history professor at UC Riverside and the author of the biography “Junípero Serra: California’s Founding Father.”
Born and raised in California, Hackel earned his B.A. at Stanford University and his Ph.D. in American History from Cornell University with specializations in early America and the American West. From 1994 to 1996 he was a post-doctoral fellow at the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Saint Serra? Pope Francis announced yesterday that he plans to canonize Father Junipero Serra, the founder of California’s missions, as a saint. Anyone who grew up in California and did their fourth-grade mission project knows of Serra. His life story is taught in classrooms; and streets, schools and freeways all over the state are named after him. But he’s also controversial. The missions Serra introduced decimated local Indian tribes. We look at his life and legacy.
HBM107: Carlo Surrenders In theology school, Carlo Nakar asked, “Lord, what is the hardest thing you could possibly ask me to do?” He got a verbal answer.
Vox Lux It’s a bizarre treat to watch Portman singing—very well—and strutting her stuff in a black sequined gown like a cross between Madonna and a Roomba Robot vacuum gone rogue.
The decline of Sunset Magazine It’s been a western staple for more than a century. But the situation is reportedly pretty dire over at Sunset Magazine. The perennial publication of life in the west has fallen on hard times with dwindling ad sales and corresponding cash shortages. Will new ownership turn things around, or drive the magazine out of business?