AASLH: Recent Episodes
AASLH
American Association for State and Local History: your home for history since 1940. www.AASLH.org
Sessions and podcasts from past annual meetings, covering the most important issues facing public historians, museums, and historic sites.
Collaboration is key, but not always easy. How can large urban museums and small local presenters work together to grow collaborative networks that transcend differences of scale, budget, and territory to broaden opportunities for regional audiences? Learn strategies to overcome roadblocks and capitalize on new opportunities to build effective partnerships.
Chair: Leslie A. Przybylek, Senator John Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh, PA; Jared Frederick, Blair County Historical Society, Altoona, PA; Erin Rothenbueler, Ohio County Public Library, Wheeling, WV; Robert Stakeley, Senator John Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Every institution, especially smaller ones, faces barriers to collections care and collections management. Lack of funding, small staffs, and institutional buy-in contribute to these problems. With the help of attendees, participants will identify common barriers to improving collections care and management and offer help to overcome these barriers.
Chair: Susan Barger, Foundation for the American Institute for Conservation, Santa Fe, NM; Samantha Forsko, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts, Philadelphia, PA; Jobi O. Zink, The Rosenback, Philadelphia, PA; Laura Heemer, Wharton Esherick Museum, Paoli, PA
Join museum practitioners, preservationists, scholars, and a conceptual artist for a conversation about rapid response versus strategic collecting from multiple closed public schools across different cities. Gain unique insight around swift preservation methods, memory, and developing creative models to advance narratives around preserving and interpreting potential lost histories.
Chair: Kimberly E. Springle, Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives, Washington, DC; Dr. Marion Bolden, Newark Public Schools Historical Preservation Committee, Newark, NJ; Claudia B. Ocello, Museum Partners Consulting, LLC, Maplewood, NJ; Pepon Osorio, Temple University, Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA; Dr. Charles Tocci, Loyola University, Chicago, IL
When house museums want to leap forward, wishful thinking isn’t enough. They need sufficient capacity and support to achieve their vision. We’ll explore three different but common approaches—the governing board, volunteers, and a major fundraising campaign—with an experienced director, mid-level program manager, and a national non-profit consultant.
Chair: Max van Balgooy, Engaging Places, LLC, Rockville, MD; Donna Ann Harris, Heritage Consulting, Inc. Philadelphia, PA; Alexandra Rasic, Homestead Museum, City of Industry, CA; Nina Zannieri, Paul Revere Memorial Association/Paul Revere House, Boston, MA
History museums in the U.S. and beyond still interpret predominantly white histories. This session presents museums in United States, Canada, and Brazil working from an Afrocentric lens, and the many challenges faced, from denialism to political pressure, barriers to community engagement to lack of funding. Could an Afrocentric museum resistance movement help?
Chair: Gegê Leme Joseph, International Coalition for Sites of Conscience, Long Island City, NY, Caitlin Blue, Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, Niagara Falls, NY; Ally Spongr, Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, Niagara Falls, NY
How can using Smithsonian resources bolster community engagement? The panel will discuss how hosting a Museum on Main Street exhibition spurred youth and community engagement with local history through digital storytelling. This experience bridged age gaps and led to surprising outcomes by presenting history in a more relevant way.
Chair: Selwyn Ramp, Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, Washington, DC; Robbie Davis, Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, Washington, DC ; Robin Goetz, Brunswick Public Library, Brunswick, MD; Shannon Sullivan, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
How do we make anniversaries matter? How do they serve as opportunities for new growth rather than roadblocks? This session will draw on neuroscience, community health data, psychology, and public history to offer new frameworks for approach.
Chair: Braden Paynter, International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, Washington, DC; Rainey Tisdale, Independent Consultant, Boston, MA
Historians disclose uncomfortable truths. We walk genealogists through shame as we divulge “family secrets.” Sometimes we refute the stories people tell about themselves, or the accounts that historic sites share with the world. This panel will explore the awkward, messy, and occasionally revelatory task of sharing upsetting and silenced narratives.
Chair: Annie Anderson, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, Philadelphia, PA; Sharece Blakney, Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities, Camden, NJ; Dennis Pickeral, Stenton Museum, Philadelphia, PA; Adrienne Whaley, Museum of the American Revolution, Philadelphia, PA
Does a waning of the Colonial Revival explain the widening disconnect between museum objects and contemporary values? This session explores ways we have traditionally valued objects for the privileged stories they tell and how we can mobilize those same objects to convey a complete, inclusive past.
Chair: Laura C. Keim, Senton Museum, Philadelphia, PA; Jessie MacLeod, George Washington's Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon, VA; David B. Voelkel, The Valentine Museum, Richmond, VA
For a generation, military history has supposedly been on the decline in academic circles, but military museums are still very popular. Explore what three institutions are doing to make military history relevant to modern audiences. Sponsored by the AASLH Military History Affinity Community.
Chair: Marc Blackburn, Mount Rainier National Park, Eatonville, WA; Françoise B. Bonnell, Ph.D, U.S. Army Women's Museum, Fort Lee, VA; Matt Cassady, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, MN; Mark Sundlov, Soldiers Memorial Museum, St. Louis, MO
Six congregations and three archival repositories have banded together to digitize the records of eleven of Philadelphia’s historic congregations and make their records available online through a unified portal. Working collaboratively they secured funding, found individuals and institutions to provide technical expertise, and recruited volunteers to make it all possible. This session will explore how working collaboratively and sharing resources makes great initiatives possible.
Chair: Carol W. Smith, Christ Church, Philadelphia, PA; Walter Rice, R & R Computer Solutions, Philadelphia, PA; Nancy Taylor, Presbyterian Historical Society, Philadelphia, PA
We’re all waiting for fundraising to get easier. But what happens when misperceptions make it even more difficult? This session features a panel of leaders from several organizations discussing how they address fundraising misconceptions created by state and federal affiliations, assumptions about benefactors, earned income challenges and more.
Chair: Jamie Simek, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, Indianapolis, IN; Jennifer Hiatt, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, Indianapolis, IN; David Janssen, Brucemore National Trust Historic Site and Cultural Center, Cedar Rapids, IA; Jeff Matsuoka, Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis, IN
How do we design programs for audiences that are new to us? The Historical Society of Pennsylvania partnered with Taller Puertorriqueño to create a model that required letting go of institutional authority. Hear about the successes and challenges from those with worked to diversify HSP’s (and Taller’s) audiences.
Chair: Seth Bruggeman, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA; Carmen Febo San Miguel, Taller Puertorriqueño, Philadelphia, PA; Henrietta Hickman, Cherry Hill, NJ; Ain Gordon, Brooklyn, NY
Many non-profit historical museums own and interpret corporate history collections. This session will compare interpretations of industrial artifacts in corporate and non-profit places and present successes and challenges in interpreting corporate history at the Senator John Heinz History Center and National Museum of American History.
Chair: Melissa Bingmann, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV; Kathy Franz, National Museum of American History, Washington, DC; Anne Madarasz, Senator John Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh, PA; Emily Ruby, Senator John Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh, PA
This session explores a contested collection of Japanese American artifacts from incarceration collected by curator Allen Hendershott Eaton in 1945. In 2015, a public auction of these artifacts was halted by a grassroots protest that led to the acquisition by a community-based institution raising questions about authority, community, and provenance.
Chair: Clement Hanami, Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles, CA; Shirley Ann Higuchi, Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation, Powell, WY; Nancy Ukai, 50objects.org, Berkeley, CA
2018 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Kansas City September 27, 2018
Keynote: Dan Snow
2018 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Kansas City, MO September 27, 2018
On The Road: Doing Midwestern LGBTQ History in Traveling Exhibitions
Chair: Taylor C. Bye, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO
2018 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Kansas City, MO September 27, 2018
Whiskey For My Staff an Beer for My Llamas: Corporate Partnerships
Chair: Melissa Prycer, Dallas Heritage Village, Dallas, TX
2018 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Kansas City, MO September 27, 2018
Getting Sexy at Historic Sites
Chair: Susan Ferentinos, Public History Researcher, Writer, and Consultant, Bloomington, IN
2018 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Kansas City, MO September 27, 2018
Reimagining the Historic House Museum
Chair: Kenneth C. Turino, Historic New England, Haverhill, MA
2018 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Kansas City, MO September 27, 2018
Field Services Alliance Tips: Scaling Best Practices to Fit Your Organization
Chair: Samantha Forsko, Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts, Philadelphia, PA
2018 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Kansas City, MO September 27, 2018
Latino Heritage Conservation
Chair: Sarah Zenaida Gould, PhD, Latin@s in Heritage Conservation and UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures, San Antonio, TX
2018 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Kansas City, MO September 29, 2018
Food In The Gallery?
