Public History News Volume 31 | Number 2 | March 2011

All Roads Lead to Pensacola This Spring Roger D. Launius | [email protected] Mark your calendars and plan to attend the 2011 NCPH annual focus on the contested nature of this anniversary. Other sessions all meeting, April 6-9. It promises something for everyone as the relate to the issue of the Civil War, race relations in America, the Civil organization gathers in Pensacola, Florida. The conference takes as its Rights Crusade, and other contested issues in public history. theme “Crossing Borders/Building Communities–Real and Imagined,” and the program committee has worked hard to ensure that this Another important anniversary takes place in 2011, and we have an theme is well reflected in the 61 sessions scheduled for the meeting. outstanding session entitled “Commemorating the 9/11 Anniversary: Ten Years Later” that brings together several historians under the There are several sessions oriented toward the sesquicentennial of the leadership of Robert Weible of the New York State Museum to reflect Civil War, a deeply contested memory in modern America. There are on this significant event in American history. two plenary sessions that directly relate to this subject. We are pleased to have Tony Horwitz, author of Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches We are pleased this year to offer several sessions, which speak to from the Unfinished Civil War (1998), as our keynote speaker. A methodologies in public history, that will interest many attendees. Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, he is currently working on a book about There is a major track on methodologies for public history, public John Brown and his 1859 raid, and his remarks at the conference will history education, digital history, contested narratives, and the like. help illuminate key themes being discussed in this sesquicentennial of There are even sessions related to European approaches to public the Civil War. Equally important, a public plenary session on “The history, collecting the material culture of difficult subjects, public Coming of the Civil War Sesquicentennial and Public History” will history projects in divided societies, the uses of theater in public history, strategies for decision-making in federal agencies, and public history and the use of GIS.

I am especially proud of the sessions on the program that relate to history in the local region. We have a major session entitled, “Bernardo de Galvez: On the Stage of the American Revolution,” another on “Becoming Alabama: Developing a Model for Statewide Public History Collaboration,” and one called “A Place Called Home: Families and Toxic Waste in Pensacola, Florida.”

I am also delighted with the efforts of Brian Joyner of the National Park Service and a member of this year’s program committee to assemble a stellar roundtable on “Civil Rights and the Albany Movement.” Participants in this session include not only Jeanne Cyriaque, Historic Preservation Division, Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources, and Paul Ortiz of the University of Florida, but also Rev. Charles Sherrod, a key member and organizer of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) participating in this important effort. continued on page 3 >

@NCPHConsultants The Consultants Committee recently launched a Twitter account @NCPHConsultants. If you are active on Twitter, please follow us. Those not using this form of social media can still view the Cover of the 2011 Annual Meeting program guide, available at www.ncph.org. Conference registrants will receive an updated page by visiting http://twitter.com/NCPHconsultants. print copy at the meeting in Pensacola. Welcomes You to

Enjoy the Conference! Inside This Issue All Roads Lead to Pensacola This Spring (cont. from page 1) A Quarterly Publication of the Finally, it seems appropriate that since we are meeting in Pensacola and the centennial of naval National Council on Public History aviation is also this year that we should be holding an event at the of National Naval Aviation Museum. The NCPH banquet on Friday will take place as this museum, an institution not to be missed in a visit to Pensacola, and our featured speaker on that evening will be Richard P. Hallion, a well-known historian of military aviation whose books and articles have helped to reshape the field.

I look forward to seeing everyone in Pensacola. I am sure you will enjoy the conference. As 2011 Annual Meeting Events4 you see me at the meeting, please take the time to let me know of suggestions for improvement that future program committees might follow. I also want to take this opportunity to thank the members of the program committee for their diligent work in assembling this program and taking charge of specific segments. Finally, I wish to thank all of those who proposed papers, sessions, roundtables, and posters for this conference. All have worked hard to make the Pensacola A Small Agency Acquires10 experience a memorable one. Its History Roger D. Launius is the chair of the 2011 NCPH Program Committee and is senior curator at the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, in Washington, D.C.

President’s Comments11 From the Public History News Archives Past issues of NCPH’s newsletter, Public History News, like those of its journal, The Public Historian, are home to a variety of resources for practitioners. See what’s available at http://ncph.org/cms/ publications-resources/ We list a sampling here, in case you missed them. From the Executive Director12 Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct Public History Advocacy, the Basics Adopted in 2007, the NCPH guidelines of This article explains how faculty can teach professional conduct articulate expectations about the importance of supporting advocacy of conscientious practice by all members. efforts to increase federal and state funding. The guidelines begin by emphasizing the (December 2009) Committees on14 the Go responsibility to serve the public interest. (Spring 2006) Best Practices for Teaching Public History The NCPH Curriculum and Training Fostering Diversity Committee developed recommendations Read about a model for promoting diversity for several key aspects of public history Teaching Global15 and within the public history profession that can curriculum and program development. Comparative Public History be replicated across the U.S. in NEH Summer (June 2010) Institute for teachers. (June 2008) Shared History, Nearby History Consulting Forum Read how a city museum used branches of Images from Flickr are used under Six perspectives on issues in cultural the public library system to reach into the Creative Commons license as described resource management consulting and how community to train thousands of “ordinary at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/2.0/deed.en . NCPH might address them. people” to conduct research, interpret (September 2010) evidence, develop a thesis, and present their Printed on 50% recycled paper ideas in public. (March 2010) (25% post-consumer waste)

Marty Blatt President THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON PUBLIC HISTORY Robert Weyeneth Vice President Given the essential value of historical understanding, the National Council on Public History promotes professionalism among history practitioners and their engagement with the public. Public History News is published in March, June, September, and December. Individual membership orders, Marianne Babal changes of address, and business and editorial correspondence should be addressed to National Council on Past President Public History, 327 Cavanaugh Hall – IUPUI, 425 University Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46202-5140. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: 317-274-2716. New members are welcome. Join online or renew at www.ncph.org. Institutional subscription orders, changes of address, and business correspondence should be addressed to Patrick Moore Journals and Digital Publishing Division, University of California Press, 2000 Center St., Ste. 303, Berkeley, Secretary-Treasurer CA 94704-1223. Or visit www.ucpress.edu. We welcome submissions to Public History News sent to John Dichtl, Editor, at the above address. Articles are 400-800 words in length. NCPH reserves the right to reject material that is not consistent with the goals and John Dichtl purposes of the organization. Executive Director Headquartered on the campus of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, NCPH benefits greatly from the generous support of the IU School of Liberal Arts. 2011 Annual Meeting Events 2011 Annual Meeting Events 2011 ANNUAL MEETING EVENTS FIELD TRIPS AND TOURS Transportation is included for all field trips except walking tours. Please contact NCPH if you require special assistance. Lunch is not provided on field trips unless noted. Space is limited, so sign up early. Trips may be cancelled if an insufficient number of registrations are received. Registrants will receive a full refund for any cancelled tours.

if you will give us a few hours during the Public History Community Service Project at conference, we will give you 450 years Historic Fort Pickens in return. Wednesday, April 6; 12:30 pm – 5:00 pm Free but must preregister Bienville to Battleships: Mobile Historic Tour Wednesday, April 6; 8:00 am – 5:00 pm As an active “thank you” to the Pensacola Ticket: $54 community for hosting this year’s NCPH annual meeting, graduate students and Explore the beautiful streets of one of the other NCPH members have the opportunity most unique cities in the southeast. Tour to spend part of the conference’s first day sites associated with the city’s earliest helping with a service project. Working colonial residents, the vibrant antebellum with the National Park Service (NPS) Staff period, and even the permanently docked at Fort Pickens, participants will learn World War II era battleship, the U.S.S. about the Fort’s fascinating history as they Alabama. Stops will include the 17th- help clear away debris around a historic century Fort Conde, the Museum of Mobile, gun battery overlooking the Gulf of Mexico and the Battleship Park historic park. Lunch covered after hurricanes Ivan and Katrina. Historic Pensacola Village. Courtesy of West Florida Historic included. Bus will leave from the Crowne Completed in 1834, the fort was one of only Preservation, Inc. Plaza Hotel. (Limit 45 participants.) four in the South that were never occupied Historic Pensacola Village Tours by Confederate forces during the Civil War. Ongoing Slavery and Civil Rights in the South: NPS will provide protective gloves and Free with conference badge Mobile’s Forgotten History tools. The service project is contingent upon Wednesday, April 6; 8:00 am – 5:00 pm the number who sign up (by March 1) and The Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers Ticket: $54 upon environmental conditions. (Limit 20 of West Florida Historic Preservation, Inc. Guide: University of South Alabama participants.) are pleased to help host the 2011 NCPH Archives annual conference. Our museum complex Pensacola Historic Landscape Walking Tour is a direct support organization of the Tour the historic city of Mobile, Alabama, Thursday, April 7; 8:30 am – 11:30 am University of West Florida. We manage and visit sites associated with the history Ticket: $12 over 28 properties spread over nine acres in of slavery in America and the Civil Rights Guide: Randall Broxon, PSC the historic heart of downtown Pensacola, Movement during the 1950s and 60s. just a few blocks south of the conference The tour will include guided stops at Pensacola’s downtown landscape is defined hotel. We are delighted to make our historic local historic sites throughout picturesque by the changes the city has gone through houses, museums, and archaeological downtown Mobile. Lunch included. Bus over the past 250 years. Walk the streets of resources in Historic Pensacola Village will leave from the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Pensacola’s historic districts and discover available to you, as a registrant of the 2011 (Limit 45 participants.) how the city transformed from a quiet NCPH Annual Meeting, with no admission colonial village into a major player during fee. Please be sure to have your conference the industrialization of the south. The tour credentials visible when you come to either will include visits to St. Michael’s cemetery, of the three visitor services desks—one is Christ Episcopal Church, and the historic located at the T. T. Wentworth, Jr., Florida Saenger Theatre. Duration: 2 to 3 hours. State Museum (330 S. Jefferson St.), another (Limit 35 participants.) is at the Tivoli High House (205 E. Zaragoza St.), and one is at the Pensacola Historical Naval Live Oaks and Fort Pickens Museum (115 E. Zaragoza St.). Our Thursday, April 7; 11:00 am – 5:00 pm facilities are open from 10:00 am until 4:00 Ticket: $38 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Tours of our Guide: National Park Service staff historic house museums are offered daily at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 2:30 pm and last Travel to nearby Gulf Breeze to tour the about 90 minutes. The Barkley House tour Fort Pickens area of Gulf Islands National is available separately each day at 2:00 pm Seashore. The tour will begin at the Naval Be sure to make time to explore the long Live Oaks interpretive center, located on and diverse history of our city. We promise, 1963 Students Turned Away from Murphy High by State one of the oldest federally protected pieces Troopers in Mobile, AL. Courtesy of the Library of Congress LC-USZ262-126841.

