Dr. John R. Finger

2016 Ramsey Award for Professional Achievement

Dr. John R. Finger, Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, received the Ramsey Award for Professional Achievement for his longtime support of local history through teaching at the University of Tennessee for 32 years, where he worked towards promoting, preserving, and educating the public on the region’s history, with particular attention to Cherokee history. As a teacher, advisor, mentor, and administrator, he influenced thousands of undergraduate and graduate students. His nationally recognized research includes the 2011 book Tennessee Frontiers: Three Regions in Transition, two books on the Eastern Band of Cherokees, and countless articles and presentations.