AHA Asks NARA for Careful Consideration of Department of Interior Disposition Request

On November 26, the AHA sent a letter to Archivist of the United States David Ferriero expressing concern regarding the current records disposition request from the Department of the Interior. The AHA emphasized the value of the records for historical research and future policy making regarding issues related to resource management, endangered species and environments, and indigenous legal and cultural affairs. 

AHA Tuning Project Featured in AACU Journal

The American Historical Association’s Tuning the History Discipline project has been featured in an article published in Liberal Education, the journal of the Association of American Colleges and Universities. In the article, Daniel J. McInerney discusses how the faculty-driven tuning project has helped "bridge the divide between academe and employment" by clarifying the goals of history programs.

Department of Interior Records Disposition Update

Many AHA members have expressed concern regarding the Department of Interior's recent records disposition request to the National Archives and Records Administration. The AHA’s colleagues at the National Coalition for History have issued a statement explaining the controversy and noted that NARA has extended the comment period to November 26.  The AHA will continue to monitor the situation to determine whether there are records of historical significance included in this and what, if any, actions the AHA should take.   

AHA Announces 2018 Prize Winners

The American Historical Association is pleased to announce the winners of its 2018 prizes, to be awarded at the 133rd annual meeting in Chicago, Illinois, on January 3-6, 2019. The ceremony will be held on Thursday, January 3, in the Palmer House Hilton's State Ballroom at 7:00 pm, immediately following the meeting's opening reception.

History Gateways

The American Historical Association (AHA) has received a $1.65 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to lead "History Gateways," an evaluation and substantial revision of introductory college-level history courses to better serve students from all backgrounds and align more effectively with the future needs of a complex society, in partnership with the John N. Gardner Institute and eleven  2- and 4- year universities.

AHA Calls for Immediate Release of Xiyue Wang Imprisoned in Iran

The AHA sent a letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, expressing deep concern about the imprisonment of Xiyue Wang, a PhD student in the Princeton University department of history, on groundless charges of espionage.  The AHA called for his immediate release. Read the letter on the AHA website.

Letter of Concern about Rutgers Investigation of Faculty Member

On September 10, the AHA sent a letter to Rutgers President Robert Barchi expressing concern about the university’s investigation of history professor James Livingston for comments he had made outside of the context of his university employment. In the letter, the AHA stressed its support for the right of historians to express their opinions as private citizens without fear of institutional discipline.

AHA Sends Letter Regarding Detention of Hatoon al-Fassi

The AHA has sent a letter to King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud expressing concern regarding the detention of Dr. Hatoon al-Fassi, an associate professor of history at King Saud University, because of her activism on behalf of women’s rights. Read the letter on the AHA website.

AHA Executive Director Sends Letter to Texas Historical Commission Concerning Postponed Porvenir Marker

AHA executive director Jim Grossman has sent a letter to the Texas Historical Commission expressing concern about the process of producing a marker describing a tragedy that historians have referred to as the“Porvenir Massacre.” The AHA’s letter emphasizes process and the integrity of historical work consistent with“the criteria for rigorous scholarship articulated in the AHA’s Statement on Standards of Professional Conduct. “ Grossman asks the commission to“trust the good work done by its professional staff in consultation with historians who have a record of scholarship on this topic and its context.”

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 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. 

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. 

AHA Executive Director Backs Effort to Award Medal of Honor to WWI Women Veterans

AHA executive director Jim Grossman has sent a letter to US senators Dean Heller and Jon Tester regarding a recent effort to award the Congressional Medal of Honor to 226 American women who served in the US Army Signal Corps during World War I. This effort has been initiated by the World War I Centennial Commission. 

AHA Sends Letter to the College Board Concerning Changes to AP Curriculum

The AHA sent a letter to the College Board urging reconsideration of recent changes to the Advanced Placement World History exam that limit it to "content only from c. 1450 to the present." The AHA expressed concern that this change is likely to reduce the teaching of precolonial and non-Western history at the high school level. Read the full letter here. 

AHA Joins American Academy of Arts & Sciences in Support of Language Education

The American Historical Association joined the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and dozens of other organizations and individuals in a statement advocating for a greater national effort to strengthen non-English language education so that Americans can more effectively participate in a global society. View the full statement here.

Craig Perrier Appointed to AHA Teaching Division

The AHA Council has appointed Craig Perrier (Fairfax Co., Virginia, Public Schools) to fill a vacancy on the Council's Teaching Division.  Perrier has been a participant in several AHA activities and served on the AHA's Program Committee for the 2018 Washington, DC, Annual Meeting.  

AHA Signs on to Letter Requesting Additional Funding for National Park Service

The AHA Council signed onto a letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies urging increased funding for the National Park Service Office of International Affairs to support its World Heritage Program.  Read the full letter here.

AHA Staff Member Participates at Annual Meeting of the Society for Military History

On April 7, Emily Swafford, AHA manager of academic affairs, participated in a vice presidential panel at the Society for Military History's 85th annual meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. Drawing on the AHA's Tuning project and related work, Swafford asked her fellow panelists to place their presentations in some larger contexts, including how teaching is a deep engagement with the craft of history and an argument for the value of history in public life. 