4Public History News 2011FIELD TRIPS Annual AND TOURS Meeting Events

of land in the country, and continue on to Ticket: $24 Santa Rosa Island and the Civil War and Guides: Nancy Fetterman, Matt Clavin, and Spanish American War era Fort Pickens, Elizabeth Benchley which operated through World War II. National Park Service Rangers will lead Established in 1828, the Pensacola Naval this tour through two of the most unique Yard has served the U.S. military for over historic sites within the region and discuss 175 years. This tour will include stops at the historic and natural significance of the early Naval Yard locations, Civil War era Santa Rosa Island area as well as the struggle fortifications, and the renowned National to garner recognition and designation for Naval Aviation Museum. Participants will the park itself.Lunch from Peg Leg Pete’s be able to see firsthand how the Naval Seafood Restaurant included. (Limit 45 Yard developed during the antebellum Old Christ Church. Courtesy of West Florida Historic participants.) and post-civil war periods and how it Preservation, Inc. made its amazing transformation following This tour will take visitors on a behind- Black Water and Yellow Pine: Northwest the advent of modern aviation. Special the-scenes look at the University of West Florida’s Antebellum Industrial Complex emphasis will be placed on the unique Florida’s historical learning laboratory, the Thursday, April 7; 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm nature of the antebellum black labor force fully operational Historic Pensacola Village. Ticket: $36 employed by the United States military and The tour will include presentations by West Guides: John Phillips, Brian Rucker, and utilized to construct many of Pensacola’s Florida Historic Preservation, Inc. Staff and Wess Miess most recognizable landmarks. (Limit 45 UWF graduate students on educational participants.) programs, archives, emergency responses, Visit historic Santa Rosa County and living history, graduate residential facilities explore the pine forests that fueled the Historic Pensacola Waterfront Walking Tour and more. Participants will be granted region’s economy for decades. Prior to the Saturday, April 9; 8:30 am – 11:00 am access to the WFHPI archives and curation Civil War, Santa Rosa County boasted the Ticket: $12 facilities as well as non-public areas of the second largest county economy within Guide: Florida Public Archeology Network museums and offices. Duration: 1.5 -2 the entire state of Florida. This tour will hours. (Limit 25 participants.) trace the development of the area both Pensacola’s waterfront is one of the most before and after the Civil War, which significant areas related to the city’s Get in the Spirit at St. Michael’s Cemetery devastated the economy of the county. development. This tour, organized by Saturday, April 9, 10 am – 2:00 pm Participants will begin at the historic the Florida Public Archaeology Network Free and open to the public Arcadia Mill Archeological Site, the location (FPAN), will explore the changes in of antebellum Florida’s earliest and most Pensacola’s maritime landscape and the St. Michael’s Cemetery is the oldest and successful industrial park, then move people and businesses that aided in the most significant historic site that survives on to the historic towns of Milton and growth of the port and city. During a scenic above ground in the City of Pensacola and Bagdad Florida located along the beautiful walk along the bay, participants will learn is located just south of the conference hotel Blackwater River. Barbecue lunch included. about the geography and history that on S. Alcaniz Street. Join in this annual (Limit 44 participants.) has shaped the development of modern public event, featuring students from the Pensacola. Topics will include the physical University of West Florida sharing their Colonial Archaeological Trail Walking Tour changes in the maritime landscape, the research on individuals and their associated Friday, April 8; 9:00 am – 11:00 am major industries historically supported funerary architecture. See demonstrations Ticket: $12 by the port, and the unique cosmopolitan from masonry conservators and historic Guide: Florida Public Archeology Network couture that grew up among the busy metals specialists; create GIS searches for wharves and fish houses. FPAN’s mission individuals in the cemetery; and learn about Beneath Pensacola’s modern streets and is to engage the public by promoting and cleaning techniques, vegetation control buildings is a treasure of archaeological facilitating the appreciation, value and methods, simple resets for stone markers, resources dating back to the 18th century. stewardship of Florida’s archaeological and remote sensing techniques. You may Explore the colonial archaeological trail heritage through regional centers and also participate in “From Compass to Total and learn about the cities early Spanish and partnerships. The Northwest Regional Station: Surveying the Colonial Landscape British inhabitants through discussions with Center of FPAN is located in the downtown. of Historic St. Michael’s Cemetery,” a hands- local archaeologists involved in ongoing Duration: 2.5 hours. (Limit 40 participants.) on experience in surveying circa-1810 excavations. View into the past through the Pensacola coupled with the cutting edge eyes of an archaeologist and visit the 18th- technology in use today. A number of century Spanish Presido de San Miguel and Living-Learning Workshop in Action: Behind groups will provide period music at various British Fort of Pensacola. Duration: 1.5 to 2 the Scenes at Historic Pensacola Village sites in the cemetery throughout the day. hours. (Limit 40 participants.) Saturday, April 9; 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm Ticket: $6 From Black Slaves to Blue Angels: Guides: WFPHI Staff and UWF Graduate Exploring NAS Pensacola Students Friday, April 8; 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Public History5 News 2011SPECIAL Annual EVENTS Meeting Events 2011 Annual Meeting Events Tickets purchased during early registration will be included in your conference materials at the annual meeting. Events may be cancelled due to lack of participation. In the event of cancellation, those registered will receive a full refund. A limited number of tickets may be available for purchase at the conference registration desk.

Opening Reception Public Plenary Panel Wednesday, April 6, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm “The Coming of the Civil War Tickets - $5 Sesquicentennial and Public History” Thursday, April 7, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Park your suitcase and enjoy light Crowne Plaza Pensacola Grand Hotel, hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and congenial Grand Ballroom conversation in the historic Barkley FREE and Open to the Public House, located in Historic Pensacola Sponsored by the Tennessee Civil War National Village, overlooking Pensacola Bay. Join Heritage Area. Cosponsored by the Florida the festivities and help thank West Florida Humanities Council. Historic Preservation, Inc. for allowing annual meeting. Graduate students, recent NCPH to use the village for the conference. graduates, and new professionals will have Sponsored by The History Channel. the opportunity to meet with five established public history practitioners over the course Dine Arounds of five fifteen-minute rotations. Before the Wednesday, April 6, 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm buzzer sounds, participants may discuss Sign up at conference. The cost of dinner is career options, professional development, the responsibility of the attendee. and any other aspects of the field. Prepare some questions in advance, bring your Grand Army of the Republic veterans 50-year reunion at NCPH Dine Arounds are an informal business cards, and expect to talk and Gettysburg, 1914. Courtesy of Library of Congress. opportunity to talk about intriguing issues, listen a lot! Advance registration is required make new contacts, and get a taste of and space is limited. Organized by Denise This roundtable discussion will address the conference city. A couple of months Meringolo and Melissa Bingmann. Cosponsored the coming of the Civil War and how it is before the annual meeting, individuals by the Curriculum and Training Committee and remembered and interpreted in modern who volunteer to be facilitators suggest the Graduate Student Committee. America, especially in the South, and how topics for discussion. Facilitators also find those charged with commemorating the war suitable restaurants, make reservations for era at the time of the Sesquicentennial are the groups, and provide final titles/topics In addition to our special dealing with this important and contested for the dine arounds. To participate, find the event sponsors, NCPH history and the diverse themes it involves. sign-up sheet in the conference registration would also like to thank: Registration not required. area and be prepared to talk. Your facilitator Moderator: will lead the group to the restaurant and University of West Florida – start the evening’s conversation. Carroll Van West is the director of the Conference Host Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area First-Time Attendee & New Member and the cochair of the Tennessee Civil War Breakfast West Florida Historic Sesquicentennial Commission. Thursday, April 7, 7:30am – 8:30 am Preservation, Inc. – Tickets - $22 Conference Host Panelists: Michael A. Allen is the Community Join the Membership Committee and other Partnership Specialist for The Gullah University of Louisiana Lafayette first-time conference attendees and new Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor/Fort members for conversation, coffee, and a – Conference Program Sumter National Monument and Charles delicious southern-style breakfast buffet. Sponsor Pinckney National Historic Site. This is a great way to meet new and old members of the organization and to learn Historical Research Associates, Connie Lester is an associate professor of more about NCPH, the conference, and the Inc. – Conference Supporter history at the University of Central Florida. field of public history.Cosponsored by the She has been editor of the Florida Historical Membership Committee. Quarterly since 2005. She is editing the Civil University of California Press War diaries of the southern writer Lucy Speed Networking Journals – Conference Virginia French. Thursday, April 7, 8:30 am – 10:30 am Supporter Tickets – FREE but advance registration is Dwight Pitcaithley is professor of history required Revs Institute for Automotive at New Mexico State University. He retired from the National Park Service in June 2005 Research – Conference Friend For the third year in a row, NCPH will offer a after serving as chief historian for ten years. professional twist on “speed dating,” creating stress-free networking opportunities at the 2011SPECIAL Annual EVENTS Meeting Events

