Dr. James McPherson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and former president of the American Historical Association, will speak at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 7, in Watkins Auditorium of Boling University Center at the University of Tennessee at Martin.

His appearance is part of the Academic Speaker Series and is sponsored by Honors Programs and the Vertical Immersion Program. The lecture will end with a brief question-and-answer period. A reception will follow the lecture.

McPherson is the dean of American Civil War scholars and the George Henry Davis ‘86 Professor Emeritus of History at Princeton University. An author and scholar, he has published more than a dozen books and more than 100 articles and reviews. Among numerous honors and awards, his “Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era” won the Pulitzer Prize for history and his “For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War” won the Lincoln Prize. He will speak on “When Will This Cruel War Be Over? The Failure of Peace Negotiations, 1864-1865.”

“James McPherson is the most prominent Civil War scholar of the past 30 years,” said Dr. Dan McDonough, director of UT Martin Honors Programs. “His book, “Battle Cry of Freedom,” is the standard text used in many college courses. Rarely do we have the opportunity to host a speaker of Dr. McPherson’s reputation and, given the interest that West Tennesseans have in the Civil War, this promises to be a most interesting evening.”

The Academic Speaker Series annually brings distinguished scholars, writers and performers to the UT Martin campus. All lectures are free and open to the public. For more information, contact McDonough at danmc@utm.edu or 731-881-7436.