People A-Z
James O'Donnell
Emeritus McCoy and Andrews Professor
Dept: History
740-376-4625
Office: THMS 111
Degrees: Ph.D. in History (Duke), 1963; Master's (Duke), 1961; Bachelor's (Lambuth University), 1959
Year appointed: 1969
Dr. O'Donnell is a Thomas and McCoy Professor of History at Marietta College where he taught from 1969-2011. He served the college as chair of the Department of History, Political Science, Religion and Philosophy as well as a division head, and he served the state of Ohio on the Ohio Humanities Council.
O'Donnell received the Marietta College Outstanding Faculty Award, the Continuing Education Faculty Award, the McCoy Teaching Fellowship, and the Harness Teaching Fellowship (twice). At the national level he has been the recipient of an ACLS Fellowship, the Phi Alpha Theta Research Award, and research grants from the American Philosophical Society.
From Marietta College he received research awards for his publications in 2004, 2003 and 2011. His books include Southern Indians in the American Revolution, Southeastern Frontiers, 1540-1840, Cradles of Conscience: Ohio's Independent Colleges and Universities, and Ohio's First Peoples.
Ohio Magazine named him one of Ohio's top educators in December 2003. A former president of the Ohio Academy of History and a national councilor for Phi Alpha Theta National Honor Society in History, he also belongs to the Southern Historical Association, Pi Kappa Delta National Forensics Honor Society, Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society, and the Outer Banks Lighthouse Society.
His book reviews have appeared in the American Historical Review, the Journal of American History, the Journal of Southern History, the William and Mary Quarterly, the American Indian Culture and Research Journal, the Historian, and Choice.