Timothy B. Smith is a veteran of the The Poster Session is a format for public meal has begun and are welcome to seats in National Park Service who now teaches history presentations about projects that the back or sides of the room. history at the University of Tennessee use visual evidence. It offers an alternative at Martin. He is the author or editor of for presenters eager to share their work Stephanie Toothman became Associate seven books on the Civil War, with an through one-on-one discussion, can be Director for Cultural Resources, National emphasis on the early efforts of battlefield especially useful for work-in-progress, and Park Service, in 2009. Toothman’s 32- preservation. may be a particularly appropriate format year career in the NPS has ranged from for presentations where visual or material serving as a preservation planner in Funding for this program was provided through a grant from the Florida evidence represents a central component of Washington, DC, a regional historian, acting Humanities Council with funds from the the project. Soak in the exhibitry and chat superintendent at Crater Lake National Park National Endowment for the Humanities. with history practitioners who have put and the National Mall and Memorial Parks Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this their work on display. during the 2009 presidential inauguration, program do not necessarily represent those of the Florida to being the chief of cultural resource park Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the National Naval Aviation Museum and partnership programs in the NPS Humanities. Banquet Pacific West Region. Friday, April 8, 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm Consultants Reception Tickets - $55 Thursday, April 7, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Public Plenary — Tony Horwitz Tickets - FREE; registration not required It is the 100th anniversary of the first landing of an airplane onboard a ship, thus, Interested in consulting and contract work? our 2011 meeting marks the centennial of Join new and experienced consultants at an naval aviation. Pensacola is home to the informal reception for lively conversation, National Naval Aviation Museum, a world- hors d’oeuvres, and drinks. We hope renowned, sprawling complex featuring to continue and further conversations more than 150 restored aircraft. Join us generated in sessions and workshops, as for an IMAX film, “The Magic of Flight,” well as to discuss how best to promote dinner, and a presentation by historian of and support the work of public history science and technology, Richard P. Hallion. consultants. Sponsored by Historical Research Ticket price includes transportation to the Associates, Inc. and the NCPH Consultants museum, admission to the IMAX film, and Tony Horwitz. Committee. Cosponsored by Maricopa County dinner. Saturday, April 9, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm (AZ) Public Works, Bill Willingham, and Pensacola Little Theatre Littlefield Historical Research. Richard P. Hallion is the author or editor FREE and open to the public of numerous books and articles relating Public History Educators Breakfast to aerospace technology and military Friday, April 8, 8:00 am – 10:00 am operations and served as Senior Adviser Pulitzer-prize winning writer Tony Horwitz Tickets - $24 for Air and Space Issues, Directorate for will speak about history and remembrance, Security, Counterintelligence and Special and how journalism informs his approach to This annual event is an opportunity for Programs Oversight, at the Pentagon. Since the past. His current book project, on John faculty to share ideas about running his retirement from government service Brown and his 1859 raid, appropriately for graduate and undergraduate public history he has remained active as an historian and 2011, falls at the intersection of efforts to programs and to talk about university, public speaker. mark the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War departmental, and a wide variety of other and the tenth anniversary of 9/11. Horwitz issues. The discussion is always lively. A Awards Breakfast and Business is the author of several bestselling books southern-style buffet will be served. The Meeting including Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches breakfast precedes a roundtable session Saturday, April 9, 8:00 am – 10:00 am from the Unfinished Civil War (1998) and at 10:00 am, “Teaching the Practicum Tickets - $24 A Voyage Long and Strange: On the Trail of Course: Building Communities of Learners.” Vikings, Conquistadors, Lost Colonists, and Sponsored by the John Nicholas Brown Help celebrate the best in public history! Other Adventurers in Early America (2008). Center, Brown University. Cosponsored by the The annual awards ceremony provides a Curriculum and Training Committee. Funding for this program was provided look at some of the most innovative work through a grant from the Florida and admirable accomplishments in the Humanities Council with funds from the Poster Session and Reception profession today. The NCPH Business National Endowment for the Humanities. Friday, April 8, 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm Any views, findings, conclusions or Meeting, the awards event, and remarks by recommendations expressed in this FREE; registration not required to attend guest speaker Stephanie Toothman are open program do not necessarily represent those of the Florida to all conference registrants, though a ticket Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Poster sessions will be on display and their Humanities. is required for the breakfast meal. Attendees creators will be available to discuss the without tickets will be admitted after the projects. Light hors d’oeuvres will be served. continued on next page >

Public History7 News 2011SPECIAL Annual EVENTS continued Meeting Events 2011 Annual Meeting Events Documentary Screening—Soul of a Not everything began with Stonewall. While eating and drinking with new and People On These Shoulders We Stand provides an old friends, you will be contributing to Saturday, April 9, 1:30 pm – 3:15 pm illuminating historical account of early gay the NCPH Endowment Fund, which FREE life and activism in Los Angeles told by makes possible the awards and other vital the people who lived it. Elder members programs of the organization. Soul of a People: Writing America’s Story of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender is a film about a chaotic and influential community in Los Angeles chronicle gay publishing venture. In the Great life from the 1950s into the early 1980s. Depression, while hundreds of thousands The documentary brings to light Los survived by wielding picks and shovels on Angeles’ significant, yet hidden, role in U.S. WPA jobs, a smaller cadre used pen, paper, gay history by interweaving first-person and the spirit of invention. Their task: accounts with narration and seldom-seen create America’s first-ever self-portrait in archival materials. Filmmaker Glenne the WPA guides. This documentary offers McElhinney will engage in a Q&A session a compelling window into that experience. with the audience following the screening of Registration not required. the film. Registration not required.

Documentary Screening—On These Shrimp Boil Fundraiser By Flickr user WordRidden. Shoulders We Stand Saturday, April 9, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Saturday, April 9, 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm Tickets - $42 Non-Students/$32 Students FREE You are cordially invited to help close the 2011 Annual Meeting with a delicious, fresh-caught, fresh-cooked outdoor meal.

WORKSHOPS NCPH workshops offer opportunities for intensive professional development. Space is limited, so please sign up early. Note that workshops might be cancelled if an insufficient number of registrants is received.

THATCamp NCPH Reading Artifacts: A Workshop in Material Culture “Public History in a Digital, Collaborative Realm” Wednesday, April 6, 12:30 pm – 4:00 pm Wednesday, April 6, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Tickets - $27 Tickets - $21 (registration closes March 1; limit 65 participants; minimum 30) Facilitators: Sharon Babaian, Canada Science and Technology Museum; Krista Cooke, Canadian Museum of Civilization; Emily Coordinators: Maren Bzdek, Colorado State University; and, Gann, Carleton University; and Elizabeth Monroe, Indiana Santi Thompson, University of South Carolina; and Kelsey Blair, University Purdue University Indianapolis University of West Florida Knowing how to examine, read, and interpret material objects is THATCamp NCPH is an “unconference” that brings together history especially important for public historians not just because they practitioners working in the digital humanities. Participants work may have to work with collections but also because artifacts are a on projects, solve problems, and share ideas in a day-long learning powerful means of engaging the public in a discussions about the laboratory. Open to graduate students, scholars, librarians, archivists, past. Based on the award-winning Summer Institute in Reading museum professionals, interested amateurs, developers and Material Culture offered by the Canada Science and Technology programmers, administrators, and funders from the nonprofit and Museum, this workshop will offer a unique learning experience for-profit sectors, the workshop emphasizes collegial work aimed at in applying material culture methodologies and techniques. strengthening skills and projects directly applicable in participants’ Using artifacts as the center of discussion and hands-on activities, own institutions and programs. Staff from the Center for History and facilitators will show participants how to use objects as resources New Media (CHNM) will facilitate. for research, teaching, and the public presentation of history. Participants will examine artifacts and trade literature and learn how Started in 2008, the CHNM’s THAT Camps have been to read and understand them; work side-by-side with experienced enthusiastically received by participants at twenty camps to date, and scholars from museums and universities to explore different material appear to be morphing into an international movement! The format culture methodologies and approaches; and learn some basics of dispenses with formal presentations and allows campers to design conservation, cataloguing, and developing collections. (Limit 25 hands-on sessions around topics, tasks, or technologies of particular participants.) interest to them. The nonhierarchical, non-disciplinary, and project- oriented approach is ideally suited to the field of public history.

