
When Polk was 20, he enrolled in the University of North Carolina and then went on to study law in Nashville. He used his law platform to become elected as Clerk of the State Legislature, Representative in the U.S. Congress and then Tennessee Governor. In 1845 he won the presidency of the U.S.
The discussion continued in observing Polk’s accomplishments as president through acts like his land accusations from Mexico.
Cohen also talked about Polk’s religious beliefs and his personal philosophies on slavery.
The evening concluded with the audience asking Cohen questions over Polk’s career and personal accomplishments.
For more information on the Presidential Lecture Series, you can contact Dr. Eric Schmaltz or Dr. Aaron Mason with the Northwestern Institute for Citizenship Studies.