Chair: Mary W. Madden, Kansas Museum of History, Kansas Historical Society, Topeka, KS
2018 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Kansas City, MO September 29, 2018
Betting On History and Culture in Las Vegas
Chair: Jim McMichael, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Las Vegas, NV
2018 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Kansas City, MO September 28, 2018
Meeting of the Membership
Chair: Katharine D. Kane, Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, Hartford, CT
2018 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Kansas City, MO September 28, 2018
The Road To Success: Exploring the Intersection between Planning and Innovation
Chair: Steven Blashfield, Glave & Holmes Architecture, Richmond, VA
2018 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Kansas City, MO September 28, 2018
Exploring Ken Burns's Vietnam War: National and Local Perspectives
Chair: Marc Blackburn, Mount Rainier National Park, Ashford, WA
2018 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Kansas City, MO September 28, 2018
Ready For Retirement?
Chair: Katharine D. Kane, Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, Hartford, CT
2018 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Kansas City, MO September 28, 2018
Civil Rights Beyond the South: The Significance of Missouri in the Black Freedom Struggles
Chair: Clarence Lang, PhD, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
2018 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Kansas City, MO September 28, 2018
NAGPRA: The Truth and Repatriation and the Consequences of Returning Collections
Chair: Ryan Wheeler, PhD, Robert S. Peabody Institute of Archaeology, Andover, MA
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Keynote Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 7, 2017
Speaker: Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Keynote Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 9, 2017
Speaker: Jeremi Suri, Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 8, 2017
The Why and How of Exhibits and Programs About WWI
Chair: Gordon Blaker, U.S. Army Artillery Museum, Ft. Sill, OK
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 8, 2017
Race, History, and the Archive: Strategies For Community Archives/ Museums
Chair: Amanda Jasso, Austin History Center, Austin, TX
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 8 2017
Past - Present - Podcast: The Challenges Of On-Air History
Chair: Jessica Dorman, The Historic New Orleans Collection, New Orleans, LA
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 8, 2017
History Has Its Eyes on You: Lessons Learned from Broadway's Hamilton
Chair: Becky Schlomann, Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis, IN
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 8, 2017
Commemorating Tragedy, Healing Wounds: Mother Emanuel AME Church, Charleston, SC
Chair: Dr. George McDaniel, McDaniel Consulting, Charleston, SC
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 8, 2017
Building A Small Museum Archives
Chair: Berlin Loa, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 9, 2017
Engaging K-16 Through Creative Connections to History
Chair: Kate Betz, Bullock Texas State History Museum, Austin, TX
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 9, 2017
Bucking the Trend: Social Media, Meaning, History, and Heritage
Chair: Oliver Franklin, Elisabet Ney Museum, Austin, TX
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 8, 2017
Lessons Learned: Legal, Ethical, and Practical Issues Involved in Finding a New Steward for Upsala
Chair: Carrie Villar, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Washington, D.C.
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 7, 2017
Beyond Ramps: The Ongoing Journey Toward Universal Accessibility
Chair: Dr. Maureen Kelly Jonason, Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, Moorhead, MN
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 7, 2017
History in Motion: Archival Film and Video in Historical Collections
Chair: Madeline Moya, Texas Archive of the Moving Image, Austin, TX
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 7, 2017
From Storefront to Monument: Tracing the Public History of the Black Museum Movement
Chair: Andrea Burns, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 7, 2017
Sharing The Stage With Theaters And Schools
Chair: Ani Simmons, The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, Dallas, TX
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 7, 2017
We Are History: Teamwork and Transparency in History Exhibit Renovations
Chair: Heather McClenahan, Los Alamos Historical Society, Los Alamos, TX
2017 AASLH Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Austin, TX September 7, 2017
The State of Inclusion
Chair: Marian Carpenter, John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, FL
2016 AASLH/MMA Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Detroit, MI September 16, 2015
Accessibility for the 21st Century: Welcoming All Visitors to History Museums and Historic Sites
In this session, participants will gain ideas for enhancing accessibility for all visitors in ways that go beyond the legal obligations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Panelists include professionals who are actively promoting accessibility through innovative programs and partnerships at history museums of varying size, scope, and location. Chair: Caroline Braden, Guest Accessibility/Special Needs Assistant, The Henry Ford, Dearborn, MI
2016 AASLH/MMA Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Detroit, MI September 16, 2015
Breaking the Mold: Reimagining Traditional Museums, Programs, and Collections
See how three institutions are rethinking how they operate in order to reach new audiences, maintain relevancy, and create advocates for history. From tweaking programming to breaking the operational mold, ideas and tips will be shared to inspire staff at institutions large and small. Chair: Alexandria Rasic, Director of Public Programs, Homestead Museum, City of Industry, CA
2016 AASLH/MMA Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Detroit, MI September 17, 2015
Creating Connection through Creative Expression Arts Midwest and Metropolitan Group are leading a national effort to build public will for creative expression by connecting it with people's deeply-held values. This session will explore this initiative's research findings, theory of change, and how pilots are implementing messaging and recommendations to create long-term change. Chair: Robert Sarror, Senior Director, Metropolitan Group,, Washington, DC
2016 AASLH/MMA Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Detroit, MI September 15, 2015
Cultural Competency: A Powerful Tool for Change Start off the Annual Meeting with a session guaranteed to challenge and inspire. Sharing examples from their own institution, staff from the Arab American National Museum will facilitate a discussion on how becoming more culturally competent can enable institutions to respond to changing demographics and work with new audiences. Chair: Kate Betz, Bullock State History Museum, Austin, TX
2016 AASLH/MMA Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Detroit, MI September 15, 2015
Democratizing Historical Practice
How could history better advance a more democratic and participatory civic life? Thelen will introduce session with a 30 minute talk that distills his experiences with trying to connect professional with popular history making. Audience members will discuss their experiences and observations with this challenge. Chair: David Thelen, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
2016 AASLH/MMA Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Detroit, MI September 15, 2015
Interns: Developing a Diverse Leadership Pipeline Creating a diverse pipeline for institutional leadership starts with building internship programs that reflect our visitors. Emerging professionals express frustration with early career opportunities. We will highlight new models, including Minnesota Historical Society’s undergraduate internship program and #museumworkersspeak, and then consider how the AASLH can help the field move forward. Chair: Sarah Jencks, Director of Education and Leadership, Ford's Theatre Society, Washington, DC
2016 AASLH/MMA Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Detroit, MI September 15, 2015
Thomas J. Sugrue is Professor of Social and Cultural Analysis and History at New York University. A specialist in twentieth-century American politics, urban history, civil rights, and race, Sugrue was educated at Columbia; King's College, Cambridge; and Harvard, where he earned his Ph.D. in 1992. His first book, The Origins of the Urban Crisis (1996), focused on Detroit as the symbol of the American urban crisis. It won the Bancroft Prize in American History and the Urban History Association Award for Best Book in North American Urban History among other numerous awards. In 2005, Princeton University Press selected The Origins of the Urban Crisis as one of its 100 most influential books of the past one hundred years and recently published a new edition including the Detroit bankruptcy. Sugrue challenges the conventional wisdom that urban decline is the product of the social programs and racial fissures of the 1960s. Weaving together the history of workplaces, unions, civil rights groups, political organizations, and real estate agencies, Sugrue finds the roots of today’s urban poverty in a hidden history of racial violence, discrimination, and deindustrialization that reshaped the American urban landscape after World War II.
Recorded in Detroit, MI Thursday, September 15
Thomas J. Sugrue is Professor of Social and Cultural Analysis and History at New York University. A specialist in twentieth-century American politics, urban history, civil rights, and race, Sugrue was educated at Columbia; King's College, Cambridge; and Harvard, where he earned his Ph.D. in 1992. His first book, The Origins of the Urban Crisis (1996), focused on Detroit as the symbol of the American urban crisis. It won the Bancroft Prize in American History and the Urban History Association Award for Best Book in North American Urban History among other numerous awards. In 2005, Princeton University Press selected The Origins of the Urban Crisis as one of its 100 most influential books of the past one hundred years and recently published a new edition including the Detroit bankruptcy. Sugrue challenges the conventional wisdom that urban decline is the product of the social programs and racial fissures of the 1960s. Weaving together the history of workplaces, unions, civil rights groups, political organizations, and real estate agencies, Sugrue finds the roots of today’s urban poverty in a hidden history of racial violence, discrimination, and deindustrialization that reshaped the American urban landscape after World War II.
