The online version of the March 2011 issue of Perspectives on History is now available online to AHA members (sign in to member services to gain full access). Nonmembers can preview a portion of each article during the first month of the issue’s release. After one month, the content will be freely available to all. Nonmembers can now access the February issue of Perspectives on History.

From the President & Executive Director
In his article, “Loneliness and Freedom,” AHA president Anthony Grafton looks to the “Culturomics” presentation at the 125th Annual Meeting, a session added at the last minute that discussed the Google Books Ngram Viewer, to promote collaborative projects between historians and scientists.

Lincoln’s birthday a few weeks ago (February 12, 2011) was the impetus for AHA Executive Director Jim Grossman’s article,  “History, Public Culture, and the Commemoration of the Civil War.”  In it he reflects on Lincoln’s perspective on slavery and how important it is to teach that the Civil War was fundamentally about slavery.

Education
The cover of the March issue highlights James Vernon’s article, “The State They Are In: History and Public Education in England,” about the precarious state of history education in England. Brad Massey writes about history education back in the U.S., specifically how to teach honors students American history at a community college. Finally, learn about the D.C. Everest Oral History Project, a collection of interviews starting in 1998, with a Hmong community in Wisconsin.

News
Robert B. Townsend reports on the increase of history PhDs in “New History PhDs in 2009 Surged to Second- Highest Level in 32 Years.” Also check out Lee White’s “News Briefs,” learn who’s been selected for the Summer 2011 Seminar on Decolonization, and hear what a number of AHA members are up to. We also take a moment to remember David Burner and Robert McCune Kingdon.

AHA News
The AHA’s Professional Division has released new guidelines for academic hiring done through telephone and video interviews, the final Council, Divisions, and Committees list for 2011 is available, and this month we recognized those who donated to the AHA between November 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010.

This post first appeared on AHA Today.