Elizabeth Nelson

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Associate Professor of History

Graduate Coordinator, Department of History

Expertise: 19th-Century Popular Culture, Civil War and Reconstruction, U.S. Cultural History, Antebellum America, Food History, Historical Evolution of Marketing and Advertising

Biography

Elizabeth Nelson is an associate professor of history who specializes in pop culture and advertising in the 19th century, as well as food history.

Her research areas include American history on the National Period; the Civil War and Reconstruction; 19th-century cultural and intellectual history; cultural theory; and the relationship between political economy, domestic economy and national identity in the antebellum United States.

Nelson, who has taught courses at UNLV since 1996, is the author of Market Sentiments: Middle-Class Market Culture in 19th-Century America (Smithsonian Books, 2004), as well as a contributor to The Middling Sorts: Explorations in the History of the American Middle Class (Routledge, 2000).

Education

Ph.D., American Studies, Yale University
M. Phil, American Studies, Yale University
M.A ., American Studies, Yale University
A.B ., The Growth and Structure of Cities, Bryn Mawr College

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arts & culture, food & nutrition, history, popular culture

Elizabeth Nelson In The News

Why St. Valentine’s Death Is Shrouded in Mystery

History Channel

Although St. Valentine lends his name to Valentine’s Day, he did not become known as the patron saint of lovers until hundreds of years after his death. The third-century priest lived during a time when Christians were persecuted for their religious beliefs. Records and historic liturgical calendars indicate he was martyred, though what exactly led to his murder is a bit murky.

Was St. Valentine Really the Patron Saint of Lovers?

History Channel

Much like the origins of Valentine’s Day, the real identity of St. Valentine remains a bit of a mystery. The holiday’s namesake, a martyred priest, actually could have been one of multiple men. Although many think of him as the patron saint of lovers, this reputation likely began centuries after his death.

What Is the Origin of Valentine’s Day?

History Channel

Most holidays have pretty clear origin stories and reasons for their celebration. But Valentine’s Day has a complicated history. February 14, a date we now associate as a Hallmark holiday with hearts, flowers, cards and grand gestures, was not always a day of love.

Greeting card companies invented Valentine's Day? Here's the holiday's history

Snopes

For years, a rumor has circulated that greeting card companies invented Valentine's Day, which falls yearly on Feb. 14.