Kenneth Bindas, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of History at Kent State University, was recently recognized for his impressive and extensive research.

Bindas is one of six recipients of Kent State’s 2012 Outstanding Research and Scholar Award. The purpose of the award is to recognize faculty members for their notable scholarly contributions that have brought acknowledgement to their fields of study and to Kent State.

“It is quite an honor,” Bindas says about the award. “There are so many great scholars at Kent State that to be chosen as an outstanding researcher and scholar means quite a lot.”

A Kent State faculty member since 1995, Bindas has been dedicated to the study and research of the Depression era and how people understood and dealt with the problems of their day.

“What fascinates me about the Depression era is that the people were able to work together. There was unity in the face of diversity,” Bindas says.

His most recent research examines the acceptance and legitimation of modernism in the 1930s to suggest a secular reformation that lies at the heart of the Depression era and the profound influence on decades that followed.

Bindas has contributed greatly to the field of American cultural history, both in the traditional realm of monograph and article publication, as well as in innovative media such as theatre and documentary production

As an author and editor of several books and journal articles, Bindas has worked on topics ranging from segregation during the 1950s and 1960s, popular music, to the Depression era. One of his most impressive works was a documentary on Northern segregation, which aired on PBS.

“Most of my writing deals with the intersection of culture with politics. I am currently working with David Hassler of the Wick Poetry Center to showcase his play, 'May 4th Voices,' at a major conference.”

Bindas is affiliated with the American Historical Association, Organization of American Historians and Oral History Association.

In his spare time, Bindas enjoys spending time with his family, writing and performing music in the Cleveland area.

“I read, research and write because it brings me joy. I continue to pursue joy,” Bindas says.

Click here for more information about the recipients of the 2012 Outstanding Research and Scholar Awards.