Luther College professor wins Historical Society award

Keona Ervin, Luther College assistant professor of Africana studies and history, is the recipient of the State Historical Society of Missouri Lewis Atherton Dissertation Award for her dissertation titled "'A Decent Living Out of Our Work': Black Women's Labor Activism in St. Louis, 1929-1945."

"A Decent Living Out of Our Work" is Ervin's doctoral dissertation at Washington University in St. Louis.

The Atherton Award was presented Oct. 2 at the society's annual meeting in Columbia, Mo.

The award, named in honor of a former trustee and president of the State Historical Society and a longtime professor in the University of Missouri-Columbia department of history, is given for the best dissertation produced on a Missouri history topic and includes a $1,000 cash prize, as well as publication of the dissertation. History departments from colleges in Missouri may nominate the dissertations award candidates.

Ervin holds the bachelor of arts degree from Duke University and the master of arts and doctoral degrees in Africana studies from Washington University in St. Louis.