Indiana University Northwest Professor Emeritus of History James B. Lane, Ph.D., was awarded the Indiana Historical Society’s Dorothy Riker Hoosier Historian Award earlier this month.
The award is presented to a historian who has made distinguished contributions to the field of historical scholarship and/or the affairs and activities of IHS.
Lane, a notable Northwest Indiana historian, has dedicated decades to researching, teaching and publicizing the unique history of the Calumet Region.
Though Lane retired from the classroom in 2007, he remains ever-present on the IUN campus as co-director of the IU Northwest Calumet Regional Archives.
“Even in retirement, Professor Lane continues to research and publish valuable historical works disseminating the history of Northwest Indiana,” said Steve McShane, archivist and curator for the Calumet Regional Archives. “I'm delighted the IHS has honored Jim with the Riker Award, for he certainly deserves it, and I offer my heartiest personal congratulations.”
For nearly 40 years, Lane also has annually produced a local historical periodical, "Steel Shavings," which recounts the social history of Northwest Indiana's Calumet Region and features articles by IUN students based on oral history interviews. Lane is expected to release the 42nd edition in the near future, based on his blog: Northwest Indiana Historian James B. Lane.
Lane has also authored several books focused specifically on the City of Gary, including, "Gary: A Pictorial History," and "City of the Century: A History of Gary, Indiana," which served as the first comprehensive history of the city since its founding.
His most recent book, "Valor: the American Odyssey of Roy Dominguez," is an autobiography of the former Lake County sheriff, as told to Lane by Dominguez. As co-director of the Calumet Regional Archives, Lane also wanted to preserve Dominguez’s personal papers as part of the history of Hispanics in the region.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Riker Award,” Lane said. “I believe strongly in the importance of Indiana’s history and, in particular, the social, cultural, political, and ethnic history of the Calumet Region. The main purpose of my scholarly work has been to broaden the parameters of that field of study.”
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