Over the course of the year, we plan to profile some of the great research being done by our students. In this issue of the newsletter, we are pleased to feature Patrick Barron, a senior history major who is working on an honors thesis that explores the inconsistencies and injustices within the American judicial system as it emerged in the period of Reconstruction after the Civil War.  The research delves into the Peonage Act of 1867, the convict lease system, and other forms of slavery reborn after emancipation.  He discussed his project and his interest in history in a quick interview with one of our graduate students, Rodney Chin.  
 
What are your areas of interest in history, and what is the focus of your project?

"I am interested in American history, specifically the period of the 1880s-1890s. This timeframe is crucial towards understanding how the seeds of racial injustices have plagued the nation.

We as a nation may not want to discuss it much, and people may have their own opinions, but it’s important for us to address how certain problems are perpetuated even to this day. In some ways, slavery did not end in 1865, which is actually what my project focuses on."

Where do you see yourself in five years?

"I definitely want to be a leader or spokesman for the issues I mentioned. I also want to go to graduate school and further my education. I don't know exactly where I would like to study, but Seton Hall is on the list. I'm very happy with the professors here, and never felt bored. I was always challenged and felt empowered by this."