1661 IèIOdI ‘lVHNNV uouvuossY /V3!JOJSfJ,uy Contents Letters of Submittal and Transmittal v Act of Incorporation vi Background Constitution and Bylaws 4 Officers, Council, Nominating Committee, Committee on Committees, and Board of Trustees for 1992 15 Presidential Address 1 7 Officers’ Reports VicePresidents Teaching Division Professional Division 43 Research Division 46 Executive Director 49 Editor 55 Controller financial Statistics 6() Membership Statistics 79 Minutes of the Council Meetings 89 Minutes of the One Hundred Sixth Business Meeting Ill Report of the Nominating Committee 113 Committee Reports 116 List of Prizes and Awards 124 Report of the Pacific Coast Branch of the American Historical Association 128 Program of the One Hundred Sixth Annual Meeting 144 Letters ofSubmittal and Transmittal June 14, 1992 To the Congress of the United States: In accordance with the act of incorporation of the American Historical Association, approved January 4, 1889, I have the honor of submitting to Congress the Annual Report of the Association for the year 1991. Respectfully, Robert McC. Adams, Secretary SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION WASHINGTON, D.C. June 14, 1992 To the Secretary ofthe Smithsonian Institution: As provided by law, I submit to you herewith the report of the American Historical Association, comprising the proceedings of the Association and the report of its Pacific Coast Branch for 1991. This volume constitutes the Association’s report on the condition of historical study in the United States. Respectfully, Samuel R. Gammon, Executive Director AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION WASHINGTON, D.C. Act ofIncorporation Be it enacted by the Senate and the House ofRepresentatives ofthe United States of America in Congress assembted That Andrew D. White, of Ithaca, in the State of New York; George Bancroft, of Washington, in the District of Columbia; Justin Winsor, of Cambridge, in the State of Mas sachusetts; William F. Poole, of Chicago, in the State of Illinois; Herbert B. Adams, of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland; Clarence W. Bowen, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, their associates and successors, are hereby created, in the District of Columbia, a body corporate and politic by the name of the American Historical Association, for the promotion of historical studies, the collection and preservation of histor ical manuscripts, and for kindred purposes in the interest of American history, and of history in America. Said Association is authorized to hold real and personal estate in the District of Columbia as far as may be necessary to its lawful ends, to adopt a constitution, and make bylaws not inconsistent with law. Said Association shall have its principal office at Washington, in the District of Columbia, and may hold its annual meet ings in such places as the said incorporators shall determine. Said Asso ciation shall report annually to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, concerning its proceedings and the condition of historical study in America. Said Secretary shall communicate to Congress the whole of such report, or such portions thereof as he shall see fit. The Regents of the Smithsonian Institution are authorized to permit said Association to deposit its collections, manuscripts, books, pamphlets, and other material for history in the Smithsonian Institution or in the National Museum, at their discretion, upon such conditions and under such rules as they shall prescribe. The real property situated in Square 817, in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, described as lot 23, owned, occupied, and used by the American Historical Association, is exempt from all taxation so long as the same is so owned and occupied, and not used for commercial purposes, subject to the provisions of sections 2, 3, and 5 of the Act entitled, “An Act to define the real property exempt from taxation in the District of Columbia,” approved December 24, 1942. [Approved, January 4, 1889, and amended July 3, 1957.] Background The American Historical Association is a nonprofit membership cor poration founded in 1884, and incorporated by Congress in 1889, for the promotion of historical studies, the collection and preservation of histor ical manuscripts, and the dissemination of the fruits of historical research, The Association holds an annual meeting December 28-30 at which there are more than one hundred sessions on a wide range of topics, including scholarly research, approaches to teaching, and professional concerns. Approximately three dozen affiliated societies meetjointly with the AHA. Membership in the Association brings with it the American Historical Review, Perspectives, the Program of the annual meeting, and on request, the Annual Report, as well as the right to vote for nominees for AHA offices. The annual membership fee is based on a graduated scale accord ing to income; joint and life memberships are also available. The Association’s capital funds are managed by a Board of Trustees but much of the income from these funds is allocated to special purposes. for its broader educational activities, the Association has to depend chiefly on its membership dues. PUBLICATIONS The American Historical Review, published five times a year, is the major historical journal in the United States, It includes scholarly articles and critical reviews in all fields of history. Perspectives, published nine times a year, is the Association’s monthly newsletter, It contains articles and announcements of general interest to the profession, employment classified advertising, and news of AHA activities. The Directory of History Departments and Organizations in the United States and Canada, published annually, lists the programs, faculty, and staff of nearly seven hundred departments and research institutions. PROFESSIONAL AC1VITIES In February 1974 the membership ratified a new constitution, thereby creating three divisional committees—research, teaching, the profes sion — which appropriately reflect the most significant concerns and ac tivities of the Association. AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION Research, The Association’s long-standing interest in promoting his torical scholarship continues. The AHR and the annual meeting provide forums for significant research in all fields of history. Through the Research Division, the Al-IA also keeps a close watch on governmental policies affecting the ability of scholars to pursue research. The As sociation is frequently called on to represent the views of the profession on legislation relating to freedom of information, declassification, and the right to privacy. The AHA maintains a registry of dissertation topics in history and annually publishes a list of doctoral dissertations either in progress or completed at U.S. universities. Teaching. The constitution mandates that the Teaching Division “col lect and disseminate information about the training of teachers and about instructional techniques and materials and, . encourage excellence in the teaching of history in the schools, colleges, and universities.” Among other efforts advancing this objective, the Association sponsors a series of regional teaching conferences across the country that bring together historians from all levels of education. The AHA, together with the Organization of American Historians and the National Council for the Social Studies, sponsors the History Teaching Alliance. The HTA staff provides direction and support for the creation of local collaborative programs that bring all practitioners of history — university and secondary school teachers, public historians, and others — into sustained contact in order that they might share their knowledge in an ongoing partnership to improve history education in their communities. The AHA is also active in promoting the teaching of women’s history in secondary schools. The Association publishes a series of pamphlets to serve as aids to teachers and students of history. These pamphlets offer concise and readable essays that are at once narrative and critical. These essays summarize the most recent interpretations in specific areas of or ap proaches to history, and select critical bibliographies are included. In commemoration of the 1987 bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution, the AHA published a series of eleven in-depth essays by prominent constitu tional historians. Three essays trace the history of the Constitution chro nologically; the remaining eight examine the principal institutions and issues that have shaped its role and application. Profession. The AHA constitution mandates that the Professional Di vision “collect and disseminate information about employment oppor tunities for all historians regardless of individual membership in the Association.” The division is especially concerned with the job market, careers outside academe, and the rights of historians at home and abroad. BACKGROUND The Association solicits information on employment opportunities for historians and publishes job announcements in its monthly newsletter, Perspectives. At each annual meeting, the AHA operates a Job Register for the posting of job announcements and the interviewing of candidates. Institutional Services Program. An Institutional Services Program was inaugurated in 1976 in order to expand AFIA services to departments of history. The program offers subscribers an important collection of direc tories, guides, reference works, pamphlets, and professional publications. Widespread support of the program ensures the continued expansion of its benefits and services. A brochure describing