The American Tapestry: 1968/2022 - The Seeds of Our Discontents
Phillip G. Payne is a professor of history at St. Bonaventure University. He joined the faculty in 1998. Dr. Payne teaches a wide variety of classes on post-Civil War United States History and courses in digital and public history. He is the author of Dead Last: The Public Memory of Warren G. Harding's Scandalous Legacy (Ohio University Press, 2008) and Crash! How the Boom and Bust of the 1920s Worked (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015). You can learn more about his work here.
Ben Speggen joined the JES team in February 2015. Prior to his current role, chiefly focused on the growth and development of the think tank's hallmark Global Summit speaker series, he led the group's introduction of digital programming; guided its satellite programming initiative; directed its year-round programming and its Civic Leadership Academy; and put his writing and editing skills to work on a wide range of publications; and more. Born in Morgantown, West Virginia, Ben grew up in the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania in Carmichaels and went on to study literature, history, and journalism at Gannon University, where he also earned his master's degree.
Andrew Roth, Ph.D., has been working in the higher education sector for 49 years, and his experience is global. Beginning at Gannon University and then Mercyhurst University, he was a faculty member in three departments: English, Communications, and Business; as a coach he founded Mercyhurst's women's soccer team; and for more than 20 years, he was a senior administrator: Director of Admissions, Vice President for Enrollment, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Dean of the College. He served as President of Notre Dame College from 2003 to 2014 before being named President-Emeritus. After a brief retirement, he served as interim President of St. Bonaventure University during 2016-2017. He is now a scholar-in-residence at the Jefferson Educational Society, where he directs its Raimy Fellows Program as part of the Jefferson Civic Leadership Academy and presents frequently on American cultural issues. He is also author of the Jefferson's popular "Book Notes" series.
This event is in partnership with Erie County Public Library's histERIE Week. It is free to the public and will be live-streamed on our Facebook page and made available on YouTube afterward.
A Scholar-in-Residence at the Jefferson Educational Society (JES), Roth delivers presentations about “The American Tapestry Project: We Tell Ourselves Stories”. In this series, Roth seeks to weave together America’s many stories into a tapestry of stories exploring what it means to be an American. The Project includes The American Tapestry Project: a five part series on the story’s major threads; American Holidays: an eight part series on those things Americans love in common; Americans and Their Games: Sports in America History and Culture: a five part series on the role of sports in American history; and The Birth of the Women’s Movement: an ongoing series on the 19th century women who challenged their times and shaped the future. The entire project began with America in 1968: The Far Side of the Moon and the Birth of the Culture Wars.
A frequent speaker at the Chautauqua Institution and at other venues, Roth currently hosts a podcast series on WQLN-Public Radio & NPR1 The American Tapestry Project airing at 4:00PM on the second Sunday of every month. It can also be found online at WQLN/NPR and all major podcast sites, such as Spotify, Apple, and others. Currently, the series is exploring popular music as a window into the soul of America.
A prolific writer, in June, 2022 the Jefferson Society awarded Roth the first ever Ovid Award for the 100+ Book Notes he has written for the Society since March of 2020. The series now numbers 211 and counting. Roth’s Book Notes cover the subjects of the day, with particular emphases on American history and the art of poetry. All can be found on the Jefferson Educational Society website www.jeserie.org/book%20notes. In addition to his Book Notes, Roth recently authored How to Be a Highly Effective Leader: A Primer published by the Jefferson Society in 2026.
Roth’s long career in higher education included service at Erie’s Gannon and Mercyhurst Universities. A nationally recognized expert in enrollment management, Roth authored Saving for College and the Tax Code: A New Spin on the “Who Pays for Higher Education Debate (2001). From 2003 to 2014, Roth served as President of Notre Dame College in Cleveland, Ohio, which awarded him an Honorary Doctorate for his leadership and named him President-Emeritus. In 2016-17, Roth served as President of St. Bonaventure University guiding the university through a sensitive transitional period. When not working on his various projects, he enjoys reading, and cycling on Presque Isle. He is married to retired banker Judy Owens Roth.
Roth can be reached at roth@jeserie.org
