John Bays

You have a BA and a MA in history.  When did you discover your love for the subject?

I cannot remember a specific moment, but as early as I can remember, I have always loved history. When I was a kid, I loved watching history channel documentaries and playing historically themed video games. From there, learning about the subject in school only sparked my interest further. I would say that by the time I got to high school, I was confident that I would be studying history in college.

If given the opportunity to have dinner with any figure from history (yep, staying on theme), who would you choose?   

Very tough question! However, I am from Illinois, so I am probably going to go with Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln’s leadership through one of this country’s defining crises has always fascinated me, and I would have tons of questions. Additionally, President Lincoln was not only known for being a witty conversationalist, but he was also a successful (self-taught!) lawyer. Depending on how long dinner was, I would love to ask him questions about his practice. 

One more... which historical site that you have visited left you awestruck?

Although there are several, the Normandy Cemetery and Memorial was one of the most moving places I have ever been. The heroism, bravery, triumph and tragedy of one of history’s defining moments is captured in a way that mere words alone cannot convey. I would highly recommend a visit for those that have the opportunity. 

OK, what is the thing you most want to do when the pandemic is, dare we say, history?

My amazing wife is huge fan of movies, and before the pandemic, me and her loved nothing more than going out to dinner and then going to the movie theater together. Like many of the simple things, I did not realize how much I took this for granted before the pandemic started. Therefore, I would say that once this pandemic is “history” I will be heading straight to the movie theater with her.