Jim Grossman Speaks at OU Humanities Forum with Rep. Tom Cole

On Friday, March 30, Jim Grossman will join Congressman Tom Cole, representative for Oklahoma's 4th District and History PhD, along with Anne Hyde, professor of history and editor of Western Historical Quarterly, to discuss "Humanities and Native Sovereignty in the Public Sphere" at the University of Oklahoma's OU Humanities Forum. Later that day, Grossman will also participate in a panel for undergraduate and graduate students titled "What You Can Do with a Degree in the Humanities." Details can be found on the forum website.

AHA Staff Presenting at Gardner Institute Teaching Conference

Emily Swafford, AHA manager of academic affairs, and Julia Brookins, AHA special projects coordinator, will be speaking at the Gardner Institute's 2018 Annual Gateway Course Experience Conference on March 26 at 8:00 a.m. in Houston, Texas. Their panel, "Imagining New Intro Courses in History,"  will explore what introductory history courses are like today and what they will need to be in the future to engage students and serve the needs of society.

Letter from the Coalition for International Education Concerning Title VI and Fulbright-Hays Funding

The American Historical Association has signed on to a letter from the Coalition for Internation Education urging Congress to reject the Administration's proposal to eliminate funding for HEA-Title VI and Fulbright-Hays programs. 

James Grossman Elected President of the National Humanities Alliance

At the 2018 business meeting on March 12, the members of the National Humanities Alliance elected James Grossman, AHA executive director, to serve as president for the next two years.

The National Humanities Alliance (NHA) brings together organizations and institutions invested in the humanities to cultivate support for funding in the federal government; advocate for policies that advance research, programming, preservation, and teaching; and promote engagement with the general public. The American Historical Association has been an active member of the NHA since its inception in 1981. The alliance is the only organization that brings together the US humanities community as a whole. “The NHA has expanded and diversified its mission and programming under the leadership of executive director Stephen Kidd,” Grossman observed. “My role will be to help the governing board support the impressive work that Dr. Kidd and the staff have been doing.”

Jim Grossman Speaks at American Society for Public Administration

Jim Grossman, AHA executive director, will speak on “Inclusion in Public Spaces” at a presidential panel at the American Society for Public Administration’s annual conference on March 11, 2018. He will join other scholars to discuss how administrators can respond to historic racism at public sites. The ASPA annual conference is the leading venue for practitioners, scholars, and students of public administration to advance their discipline. Grossman’s contributions to this panel will draw on the AHA’s Statement on Confederate Monuments, issued in August 2017. Read more about the panel online.

AHA President Expresses Concerns about Proposed Elimination of the History Major at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

AHA president Mary Beth Norton (Cornell Univ.) sent a letter to administrators at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in response to the announced plan to eliminate many humanities majors, including history. In it, Prof. Norton emphasizes the valuable role that liberal arts generally, and history in particular, play in preparing students for careers. Read the full letter.

Seth Denbo Discusses Digital Guidelines at Middlebury College

Seth Denbo, AHA director of scholarly communication and digital initiatives, will return to his undergraduate alma mater to discuss the future of digital scholarship with faculty and students. Read more about the events online.

AHA President Sends Letter Protesting Access Restrictions to Phillips Library

AHA president Mary Beth Norton (Cornell Univ.) sent a letter to the director of the Peabody Essex Museum to raise concerns about the plans that could reduce access to the Phillips Library. After moving to a temporary site in 2011, the Phillips Library collection will be housed at a new facility in Rowley, Massachusetts, beginning later this year. Prof. Norton encouraged the director to maintain adequate opening hours and retain knowledgeable staff to avoid disrupting access to the collection. You can read the letter here.

AHA Issues Statement Condemning Polish Law that Criminalizes Public Discussion of Polish Complicity in Nazi War Crimes

The AHA issued a statement condemning legislation recently passed by the Polish government criminalizing public discussion of Polish participation in violence against Jews during World War II.  This legislation threatens free pursuit of historical inquiry and is therefore contrary to the international norms of academic freedom. According to the statement, "the AHA's stance is consistent with its longstanding objection to any and all previous efforts by the Polish government or any party to stifle speech and to restrict the content of scholarship concerned with Poland's role in the Holocaust and related war crimes."

AHA Signs Letter from NCH Regarding National Park System Advisory Board

In January 2018 nearly all of the National Park System Advisory Board, the citizen panel that advises on National Park Service issues, resigned in frustration after Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke ignored repeated requests to hold meetings. The American Historical Association has endorsed a recent letter from the National Coalition for History to Secretary Zinke objecting to his refusal to engage with the board and calling for its reconstitution and the resumption of regular meetings. Visit the NCH's website for the full story.

AHR Essay on Increasing Journal Diversity

In an advance essay from the February issue, American Historical Review editor Alex Lichtenstein outlines plans to encourage greater diversity in the journal's content. A few proposed changes include an expansion of the Board of Editors, the nomination of new associate review editors, and a modification of the selection process for book reviewers. The full article is open to all readers. Learn more about the AHR on its website.

AHA Urges Members to Contact Commerce Secretary Regarding Citizenship Question in 2020 Census

The Department of Justice recently sent a letter to the Census Bureau requesting that a citizenship question be added to the 2020 Census. Future generations of historians will rely on this census for accurate and comprehensive data. According to our colleagues in the American Sociological Association, if such a question were to be included, "the integrity of the 2020 Census data will be fundamentally compromised. Including a citizenship question is likely to keep some people from responding to the questionnaire and others from responding truthfully, thereby undermining the accuracy of the data." The AHA urges members to contact Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to register their concern by using the National Humanities Alliance advocacy tool.