Learn more at http://ncph2011.thatcamp.org/

8Public History News 2011WORKSHOPS Annual Meeting Events The Role of Interpretation in Institutional Sustainability up as the iconic embodiment of the innovation, creativity, Wednesday, April 6, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm drive, and passion undergirding the American economy. Many Tickets - $10 businesses and professions view entrepreneurs as paving the pathways to the future. But what really defines entrepreneurship Facilitator: Patricia Mooney-Melvin, Loyola University Chicago and or intrapreneurship (its related practice in established Richard Brosnaham, West Florida Historic Preservation, Inc. organizations)? What skills are involved? How might the practice of entrepreneurship expand the range of opportunities available to Virtually all small museums, historical societies, and historic professional historians and redefine the future of our profession? house museums grapple with issues of institutional sustainability. This workshop is an outgrowth of the 2010 working group on Certainly, sound institutional health is the result of a multifaceted connecting academic training with the changing marketplace. approach to a site’s organization and operation. Interpretation represents a very public institutional face. This session explores the role of interpretation in strengthening a site’s public appeal, credibility, and sustainability. Participants will focus on the role of interpretation in site sustainability and discuss best practices in this Favor Your Connected Mind area. (Limit 50 participants.) Workshop participants may also be interested in attending the “America Doesn’t Need Another House Science writer Steven Johnson argues that innovative ideas are the Museum” session, at 3:45 pm – 5:15 pm, Saturday. product of rich, chaotic environments in which smaller ideas and questions are stitched together into breakthrough ideas. “If we want to be more innovative” as an organization or company or society, Entrepreneurship and the Practice of History “we have to build spaces where ideas are likely to come together”… Wednesday, April 6, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm where people are likely to have new, interesting, unpredictable Tickets - $40 collisions, people from different backgrounds.”*

Facilitators: Brian Martin, History Associates, Inc.; Michelle As Johnson says, “Chance favors the connected mind.” McClellan, University of Michigan; Darlene Roth, Public History Entrepreneur; and workshop facilitator, Phil Borden, Essergy Increase your chances, make new connections, and create new Consulting. ideas…at the NCPH Annual Meeting.

As an experiment in continuing education for practicing or (*Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of teaching historians who seek to expand professional horizons Innovation, 2010) and explore new ways to do history, NCPH is offering an entrepreneurship workshop. Entrepreneurs are often held

Annie Abrams Jennifer Burns Dusty Dye Gertrude Hutchinson Daniel Ott Kimberly Sebold Raleigh, NC New Market, VA Carrollton, GA Guilderland, NY Chicago, IL Presque Isle, ME Gregory Alcorn Rachael Bussert Charlotte Egerton Rebekah Karelis Sophie Perl Allison Seyler Silver Spring, MD Marquette, MI Wilmington, NC Wheelin, WV Berlin, Baltimore, MD Anneliesa Alprin Jan Calvert Andrea Field Timothy Kneeland Margaret Powell Zachary Siegel Washington, DC Prairie Village, KS Scottsdale, AZ Rochester, NY Takoma park, MD Washington, DC Peter Alter Matthew Carter Emily Finke Monique Laney James Price Victor Silverman Chicago, IL Verona, PA Cincinnati, OH Bowie, MD Fredericksburg, VA Claremont, CA Noelle Alvey Pamela Carter Carlisle Annika Frahm Paul Travis Lathrop Todd Price Jennifer Stout Boston, MA Bossier City, LA Berlin, Germany Fort Collins, CO Glenview, IL Annandale, VA Rebecca Andersen Thomas Cauvin Solomon Franklin Melinda Leonard Jessica Rast J Edward Townes Tempe,, AZ Florence, Italy Charlotte, NC Chicago, IL Decatur, GA Russellville, AR Matthew Andres Burgess (Buck) Cole Laura Galke Barbara Little Natalie Ray Sara Van Arsdel Schaumburg, IL Austin, TX Fredericksburg, VA Takoma Park, MD Pensacola, FL Orlando, FL Maitrii Aung-Thwin Michelle Cooke NormaJean Garriton Sarah Marshall Tim Reidy Diane Wakeman Singapore, Sulpher, OK Brooklyn, NY Austin, TX Pascagoula, MS St. Petersburg, FL Kathryn Barnard LaNesha Gale Hester Goodwin Sarah McCormick Leslie Reithmiller Katie Walker Brooklyn, NY DeBardelaben New York, NY La Quinta, CA Pensacola, FL Columbia, SC Bloomington, IN Brain Beaton Jordan Grant Andrea Melvin Christina Runkel Alexandra Wallace Toronto, ON Nicole DeRise Washington, DC Grand Rapids, MI Tuscaloosa, AL Fort Collins, CO Astoria, NY Audra Bellmore Benjamin Guterman Robert Moore Mattea Sanders Susan Williams Suttons Bay, MI Marc Dluger Olney, MD Carrollton, GA Forest, VA New Ipswich, NH Alexandria, VA Cassandra Bennett Everett Hardy Alison Novak Kari Santangelo Anne Woodward Nacogdoches, TX Sarah Doherty Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia, PA Middletown, CT Austin, TX

Welcome New Members! New Welcome Chicago, IL Mary Bergman Samantha Howell Katie Odom Ann Schoenacher Christopher Young Washington, DC Meghan Donahue Washington, DC Woodstock, GA St. Petersburg, FL Fort Oglethorpe, GA Smyrna, GA Laura Blackburn Eileen Hurst Robert Ogle Emily Schreiner Nacogdoches, TX Haley Drown New Britian, CT Lamar, CO Eau Claire, WI Vanlue, OH A Small Agency Acquires Its History

Jesse Stiller | [email protected] display in and around the OCC’s Washington headquarters. The oil portrait of Murray A little over three years ago, this tantalizing by William Haskell Coffin, one of the best item arrived in my email: known U.S. commercial artists of his day, was a special prize because it filled one of “My husband’s Great Uncle was Lawrence the few gaps in the OCC’s portrait collection O. Murray, Comptroller of the Currency for of former Comptrollers. Framed, signed Theodore Roosevelt. We have boxes and photographs of Murray’s friend and political books of his correspondence during his benefactor, Theodore Roosevelt, and the term. They are silk copies of letters etc. and photograph of Roosevelt’s Tennis Cabinet, books of his duties as comptroller. Is there of which Murray was a member, are not The collection after processing. Image courtesy of author. a Museum or Historical area where all of only visually interesting, but also provide and worked to undermine him. Murray these things are kept? If so do they want such an implicit explanation for Murray’s zeal in might have prevailed regardless, but just things or shall we just keep them in storage?” office. months after he came to office, Roosevelt gave way to the less reform-minded Taft Murray was one of the most controversial administration. Murray was vindicated when and least understood figures in the history the Federal Reserve Act made national bank of the Office of the Comptroller of the examiners salaried employees of the United Currency (OCC), an independent bureau of States and subjected them to real direction the Treasury Department founded during the and accountability. Civil War to charter and regulate national banks. Murray, the twelfth person to head The Murray papers shed light on how it, came to the office in 1908, and made these and other changes evolved, which an instant impression on his staff of bank is why the OCC made the commitment examiners by blaming them publicly for to their conservation and organization. the problems in the U.S. banking system, Working from a preservation management including those that went well beyond their plan developed by History Associates competence. They called him insane, and Incorporated of Rockville, Maryland, we have worse. So it went for five years, until Murray’s inventoried the collection, digitized the most term came to an end and Congress created important documents, and re-housed the a new Federal Reserve system in hope of entire collection to preserve it and make it starting afresh. accessible to users. Then-Comptroller of the Currency John C. Dugan with the donors, Jack and Ned Kelley, of Painted Post, New York and So—yes, we wanted those books and boxes, Kensington, Maryland, respectively, upon acceptance of the For the typical OCC employee who will as well as the memorabilia stored alongside collection. Image courtesy of author. not have the opportunity to experience them for nearly a century in an upstate New The “boxes and books” of Murray Murray through his papers, we are preparing York attic, the better to understand Murray, correspondence consist of perhaps a museum-quality exhibit on his life and his motivations, and his eccentricities. 13,000 items dating from his arrival in times. This will be installed in the agency’s But it was a long road from offer to Washington as a young lawyer in 1892 to his headquarters, but a separate, transportable acquisition. Our potential donors had their organizational work on behalf of American version is also being prepared for display in own ambivalences to resolve about parting troops in Europe after World War I. That’s the OCC’s field locations. with more or less treasured family heirlooms. not an especially large number, but it posed Financial considerations inevitably came a practical challenge for an organization The Murray papers might have found their into play. The Internal Revenue Service like the OCC, whose on-site “museum or way into the National Archives or the Library has exacting rules regarding property historical area” was never more than a secure of Congress, had either of those agencies donations and their proper valuation, and walk-in closet. been willing to accept them. But our donors these complications are multiplied when knew they could find no better home than the Federal government is the intended While Murray was clearly not a national the OCC, a small agency with a history it recipient. It took months to track down an figure of the first rank, his contribution to cares about and the resources to do it justice. IRS-qualified historical-documents appraiser the history of banking regulation in the in central New York State and additional United States was significant. Before his time, Jesse Stiller is the special advisor for executive months to get the job done. national bank examiners were essentially communications (speechwriter to the comptroller/ unsupervised independent contractors who historian) in the Office of the Comptroller of the The big question was what to do with this collected a fee from each national bank they Currency, Washington, D.C. He previously was windfall. Some items were clearly suited for inspected. The system encouraged examiners professorial lecturer in International Affairs, to be quick rather than thorough. Murray George Washington University, command tried to change that, to weed out those he historian at the U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery viewed as incompetent or corrupt. Those School, and assistant professor, Bernard Baruch who fit that description saw him as a threat College, CUNY.

