KENNESAW, Ga. | Nov 4, 2026

Professor Emeritus Dr. Jennifer Dickey, former coordinator of KSU’s Public History program and Museums, Archives, and Rare Books, was honored on October 26 with the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Council (GHRAC) 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award for her enduring contributions to Georgia’s historical community through her scholarship, mentorship and leadership. 

Dickey retired from full-time professorship in May but is still teaching Public History courses at KSU. She previously served as a museum curator and director at Berry College, as well as serving as the campus preservationist. She has also worked with the National Park Service and Historic Preservation Division of Georgia. 

“I am honored to receive this award for doing work that has brought me so much joy for the past two decades. I’ve been so lucky to work with amazing people at KSU—faculty, staff, and students. They have inspired me, and I hope that I have done the same for them,” Dickey shares.

In addition to the GHRAC Lifetime Achievement Award, Dickey was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Georgia Association of Museums (GAM) Annual Conference back in February for her years of dedicated service to KSU’s Department of Museums, Archives, and Rare Books.

Her legacy, though, goes further than just academics. Dickey has also been the author and editor of various books, including the A Tough Little Patch of History: Gone with the Wind and the Politics of Memory and Memories of the Mansion: The History of Georgia's Governor’s Mansion (written with Georgia First Lady Sandra Deal and Dr. Catherine Lewis) which won the Georgia Historical Advisory Council Award for Excellence in Research in 2015.

Recently, Dickey edited There’s Lots to See in Georgia, published in 2025. “There’s Lots to See in Georgia” came about from a collaborative effort by Dickey and her students during a research seminar in 2022. Each student had the opportunity to visit a historic site in GA and write a chapter of the book. Dickey herself wrote several chapters of the book. 

"There is no public historian in the state or region who has contributed to the field more than Dr. Jennifer Dickey," states Associate Vice Provost Dr. Catherine Lewis. "I have worked with her for more than 15 years, and the impact she has had on students, colleagues, and the field is immeasurable. Nobody deserves this award more." 

Dickey’s contributions to preservation, education, and scholarship have left an enduring legacy not only at KSU but also throughout Georgia and beyond.