2016 AASLH/MMA Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Detroit, MI September 17, 2016
Life After Rebranding: Twenty Insights, Lessons, and Best Practices Many history organizations make the bold move to rebrand with the goal of attracting a broader audience. While much energy is often focused on the brand launch, this session addresses life after the launch date: how to manage your brand, how it evolves, and how you evolve. Chair: Shannon Thomas, Director of Marketing and Communications, Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH
2016 AASLH/MMA Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Detroit, MI September 15, 2016
Meaningful Change Within Local Organizations: Assessment Makes All the Difference
Local history organizations are identifying their greatest needs with help from agencies at the state level that have created programs and tools using StEPs and other assessment programs. Hear how a state historical society, historical commission, and state humanities council are using assessment programs to gather data, offer assistance, and effect positive change. Chair: Cherie Cook, AASLH, Nashville, TN
2016 AASLH/MMA Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Detroit, MI September, 16, 2016
More Than Just Friends? The Do's and Don'ts of Interpreting Female Friendship
Boston Marriage. Lovers. Lesbians. Roommates. Regardless of the label applied, interpreting “female friendship” within the context of LGBT history remains a challenge. Hosted by the Women’s History Affinity Group, this discussion and Q&A centers on how to approach this topic in your museum or site through best practices and case studies. Chair: Rebecca Price, President/CEO, Chick History, Inc., Nashville, TN
2016 AASLH/MMA Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Detroit, MI September, 17, 2016
Passing the Torch: One Museum's Experience
Attention Baby Boomer Museum Leaders: Are you making plans for your successor? Generation X and Millennials: are you ready to take on a leadership position? Hear the story of one museum's leadership transition from one generation to another, and from unexpected challenges to surprising success. Chair: Melissa Prycer, Executive Director, Dallas Heritage Village, Dallas, TX
2016 AASLH/MMA Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Detroit, MI September, 17, 2016
Reaching Out: Contested History and Community Engagement
No meaningful conversation about our future can occur without confronting our contentious past. This session will present three case studies of collaboration as vehicles for communities to share their respective stories. Panelists will share strategies for initiating productive conversations and discuss collaborative programming efforts to sustain positive relationships with communities.
Chair: Adam Scher, Senior Curator, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, MN
2016 AASLH/MMA Annual Meeting Session Recording Recorded in Detroit, MI September, 17, 2016
Renewal: (Re)Designing a Site Based on Community Engagement and Evaluation
Community engagement was the key to unlocking audience needs for three very different museums in need of revitalization. Learn how these sites used a variety of community engagement tools, including surveys, focus groups, and more, to help plan for their re-birth as relevant sources for history learning for diverse populations.
Chair: Megan McAdow, Director of Collections & Education, Applewood: The Charles Stewart Mott Estate, Flint, MI
This session discusses three projects at local museums that seemed insurmountable, including moving a historic village to a new location and developing, opening, and accrediting a new museum in under three years. The presentation provides detailed information on strategies for completing and funding the impossible. Chair: Neal Hitch, Executive Director, Imperial Valley Desert Museum, Ocotillo, CA. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/achieving-the-impossible-strategies-for-completing-projects-that-seem-unlikely/
Teaching American History (TAH) grants are extinct. The innovative and entrepreneurial spirit that was the hallmark of successful TAH programs must now be the foundation for new educational programming. Learn how the Ohio History Connection has made the transition and share new ideas and approaches for success. Chair: Stacia Kuceyski, Outreach Director, Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/after-teaching-american-history-grants-have-ended-imagine-the-possibilities/
Join us for conversation about the power of diverse settings to deliver what one inner-city teacher described as “life-changing” experiences for her students. How does your site, city or country, create space for these authentic learning experiences and how do we, as a field, better prepare students for having them? Chair: Jacqueline Langholtz, Manager of School and Group Programs, Monticello, Charlottesville, VA. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/city-mouse-and-country-mouse-supporting-student-learning-in-new-environments/
Museums and archives are often owners of artifacts that are mysterious and controversial. Figuring out what items are, their place in historical context, and display options can be daunting. Presenters discuss items that posed problems, and attendees are encouraged to bring in stories about experiences with controversial artifacts. Chair: Erica Ward, Archivist, Research and Academic Support Specialist, The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/controversial-objects/
For the past decade, museums have embraced the “young professionals” model to attract the next generation of visitors and donors. Now that the first generation is aging out, what’s next in the ladder of engagement? What programming do mid-life supporters want? How can we best meet their needs? Let’s discuss. Chair: Sarah Jencks, Director of Education Programming, Ford’s Theatre Society, Washington, D.C. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/engaging-the-grown-ups-a-roundtable-exploring-new-strategies/
In the wake of Michael Brown’s death, people closely examined the past, present, and future of the state of Missouri. The Missouri History Museum is located approximately twenty minutes from Ferguson. This resulted in a wave of community engagement opportunities and potential pitfalls. What happened? What would you do? Chair: Melanie Adams, Managing Director, Community Education and Events, Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, MO. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/ferguson-usa/
Historical organizations must develop and demonstrate relevance to remain successful. In this highly-participatory session, attendees work in small groups and then in the large group to identify means to develop and demonstrate relevance. Following the session, the facilitators will compile and distribute the group’s findings to all participants. Chair: Mark Sundlov, Manager, Local History Office, Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/field-services-alliance-tips-demonstrating-relevance/
Peace, love, and understanding, or bitter aftertaste? Can remembering troubled local history empower communities to reach common understanding and start to heal? Learn how Columbia, Missouri citizens remembered a former black business district and reached for greater possibilities. Share your experiences and thoughts on how historians can help. Chair: Toni Messina, Civic Relations Officer, City of Columbia, Columbia, MO. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/is-it-possible-that-remembering-local-history-can-heal-old-wounds/
A successful collaborative project yields high rewards for everyone. Innovative collaborations between museums and nontraditional or unexpected partners helps build relationships, executive successful projects, increase visibility, and enhance goodwill. This session examines recent examples of museums working with nontraditional partners to help advance the missions of both. Chair: Bruce Whitmarsh, Director, Chemung County Historical Society, Elmira, NY. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/new-partners-and-new-opportunities/
History museums increasingly embrace the possibilities of incorporating visitor feedback and user-generation information into exhibition presentations as a part of the interpretation. Museums that are using talk-back cards and dialogue in exhibits also make a commitment to systematically preserve and analyze the responses to better understand visitor experiences. Chair: Barbara Franco, Founding Executive Director, Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum, Gettysburg, PA. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/visitors-talk-back-what-audiences-tell-museums/
Military history is full of stereotypes: rooms stuffed with weapons, exhibits with dense text going into the minutiae of battle, etc. This session advocates a people-centered approach instead, which makes military history relevant to returning visitors and those who dismiss military history as tedious. Chair: Marc Blackburn, Supervisory Park Ranger, Mount Ranier National Park, Ashford, WA. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/thems-fighting-words-new-approaches-in-military-history/
In 2005, the Gulf Coast was hammered by two hurricanes. AASLH, working with other organizations, responded by dispatching Historian Emergency Assistance Recovery Teams (HEART) to offer aid in documenting and mitigating storm damage to cultural resources in Louisiana and Mississippi. This roundtable reviews those efforts, ten years later. Chair: Vincent Murray, Historian, Arizona Historical Research, Phoenix, AZ. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/stories-from-the-heart-10-years-after-katrina-and-rita/
Commemorations are a significant feature of public programming, but can become mired in tradition, politics, and memory. Together we explore new strategies for inclusive, innovative programs through case studies of 250-, 150-, and 50-year commemorations and discuss how to commemorate what’s happening today. Chair: Erin Carlson Mast, Executive Director, President Lincoln’s Cottage, Washington, D.C. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/new-strategies-for-inclusive-commemoration/
Historic preservation advocates across the country are gearing up for Preservation50, a year-long series of activities during 2016 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Please join us to learn about Preservation50’s missions, goals, and programming, and how your organization can participate. Chair: Marion Werkheiser, Managing Member, Cultural Heritage Partners, PLLC, Washington, D.C. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/preservation50-celebrating-the-50th-anniversary-of-the-national-historic-preservation-act/
From the buildings on our block to the quilt on our couch, we interact with history daily. Yet too often we ignore our historical landscape in favor of formal texts. In this session, we challenge this trend with techniques to help us read the objects around us. Chair: Mindy Farmer, Director, May 4 Visitors Center at Kent State University, Kent, OH. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/new-ways-to-read-old-objects/
Are you part of a coalition advocating for the creation of powerful new streams of funding that will make history more accessible, more consistent with standards, more prevalent, and more relevant? Learn about expectations and realities of sources such as lodging, sales, environmental offset taxes, and voluntary income taxes. Chair: David Grabitske, Manager of Outreach Services, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, MN. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/powerful-funding-makes-history-possible/
Noted author and local historian Carol Kammen spoke at the 2015 Leadership in History Awards banquet. Since 1995, Carol’s column, “On Doing Local History,” has appeared regularly in our magazine, History News. Her books include On Doing Local History, The Pursuit of Local History: Readings on Theory and Practice, the Encyclopedia of Local History, and Zen and the Art of Local History. In 2007, she received AASLH’s highest honor, the Award of Distinction. Carol also presented the inaugural Michael Kammen Award, named in honor of her late husband, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Cornell University’s Newton C. Farr Professor of American History and Culture Emeritus. It is presented to a history institution with an annual budget under $250,000 that has shown outstanding effort. The 2015 winner is the Lombard Historical Society of Lombard, Illinois. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/carol-kammen-awards-banquet-speaker-2015-annual-meeting/
