Dr. Richard Edwards, professor of economics at College of Business Administration and director of the UNL Center for Great Plains Studies, is contributing an essay on the Homestead Act to a volume which will be presented to President Barack Obama at his presidential inauguration.

“My contribution will be part of the gift that is given to the President at the luncheon immediately following the swearing in,” Edwards said. “One theme of the volume is that it’s the 150^th anniversary of some important events such as the Emancipation Proclamation, the Homestead Act, the Railroad Act, the Morrill Act and other events around the Civil War.”

Edwards was asked to write a short essay on the Homestead Act. He decided to write something that would communicate the historical significance of homesteading and also make connections back to the present day.

“One of the curious things about the Homestead Act is how positively it is now perceived. Both in our popular culture and even by many scholars there tends to be widespread agreement that it was a positive development.”

Edwards admitted he had trouble condensing his 500-word essay on the Homestead Act, which became effective on Jan. 1, 1863.

“The Homestead Act is a piece of legislation that is liked by both the right and the left but for different reasons,” Edwards said. “George Will talked about his appreciation for it as creating a class of small property holders, or what George W. Bush called the investor or stakeholder society. On the left it’s seen as a positive because it resulted in the government using its resources to help mostly poor people overcome inequality in society.”

Although there remains a romantic notion of homesteading in America, Edwards admits that it was not all positive.

“About half the population that tried homesteading failed and didn’t last the five year period to get their title or patent to the land. A lot of people who did get their land sold out quickly and moved back to the towns with the money that they received for selling their claims.”

Although he was invited to the inauguration, Edwards said he will not be present when the portfolio is presented to President Obama.

Edwards, who has expertise in economics related to Great Plains studies, joined CBA in 1997. Published: January 14, 2013