In 2022, Perspectives on History continued to showcase the vital work that historians do and expanded on conversations within the discipline. Perspectives updated educators on the continuing debates over social studies standards and sought to encourage teachers through pieces on historiography in the K–12 classroom, National History Day, and adapting the classroom to student needs. We went global, into the archives of Temacapulín, the peach orchards of China, and postcolonial interpretations of Bridgerton. As always, we also included personal reflections from historians on experiences as varied as being a trans grad student, applying for academic jobs abroad, and attending an online MA program. We even started some new projects: this summer, we challenged readers to participate in #AHAReads, and at the close of the year we launched the Long Overdue project to memorialize historians of color overlooked by the AHA, starting with W. E. B. DuBois.

The nine print issues of Perspectives on History covered topics related to teaching, divisive concepts, slavery and US universities, science fiction and fantasy, and more.

As we look forward to the new year, the Perspectives team offers a list of the articles that resonated most with readers from each month. Enjoy this look back on popular articles from 2022.

January

The Ohio River by Tiya Miles

When the river freezes, lives change.

February

The Danger of a Single Origin Story by Emily Sclafani

Historians know that history is multifaceted. But how do we teach that fact to students, and how will they react when we do, particularly in the midst of current culture wars?

March

Helping the Tired, the Poor, the Huddled Masses by Grace Argo

History students help attorneys with asylum cases in the University of Michigan’s Immigrant Justice Lab.

April

On the Ordering of Affairs by David MacLaren McDonald

Even when it’s an easy decision, a professor’s retirement is a process that requires planning.

May

The Emperor’s Right Hand by David Alan Parnell 

Once you go down a YouTube rabbit hole, you never know where you’ll end up.

June

We Have Always Been Global by Noah Ramage

In the 19th century, Native American nations were early pioneers in constitutional democracy.

July

Frightened by Linda K. Kerber

After more than 50 years as a historian, Linda K. Kerber worries about the future of legal protections in the United States.

August

The Anthropocene by Lorenzo Kamel

If you find out that you are not the center of the universe, keep working at it until you are.

September

Bodies of Knowledge by Samuel J. Redman

Museums that hold collections of human remains from the past face ethical questions today.

October

Land Acknowledgments by Elizabeth Ellis and Rose Stremlau

Treating the practice of land acknowledgment seriously requires more than just getting the names right.

November

From Contingent to Tenure Track and Back Again by Sarah Handley-Cousins

Sometimes life gets in the way of a career.

December

Library Legacies by James M. Banner, Jr., and Jamil S. Zainaldin

Accumulating a library is one thing; getting rid of it is another.