10Public History News President’s Comments

A major problem regarding public history of American History regularly review websites in cyber space may be generational. My which would certainly yield excellent neighbor and good friend David is quite additions to my list of favorites. I am on knowledgeable about many topics but never the email mailing list for “Dispatches from Marty Blatt buys a newspaper; he gets the information the Future of Museums,” produced by the [email protected] that he wants on line. In contrast, not too American Association of Museums. There are long ago I was quite upset at the threat of all sorts of interesting postings, often links to Public History in Cyber the cessation of print publication of the websites or blogs. I find that I can’t take the Boston Globe owing to the steady decline in time to look at this email every time I receive Space circulation. David is 40 and I just recently one, but whenever I do, I find items of great turned 60. interest. An interesting website is Common- In January 2011, I was roaming the book Place, which I find often has valuable displays at the annual meeting of the On one large corner of my desk sit fairly contributions. American Historical Association in Boston neatly arranged piles of journals, newsletters, when I ran into Steve Barnes, Director of the and books. On a regular but intermittent Tom Engelhardt edits TomDispatch.com, a Center for Russian Studies, George Mason basis, I try to plow through as much of this lively and oppositional blog that bills itself as University. He told me about his forthcoming material as I can. However, what occurs to a regular antidote to the mainstream media book from Princeton University Press, Death me now is that I should try to do a much for anyone seeking deeper understanding of and Redemption: The Gulag and the Shaping of better job of just as regularly plowing our post-9/11 world. My daughters (ages 16 Soviet Society. Steve had been a key scholarly through cyber space. I confess that for a while and 12) have been asking me to explain what advisor five years ago when Louis Hutchins I would say to myself that anyone can launch the United States is doing in Afghanistan. and I developed the traveling exhibit for a blog or website so there is no accounting This blog’s views are quite contrary to the National Park Service, “GULAG: Soviet for quality. This is of course true, but what it the policies of my employer, the federal Forced Labor Camps and the Struggle for reveals is a clear bias towards printed matter. government, so I recommend this site as a Freedom.” That had been his first venture Much that is published might be just as bad private citizen and not as a federal employee. into public history. In response to my inquiry as the majority of postings in cyber space. The posting of 1/3/11, Reliving the Soviet if he was doing any public history these days, Experience in Afghanistan, offers an excellent he excitedly replied that he was just about to I am pleased with myself that I am regularly summary of the role of the United States launch a blog, russianhistoryblog.org. checking in on Off the Wall but I could since the 1980s in that war-torn nation. benefit from consulting other blogs and That got me to thinking that I want to remind websites. In preparing this column, I looked So, there are all sorts of public history our members about the wonderful blog that around in a few familiar places I had not opportunities in cyber space. Perhaps I NCPH now operates—Off the Wall: Critical visited in a while—Boston historian John should more consistently alternate between Reviews of History Exhibit Practice in an Age Bell’s blog 1775 and the website of the plowing through my pile of publications and of Ubiquitous Display. I find the articles to be International Coalition of Sites of Conscience. an exploration of familiar and not yet visited interesting, lively, and quite varied. I, of course, found all sorts of interesting blogs and websites. things. The Public Historian and the Journal

Seminar for Historical Administration Save the Date — The 51st Seminar for Historical Administration met from October 30– Humanities Advocacy Day November 20, 2010, in Indianapolis, Indiaina. The nineteen members of the Class of 2010 represented the multiple facets of the history field, Annual Meeting National Humanities Alliance from historic houses and sites, to statewide, and even national, history March 7-8, 2011 organizations and included two participants from Canada. The George Washington University Marvin Center & Capitol Hill, Washington, DC The SHA review committee makes its selections each year after considering an applicant’s experience, evidence that he or she is in a position to take Meet national leaders and others who shape humanities policy, on a leadership role and/or new challenges at his or her institution, and learn about the current state of federal funding and new policy issues, develop your advocacy skills, and make sure your voice is an indication that the applicant has the potential to be a rising leader heard in support of the humanities. nationally in the field. The 2011 Humanities Advocacy Day preliminary program includes Applications for this year’s seminar are due in the office of the American commentary on the post-election landscape, discussion of Association for State and Local History by May 17. For more information, humanities funding and other policy issues, a luncheon and keynote address, presentations of current work in the humanities, a Capitol go to the AASLH website at www.aaslh.org/histadmin. SHA is presented Hill reception, and visits to Congressional offices. Register early at by AASLH, the American Association of Museums, Colonial Williamsburg, www.nhalliance.org. The fee to attend is $75. Indiana Historical Society, National Museum of African American History and Culture, and National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Public11 History News From the Executive Director

watch the video on C-SPAN’s website, at and presidents—and, for public institutions, http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/History state legislators—are pushing faculty to andt&showFullAbstract=1). show they can collaborate with “their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, John Dichtl AHA’s new executive director, Jim Grossman, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange [email protected] formerly of the Newberry Library, is of knowledge and resources in a context continuing the public trajectory set by of partnership and reciprocity.”1 This turn Jones and many of the AHA’s presidents in toward public service and connection is Public and Academic the past decade. The AHA will push the taking place both because of interest in the discipline of history to reassert itself outside “mutually beneficial” exchanges of civic History in the Wider of academia. At the Boston conference, engagement and as a strategic defense. World of the Other Grossman presented to former Congressman As criticism falls on universities, they try Lee Hamilton the association’s eighth annual to become engaged. One way a history There are signs that public history today Theodore Roosevelt-Woodrow Wilson Award, department can help itself and its university, is enjoying broader recognition than ever which is for “individuals outside the academy for example, is to build the connections before. Still, worries about the field or the such as civil servants and public officials to community inherent in a public history profession’s identity do crop up. Thirty years who have made a significant contribution to program. on, in conference sessions, journal articles, history.” Three of five of Grossman’s columns and presidential addresses, we are still talking as executive director in AHA Perspectives in Thus, public history as a field is more about public history’s place in the larger History have called on historians to adopt firmly lodged than ever in colleges and discipline of history. Indeed, 15 percent a greater public role: “History in a Public universities across the country and of the 3,800 respondents to the Survey of Square” (September 2010); “Historical abroad, and it is spreading. The number Public History Professionals in 2008 cited Malpractice and the Writing of Textbooks” of history departments with public history definitional problems—public awareness (December 2010); “Citizenship, History, and programs—130 or so and counting— of “public history,” lack of respect for the Public Culture” (January 2011). grows by a handful a year. More and more field, and tension with academics—as the departments are offering public history most serious issue(s) facing public history At the same time, the new AHA president, courses and seeking new faculty members today. These were not the main concerns but Anthony Grafton (Princeton University), who can bring a public history perspective. they ranked third, behind lack of funding also aims to unite academic and public and resources—40 percent—and society’s historians. In his inaugural message to AHA Public history’s proliferation in colleges and lack of interest in history and historical members, “History under Attack,” (AHA universities is also due to the recognition that institutions—20 percent. Clearly, many of us Perspectives in History, January 2011), Grafton “there be jobs there.” In a bad economy with still doubt our profession has the respect it shows that history and other humanities a depressed job market, history departments, deserves. professors face intense criticism these days like colleges and universities, see a public for being too focused on overly specialized history program as a means to gain an edge In January, I attended American Historical research topics pursued at the expense of over other departments—internally for Association conference in Boston, and despite teaching undergraduates. Critics charge majors; externally for matriculating students. the snowstorm, found a relatively warm that historical “research and teaching are A quick gander at websites for Master’s reception for public history. This annual nothing more than sterile pursuits of mind- degree and undergraduate public history gathering of 5,000 members of a 14,000- numbing factoids, tedious and predictable programs reveals the extent to which most member society incorporated by Congress exercises in group think, or politicized use the vocational aspects of public history in 1889 “for the promotion of historical exercises in deploying the evidence to prove as a selling point. So we have a 30-year studies,” has something for every field of predetermined conclusions.” Answering institutionalization of public history within history. In the past several years, the AHA them, says Grafton, means showing historians the academy, the more recent turn of civic as an organization, if not the rank and file “do in fact discover knowledge that turns engagement, and the return to public history membership, has embraced public history. out to be useful.” Historians must also as a path to employment for students at the This is largely due to Arnita A. Jones’s present a united front, university and public Master’s and Bachelor’s levels. tenure as executive director. A founding historians must “make clear, as often as figure in the public history movement, in possible, the great importance and deep Add to them the ongoing academic job NCPH, the Society for History in the Federal impact of their collaborative enterprises.” The crisis for PhDs. As history PhDs continue Government, and others, Jones’s commitment history researched and taught in universities to find it very difficult to land tenure-track to the idea of a public role for historians, “enriches and is enriched in its turn by the jobs, more and more end up in “alternative whether as public intellectuals or as public extraordinary work of America’s public careers” such as public history, and more historians, was the subject of the fascinating historians.” and more departments are pondering the opening plenary session in Boston. (You can idea of providing “alternative career” or Grafton’s and the AHA’s call for collaboration public history training to students still in the and unity is echoed by the academy’s growing PhD pipeline. During the AHA conference interest in “civic engagement” or “community in Boston, AHA Assistant Director, Robert engagement.” College and university trustees continued on page next page > 12Public History News Townsend, put some numbers behind the them will never be employed. And the vast for historians, wherever they are employed job market problems. (You can see his majority of departments have neither cut and whatever their approaches, to move back presentation, “The Academic Job Market: back on the number of students nor begun and forth across what has been too sharp of a Finding Solutions in a Time of Crisis,” on preparing PhDs to work anywhere other than dividing line between academia and the wider the History News Network at http://hnn.us/ an academic teaching post. world. Academic departments will benefit roundup/63.html). According to Townsend, from exposure to the methods, expertise, “the sad fact of the matter is that the history It is my hope, however, that as the academic and experiences of public historians. Public [PhD] job market has been in near perpetual side of the discipline grows more receptive historians will benefit from the intellectual state of crisis since 1970.” Only 55 percent to public history courses and programs, ferment of the academy, both drawing from of those who matriculate into a PhD program departments will adopt a holistic view. They and contributing to new scholarship as well finish. Only about 25 percent of those who will prepare PhD and MA students to work as inspired teaching. matriculate end up in tenure-track positions. in a true variety of settings. Academically Approximately 40 percent of those who oriented historians will find allies, colleagues, 1Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, do finish will end up employed outside of and intellectual community among public “Community Engagement Elective Classification,” at http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/classifications/index. academia. The scandal, Townsend concludes, historians situated in museums, corporations, asp?key=1213. See also the WGEPHS white paper, is that PhD programs are training their historical societies, and county offices, and “Tenure, Promotion, and the Engaged…….” at www. students for a job market in which most of the doors of the university will remain open ncph.org

