Rising Samford University sophomore Hannah Atchley will present original research at the annual conference of the Baptist History and Heritage Society (BHHS) at Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia, May 31-June 1. The BHHS also honored her with a conference travel grant from its Alberta Canady Mission Fund for Young Scholars, supported by Scott Boulevard Baptist Church of Decatur, Georgia.
The theme of this year’s BHHS conference is “Baptist Women in the Twentieth Century: Missionaries, Mission Leaders, Churchwomen, Civil Rights Activists, and Ministers.” The organization selected Atchley, a global and cultural studies major, on the strength of her proposed presentation, “Have Sex and Race Influenced Single White Southern Baptist Women to Become International Missionaries?”.
Atchley’s presentation, based on a research paper she completed in a Communication Arts course led by professor Carol Ann Vaughn Cross, explores the experiences of three women, including Samford alumna alumna Martha Myers. As a conference presenter, Atchley will have the opportunity to submit the paper to the BHHS Journal for publication.
In addition to Cross, Samford professors Angela Ferguson, Delane Tew and Anna DeVries inspired and encouraged Atchley in her freshman year, and hope to guide her as she continues to explore the intersection of sex, race, class and religion. Tew and Cross will literally be by Atchley's side at the BHHS conference. Tew will serve as the moderator for Atchley's session. Cross will present her own research on the first woman to address the Southern Baptist Convention.