Margaret Jane Slaughter, long-time professor of history at the University of New Mexico, passed away on June 4. She was 82 years old.
Dr. Slaughter’s career in higher education began with teaching appointments at Nassau Community College in New York and the University of Utah. In 1975, she joined the University of New Mexico as an assistant professor of history, beginning a tenure that would span more than four decades. She taught courses on western civilization, historiography, and graduate research methods. Additionally, she contributed to developing the university’s first courses on women and gender. Her educational accomplishments earned her the University of New Mexico’s Presidential Teaching Award, the university’s highest honor for lifetime teaching achievement.
In addition to her academic pursuits, Dr. Slaughter held numerous administrative roles during her career with the University of New Mexico. She served as chair of the history department, senior associate dean of arts and sciences, and associate provost. She also chaired two searches for the University of New Mexico presidency.
As a feminist and historian, Dr. Slaughter wrote extensively on women’s history and gender studies. Her publications include Women and the Italian Resistance: 1943-1945 (Arden PR, 1997) and Sharing the Stage: Biography and Gender in Western Civilization (Wadsworth Publishing, 2003).
Dr. Slaughter completed her undergraduate education at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She held a master’s degree and Ph.D. in modern European history from the University of New Mexico.