James C. Olson (

Bradgate, Iowa Bradgate is a city in Humboldt County, Iowa, United States, at the conjunction of Sections 5, 6, 7, and 8 of Avery Township, and rests near the banks of the West Fork of the Des Moines River. The population was 75 in the 2020 census, a decline fr ...

, 1917 – August 17, 2005) was an American historian, educator and school administrator; he was president of the

University of Missouri System The University of Missouri System is an American state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, and ten research and technology parks. Nearly 70,000 students are cur ...

. He had been a vice chancellor at the

University of Nebraska A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

and chancellor at

University of Missouri-Kansas City A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

. With a doctorate from the University of Nebraska, he served during World War II as a historian for the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

. Afterward he served for a decade as director of the

Nebraska State Historical Society History Nebraska, formerly the Nebraska State Historical Society is a Nebraska state agency, founded in 1878 to "encourage historical research and inquiry, spread historical information ... and to embrace alike aboriginal and modern history." I ...

. He also taught at the

, publishing books on the state's history.

Early life

James Olson was born in

. He received a bachelor's degree from

Morningside College Morningside University is a private university affiliated with the United Methodist Church and located in Sioux City, Iowa. Founded in 1894 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, Morningside University has 21 buildings on a campus in Sioux City (ar ...

in 1938 and an MA and PhD from the

in 1939 and 1942. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

he was a historian for the

Nebraska

After the war Olson directed the

from 1946 to 1956. He taught at the

where he became chair of the Department of History, dean of the Graduate College, director of Graduate Program Development, and vice chancellor for Graduate Studies and Research. During this time he wrote several books on

Nebraska history History Nebraska, formerly the Nebraska State Historical Society is a Nebraska state agency, founded in 1878 to "encourage historical research and inquiry, spread historical information ... and to embrace alike aboriginal and modern history." ...

Missouri

In 1968 he became chancellor of the

, serving until 1976. He became president of the

until 1984.

Books

*''

J. Sterling Morton Julius Sterling Morton (April 22, 1832 – April 27, 1902) was a Nebraska newspaper editor and politician who served as President Grover Cleveland's United States Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Agriculture. He was a prominent Bourbon Dem ...

'' (1942) *''History of Nebraska'' (1955) *''

Red Cloud Red Cloud ( lkt, Maȟpíya Lúta, italic=no) (born 1822 – December 10, 1909) was a leader of the Oglala Lakota from 1868 to 1909. He was one of the most capable Native American opponents whom the United States Army faced in the western ...

and the Sioux Problem'' (1965) *''Nebraska Is My Home'' (1965) *''This Is Nebraska'' (1968) * *''Blood on the Moon:

Valentine McGillycuddy Valentine Trant McGillycuddy (February 14, 1849 – June 6, 1939) was a surgeon who served with expeditions and United States military forces in the West. He was considered controversial for his efforts to build a sustainable relationship betw ...

and the Sioux'' (1990) *''Serving the University of Missouri: A Memoir of Campus and System Administration'' (1993) *''St. Louis Woman'' (1999) *''

Stuart Symington William Stuart Symington III (; June 26, 1901 – December 14, 1988) was an American businessman and Democratic politician from Missouri. He served as the first Secretary of the Air Force from 1947 to 1950 and was a United States Senator from M ...

: A Life'' (2003)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Olson, James C. 1917 births 2005 deaths History of Nebraska Morningside University alumni University of Nebraska alumni Presidents of the University of Missouri System People from Humboldt County, Iowa Writers from Nebraska Writers from Iowa University of Nebraska–Lincoln faculty United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II