Organization of American Historians 2013 Annual Report 2013 Annual Report of the Organization of American Historians ® Copyright (c) 2013 Organization of American Historians. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission of the Organization of American Historians, 112 North Bryan Avenue, Bloomington IN 47408. Telephone (812) 855-7311. http://www.oah.org First edition December 10, 2013. 2 2013 Annual Report Organization of American Historians 2013 Annual Report Table of Contents A Message from the OAH President .................................................................. 5 From the OAH Executive Director .....................................................................9 From the OAH Executive Editor .......................................................................11 Report of the OAH Treasurer ............................................................................13 Audited Financial Statements ............................................................................14 Membership ......................................................................................................... 19 Meetings and Conferences .................................................................................21 National Park Service Collaborative Project ................................................... 23 Distinguished Lectureship Program .................................................................25 Th e Civil War at 150 ............................................................................................27 Communications ................................................................................................. 29 Development and Philanthropy ........................................................................31 Awards and Prizes ...............................................................................................37 Volunteer Leadership ..........................................................................................41 Staff ........................................................................................................................51 Organization of American Historians 3 4 2013 Annual Report A Message from the OAH President Alan M. Kraut Th e Organization of American Historians’ big tent is kept our members on the cutting edge of historiogra- getting even bigger as well as better. Th at is the theme phy in a wide variety of subfi elds. Th e quarterly OAH of this year’s annual report. Th e hard work and inno- Outlook and its sprightly format continued to provide vative planning of my immediate predecessors, OAH our members with vital news and developments. presidents David Hollinger, Alice Kessler Harris, and Albert M. Camarillo, are paying rich dividends. So, So what’s new? A new magazine is in the works! too, are splendid eff orts of the OAH staff under the Th e October 2013 issue of the OAH Magazine of direction of Executive Director Katherine Finley. History will be the last. Since its inception in 1985, Th eir labors have positioned the OAH to welcome the the MOH has served teachers of American history many young historians joining our ranks and inaugu- well. However, exciting new possibilities in this digital rated a new narrative defi ned by exciting opportuni- age and the requirements of our expanding and ties enabling our members to enhance their scholarly increasingly diverse membership suggest the need for and teaching careers and to transmit the lessons of a fresh approach to a magazine that meets the needs the American past to a public more broadly than of American history teachers both inside and outside ever before. academic settings. Last winter an OAH task force ably led chaired by former OAH Executive Board member It is best to build our new narrative on bedrock. Th e Jane Kamensky produced a framework for a fresh foundation of the OAH’s presence in the community and exciting publication, one with both print and of scholars remains the superb Journal of American online components. During the summer the OAH History edited with such panache by Ed Linenthal. contracted with Dr. William Gillis to serve as acting Over the years, the JAH has become the standard by editor. Dr. Gillis, who has a background in journalism which many other scholarly journals in the fi eld of and American history, will produce a prototype of American history measure themselves. In 2012-2013, the publication and create a plan for advertising and the effi cient staff and exceptional editorial board fund-raising for presentation at the November, 2013 ensured that the Journal remained state-of-the art in Board meeting. both style and substance. Th e JAH is one of the ven- ues most coveted for the presentation of new research An important dimension of the new narrative is and publication. JAH remains one of the most pres- expansion of OAH’s international presence. In tigious indicators of recognition among publishing summer 2013, we inaugurated the newest of our scholars in our fi eld. Especially noteworthy are the international initiatives, a collaboration between special issues and features that capture the excitement the OAH and the American History Research of fresh research in both emerging and traditional Association of China. It was my honor to be one of fi elds of study. In recent years JAH special issues dedi- the three senior U.S. historians to inaugurate the cated to specifi c topics such as “Oil in American His- China Residency Program supported by a three- year tory” and “State of the Field” features such as the June grant from the Ford Foundation. Professor Mae Ngai 2013 issue’s “American Environmental History” have of Columbia University, Professor David Gerber, Organization of American Historians 5 Emeritus Distinguished Professor at SUNY Buff alo, and I each taught for a week at Northeast Normal University in Changchun, China. Th ree junior Chinese scholars were awarded residencies at three universities in the United States. Professor Yu Han went to Temple University, Professor Lv Hongyan to Oregon State University, and Professor Ruheng Wang to Florida State University. Th e competition and topics for next summer’s three senior residencies in China will be announced soon. Th ere are also opportunities for American institutions to host three junior Chinese scholars next summer. Th e China program joins OAH exchange programs in Germany and Marion Merrill stands next to a photograph of her late husband, Horace Samuel Japan to off er members international Merrill (1910-1996), at a dedication ceremony at the University of Maryland in opportunities to teach abroad and to 2006. (Photo courtesy Thai Q. Nguyen.) nourish collaborative scholarship. A total of fi ve grants of $500 will be awarded annually. Th e fi rst grants were awarded for the 2013 meeting in In addition to its presence abroad, the OAH is San Francisco. enhancing its presence in Washington, D.C. In July, 2014 the OAH will cosponsor with the National His- Th ose who make it to the meeting oft en fi nd their ex- tory Center of the American Historical Association’ perience lonely as the newcomers seek to meet other and the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Ameri- scholars and establish professional networks. Senior can History a reception for scholars doing research in scholars can and should help. For the 2014 meeting in the nation’s capital. Th e reception will be held at the Atlanta, I am launching a new mentorship program Museum of American History. called “Hey I Know Your Work!” I am asking senior scholars to spend 45 minutes to an hour at the Atlanta With a new generation of young historians pursu- meeting having coff ee (on the OAH) with a group of ing their degrees and professional opportunity, it is no more than one to three graduate students or young critical that the big tent be opened wide and that the PhDs discussing their research, professional aspira- costs of admission be kept aff ordable. Before handing tions, or just getting acquainted. OAH staff will pair over the presidential gavel to me, OAH Past President junior and senior scholars based upon their research Al Camarillo took a major step in that direction with or teaching interests. Watch for the call in OAH Out- his advocacy of sponsored memberships. Any OAH look and online to participate. member can sponsor a new member at the cost of $35, which is $10 lower than the low student rate of Postdoctoral programs are becoming increasingly $45. Faculty members can purchase memberships popular among historians, but too oft en graduate for all their advisees for a reasonable sum. Th e new students and young faculty hear about these programs policy is already a success bringing many new mem- by word of mouth. Th ere has been no comprehensive bers into the fold. list of post-doctoral opportunities with informa- tion about application procedures and application Th e cost of attending an OAH meeting is oft en due dates. Th is fall I have asked that the OAH staff beyond the budget of many young paper-presenters. to compile such a list and post it on the Career A generous bequest from the estate of historians COACH® part of the OAH Web site, which is limited Samuel and Marion Merrill was designated by the to OAH members. Th e listing will be revised and up- OAH Executive Board to support graduate student dated as additional information becomes available.