The 2015 Meeting of the Membership included reports from Norman Burns (Council Treasurer) and John Dichtl (President and CEO), as well as an address from Julie Rose (Council Chair) and results of 2015 Council elections. Tobi Voigt of the Detroit Historical Society issued the invitation to Detroit for AASLH’s 2016 Annual Meeting. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/2015-meeting-of-the-membership/
Sam Wineburg delivers the keynote address as the 2015 Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. Wineburg is the Margaret Jacks Professor of Education and a professor of history, by courtesy, at Stanford University, where he directs the doctoral program in history education as part of the Stanford History Education Group. His Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching the Past (2001) won the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ Frederic W. Ness Book Award for the work that “best illuminates the goals and practices of a contemporary liberal education.” He has also received, with his collaborators, the James Harvey Robinson Prize and the William Gilbert Award from the American Historical Association. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/sam-wineburg-keynote-address-2015-annual-meeting/
The 2015 Annual Meeting Plenary was a discussion with author Wendell Berry and Kentucky State Historian Dr. James C. Klotter, moderated by KET personality Renee Shaw. Berry and Klotter discussed the importance of studying the past as a way to prepare for the future. Berry is an author and Kentucky treasure, famous for his writings on nature and ecology. Klotter received his Ph.D. in history from the University of Kentucky. He is the author, co-author, or editor of almost twenty prize-winning books, including the standard works on Kentucky used at the elementary, secondary, and college level. Shaw is the host of Connections with Renee Shaw on Kentucky Educational Television. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/wendell-berry-dr-james-c-klotter-and-renee-shaw-plenary-address-2015-aaslh-annual-meeting/
This session looks beyond traditional policies on using artifacts in historic sites, looks specifically at deaccessioning, and argues for more flexibility with collections. Participants will solve the problem of three real-life case studies. The aim is to consider the pros and cons of mass deaccessioning, and using historic objects in museums and the legal, ethical, and person considerations that go into decisions. Chair: Kenneth C. Turino, Manager of Community Engagement and Exhibitions, Historic New England, Boston, MA; Gwendolen Raley, Museum and Heritage Tourism Director, Indiana Landmarks, Morris-Butler House, Indianapolis, IN; Jay D. Vogt, Director, South Dakota State Historical Society, Pierre, SD. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/to-use-or-not-to-use-or-keep-ethical-issues-in-collections/
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania’s Hidden Collection Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories is a project to make better known and more accessible archival collections held at small historical institutions. This session will present HCI-PSAR as a model and will share resources for those managing archives at small organizations. Chair: Jack McCarthy, Project Director, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Celia Caust-Ellenbogen, Senior Project Surveyor, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Erica Harman, Senior Specialist, Collections and Administration, Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, PA. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/archival-adventures-in-small-repositories/
This session explores the perspectives of the university, student, and small museum in examining best practices through case studies of internship programs. The session emphasizes collaboration of all parties to achieve a win-win-win result. Topics include scope, legal requirements, recruitment, funding, setting goals, career networking, and development opportunities. Chair: Robert P. Connolly, Ph.D., Director, Associate Professor, C.H. Nash Museum, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN; Patricia Harris, Graduate Student, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN; Kathleen Klehr, Executive Director, Scott County Historical Society, Shakopee, MN. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/big-impact-for-small-museums-internships-as-a-win-win-win-for-all-participants/
Join an archaeologist, architect, historian, and planner as they identify ways to harness existing programs and develop new methods for preserving spaces significant to our shared heritage. Every attendee should walk away knowing positive actions they can take in their community, along with a sound introduction to historic preservation. Chair: John Smoley, Ph.D., City Planner, City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN; Sarah Beimers, Manager of Government Programs and Compliance, Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office, St. Paul, MN; Angela Wolf Scott, Historic Preservation Architect, Minneapolis, MN; Michelle M. Terrell, Principal Archaeologist and Historian, Two Pines Resource Group, Shafer, MN. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/bring-historic-preservation-to-your-community/
The digital revolution is allowing local and state historical organizations to place more primary sources online. But digitization is labor-intensive. Learn more about the successes and failures of four unique projects that are using crowdsourcing to mitigate the labor demands of digitization while providing educational opportunities for their constituents. Chair: David McKenzie, Digital Projects Manager, Ford’s Theatre Society, Washington, DC; Jason Crabill, Manager, Curatorial Services, Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH; Catherine Keene Fields, Executive Director, Litchfield Historical Society, Litchfield, CT; Lorraine McConaghy, Ph.D., Museum of History and Industry, Seattle, WA. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/building-digital-archives-lessons-learned-from-four-crowdsourced-online-projects/
Learn how sites have fostered sustained institutional commitment and developed community partnerships to support the interpretation of slavery and other nontraditional stories. Contributors to a new book on interpreting slavery offer practical advice from Monticello, Gunston Hall, and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, among other sites, both from the North and South. Chair: James DeWolf Perry, Executive Director, Tracing Center on Histories and Legacies of Slavery, Watertown, MA; Dina Bailey, Director, Interpretation Curator, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Atlanta, GA; Linnea Grim, Hunter J. Smith Director of Education and Visitor Programs, Monticello, Charlottesville, VA; Scott M. Stroh, III, Executive Director, George Mason’s Gunston Hall, Mason Neck, VA. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/institutional-investment-and-community-involvement-in-the-interpretation-of-slavery/
The National Trust recently completed a two-year process of revising its collections management policy to create parity between historic buildings, landscapes, and objects that it stewards for the benefit of the public and to use disposition proceeds to provide direct care across all aspects of this collection. This session will explore the process of developing and vetting these changes, along with the implication of these changes from the perspectives of the National Trust’s Legal Division and Technical Services, as well as a Site Director. Chair: Katherine Malone-France, Director of Outreach, Education, and Support, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Washington, DC; Tom Mayes, Deputy General Counsel, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Washington, DC; David Young, Executive Director, Cliveden, Philadelphia, PA. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/radical-common-sense-revising-the-collections-management-policy-of-the-national-trust/
The artifact(s) most likely to make you grab your head in your hands is… that group of scrapbooks! But what if you could go back to your institution with resources and strategies to preserve and/or digitize these materials successfully—regardless of institutional size? Join us and you will! Chair: Alix Bentrud, Preservation Services, LYLYRASIS, Atlanta, GA; Leigh A. Grinstead, Digital Services Consultant, LYLYRASIS, Denver, CO; Katie Mullen, Endowed Preservation Coordinator, Library-Archives, Wisconsin State Historical Society, Madison, WI. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/scrapbooks-personal-and-community-history-in-the-digital-age/
Publishing state and local history, in either a print or electronic format, can be quite a daunting challenge. Issues from editing to printing and marketing can sometimes feel overwhelming. This roundtable will provide suggestions and answer your questions about starting and completing a publishing project. Chair: Elizabeth Brand Monroe, Associate Professor of History, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN; J. Kent Calder, Acquisitions Editor, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK; Thomas A. Mason, Adjunct Lecturer, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN; Pamela J. McClanahan, Director, Minnesota Historical Society Press/Borealis Books, St. Paul, MN. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/so-you-want-to-publish-a-history-book/
As emergency planning systems have grown more sophisticated, museums and historic sites are challenged to develop effective responses to large disasters. This session will discuss the importance of forming networks for response and training, provide tips for starting new networks, and offer suggestions for fostering relationships with emergency management personnel. Chair: Dyani Feige, Preservation Specialist, Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts, Philadelphia, PA; Kathy Craughwell-Varda, Director, Conservation ConneCTion, Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT; LeRae Umfleet, Supervisor, Education and Outreach Branch, Office of Archives and History, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Raleigh, NC; Pat Young, Resource Collection Coordinator, Disaster Research Center, Newark, DE. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/working-together-for-better-preparedness-developing-cooperative-disaster-networks/
Understanding the history of your community directs new programming. A small partnership has led to a progressive series of community collaborations. This process has dramatically increased our audience, connected us with our community in new ways, created opportunities to generate revenue, and enhanced staff capacity. Chair: Mollie Spillman, Curator/Archivist, Ramsey County Historical Society, St. Paul, MN; Melinda Ludwiczak, MELSA Program Manager, St. Paul, MN; Frank White, Independent Researcher/Curator, Woodbury, MA. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/take-me-out-to-the-ballpark-building-community-engagement-and-partnerships-through-exhibit-planning-and-development/
This interactive panel for historic houses and historic sites offers attendees the opportunity to learn how to create a truly inclusive environment for all visitors, including those with a range of disabilities. The panel is made up of four museum professionals who are actively promoting accessibility at historic sites and structures through programs, exhibits, and their communities. This highly engaging panel will end with a directed Q&A to ensure that your ideas and questions are heard. Chair: Katie Stringer, Ph.D., Executive Director, Blount Mansion, Knoxville, TN; Callie Hawkins, Associate Director for Programs, President Lincoln’s Cottage, Washington, DC; Mattie Ettenheim, Program Manager, Lower East Side Tenement Museum, New York, NY; Karen Graham Wade, Director, Homestead Museum, City of Industry, CA. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/welcoming-all-visitors-accessible-programs-at-history-museums-and-sites/
It is a place of historic importance in your community, yet another museum does not fit the bill. What are your options? Learn alternatives through the rehabilitation and reuse of two historic properties—a railroad depot adapted to current market trends and two adjacent residences that provide multi-functional space for meetings, events, and lodging. Chair: Mary Warner, Museum Manager, Morrison County Historical Society, Little Falls, MN; Joanne Kellner, Former Board Member, Baudette Depot Preservation Alliance, Inc., Baudette, MN; Patricia Sharon, President, Board of Directors, Friends of Linden Hill, Little Falls, MN. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/they-cant-all-be-museums/
Larger historical institutions typically have the resources and staff to disseminate new ideas in exhibitions and other forms of public history and to draw on new scholarship. But where can organizations without the funding, time, or expertise on hand turn for up-to-date public history practices and scholarly context on unfamiliar topics? This panel will talk about how to relate to recent scholarship in a more active way. Chair: John Dichtl, Director, National Council on Public History, Indianapolis, IN; Mary Rizzo, Public Historian in Residence, Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ; Cathy Stanton, Senior Lecturer, Tufts University, Boston, MA; Cassie Ward, Director of Public Programs, Long Branch Plantation, Millwood, VA. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/the-who-what-and-how-of-tapping-into-new-scholarship-for-your-site-or-exhibit/
“Organizational health trumps everything,” according to best-selling author and management consultant Patrick Lencioni. After all, healthy organizations understand that they are “greater than the sum of their parts.” This practical, common-sense approach focuses on clarity and communication. Join the conversation about how to apply this model back at home and work. Co-Chairs: Norman O. Burns, II, Executive Director, Maymont Foundation, Richmond, VA and Kent Whitworth, Executive Director, Kentucky Historical Society, Frankfort, KY. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/the-advantage-keys-to-a-healthy-organization/
Planning any events related to the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War? This panel, led by three experienced hands at developing Vietnam War programming and exhibitions, will provide guidance on collection development and how to interact with veterans, why community partnerships and diverse programming are critical to success, and how to include aspects of the home front, from popular music to the anti-war movement, to create a balanced and engaging approach. Chair: William Brewster, Curator of Collections, First Infantry Museum at Cantigny, Wheaton, IL; Doug Bradley, Author and Vietnam Veteran, Madison, WI; Jeff Kollath, Public Humanities Program Manager, University of Wisconsin Center for the Humanities, Madison, WI. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/the-battle-for-vietnam-understanding-a-divisive-conflict-through-museum-programming-and-exhibitions/
Dr. Treuer addressed the Leadership in History Awards Banquet at our 2014 Annual Meeting in St. Paul, discussing both his award-winning book and his advocacy for Native American voices and history. “Often we talk about tribal history like it’s ten thousand years of ancient history rather than ten thousand years of history still in the making.” Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/dr-anton-treuer-awards-banquet-speaker/
Garrison Keillor, one of America’s most beloved radio hosts and acclaimed humorists, delivered a keynote address entitled “It Goes On” at the 2014 Annual Meeting in St. Paul, Minnesota. Speaking to an auditorium filled with hundreds of listeners, as well as the Minnesota Public Radio audience, Keillor discussed the history of St. Paul and the importance of local history for gaining insight into the experiences of the majority of everyday Americans. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/garrison-keillor-keynote-address/
Nelson delivered a powerful keynote address at our 2014 Annual Meeting in St. Paul entitled “Reflections on the Journey,” in which she discussed the power of objects to connect us to the past and the value of leadership in today’s world. Each life contributes to our collective history, she emphasized, and each of us is history in the making. “In the end, our individual histories will be recounted in personal ways, through family stories, mementos, videos, and photos. And our collective legacy will be documented in history books, displayed in museums, and preserved at historic sites that tell the story of our time together.” Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/marilyn-carlson-nelson-keynote-address/
Businesses are constantly trying to grow their customer base to include various demographics from around the world. Just as the key to business is growth, so is it for museums. This session will include three case studies highlighting how corporate museums and archives embrace diversity communications along with their parent corporations, and engage diverse audiences through programming and other avenues. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/diversity-positive-programs-in-corporate-archives-museums-and-visitor-centers/
Innovative arts-related programming can enliven historic sites by developing new audiences, fostering new partnerships, and providing new ways for visitors to interact with buildings, landscapes, and collections. The Glass House, Kykuit, and Brucemore will discuss arts-based programming that is rooted in their history and has expanded their partnerships and interpretation. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/enlivening-historic-sites-with-the-arts-2/
How can you update decades-old interpretation to create a more inclusive and engaging narrative in a gallery where American Indians are discussed only as anonymous creators of archaeological objects, and African American and women’s stories are physically segregated? This session offers opportunities for discussion from curatorial, design, and museum education perspectives. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/escaping-great-man-history-on-a-budget-diy-gallery-renovations/
The coming decades will bring about massive change, creating stress within our institutions and communities. Recognizing and responding to future trends is a crucial skill for all history professionals. This interactive session highlights foresight techniques used in the Leaders of the Future project of the California Association of Museums and guides participants in examining future trends. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/focusing-on-the-future-to-preserve-the-past-examining-trends-to-navigate-ongoing-change-2/
How can turning points in history illuminate the present? What can visitors to historic sites take from these pivotal moments? What challenges do history museums face when dealing with contemporary issues? Panelists will discuss making institutional commitments to address not only history, but how it changes and impacts visitors today. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/historic-turning-points-fueling-contemporary-change-2/
The Latino population has been growing dramatically since the 1980s, and many of these newcomers are settling in the South. Hear how three very different museums confront the limitations of state and cultural boundaries as they explore what it means to work together documenting dramatic regional change as it happens. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/latino-new-south-a-new-lens-into-institutional-and-community-engagement/
No matter what you call them, this roundtable will explore the potential benefits and pitfalls of museums joining together by using real examples from institutions, both urban and rural, that have recently gone through the process. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/mergers-alliances-and-partnerships-whats-right-whats-wrong-whats-deadly/
How do we reclaim, democratize, and actualize history in contemporary spaces? How does activism make a difference in the realization of cultural and historic spaces and in the fight for social justice? This panel will present the approaches of museums remembering different histories but sharing a commitment to engage their histories in the struggle for justice. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/movement-creates-museum-activist-beginnings-of-history-institutions/
This session will focus on Birmingham’s ethnic, industrial, and racial history by telling of the people who comprised it. The speakers will demonstrate and discuss how oral histories provide an innovative approach to studying complex history, especially those where the stories of the working class and unheralded are crucial to the telling. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/ordinary-people-with-extraordinary-stories-of-birmingham/
Many museums today are turning to interactive gaming as a way to attract new audiences. When designed well, games engage the imagination, foster motivation, and facilitate learning. But how can museums of all sizes ensure their games meet mission and learning goals? In this session, museum educators and game designers will discuss challenges and opportunities that games present, including questions of audience, learning outcomes, history-based game play, and format. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/playing-games-with-history-2/
Do you feel that your institution is not making the best use of collections? Are the objects you have not the “right ones”? If so, help decide what to do about it! This session recaps and then builds on the 2012 session “Do History Museums Still Need Objects?” Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/practical-solutions-for-rethinking-our-collections-and-how-we-use-them-2/
The National Dialogues on Immigration Project is a groundbreaking series of public dialogue programs at immigration, civil rights, and ethnic identity museums aimed at sparking a national conversation on critical immigration questions. Learn how the project was developed and can be implemented at your site, bringing together museum staff, humanities scholars, and leading dialogue facilitators. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/the-national-dialogues-on-immigration-project/
Using TIE, a scenario-building game inspired by future studies practice, participants explore strategies for incorporating innovation into traditional museum programs or exhibits. By brainstorming big ideas without limitations, the game creates unique juxtapositions, and feeds curiosity and creativity, resulting in strategies for scaling ideas to institution of any size/budget. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/tie-a-thinking-big-at-historic-sites-futures-game-2/
At what point do we consider an object old enough to be an artifact? Must an item be rare to be worthy of collections? This panel discussion will explore these questions and make the case for why history museums should be collecting contemporary, even mass-produced items today. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/vintage-or-artifact-collecting-the-20th-and-21st-centuries/
The Religious History Affinity Group Committee will discuss the role of religious places in the Civil Rights Movement. Join us and learn about interpreting extraordinary history at religious sites. - Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/religious-places-and-the-civil-rights-movement-2/
Overwhelmed by the new ideas you’ve (re)discovered at the conference? Daunted by what you will do upon your return? Take this session to reflect on which ideas will have the most impact on your organization and your ability to lead it with a priority-setting activity designed by co-editors of the Small Museum Toolkit. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/small-museum-leadership-considered-picking-your-high-priority-project-2/
Local history has long focused on a white, mainstream voice. It is a challenge for historians to explore and expose the unheard voices of the past. This panel will focus on sites which have gone beyond the white, male, or mainstream voices of local communities to explore a broader history that includes re-framing the big stories of the past to include untold perspectives. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/whose-history-are-you-getting-exploring-the-neglected-stories-in-your-community-2/
Carolyn McKinstry delivered a special presentation for the AASLH conference at the 16th Street Baptist Church. McKinstry was present on September 15, 1963, at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham when segregationists bombed the church, killing four young girls. As a teenager, she felt her “calling” by attending the mass meetings and rallies at the 16th Street Baptist Church. She was among thousands of students hosed by firemen during the 1963 marches, and survived a second bomb explosion that destroyed a large portion of her home in 1964. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/carolyn-mckinstry-keynote-address-2013-aaslh-annual-meeting/
Born in Senegal in 1941, Doudou Diène was a prizewinner in philosophy in Senegal’s Concours General. Having joined the UNESCO Secretariat in 1977, in 1980 he was appointed Director of the Liaison Office with the United Nations, Permanent Missions and United Nations departments in New York. Prior to this, he had served as deputy representative of Senegal to UNESCO and, in that capacity, as Vice President and Secretary of the African Group and Group of 77. Between 1985 and 1987, he held the posts of Deputy Assistant Director-General for External Relations, spokesperson for the Director-General, and acting Director of the Bureau of Public Information. He is also very active with the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/doudou-diene-keynote-address-2013-aaslh-annual-meeting/
Edwin C. Bridges graduated from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, and received his M.A. and Ph.D. in history from the University of Chicago. He taught history in high school in Greenville and also taught at Georgia Tech before joining the staff of the Georgia Department of Archives and History in 1976. After six years a the Georgia Archives, where he last served as Assistant Director, he was appointed Director of the Alabama Department of Archives and History in 1982 and retired in 2012. Ed’s professional interests have centered on the historical background of current policy issues and on the management of modern records. Bridges has been active in national archival organizations and also with information policy and Alabama history groups in the state. - Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/edward-bridges-awards-banquet-speaker-2013-aaslh-annual-meeting/
Natasha Trethewey, the 19th United States Poet Laureate (2012-13), is the author of Thrall, Native Guard, for which she won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize, Bellocq’s Ophelia, which was named a Notable Book for 2003 by the American Library Association, and Domestic Work. She is also the author of Beyond Katrina: A Mediation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In his citation, Librarian of Congress James Billington wrote, “Her poems dig beneath the surface of history—personal or communal, from childhood or from a century ago—to explore the human struggles that we all face.” In this keynote address, Trethewey reads from her recent book of poems, Thrall, and discusses how she uses the history of America to inform her work, as well as the stories of her past growing up a mixed-race child in the segregated South. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/natasha-trethewey-keynote-address-2013-annual-meeting/
How do visitors use museums to make sense of history and connect it to their lives? Hear about four evaluation projects that contributed to organizations becoming more visitor-centered in their planning and development of programs and exhibits. Learn also how the Visitors Studies Association can be a valuable resource for history organizations. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/beyond-counting-visitors-four-examples-of-evaluation-in-history-museums/
Building on the success of the 2011 AASLH Annual Meeting session Connecting to Collections: Tools You Can Use, this sequel provides information on new initiatives/key developments from existing statewide preservation programs. Speakers discuss advances in preservation fundraising, disaster planning, and collections value assessment, and how results can benefit the community. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/connecting-to-collections-tools-you-can-use-the-sequel/
Food history is a powerful pathway to community connections. Transcending nostalgia, local history museums can serve as educational clearinghouses for vital knowledge that not only illuminates the past and celebrates place, but demonstrates relevance today and generates solutions for community resilience in the face of future challenges. Sponsored by the National Council on Public History. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/from-sustenance-to-relevance-reinterpreting-food-place-and-local-history/
On July 26, 1990, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act, the disability community’s civil rights act. Today, museums are only beginning to realize the implications of creating environments that connect to people with disabilities. Panelists discuss their museum’s efforts to commit to full accessibility and challenge other museums to do the same. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/growing-awareness-and-creating-change-museums-and-the-disability-community/
Have you ever considered attending or sending a staff member to attend Developing History Leaders @SHA? This session provides an opportunity to have your questions answered, how to complete a successful application, how to survive away from the office or without a staff member for three weeks (its easier than you think), and how the program develops history leaders. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/making-room-for-sha/
Public-private partnerships are often cited as the solution to current institutional and financial constraints and the reduction of government support for history. Leaders of public and private history organizations discuss old and new models and the opportunities and challenges they present for the future. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/new-crossroads-for-the-intersection-of-public-and-private/
From facility use policies that cover ghost hunters to the discussion of who owns the findings, dealing with press, and marketing about possible haunting or not, this session is an opportunity to actually discuss how museum staff deal (or not) with paranormal researchers. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/paranormal-policies/
As museums turn to technology to share their collections, cataloging standards are more important than ever. Learn how the recently published Nomenclature 3.0 for Museum Cataloging is meeting this need. Panelists discuss Nomenclature’s new structure, format, conventions, and general use. Learn how the accompanying website and other supplementary materials can help museums adopt Nomenclature 3.0. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/lyres-and-tires-and-barnes-oh-my-nomenclature-3-0-for-museum-cataloging/
Running a small museum is like trying to juggle a dozen balls and when you’re a new or terribly over-worked leader, how do you know what you are responsible for or where to start? Three contributors to the newly released Small Museum Toolkit share some of their insights into mission-based planning and implementation for small museums, as well as offer practical strategies for success in collections care basics, advocacy, and visitor studies. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/the-toolkit-talks-collections-care-basics-advocacy-and-visitor-studies/
Ulrich recounts her early years in the history field and the decision that brought her to become a historian of early America and the history of women. She discusses individual women in the pioneer days of America that through their courageous actions, helped shape our nation. Though these types of women often go unrecognized, Ulrich uses them as an example of the need for change in the way we study and interpret history. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/laurel-thatcher-ulrich-plenary-speaker-2012-aaslh-annual-meeting/
Most history institutions do not follow a technology strategy and as a result they flounder in the constantly changing technology landscape. All institutions, whatever size or budget, need to think strategically about technology. in-depth conversation with two leaders in the field will help you craft a digital strategy you can maintain and will help identify potential funding sources. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/the-importance-of-a-digital-strategy/
History and family history, or genealogy, go hand-in-hand, supporting and enriching each other. This panel discusses their experiences using family history in historical research and writing in order to more fully understand the subject. Speakers suggest ways to incorporate genealogical sources in historical research. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/putting-meat-on-the-bones-using-geneaology-to-personalize-history/
In the program If This House Could Talk, residents post handmade signs in their yards and the neighborhood itself becomes an exhibit. In associated Pop-Up Performances, actors present stories where they happened. ITHCY organizers from Cambridge, MA, and Sacramento, CA, share these novel approaches to connecting people to place. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/taking-history-to-the-streets/
Most organizations make commitments to staff diversity in their strategic plans, but these aspirations often fail to be realized. This session looks at how the Minnesota Historical Society has developed replicable strategies for pre-professional development that is creating pathways to employment for minority and American Indian students. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/standing-at-the-crossroads-of-diversity-creating-pathways-to-employment-for-under-represented-communities/
AASLH is a leading advocate for increased federal funding for history organizations. Now more than ever, it is important that you do your part to help. Learn about successes and discover ways the field can work together to preserve and increase funding, strengthen existing national programs, and advance professionalism in the field. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/advocacy-for-history-organizations-2011/
Whether responding to an immediate crisis or ongoing social problem, museum professionals will consider how to support families struggling with difficult issues that impact the community. In the context of current events, participants are challenged to consider how families might benefit from their museums knowledge, experience, and resources. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/responding-to-history-in-the-making/
Community collaboration and advocacy is essential to the health of a small museum. Small museums can transform their role in the community and increase their relevancy by going beyond their four walls and partnering with other organizations or businesses. They can strengthen their standing in communities through civic engagement. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/transforming-organizations-through-community-involvement/
As part of their Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning Grants, many states began the process of developing or, in some cases, updating statewide disaster plans. In this session, statewide planning and implementation grant representatives will discuss their approaches to disaster planning at the institutional and statewide level. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/connecting-to-the-future-statewide-disaster-preparedness-planning/
Panelists explore real-world applications of how collections management policies, preservation, and interactive education can be brought together for the best possible visitor experience. Panelists also explore implications for accreditation when violating the “Rembrandt Rule” as we embark on a new era in historic house museum management.
Sponsored by the National Council on Public History, this panel analyzes the opportunities for acknowledging difficult and controversial chapters of the past at historic sites and museums. Drawing on their first-hand experiences in the trenches of public history, panelists will share their ideas for constructive ways to engage, rather than to avoid, problematical history. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/engaging-in-the-problematic-past/
As part of their Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning Grants, many states included an advocacy element, which included outreach to elected officials, state agencies, and the public. This session reviews lessons learned in some of these efforts and provide advice on how to conduct similar activities in your state. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/connecting-to-the-public-advocacy-for-collections-care/
As part of their Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning Grants, many states developed tools and techniques that are available to other groups. Representatives of statewide projects discuss their tools, how they were developed, and where to find them. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/connecting-to-collections-tools-you-can-use/
Town Hall Meeting at the 2011 AASLH Annual Meeting sponsored by the Virginia Association of Museums. As interpreters of our nation’s past, our field searches for meaning in the achievements and trials of those who came before us. Commemoration aims to celebrate, educate, and honor the past. With commemoration comes reflection. How do we remember key pieces of our nation’s history? Whose lens do we use to see the past? How can these spaces become meaningful and relevant? It brings the promise of new beginnings as we continuously reflect on our past, future, and stories we tell. This interactive session, moderated by Dr. Spencer Crew, featured a rich conversation about the significance of remembering and forgetting, the responsibilities of commemoration, and the power of the voices we choose to recall history. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/how-does-commemoration-impact-american-memory/
As part of their Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning Grants, many states developed needs assessment surveys, often modeled on the Heritage Health Index. Session participants review the lessons they learned in creating these surveys and discuss ongoing data collection needs. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/connecting-to-information-how-does-your-institution-measure-up/
As we look for creative new ways to engage audiences with history, what does “being creative” actually look like? Can history professionals learn to find their creative spirit? The panelists share their experiences as part of an experiment in creative practice: what they learned, what they did (projects ranging from a musical finding aid to beer with Benjamin Franklin), and why the process included a conversation about “indicators of successful failure.” Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/no-idea-is-too-ridiculous/
People commonly gather at places of memory looking for insight on how to move forward. This session examines how places of memory can better be utilized to move our visitors from memory to action, and inspire them to work to address issues of contemporary importance in their communities. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/activating-places-of-memory/
Engaging students in commemorations provides an opportunity to dive deep into a specific moment in time. Whether your focus is the War of 1812 or the events of 9/11, this session will offer unique programming ideas that allow students and teachers to discover moments in history that changed the way people think about the world. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/programming-for-pivotal-moments-in-history/
Opinion surveys show a pressing need for productive dialogue on the difficult questions immigration and migration raise. What might be achieved by placing these dialogues in the context of immigration and civil rights history, as interpreted by local history museums? Explore how historic sites can build understanding, rather than reinforce divides. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/immigration-civil-rights-and-public-memory/
No trustee joins a board to fail, yet many fall short of what is needed. Using a “Board Fundamentals Checklist,” attendees discuss strategies to maximize board effectiveness, covering structures, processes, and attitudes. Presenters include directors using the checklist to strengthen their boards. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/achieving-board-excellence/
This session discusses new forms of fundraising, why they’re effective, and what advantages they have over the old models. Get real-world examples, and learn how to get started, how to pick the right project, launch it, and make it successful. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/microphilanthropy-microgiving-crowdfunding-and-new-models-of-fundraising/
Ever wondered why museums strive to serve visitors with different learning styles, yet conference sessions are full of chairs and word-filled PowerPoints filling the screen? Wish you had the nerve to submit something different for next year’s conferences? Come join us as we explore session techniques ranging from pecha kucha to hands-on interactives reflecting learning theories at use in museums today. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/the-end-of-powerpoint/
Craving that creative discourse or considering attending the SHA leadership program and want to learn more? Potential attendees and alumni join graduates as they share situations from their work and how the SHA experience prepared them, as leaders, to handle them. Learn first-hand why SHA is an excellent way to train leaders in the history field. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/developing-leaders-sha-how-you-can-prepare/
Adam Goodheart’s keynote address at the 2011 AASLH Meeting. Goodheart identifies Fort Sumter and Fort Monroe as significant places of memory for the American people. He first equates the attack on Fort Sumner in 1861 to the present day September 11th attacks as an event that struck Americans across the nation. He then discusses Fort Monroe and the role it played in slavery. He says that while it was the beginning of slavery in America, it was also the place of its end; which certainly makes it a significant place of remembering. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/adam-goodheart-keynote-speaker-2011-aaslh-annual-meeting/
Dorothy Cotton delivers the plenary address at the 2011 AASLH Annual meeting. She discusses her experience as education director for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference as well as serving on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s executive staff. During her occupation in these positions she helped inspire community leaders to become strong and confident in their rights as citizens and empowered them to make positive changes to their own neighborhoods. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/dorothy-cotton-plenary-speaker-2011-aaslh-annual-meeting/
In his Awards Banquet address at the 2011 Annual Meeting, Ed Ayers discusses the subject of memory by recounting his experience with the sesquicentennial anniversary of the Civil War. He speaks of the hurtful emotions that can be conjured up by these types of anniversaries that are charged with our country’s painful past, and challenges the audience to think of America on the eve of the Civil War and the change that occurred the day after. He also emphasizes that it is also the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, and to remember the Civil War as a catalyst to this important event. - Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/edward-ayers-awards-banquet-speaker-2011-aaslh-annual-meeting/
Taking on the responsibility of utilizing volunteer services can place stress on staff members. This session intends identifies those stressors and shares ways to break down barriers and misconceptions paid museum staff may have in using volunteers. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/why-not-volunteers-developing-staff-and-volunteer-partnerships/
As historic sites face increasing pressure to attract audiences, affirm their relevancy, and develop sustainable operations, many are re-thinking the role of the collection in the visitors’ experience. Is greater visitor access to our historic resources an engaging way to interpret or is it a threat to our preservation missions? Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/debating-the-rembrandt-rule-what-is-appropriate-use-of-collections-at-historic-sites/
Participants explore the sometimes competing institutional goals of staying true to mission and earning revenue. Speakers from different types of organizations will explore how they find the balance. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/mutual-goals-mission-vs-money/
21st-Century Skills, a concept embraced by the national education and business communities, is the latest trend effecting K-16 and lifelong learning; yet historical organizations have been slow to embrace this concept. This session will introduce participants to 21st-Century Skills, demonstrate examples of how it is beginning to be conceptualized and used, and report on resources available through IMLS to support such endeavors. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/addressing-21st-century-skills-in-historical-organization/
AASLH is a leading advocate for increased federal funding for history organizations. At the heart of this effort is a coalition of over sixty organizations dedicated to ensuring funds reach America’s museums. Now more than ever, it is important that you do your part to help. Attend this session to learn about our successes, and find out ways we can work together to increase funding, strengthen existing national programs, and advance professionalism in the field. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/advocacy-for-history-organizations/
Help determine what great family programs look like! Hear from three institutions who have found success with family programming. Participate in a discussion of characteristics of successful family programs and come away with a working theoretical framework. Gain fresh approaches to expanding intergenerational audiences and improving the bottom line. - Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/engaging-all-ages-a-discussion-of-successful-family-programming/
This session presents two institutions’ strategies for evaluating school programs and specific ways in which each uses or will use the evaluation findings. Programming is often used to connect with and educate specific audiences; thus, it is important to ensure that these programs are as effective as possible. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/determining-the-effectiveness-of-school-programs/
This session discusses how museums can successfully collaborate with community and school organizations to create dynamic projects that reflect the collections and missions of all involved. Using examples of such projects both current and past the session highlights the elements needed to make these projects come alive. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/building-community-connections-collaborations-for-the-21st-century/
Often the uncomplimentary or uncomfortable aspects of an institution’s history or field draw the most attention. This panel from the 2010 AASLH Annual Meeting discusses strategies for crafting good answers to tough questions. This session was sponsored by the AASLH Court and Legal History Affinity Group. - See more at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/answering-the-questions-you-dont-want-people-to-ask/#sthash.2vQy3hk2.dpuf
Jim Loewen’s address at the 2010 Leadership in History Awards Banquet. Loewen speaks of the misconceptions commonly pervaded throughout history classes in America. He first speaks of the minimal history classes that an average museum visitor takes, and the diluted quality of the classes themselves. He then breaks down some sites that make historic claims that are wildly inaccurate and shares ideas of how they became to be historical knowledge. He speaks of getting it right beginning with the language used to describe historical events, inaccurate notions about the Civil War, and the nadir of race relations, including Native Americans and African Americans. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/jim-loewen-awards-banquet-speaker-2010-aaslh-annual-meeting/
