An updated version of an original work detailing Lawrence history aims to fill in more gaps than its predecessor.
The “Embattled Lawrence” series, edited by Lawrence historian Dennis Domer, shares local history that was often missed or overlooked in the past.
“Embattled Lawrence, Vol. 1: Conflict and Community” has been updated, and Domer hopes it will serve as a foundation for future generations to build on.
“History is a two-way street. We work on it, it works on us,” Domer, 81, said. “My view is that we don’t know who we are if we don’t know the place where we live.”
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Vol. 1 was first created for a Lawrence history course Domer taught at the University of Kansas in 1998. The course didn’t have a related book for students to reference. KU Humanities professors participated by writing articles based on their lectures.
When unexpected public interest accrued, 1,500 copies were released in 2001. But the original edition has since been tough to locate because of its scarcity, and when found, its retail price is often inflated.
“People were asking for it,” Domer said. “I couldn’t really republish Volume 1 because so much has happened.”
More than 100 photographs are in the new edition, including the front cover image, which was taken at a freedom march on July 21, 1963. “Embattled Lawrence” contributor Monica Davis located the photo at KU’s Kenneth Spencer Research Library. The march took place on Ninth Street in East Lawrence. Brenna Buchanan designed the book.
Anne Patterson created the “beautiful end papers,” Domer said.
“The focus was very consciously that the book should be both scholarly and a work of art,” Domer said. “And I insisted that we do that. I consider books to be works of art — or can be works of art — and I think that one of the things we’ve done is we’ve really designed this so that it appeals to the eye and appeals to a lot of different people.”
Others who collaborated on the project include Anne Marvin, Kathy Rose-Mockry, Ellen Walker, Virgil Dean, Bill Tuttle, Tanya Longabach, Kevin Gunn, Antha Spreckelmeyer, Kent Spreckelmeyer, Oz Wille, Marianne Wille and Mary Lynn Stuart.
The new edition also uses footnotes instead of endnotes, which Domer prefers because they offer immediate access to further information without disrupting reading.
Domer said about 1,000 copies were printed; each costs $44 and is available for purchase at the Watkins Museum of History, 1047 Massachusetts St., and the Raven Book Store, 809 Massachusetts St. Copies were disseminated to both at no charge to them, so sales directly benefit them, Domer said.
The second volume, “The Enduring Struggle for Freedom,” was released in June 2023 and is also available for purchase at both locations.
Additionally, Domer said work on “Embattled Lawrence, Vol. 3: Building the City,” is underway — about halfway done.
Read more about Domer’s work to create the revision of “Embattled Lawrence, Vol. 1” in a column Lawrence resident Tom Harper wrote for this publication at the onset of 2025 at this link.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
