Our Guides to the Future Are Off the Beaten Past | Heather Fryer | TEDxCreightonU

Heather Fryer devoted three years to researching and writing about the Rev. Edward J. Flanagan, founder of Boys Town, resulting in a historical biography that was sent to the Vatican in support of the case for Fr. Flanagan’s sainthood. Fryer examines information she discovered along the way, which includes more than just Fr. Flanagan’s work with troubled youth. Heather Fryer, holder of the Fr. Henry W. Casper, SJ, Professor of History at Creighton, is a scholar of the 20th century American West. Her work examines how race, class and gender have shaped the social reality of the regionâ€"in contrast to the popular mythology of the post-frontier West. The program director for American studies at Creighton, Fryer’s varied scholarly work includes the incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II and the writings of anthropologist Rosalie Hankey Wax. She devoted three years to researching and writing about the Rev. Edward J. Flanagan, founder of Boys Town, resulting in a historical biography that was sent to the Vatican in support of the case for Fr. Flanagan’s sainthood. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx