Integrated Studies Dean Shares Expertise on Variety of Projects

An academic dean at Pennsylvania College of Technology was called upon recently to share his expertise in Native American history on diverse projects.

Clifford P. Coppersmith, dean of integrated studies, wrote an article for the Oklahoma Historical Society detailing the history of what today is known as the Fort Sill Apache tribe. The historical society published the work in the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. The encyclopedia, published online, contains articles written by leading scholars.

Coppersmith also consulted on an episode of the upcoming PBS series "We Shall Remain." The documentary mini-series shows how native peoples valiantly resisted expulsion from their lands and fought extinction of their culture.

He contributed his expertise to the episode "Geronimo," which is scheduled to premiere May 4. The episode chronicles the resistance led by the famed Chiricahua Apache medicine man, whose tiny band became the last holdouts trying to preserve their way of life before surrendering formally to the U.S. government.

Coppersmith completed field work with the Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma the survivors and descendants of the Chiricahua Apache tribe as part of his doctoral dissertation at Oklahoma State University, where he majored in history with an emphasis on Native Americans, the American West and anthropology. He continues to study Native American culture, and he developed and teaches a Penn College course called Native American History and Culture.

Coppersmith holds a master's degree from St. Bonaventure University. He earned a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University and an associate degree from Jamestown Community College.

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