Alexander, Thomas G., 1935-
Dates
- Existence: 1935-
Biographical History
Thomas G. Alexander (born 1935) was a professor at Brigham Young University and authored a number of award winning books concerning Latter-day Saint and Utah history.
Thomas G. Alexander was born in Logan, Utah on August 8, 1935, to Glen M. and Violet B. Alexander. He married Marilyn Johns of Ogden on August 15, 1959. They are the parents of five children and have six grandchildren.
He attended schools in Ogden, and earned an A. S. from Weber State University (1955), a BS (1960) and MS (1961) from Utah State University, and a PhD in American History from the University of California at Berkeley (1965). From 1956 to 1958 he served in the West German Mission.
He taught at Brigham Young University from 1964 to 2004, where he has the Lemuel Hardison Redd, Jr. Professor of Western American History and also the Director of Charles Redd Center for Western Studies. He taught Utah history and American environmental history. He has also taught at Utah State University, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Southern Illinois University (where he held a National Historical Records Commission Fellowship), and the University of Utah. He is the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor of 24 books and monographs, more than 125 scholarly articles, and scores of reviews and scholarly presentations. He has also consulted with a number of national and international organizations and law firms, and on a number of television programs on the history of Utah and the Latter-day Saints.
At BYU he served as chair of the Faculty Advisory Council, and received the Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Award, the highest faculty honor bestowed by the university.
He has won a number of awards for his publications. These include prizes for Mormonism in Transition: A History of the Latter-day Saints, 1890-1930 and Things in Heaven and Earth: The Life and Times of Wilford Woodruff, a Prophet for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His book, Utah: The Right Place, was commissioned by the State of Utah as the official centennial history, and it is used in a number of institutions as a text for Utah history.
He has served as president of the Pacific Branch of the American Historical Association; the Mormon History Association; the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters; and the Association of Utah Historians; and as chair of the Utah Board of State History and the Utah Humanities Council. He is currently Vice President of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honor society.
He is a fellow of the Utah State Historical Society and the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. Weber State University awarded him their Emeriti Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.
He has served in a large number of church positions including as a member of four bishoprics (including as a bishop), as a stake high councilman, and as ward and stake executive secretary. In 2004, after his retirement, he served an LDS Church Educational System mission in Berlin, Germany with his wife.
Citation:
Arrington, L. J. A dependent commonwealth, 1974Woodruff, Wilford. In the whirlpool, 2011: ECIP t.p. (Thomas G. Alexander) change request from pub., A.H. Clark Co., Aug. 3, 2010 (requests that date of birth be added to hdg.)
Wikipedia, website viewed 6 January 2011 (Thomas G. Alexander; Thomas Glen Alexander; born August 8, 1935 in Logan, Utah; raised in Ogden, Utah; mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the West German Mission, 1956-1958; AA from Weber State University; B.S. in 1960 and M.A. in 1961 from Utah State University; American historian; professor emeritus from Brigham Young University; joined faculty in 1964 where he taught Utah history and environmental history; Lemuel Hardison Redd, Jr. Professor of Western History; director of Charles Redd Center for Western Studies; taught at Utah State University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Southern Illinois University, and University of Utah; president of the Mormon History Association 1974-1975; president of the Pacific Branch of the American History Association; president and fellow of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters; president of the Association of Utah Historians; chair Utah Board of State History; chair of the Utah Humanities Council; national president of Phi Alpha Theta; fellow of the Utah State Historical Society; chair BYU's Faculty Advisory Council)
Found in 26 Collections and/or Records:
Thomas G. Alexander office student papers, 1965-2001
Contains materials pertaining to the students of Thomas G. Alexander. The materials include recommendation letters and student evaluations, especially for graduate and doctorate candidates. Dated from 1965 to 2001.
Thomas G. Alexander papers on Washington Seminar, 1977-1981
Contains materials from the Washington Seminar that Thomas G. Alexander was involved in. Materials include class schedules, outlines, and student papers from 1977 to 1981.
Thomas G. Alexander personal papers, 1954-2017
Contains the personal papers of Thomas G. Alexander dated 1954 to 2017. Included are materials about the U.S. Army, Volkswagen, Sunday School and Priesthood lessons, and notes for church talks.
Thomas G. Alexander publications, 1964-2017
Contains the publications of Thomas G. Alexander dated 1964 to 2017. Materials include articles, manuscript drafts, and reviews. Many of the articles and manuscripts deal with environmental history, irrigation, and the development of public architecture in Washington D.C. Reviews were written by Alexander on historical works of other authors.
Thomas G. Alexander reviews, 1972-2017
Contains Thomas G. Alexander's drafts of reviews on historical records from other authors, dated 1972 to 2017.
Thomas G. Alexander teaching and subject papers, 1960-2014
Contains notes, lesson outlines, newspaper clippings, assignments, and exams pertaining to the history courses that Thomas G. Alexander taught at BYU. Dated from 1960 to 2014.