History News Service

This article is adapted from the HNS website, http://www.h-net.org/~hns/.

In fall 2010, historian and Indiana University journalism professor David Nord took over as editor of the History News Service (HNS), an informal syndicate of historians who seek to improve the public discussion of current events by setting those events in historical context.

Founded in 1996 by Joyce Appleby and James M. Banner, Jr., HNS Joyce Appleby. Courtesy of HNS. James M. Banner, Jr. Courtesy of HNS. provides “op-ed” articles to the news media, puts reporters and editors in contact with historians, and tries to improve links between Below is a select list of North American and other newspapers that the journalism and historical professions. HNS articles are also have published articles distributed by the History News Service: distributed to selected Web sites and H-Net lists and to the History The Los Angeles Times Nashville Tennessean News Network. The International Herald Tribune Newark Star Ledger Albany Times Union New Orleans Times-Picayune To enhance understanding of the origins and significance of current Albuquerque Journal Omaha World Herald events, HNS distributes to the general media short, reflective Arizona Daily Star Peoria Star Journal commentaries that bring historians’ knowledge to bear on issues Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Philadelphia Inquirer of pressing public concern. Currently, HNS offers distribution for Atlanta Journal-Constitution Pittsburgh Tribune-Review one-time non-exclusive use to 300 daily newspapers in 42 states, Augusta (GA) Chronicle Portland Oregonian Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Bermuda, and Canada. Austin American-Statesman Providence Journal Bulletin Because reporters and editors, working under pressure of deadlines, Bakersfield Californian Raleigh News & Observer Baltimore Sun Roanoke Times and World News seek information and advice on the origins and significance of Bergen County Record Sacramento Bee breaking news, HNS also attempts to link journalists with historians Buffalo News Salt Lake Tribune who are equipped to assist them in preparing news articles and in Charlotte Observer San Diego Union Tribune understanding the historical implications of the events they cover. Charleston (WV) Gazette San Francisco Examiner Finally, HNS seeks to strengthen the often tenuous links between Chattanooga Times Free Press San Jose Mercury News print and electronic journalists on the one hand and professional Cincinnati Post Santa Fe New Mexican historians on the other. It seeks to help editors and reporters Denver Post South Bend Tribune understand historical resources, concepts, and contexts and at the Florida Sun Sentinel Spokane Spokesman Review same time to present opportunities for historians to learn the practices Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel St. Augustine Record Greensboro News & Record St. Louis Post Dispatch and values of professional journalists. Harrisburg Patriot-News St. Paul Pioneer Press Hartford Courant St. Petersburg Times Directed by the HNS editor and a steering committee of historians Houston Chronicle Tallahassee Democrat and journalists, HNS has no members, only writers and editors. Idaho Statesman Toronto Star HNS writers are chosen for proven command of their fields and the Kansas City Star Tulsa World ability to use their knowledge to illuminate current affairs. All articles Las Vegas Review Journal Washington (DC) Times represent the work of their authors, not HNS, which supplies editing Lexington (KY) Herald Leader Wichita Eagle and distribution services only. All authors of HNS articles retain Memphis Commercial Appeal Wilmington (DE) News-Journal copyright in their works Miami Herald Wisconsin State Journal Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Worcester Telegram and Gazette Milwaukee Journal Times Committees on the Go

These brief updates give a sampling of what Graduate Student Ad Hoc Committee Professional Development NCPH volunteers are doing. If you are interested The Graduate Student Committee has The Professional Development Committee in participating, please let us know at ncph@ prepared a short membership survey for is looking at how other professions and iupui.edu. The committees encourage your input. graduate student members and non-members disciplines—such as lawyers and engineers, Committee meetings during the annual meeting to distribute in the next few weeks. The the Society of American Archivists, etc.— are open to all members. Contact information for committee also is helping to organize the think about continuing education. The committee chairs and members is listed on the Speed Networking event for the annual committee is assessing the workshops NCPH website. meeting and updated a list of Frequently NCPH has offered in the past and what Asked Questions about the conference for the members have called for in post-conference Consultants NCPH website. evaluations, in preparation to revise the The Consultants Committee has opened organization’s workshop guidelines and a Twitter account (@NCPHConsultants), International Task Force offerings. raised nearly $1,000 for the Consultants The task force, along with fifteen to twenty Reception at the Pensacola annual other public historians around the world, 2012 Program Committee meeting, and submitted a proposal for a has become an interim steering committee The five NCPH members of the joint roundtable titled, “Historians in the Legal for the International Federation for Public program committee for 2012 have been Arena,” for the 2012 NCPH-OAH Annual History. During the NCPH Annual Meeting soliciting sessions for the call, which closed Meeting. The committee has also prepared in Pensacola, the IFPH will elect a permanent on February 1. The committee will convene recommendations for improving the NCPH steering committee. All who are interested during the OAH Annual Meeting in Houston, Excellence in Consulting Award. are invited to participate. March 17-20, to discuss with their OAH counterparts the proposal submissions and to Curriculum & Training Long Range Planning establish the schedule of sessions, plenaries, The Curriculum & Training Committee is The Long Range Planning Committee and other events in Milwaukee. compiling short reading lists of books and is gathering information about NCPH’s articles that will be useful to public history strengths and weaknesses from a targeted 2012 Local Resource Committee educators seeking ideas for their courses. group of members and non-members. It Jasmine Alinder has agreed to co-chair the The lists include the following: museums; also has been analyzing data from the 2008 Local Resource Committee for next year’s preservation; international issues in public Survey of Public History Professionals and conference in Milwaukee. The joint OAH- history; oral history; historiography of the post-annual-meeting evaluation surveys. In NCPH committee is finishing a list of possible field; public history controversies; and case Pensacola, the committee will discuss this tours and offsite venues for anchoring the studies in public history. The committee material and provide a preliminary report to conference in the Milwaukee community. also is refining two new “best practices” the Board of Directors. documents, one on “certificates” and another on “the introductory public history course.” Membership “The Real War Will Never Get Prior to the committee meeting in Pensacola, Members of the Membership Committee in the Books” members will promote the NCPH’s online have been contacting individuals in their The Public History of the American Guide to Public History Programs. states whose NCPH memberships have Civil War, a Sesquicentennial lapsed as well as other public historians who Symposium Development Committee might join the organization. The committee The Development Committee has been has been critiquing the NCPH website and March 26, 2011 gathering written commitments from the providing other marketing feedback to the North Carolina State University several individuals who have included or executive office. Vickie Lindsay has stepped will include NCPH in their personal estate in as chair. The approaching 150th anniversary of plans, and it has been discussing how best to the American Civil War provides a unique recognize and thank them. The committee Nominating Committee opportunity to explore the many ways also is shaping a strategy to approach The Nominating Committee worked with that public and academic historians can corporate donors on behalf of NCPH. the vice president and executive office to work together to engage general audiences assemble the slate of candidates for the at battlefields, historic sites, and museums Digital Media Group 2011 election. For 2012 and beyond, the across the country. On Saturday, March The group is organizing the THATCamp committee will be considering the possibility 26, 2011, the History Department at workshop taking place during the NCPH of inviting one or two professionals from North Carolina State University will host a Annual Meeting in Pensacola, has launched outside of the public history community symposium to facilitate discussions among the NCPH annual meeting conference blog, to participate in the NCPH governance Civil War interpreters, museum curators, and continues to help supervise H-Public and structure. Elizabeth Fraterrigo took over as and scholars about how to convey Off the Wall, the NCPH-sponsored blog for chair in December 2010. integrated narratives of military, social, “Critical reviews of exhibit practice in an age and political history. http://faculty.chass. of ubiquitous display.” ncsu.edu/smlee4/civilwarconference/ Teaching Global and Comparative Public History

