Called to Reckon offers a non-traditional history of Augustana College by centering the narratives of racially and ethnically diverse students and educators often overlooked in the institution’s past. The book traces how the college, founded by Swedish Lutherans with a mission to educate for the common good and “serve the neighbor so that all may flourish,” has been challenged to live up to these values over its 160-year history.
A bold, necessary model for institutional self-examination
Augustana College, a predominantly white institution in Rock Island, Illinois, was founded by Swedish Lutheran settlers with a mission to educate for the common good and “serve the neighbor so that all may flourish.” This collection—written by historians, alumnae, diversity leaders, and religion scholars—reveals the stories of those who have held the college accountable to its foundational mission.
Drawing from archival research and interviews with students, staff, faculty, administrators, and community members, Called to Reckon weaves together issues of race, indigeneity, sexuality, religion, and belonging, linking past conflicts to present-day challenges. The essays examine the “town and gown” dynamic, exploring tensions between the college and its more diverse surrounding community. Other contributors recount key moments in the growing presence and power of Black students on campus from 1925 to 1975, placed in the context of African and African American history. A chapter documents the history of Latinos/x Unidos, while another essay demonstrates how queer members of the Augustana community helped reshape the campus in the post-Stonewall era.
By placing Augustana’s history in conversation with broader movements, this book offers a rich, critical perspective on the liberal arts tradition itself. It makes a key contribution to the growing field of whiteness studies, particularly in the understudied Midwest, and is an essential read for anyone committed to understanding how educational institutions can move toward justice—not just in aspiration, but in action. Useful for faculty, administrators, staff, and trustees alike, Called to Reckon challenges all of higher education to live up to its highest ideals.
