ULM history students present at regional conference

Published March 17, 2026

Three people standing in a row smiling.

CAPTION:听(L-R) Ireland Aaron, Mateline Bratton, Antoine Iles听

MONROE, La. 鈥撎�Students from the University of Louisiana Monroe history department presented听papers听at the Phi Alpha Theta听National听History Honor Society Regional听Meeting of Louisiana Chapters in Lafayette, La,听on March 6, 2026. The student group included undergraduates Ireland Aaron and Antoine听Iles, along with 2025 graduate听Mateline Bratton.听听

Ireland听Aaron discussed twentieth-century New Orleans鈥� red-light district in her essay entitled 鈥淨ueens of Desire: How the Madams of Storyville Weaponized Mixed-Race Fantasies for Power and Profit.鈥� Antoine Iles, meanwhile, spoke on Monroe鈥檚 local history, presenting 鈥淐oca-Cola and the American Dream: How the Biedenharn Family Rose to Fame.鈥澨�听

Recent history program graduate and soon-to-be LSU doctoral student Mateline Bratton shared her paper titled 鈥淏etween Saints and听Sickness,鈥� an examination of the many medieval methods used to treat cases of the Black Death.听听

鈥淣ot only was I excited to see these students seize the opportunity to present,听but听I听was听also听impressed at the quality of their papers and their communication skills,鈥� said Dr. Jeffrey Anderson, Professor of History and ULM History Program Coordinator.听听

Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society is听a professional society whose mission is to promote the study of history through the encouragement of research, good teaching, publication, and the exchange of learning and ideas among historians. They听seek听to bring students and teachers together for intellectual and social exchanges, which promote and improve historical research and publication by our members in a variety of ways. Learn more at听.听听