Gerald Zahavi | [email protected] memorials, and other public venues was precisely what we were examining in the course. I also used Trey Kay’s “The Great Textbook For over two decades I have been offering core readings courses in War of 1974,” a radio documentary that had just won a 2010 Peabody our public history program. Many focused on local and regional Award. Focusing on a 1974 Kanawha County, West Virginia cultural history, especially community and state- and town-level studies of war over the adoption of controversial history and civic textbooks, labor and business history. Last year, however, I began to consider Kay’s piece was the basis of our discussion of textbooks as forms of how the teaching of public history might be enriched by bringing in a public history. This worked especially well in conjunction with our more cosmopolitan and comparative perspective, offering students an reading of selections from Howard Zinn’s A People’s History and Larry opportunity to explore their field through a wide-angle lens that takes Schweikart and Michael Allen, A Patriot’s History of the United States— in the whole world. Such an approach, I felt, would augment the as well as with Hindsight’s “History Under Siege” Japan segment, more micro-historical training and perspectives often characteristic focusing—in part—on debates on school textbook treatments of of public history programs. The end result of this thinking was my Japanese imperialism in China and Korea. creation of a new course, first offered in the fall of 2010: “Readings in U.S. and Global/Comparative Public History.” The course was clearly successful; class discussions were often lively. The final assignment, a comparative and lengthy essay looking at The course focused broadly on how historical knowledge and any public history controversy or theme across national boundaries, historical interpretations were shaped by different political, cultural, yielded some imaginative work. One student compared public and ideological milieus in various national and regional contexts. exhibits, popular literature, and art in South Africa focusing on the Students examined popular narratives, textbooks, media, exhibitions, Anglo-Zulu war of the 1870s with their counterparts in the U.S.— memorials, and various other forms of public history. Around half of devoted to western U.S. military campaigns against the Lakota Sioux. the semester was devoted to coverage of public history as practiced in Another—in an exceptional 35-page essay—examined legal and the U.S.—utilizing well-known books and articles by Mike Wallace, public policy, exhibits, media, and textbooks related to the histories of Edward Linenthal, James Loewen, Tony Horwitz, and others. Once Indian residential schools in the U.S. and in Canada. grounded in domestic soils, we spent the rest of the semester taking a comparative approach in surveying the history, theory, and practice of I would say the course more than achieved its aim and, informed by Public History in Asia, Africa, South America, Great Britain, Eastern feedback from the class, I intend to refine it and offer it again and Western Europe, and in Australia. next year.

We often looked back over our shoulders and compared controversies Gerald Zahavi is professor of history at the University at Albany, State over nationalistic narratives, ethnic and racial histories, and University of New York. He founded Talking History, an aural history historic sites abroad with similar ones in the U.S. For example, the production center with a weekly FM radio program that is also broadcast Smithsonian Enola Gay controversy was linked to our discussion over the Internet (www.talkinghistory.org), co-founded the Journal of Japanese memorials and exhibits in Hiroshima and Nagasaki— for MultiMedia History, and helped establish the interdisciplinary covered in Daniel Seltz’s essay in Daniel J. Walkowitz and Lisa Maya Documentary Studies Program at the University at Albany, a program Knauer, eds., Memory and the Impact of Political Transformation in which he now directs. Public Space. Similarly, the points of contention summarized in Linenthal’s overview of the creation of the U.S. Holocaust Museum were compared to controversies over Holocaust memorials in Europe and to debates over memorials to other victims of mass murder and genocide in Asia and Africa. Site discussions in James Loewen’s Lies Across America were often brought up in our discussion of critiques of exhibits and sites in Australia and South Africa—the covered in “Places of the Heart: Memorials in Australia,” a special issue of the Australian Center for Public History’s Public History Review (vol. 15; 2008) and in Sarah Nuttall and Carli Coetzee, eds., Negotiating the See the linked resource bibliography to this article and my course at http:// Past: The Making of Memory in South Africa (2008). www.albany.edu/history/comparativepublichistory/

In addition to monographs and articles, the course’s growing resource bibliography (tapped by students for their final papers and available on line at: http://www.albany.edu/history/comparativepublichistory/) included visual and aural material especially appropriate to many of the themes we were exploring. For example, I used the excellent Australian four-part radio series “History Under Siege: Battles Over the Past,” produced by Michele Rayner of Hindsight (an Australian Broadcasting Corporation – Radio National series). I had scheduled the series for broadcast on our weekly radio show, Talking History (www.talkinghistory.org). The series’ focus on public history debates in four nations—France, Australia, Japan, and Argentina—and on historical representations and debates over imperialism, war and militarism, colonialism, and racism in school textbooks, museums, Public15 History News INVITATION Inaugural Meeting of the International Federation for Public History Friday, April 8, 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. - foster participation of public possible range of public history practice, historians and their organizations in including museums, historical sites, During the NCPH Annual Meeting in international congresses and other academic programs, government Pensacola, Florida, the International meetings of scholars in the field; and, historical offices and other venues where Federation for Public History will convene - encourage the formation of national historians are engaged in public history. for the first time. All who are interested committees of historians working in If you cannot attend in person we hope are invited to participate in selecting the the field of public history. your will let us know ([email protected]) federation’s Steering Committee. of your interest in this promising new In Pensacola we plan to initiative. The federation was established in August - establish a formal steering 2010, as an Internal Commission by the commission and elect an initial set of General Assembly of the International officers; Committee of Historical Sciences/Comité - identify national groups, committees, International des Sciences Historiques or institutions wishing to become (ICHS/CISH). CISH itself was launched members of the federation; shortly after the First World War to - plan for the inclusion of federation encourage international cooperation members in the next meeting of the among scholars; its secretariat is located International Congress of Historical at the University of Paris. Sciences (CISH) in Jinan, Shandong, China in 2015; and The federation’s purposes are to - discuss further priorities/initiatives - create an international network of for the federation, as well as public history programs and schools; potential sources of support. - facilitate the international exchange of information on teaching and The new International Federation for research in public history; Public History will embrace the widest Courtesy of Flickr user Jason Bachman

Canada’s longest running Public History program

We merge theory with hands-on practice through com munity projects, research assistantships, professional development speakers and sum mer internships.

Courses include: < Public History: History, Theory & Practice < Museology & Material Culture < Digital History & Interactive Exhibit Design < Archival Management < Applied Archaeology & First Nations & Museums < Social Memory

Graduates are employed at museums and archives, government agencies and historical organizations. For more information, contact Michelle Hamilton, Director, at [email protected] or visit us at www.history.uwo.ca/gradstudies/publichistory. Patrons & Partners The support of the following institutions, each committed to membership at the Patron or Sponsor level, makes the work of the National Council on Public History possible.

