AHA Endorses Harriet Tubman on the $20 Bill

On August 13, AHA executive director James Grossman sent a letter to Steven Mnuchin, Secretary of the US Treasury, endorsing suggestions from AHA members that Harriet Tubman be featured on the $20 Federal Reserve Note.

Download the Letter as a PDF.

AHA Members among Recent NEH Grant Recipients

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) announced August 8 that it will award over $43 million in grants for humanities projects across the country. Among those whose projects were selected were a number of historians, including 18 AHA members. According to the National History Alliance's statement concerning the news, "the NEH's investments generate public-private partnerships, cutting-edge research, promote teaching, and provide lifelong learning opportunities." See the full announcement and list of awardees on the NEH website.

AHA Establishes Sexual Harassment Policy

The Council of the American Historical Association has approved a policy on sexual harassment pertaining to the annual meeting and other sanctioned activities. Policies relating specifically to staff are articulated in the Staff Handbook, available to AHA members on request.

The process for creating this policy included a survey among members to assess the extent of sexual harassment experiences at recent AHA annual meetings. The full results of the survey will be reported in an upcoming issue of Perspectives on History. Remaining issues from the survey, including interviews in appropriately furnished hotel rooms, will be considered by the AHA Professional Division at its fall meeting.

AHA Signs COSSA Letter Opposing Citizenship Question on 2020 Census

The AHA has signed on to a letter from the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA) and 24 other research organizations urging the Department of Commerce to remove a controversial citizenship question from the upcoming census. The letter criticizes the science and research implications of the question, arguing that "the inclusion of a question on citizenship in the 2020 Census will increase the burden on respondents, add unnecessary costs to the operation, and negatively impact the accuracy and integrity of one of the most valuable data resources the government produces." 

Archivist of US Responds to AHA’s Letter Opposing Destruction of ICE Records

On August 1, 2018, David Ferriero, archivist of the United States, responded to the AHA's letter opposing the destruction of US Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) records. In his response, Ferriero outlined the review process for proposed records schedules, which included a mandatory public comment period.  NARA staff "received an unprecedented number of comments" on ICE's proposed records schedule, and ICE will be required to amend the proposed schedule based on these public comments. NARA will respond to comments via a public notice in the Federal Register and has added the AHA to the list of contacts to inform as NARA moves on to the next phase of the review process. 
The National Coalition for History (NCH) also called on Congress to investigate claims of the apparent disappearance or destruction of records by the Department of Homeland Security connecting migrant children with their parents, a potential violation of the Federal Records Act. The NCH sent a letter to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs urging Congress to "exercise its oversight responsibility in ensuring that federal agencies are held accountable for their responsibilities" under the records act.

AHA Job Openings

Join our collaborative team of staff dedicated to promoting history and the work of historians. The AHA is accepting applications for a Marketing Manager and a Meetings and Executive Assistant. We will begin reviewing applications on August 13, 2018.

AHA Executive Director Sends Letter to NARA Opposing Destruction of ICE Records

On July 25, AHA executive director James Grossman sent a letter to David Ferriero, archivist of the United States, opposing any "threats to the preservation of records relating to the treatment of immigrants by the US Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)." Given the historical significance of recent events surrounding immigration, the American Historical Association urges the archives to "deny any request for authorization to permit ICE or the Border Patrol to destroy records related to individuals in their custody." 

2018 AHA Election Results Announced

AHA members elected Mary Lindemann (Univ. of Miami) as the next president-elect in the 2018 balloting for officers and committee members of the American Historical Association. Visit Perspectives Daily to see the full list of historians who will begin serving in January 2019. 

Member Op-Ed on the Importance of the 14th Amendment

Martha Jones, professor of presidential history at Johns Hopkins University and AHA member, published an op-ed in the Washington Post concerning the historical context of the 14th Amendment in the wake of President Trump's comments on birthright citizenship. "Birthright has been affirmed, again and again, ensuring that no matter how racist the regime, the Constitution grants citizenship to all people born in the United States," Jones writes in her piece, specifically pointing to cases like U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark that cited the 14th Amendment in their defense of citizenship by birth. "The rising calls to repeal birthright citizenship demand that we equip ourselves for the debate that is on the near horizon."

House Considering Amendment to Reduce Funding for NEH

On July 17, the US House of Representatives is considering an amendment to the FY 2019 Interior Appropriations bill that would cut the proposed budget of the NEH by 15%, or nearly $23 million. Contact your member of Congress here to oppose the amendment and encourage others to contact their members of Congress as well.