James Horgan Explained

James J. Horgan (July 14, 1940 – May 3, 1997) was an American historian, academic and author. He was a history professor at Saint Leo University in St. Leo, Florida for 35 years, a historical society president, a Florida Historical Society board member, a prolific author and an NAACP chapter founder. He is listed as a Great Floridian.[1]

He was head of the history department at Saint Leo University from the 1960s through the mid 1990s until just before his death due to cancer. Horgan was a member of the Tampa chapter of Mensa.

Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Horgan received his Ph.D. in history in 1965 from Saint Louis University. In 1968, he was a founding officer of the Pasco County, Florida chapter of the NAACP, and the same year received a distinguished service award from the Florida NAACP.[1]

Horgan authored Pioneer College: The Centennial History of Saint Leo College, Saint Leo Abbey, and Holy Name Priory, chronicling the founding of Saint Leo in 1889 as a boys' preparatory school and its evolution over the following century to university status.

Legacy

The Florida Historical Society's James J. Horgan Award is named in his honor.[2] Saint Leo University has a fund named in his honor, the James J. Horgan Heritage Society.[3]

His "Great Floridian" plaque is installed at the James J. Horgan Home in San Antonio, Florida near Saint Leo University.[1]

Books

Notes and References

  1. Web site: James J. Horgan . State of Florida . March 7, 2015 .
  2. Web site: Florida Historical Society Awards . State of Florida . March 7, 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150307201941/http://myfloridahistory.org/society/awards . March 7, 2015 .
  3. Web site: The James J. Horgan Heritage Society . . May 1, 2017 .