Patrons Partners HistoryTM American University, Department Missouri Historical Society American Association for State and Local of History North Carolina State University, History Arizona State University, Raleigh, Department of History Department of History Florida Division of Historical Resources Oklahoma State University, Bandy Heritage Center, Dalton Department of History Historical Research Associates, Inc. State College Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Indiana University Purdue University California State University at Commission Indianapolis, Department of History Chico, Department of History Truman Library Institute John Nicholas Brown Center, Brown University California State University University at Albany, SUNY, Loyola University of Chicago, Department of Fullerton, Center for Oral and Department of History History Public History University of California at Middle Tennessee State University, California State University Riverside, Department of History Department of History Sacramento, Department of University of Massachusetts History New Mexico State University, Department of Amherst, Department of History History California State University, San University of Nevada Las Vegas, Bernardino, Department of New York University, Department of History Department of History History Texas State University, Department of History University of North Carolina at Central Connecticut State Greensboro, Department of University of Houston, Center for Public University, Department of History History History University of Northern Iowa, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Chicago History Museum Department of History and Geography Department of History Cornell University, Department of University of Wisconsin, Eau University of Maryland Baltimore County, Science and Technology Studies Department of History Claire, Department of History Duquesne University, Department University of Wisconsin, University of South Carolina, Department of of History Milwaukee, Department of History Eastern Illinois University, History University of West Florida Public History Department of History Ursuline College, Historic Program and West Florida Historic Florida State University, Preservation Program Preservation, Inc. Department of History West Virginia University, University of West Georgia, Department of History Link Department of History History Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Western Michigan University, Wells Fargo Bank Department of History Department of History Kentucky Historical Society Wichita State University, LifeStory Productions, Inc. Department of History National Coalition for History Update

Congress Enacts IMLS Reauthorization On December 22, 2010, President Obama signed into law the “Museum and Library Services Act of 2010” (Public Law 111-340). Lee White The law authorizes funding for fiscal years [email protected] 2011 – 2016 for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s Wal-Mart Retreats from Wilderness Civil 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. To manage a digitization project of this War Battlefield enormity, the archivists of the Kennedy In an unexpected development, Wal-Mart According to the American Library Presidential Library prioritized the Library’s announced on January 26 that it was Association, Americans visit libraries more historic collections beginning with those abandoning plans to pursue a special use than 1.3 billion times and check out more that hold the highest research interest permit previously awarded to the retail than 2.1 billion items each year. And the and significance. At launch, the archive giant for construction of a supercenter on American Association of Museums reports features approximately 200,000 pages; 300 the Wilderness Battlefield in Virginia. The that there are nearly 850 million visits per reels of audio tape, containing more than decision came as the trial in a legal challenge year to American museums, and that U.S. 1,245 individual recordings of telephone seeking to overturn the special use permit museums employ as many as half a million calls, speeches and meetings; 300 museum was scheduled to begin in Orange County Americans and contribute approximately artifacts; 72 reels of film; and 1,500 photos. circuit court. The Battle of the Wilderness, $20.7 billion to the economy each year. fought May 5–6, 1864, was one of the most National Declassification Center Issues significant engagements of the American The law authorizes nearly $300 million Prioritization Plan to Eliminate Backlog Civil War. in federal assistance to museums and The National Archives National libraries nationwide in FY 2011. It will Declassification Center (NDC) recently also enhance training and professional released its Prioritization Plan for eliminating development for librarians and ensure the the 400+ million page backlog of reviewed, development of a diverse library workforce, but unavailable archival records. President including by authorizing the Laura Bush Obama has charged the National Archives 21st Century Librarian program, which has with eliminating the backlog by been previously funded through annual December 2013. appropriations. It will help build state capacity to support museums by authorizing The plan is a roadmap for the NDC to IMLS to support state assessments of declassify and process for release federal museum services and the development and records and Presidential materials. The The National Coalition for History (NCH) is implementation of state plans to improve annual work plans provide greater detail part of the Wilderness Battlefield Coalition, and enhance those services. The IMLS about which entries or subject areas within an alliance of local residents and national reauthorization also strengthens conservation records groups are scheduled for processing groups seeking to protect the Wilderness and preservation efforts. Additionally, the law this year. The plan may be viewed online at battlefield. Collaborating with the Civil requires IMLS to improve coordination and http://www.archives.gov/declassification/final- War Trust, NCH organized more than collaboration with other federal agencies that prioritization-plan.pdf . 250 American historians, led by Pulitzer have an interest in and responsibilities for the Prize-winners James McPherson and David improvement of museum and libraries and NCPH is a member of the National Coalition McCullough, in opposition to Wal-Mart’s information services. for History (NCH), a Washington, DC-based proposed construction plans. nonprofit educational organization providing JFK Presidential Library Launches leadership in history-related advocacy. Consisting In August 2009, the Orange County Board of Digital Archives of more than 60 organizations, NCH serves as Supervisors approved a controversial special To help mark the 50th anniversary of the the historical profession’s national voice in the use permit to allow construction of the Wal- inauguration of President John F. Kennedy, United States and acts as a clearinghouse of Mart Supercenter and associated commercial David S. Ferriero, Archivist of the United news and information. Anyone may subscribe to development on the Battlefield. A wide range States, and Caroline Kennedy, president of the weekly NCH newsletter, The Washington of prominent individuals and organizations the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, Update, by visiting http://historycoalition.org/ publicly opposed the store’s location. recently unveiled the nation’s largest online subscribe/ or subscribe to the RSS feed by going One month after the decision, a group of digitized presidential archive, providing to http://feeds.feedburner.com/historycoalition concerned citizens and the local Friends of unprecedented global access to the most Wilderness Battlefield filed a legal challenge important papers, records, photographs and to overturn the decision. recordings of President Kennedy’s thousand days in office.

18Public History News Thank You 2010 Endowment Contributors!

Up to $99 Barb Howe Erica Stevenson Lindsey Reed Anna Adamek Suellen Hoy David Trask Michael Reis James Banner Gertrude Hutchinson William Walker Donald Ritchie Cassandra Bennett Heather Huyck Susan Walters Schmid Philip Scarpino Janna Bennett Ken Jacobsen Louis Warren Cathy Stanton Boeing Alphine Jefferson Amy Wilson Ivan Steen Kathleen Brosnan Melinda Jette Penelope Wolff Jeffrey Sturchio Seth Bruggeman Arnita Jones Robert Weible Robert Buerki Ted Karamanski $100-$299 Anne Whisnant Peter Bunten Leslie Kesler A&P Historical Resources Amy Williams Cary Carson Pamela King Charles Arning William Willingham Priya Chhaya Harry Klinkhamer Robert Barrows Joan Zenzen Catherine Christen Betty Koed Alexander Bethke Christopher Clarke Lynn Kronzek Melissa Bingmann $300-$999 Kevin Combs Christine Laba Martin Blatt Marianne Babal Katharine Corbett Charles Lawrence John P. Bloom Bill Bryans Dorothea Crosbie-Taylor Steven Leone Beth Boland John Dichtl Hugh Davidson Vickie Lindsey Cynthia Brandimarte Laura Feller Hester A. Davis Alexandra Lord Bruce Bustard Michele Gates Moresi LaNesha DeBardelaben Rachel Maines Robert Carriker Alan Newell Wesley Decker Heidi Martens Michael Devine Constance Schulz Dawne Dewey Raymond Merritt Ronald Grele Robert Weyeneth Rose Diaz Stacy Meyers Kristine Harper Lisa Dicaprio Page Miller Richard Hewlett $1,000 or more Meghan Donahue Randall Miller Alison Hoagland Richard Baker Richard H. Engeman Gregory Mobley Richard Kirkendall Shelley Bookspan Gail Evans-Hatch Patrick O’Bannon John Kneebone Benjamin Filene Mary Palevsky David Kyvig NCPH is also grateful for the Paula Fortier Ruth Reichard Peter Liebhold many sponsors of the annual Kathleen Franz Mary Rizzo Patricia Mooney-Melvin meeting, and the Patron, Matthew Godfrey Edward Roach Patrick Moore Partner, and Sustaining Elizabeth Goetsch Kari Santangelo Anna Nelson members who annually Otis Graham Carol Shull Bruce Noble provide additional support for Emily Greenwald Lydia Simpson Gale Peterson the organization. Brian Horrigan Jennifer Stevens Robert W. Pomeroy III

HISTORY supports the NCPH for promoting the value and signifi cance of history every day. ©2010 A&E Television Networks, LLC. All rights reserved. 1292. All rights reserved. LLC. Networks, ©2010 A&E Television

10-1292_HIST_Corp_ad_FIN.indd 1 11/4/10 4:49 PM Public History News

National Council on Public History 327 Cavanaugh Hall-IUPUI 425 University Blvd. Indianapolis, IN 46202-5148

ISSN 08912610

Editor: John Dichtl Assistant Editor: Carrie Dowdy Editorial Assistant: Meira Osness

National Council on Public History Putting history to work in the world

NCPH has supported history practitioners and their collaborative engagement with the public for three decades. Here’s what’s new from NCPH. GUIDE TO PUBLIC HISTORY PROGRAMS Connecting food to historic sites. Contemporary artists who use archives and history. The twelve-volume book This guide is a free, international resource for of every edit made to Wikipedia’s “The Iraq War” entry. prospective students, public history faculty, and anyone Off the Wall, the NCPH-sponsored blog, challenges interested in the shape of public history education how you think about history on display. It is a place to today. It offers basic information, in a standardized expand (or perhaps to explode) understanding of what format, about the growing number of public history constitutes a historical exhibit, and to develop a set of programs. NCPH also intends the guide for public conventions for critically evaluating a wider range of history institutions, government agencies, schools, history exhibit practice than is currently reviewed in businesses, and community groups wanting to identify scholarly forums. potential partners in their area. ncphoffthewall.blogspot.com

Visit ncph.org