Coffey speaks to Martin Kiwanis Club

Dr. David Coffey (right), guest speaker at the May 17 meeting of Kiwanis, discussed a class he designed for Governor’s School for the Humanities entitled “Assessing American Exceptionalism.”

Dr. Coffey was invited to originate such a course with the approval of Dr. Jerald Ogg, Director of the Governor’s School for the Humanities.

Without taking sides politically, Coffey highlighted incidents and documents from history that show a pathway of concern leading to the January 6, 2021, riot and insurrection in Washington, D. C.

Coffey discussed the realities and myths associated with the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States of America, the Civil War, the treatment of Native Americans, the idea of Manifest Destiny, and more.

Coffey is professor and chair of the Department of History and Philosophy at UT Martin.

He was introduced at the Kiwanis meeting by Frank Black, retired UT Martin administrator and faculty member.

Coffey was presented a certificate of appreciation noting that a donation is being made in his honor to Martin Public Library.

(Anna Clark, Martin Kiwanis Club)