Faculty Help Commemorate 250 Years of Military History Aboard Battleship New Jersey
As the United States Marine Corps celebrates its 250th birthday and the nation prepares to observe Veterans Day, Rutgers University–Camden is proud to have played a central role in a first-of-its-kind commemoration of America’s naval legacy.
Scholars from across the country recently convened aboard the Battleship New Jersey for a conference titled “Navigating the Past: Histories of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, 1775–2025.” Co-hosted by Rutgers–Camden, the event explored the evolution of American sea power from its Revolutionary War origins to its modern global presence.
The conference was part of the Homecoming 250 celebration, a regional series of exhibitions, tours, and public events marking the founding of the Navy and Marine Corps in Philadelphia in 1775.
“The Navy is so intertwined with American history—our economy, our industry, our science and technology,” said Katherine Epstein, a professor in the Rutgers–Camden Department of History, said in an interview aboard the battleship. “It’s important for people to understand how foundational these institutions are to the American story.”
Professor Andrew Shankman, who serves as chair of the Department of History and is an expert in the American Revolution and early republic, emphasized the strategic significance of the Navy’s origins, speaking to how America’s first naval forces defined national sovereignty and helped position the young republic on the global stage.
Rutgers–Camden’s participation in the conference reflects its commitment to civic engagement and public scholarship, as well as its proximity to the birthplace of America’s armed sea services. The university honors the sacrifice of all who have served in uniform, celebrating scholars who help preserve and interpret their legacy.
"The purpose of the conference was to showcase high-quality academic scholarship from a mixture of people on the naval history circuit," Epstein said. "That we could have a conference on a battleship: how cool is that? There are parts of American naval history that are not as well known, so I hope [conference attendees] learned about how important the Navy has been."
