C-SPAN takes a look at Birzer’s class

Professor of History Brad Birzer will be on camera for the first time since he was 5 years old this coming October. The news organization C-SPAN visited campus this Wednesday to record Birzer's history class on Jacksonian America as part of an upcoming series on the history of America. The series, which is currently unnamed, will have all the dressings of a history class, as taught by the best history professors across the country.

"It looks like a pretty neat program," Birzer said. "They seemed to know the class I was teaching."

Birzer said the planned episode, which will cover early 19th century Republicans known as "Tertium quids" — a Latin name denoting a third party — fell perfectly into his class schedule. And, according to the program's director and former Assistant Professor of History at Texas A&M University, Luke Nichter, Birzer has insight into this political group that no one else does.

"I thought it was a joke at first," Birzer said. "But it looks like a pretty neat program."

Nichter said the program will cover American history from its early colonial years right up to Sept. 11, 2001. The program will have at least 25 different professors from various universities and colleges who will cover separate topics throughout American history. Nichter said he hopes the program emulates a semester in a beginning history class.

"It's like I'm putting a whole class together and rounding up at least 25 professors," Nichter said. "When you think about the role of education in the country and its responsibility...we want a very broad and diverse background."

Students of Birzer's class seem to be excited. Junior Anne Morath said the class, as of right now, focuses on the age of Jackson and the personality that shaped the era around the war of 1812.

"I think it's fantastic," Morath said of the C-SPAN coverage. "I know a lot of people in the class who are excited about it. Dr. Birzer is such a fantastic professor that getting him into the public media is exciting because it's a way in which people can see Hillsdale professors."

Nichter said the program will first air Oct. 22 and will show on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays at 8 a.m., 8 p.m. and midnight EST. Distinguished Visiting Fellow in History Victor Davis Hanson will also be filmed Sept. 22 on great American military leaders.