Gerard Baker’s plenary address at the 2010 AASLH/OMA Annual Meeting. Baker discusses working for the National Park Service as a Native American. Most notably he mentions the lack of the Native American perspective in many sites such as the Dakota Badlands and Mount Rushmore. He recounts his experience working for sites such as these and the methods he employed for getting Native American tribe members and staff to participate in discussions with one another about the histories presented at the sites. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/gerard-baker-plentary-speaker-2010-aaslh-annual-meeting/
This session explores how commemorative events can generate long-term positive impacts. Civil War Sesquicentennial coordinators from Kentucky, Ohio, and Virginia will discuss new models for commemorations that promise to support services and programs that continue long afterward. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/creating-lasting-value-through-commemoration-of-the-civil-war-150/
Creating a new program is relatively easy. Developing the ones that will captivate a new audience and promote return visitation is the real challenge. This session will review simple, cost-effective ways to combine traditional media with online technologies like Survey Monkey, blogs, Facebook, Flicker, and Twitter to evaluate your current audience and tap into hidden ones that may be right beyond your doorstep. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/discovering-your-hidden-audience/
The Field Services Alliance presents its annual session on on best practices in museums. This session includes presentations on the following topics: Free things you can do to make your historical organization better Caring for photographs in your collections Getting membership right How to build fast and easy storage supports Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/field-services-alliance-present-museum-tips-2009/
Museums may receive military related donations from veterans or their descendants that include items that are illegal, controversial, or are health or safety hazards. This session sponsored by AASLH’s Military History Affinity Group provides an overview of these problems, suggests solutions, and addresses how current military war trophy policies will affect future exhibits. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/the-problems-with-military-donations/
This session focuses on ways smaller institutions can use the lasting resources of Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action to have an impact on collections care in the 21st century. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/connecting-to-collections-state-by-state/
Indianapolis leaders from the business, philanthropic, cultural, and political sectors explore the entrepreneurial spirit and civic partnerships that turned the city from “India-No-Place” into a vital, thriving urban center. Panelists look at key challenges and turning points over a 20-year period and the very real issue of sustainability being faced today. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/getting-it-done-achieving-and-sustaining-community-change-through-diverse-partnerships/
Presenters discuss existing models for other professionals, tailored be applicable to other settings. Key issues: Preservation of an historic viewshed and scenic environs (Drayton Hall) Choosing community engagement rather than velvet rope tours from the planning stages (Villa Finale) Collaborative program development for education in poor communities (Stenton) Leadership among local cultural organizations including during emergencies (Brucemore) Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/historic-sites-providing-life-and-leadership-in-their-communities/
Preserve America is a national initiative and grant program that supports community efforts to preserve and share America’s story, and Save America’s Treasures is the largest grant program for bricks-and-mortar preservation in the country. Learn how these programs complement each other to support local heritage stewardship and encourage public appreciation for history, historic preservation, heritage tourism, and education. Hear from project representative on the contributions and benefits of these two national programs. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/preserve-america-and-save-americas-treasures/
Technology and social networking offer tools with tremendous promise, but how are historic sites making use of those tools? Hear how three sites have developed strategies to engage new audience sand expand their interpretation. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/technology-web-2-0-and-historic-sites/
Biography is the obvious story at a historic site preserved to commemorate its most famous owner. Learn how four Presidential sites are attracting diverse audiences by telling their whole story, not just focusing on political history and biography. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/more-than-a-life-story-expanding-interpretation-to-attract-new-audiences/
Excerpts from historian James H. Madison’s address at the Leadership in History Awards banquet at the 2009 AASLH Annual Meeting. Madison laments the state of interest in history in his home state of Illinois. He equates this lack of pride in the past to an American populace that is more interested in the practical and the immediate. He selects six short topics that speak to the hope for entrepreneurial creativity that was prevalent in historic times. These case studies include: Howard Peckham, Eli Lilly, Federal Writers Project, Scholarship, Professionalism, Technology, and Education. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/james-h-madison-awards-banquet-speaker-2009-aaslh-annual-meeting/
Harold Holzer’s 2009 AASLH Annual Meeting keynote address in which he discusses at length the unlikely journey of Abraham Lincoln from boyhood to presidency. He then parallels Lincoln’s and Obama’s journey to the White House. He says that both presidents have provided a light of hope to a divided country and an assurance for a different future. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/harold-holzer-keynote-speaker-2009-aaslh-annual-meeting/
Mike Wallace’s Plenary Address at the 2009 Annual AASLH Meeting wherein he discusses how the history of today would be interpreted in the future and making history a vital piece of current education. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/mike-wallace-plenary-speaker-2009-aaslh-annual-meeting/
This session looks at recent and upcoming state and national commemorations, including Lewis and Clark’s voyage, statehood anniversaries, and the Civil War, and how we can successfully present and interpret the transformative history of major events in a relevant way to the public we serve. Chair: Ann Toplovich, Executive Director, Tennessee Historical Society, Presenters: Bob Blackburn, Executive Director, Oklahoma Historical Society Chris Goodlett, Community Services Coordinator, Kentucky Historical Society Rodger Stroup, Director, South Carolina Department of History and Archives. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/anniversaries-are-about-today-commemorating-transformative-events/
The future of historic houses is a central question to the field today. This session examines the Kykuit Forum’s findings on alternative uses for historic properties by presenting viable options to the house museum. Participants will learn the process that three organizations followed to preserve their properties and serve the needs of their community. Chair: Kenneth C. Turino, Exhibition Manager, Historic New England Presenters: Valerie Cunningham, Director, Portsmouth Black History Trail Lynne Spencer, President, Menders, Torrey, and Spencer, Inc. Architecture and Preservation. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/choosing-a-new-path-alternative-uses-for-historic-site/
Discover how the field approaches the Civil War Sesquicentennial. In what ways will the 150th anniversary differ from the centennial? This panel, a follow-up to a presentation in 2007 and highlighted in History News, and discuss the need for finding common ground on this potentially divisive issues. Chair: Rick Beard, Executive Director, Lincoln Presidential Library Presenters: James O. Horton, Benjamin Banneker Professor of American Studies and History, George Washington University. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/civil-conversations-seeking-common-ground-on-americas-civil-war/
Utilizing presidential libraries and museums as the nation’s “crossroads” institutions where current scholarship meets public history and visitor expectations, this session examines various presidents who faced difficult race-related issues. Discussions compare pre-Civil Rights era decision-making to presidents serving in the throes of the Civil Rights Movement. Chair: Frank Milligan, Director, President Lincoln’s Cottage Presenters: Thomas Culbertson, Executive Director, Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center Betty Sue Flowers, Director, Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum Bob Wolz, Executive Director, Harry S. Truman Little White House State Historic Site. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/difficult-issues-presidents-and-race/
Reprising 2007’s popular point/counterpoint session on conservation issues, this year’s session goes one step further by including an exhibitor’s voice into the mix. Three seasoned professionals, each with their own areas of expertise and unique perspective, will debate key issues regarding curation, conservation, and display of artifacts. Chair: Scott Carrlee, Curator of Museum Services, Alaska State Museums Presenters: Brian Nagel, Director of Interpretation, Genesee Country Village and Museum Patricia Tice, Curator, Genessee Country Village and Museum. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/mutual-goals-between-curators-conservators-and-exhibitors/
In light of a major leadership shift in the next 5 to 15 years as current museum leaders retire from the field, what are institutions doing, if anything, to address the pending leadership transition? This session will review the significance of succession planning as it relates to strengthening healthy institutions and it will highlight the benefits of succession planning with specific examples of how it can be implemented in museum environments. Chair: Anne Ackerson, Director, Museum Association of New York Presenters: Joan H. Baldwin, Succession Planning Project Coordinator, Museum Association of New York Barry Dressel, Director, Indiana State Museum. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/whos-next-succession-planning-and-institutional-health/
In a country experiencing dramatic demographic shifts, how do museums change to meet the needs of new types of consumers? This session will provide an overview of the changing American demographic landscape in the new 21st century and offer examples of what or how museums are embracing the challenge of challenging audiences. Chair: Gretchen Sorin, Distinguished Professor and Director, Cooperstown Graduate Program Presenters: Anne Ackerson, Director, Museum Association of New York Kyle McKoy, Education Director, Arizona Historical Society Liza Reich Rawson, Senior Exhibition Developer/Project Manager. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/the-times-they-are-changing-new-demographic-realities-and-what-they-mean-for-museums/
Lynn Sherr’s 2008 Annual Meeting Plenary Address. She speaks on the topic of the importance of preserving history and the value it has for future generations. A journalist and author of a biography on Susan B. Anthony, Sherr uses her discoveries and fascination with Anthony as an example of the significance of obtaining and keeping pieces of history for the impacts they will have on others in the future. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/lynn-sherr-plenary-speaker-2008-aaslh-annual-meeting/
In her keynote address at the 2007 AASLH Annual Meeting, Cokie Roberts delivers remarks about history through the use of personal relationships, both benevolent and conflicting. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/cokie-roberts-keynote-address-2007-aaslh-annual-meeting/
David Blight’s Plenary Address at the 2007 AASLH Annual Meeting in Atlanta discussing the important of historic sites for locating and memorializing history. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/david-blight-plenary-address-2007-aaslh-annual-meeting/