On the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Papers of Martin Van Buren wants to reflect on Van Buren’s influence on the United States.
We invite paper proposals that address, either directly or indirectly, Van Buren in relation to the following themes: slavery, Indian removal, diplomacy, gender relations, political leadership, political partisanship, political culture, and democracy. Proposal abstracts should be 300-500 words and should clearly outline the ways in which Martin Van Buren will be connected to one of the symposium’s themes. The deadline for proposals is July 15, 2026. Accepted papers will be considered for an edited collection published by the University of Tennessee Press. Proposals should be submitted to vanburenpapers@cumberland.edu.
The symposium will be held Thursday, April 8, through Saturday, April 10, 2027, on the campus of Cumberland University, located thirty miles east of Nashville, Tennessee. Presenters will be provided with travel funds and an honorarium. Funding for the symposium is provided by Cumberland University and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
For more information, contact Mark Cheathem, project director, at mcheathem@cumberland.edu.
