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.
Why is Trump so behind on filling staff jobs, establishing concrete policies? Yesterday Donald Trump signed a “decision memo” to revamp the air traffic control system. But there was little legislative detail in the plan. There’s not much to other splashy announcements from the White House, including tax cuts and the arms deal with Saudi Arabia. And hundreds of positions are unfilled in federal agencies.
Previewing James Comey's blockbuster testimony Former FBI director James Comey testifies Thursday in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee, but his opening statement has been released. In it, he says he felt pressured by Donald Trump to declare loyalty to him and publicly clear him of any wrongdoing in the Russia investigation.