Rate My Professor Gene Preuss

Preuss specializes in Texas and Regional History, Education, Biography, and Public History. His research interests encompass Texas history, education reform, public policy, and social issues involving race, class, and disasters like Hurricane Katrina. Notable publications include his book 'To Get a Better School System: One Hundred Years of Education Reform in Texas' (Texas A&M University Press, 2009), the chapter 'Public Schools Come of Age' in 'Twentieth-Century Texas: A Social and Cultural History' (2008), 'The "Father" of Texas Education: A.M. Aikin and the Modernization of Texas Public Schools' in East Texas Historical Journal (2009), 'Oral History, Folklore, and Katrina' (2013), and 'When Was the Republic of Texas No More?: Revisiting the Annexation of Texas' in Southwestern Historical Quarterly (2019). He contributed to 'The Texas Experiment: Politics, Power, and Social Transformation' (2025). In 2020, Preuss co-created and co-hosts the podcast 'Talking Texas History' with Dr. Scott Sosebee, producing episodes on Texas history topics including archives, historical sites, incarceration, criminal justice, and transformative events. His influence extends through leadership in historical organizations: Fellow of the East Texas Historical Association (2021), former President of the East Texas Historical Association and H-NET Council, board member of the West Texas Historical Association, and current President of the Texas State Historical Association (2025-2026), where he also chairs the Executive Committee and serves on the Touchstone Editorial Advisory Board and Development Committee. Preuss has appeared in media discussing racial history, Juneteenth, and Texas education, and led panels such as World AIDS Day discussions.