John Howard Smith

Dr. John Howard Smith serves as Professor of History in the Department of History at East Texas A&M University, specializing in early American history with emphasis on religious and cultural identity formation since joining the institution in 2002.

His educational credentials include:

• Ph.D. in History, University at Albany, 2003
• Master of Liberal Arts, University of North Carolina at Asheville, 1996
• Dual B.A. degrees in History and Literature, University of North Carolina at Asheville, 1991

Research centers on religious apocalypticism's influence on American politics (1620-1890), colonial racial identity development among Anglo-Americans, South Algonquians, and African Americans, and Atlantic World religious movements. His work bridges cultural, political, and religious history through primary source analysis.

Publications reveal consistent exploration of millennialist thought and religious revivals, demonstrating how theological concepts shaped national identity and political discourse from colonial to post-Civil War America.

Recognition includes:

• Harry S. Wade Senior Faculty Award
• Paul W. Barras Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching
• H. M. Lafferty Distinguished Faculty Award for Research

As an educator, Dr. Smith mentors students through courses like The Salem Witch Trials, emphasizing primary source critique to dismantle historical myths while guiding research on early American identity formation.