Ryan Patrick Semmes

Ryan Patrick Semmes is an Adjunct Professor and Director of Research at the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, Mississippi State University. He holds a Ph.D. in History from Mississippi State University (2020) with expertise in Reconstruction, U.S. presidential history, and archival science.

• Doctorate in History, Mississippi State University (2020)
• Master of Public History-Archives, University of South Carolina (2002)
• Master of Library and Information Science, University of South Carolina (2001)
• Bachelor of Arts in History, Mississippi State University (1998)

His research bridges historical scholarship and archival practice, focusing on:

• Reconstruction-era citizenship and civil rights
• Ulysses S. Grant’s foreign policy and domestic agenda
• Archival management and digital humanities
• Historical memory and Confederate monuments
• Special collections pedagogy
• U.S. political history (Stennis, Lincolniana)

His publications and presentations emphasize:

• Reconstruction’s transnational dimensions
• Grant’s Santo Domingo annexation efforts
• Archival ethics and access
• Digital primary source integration in education
• 19th-century U.S.-Britain relations
• Presidential historiography

Scientific awards include:

• John and Jeanne Marszalek Graduate Student Award (2018)
• Friend of National History Day in Mississippi (2013)
• State Pride Award (2010)
• Raymond W. Smock Fellowship (2010)

As Director of Research, he leads fellowships, conferences, and grant-funded projects while managing the USGPL’s digital expansion. He has supervised teams for the John C. Stennis, Ulysses S. Grant, and Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana.