The 122nd annual meeting of the Association will be held January 3–6, 2008, in Washington, D.C., at the Marriott Wardman Park, the Omni Shoreham, and Hilton Washington hotels. Over the course of the next few weeks, convenient links will be provided on the AHA's web pages dedicated to the annual meeting to facilitate quick and easy preregistration for the meeting and for making hotel and travel reservations.

The Program of the Annual Meeting will be mailed to members mid-October, and will also contain copies of the meeting preregistration and housing forms. The program will be made available online in early November.

Many of the profession's most distinguished members will be present to deliver papers and more than 1,100 scholars, including 106 scholars from 26 countries, will participate in the three-and-one-half-day meeting. In addition, more than four dozen specialized societies will meet in conjunction with the AHA. Each society will hold its own sessions, luncheons, and/or meetings, as well as some joint sessions with the Association. Barbara Weinstein of New York University will deliver the presidential address the evening of January 4 at the General Meeting. The AHA's book prizes, the Awards for Scholarly Distinction, the Eugene Asher Distinguished Teaching Award, the Beveridge Family Teaching Prize, the Feis Award, the Gilbert Award, the John E. O'Connor Film Award, the Nancy Lyman Roelker Mentorship Award, and the 2007 Honorary Foreign Member will be announced at the meeting.

Accommodations

AHA annual meeting sessions as well as affiliated society sessions and events are scheduled in the Marriott Wardman Park, Omni Shoreham, and Hilton Washington. A shuttle will operate every 15 minutes from the Hilton Washington to the Marriott. The Marriott Wardman Park, at 2660 Woodley Road N.W., will serve as headquarters and will house the AHA exhibit hall, the Job Register, and AHA and affiliate sessions. The Omni Shoreham, at 2500 Calvert Street N.W., will serve as co-headquarters and will accommodate AHA sessions and affiliate events. The Hilton Washington, at 1919 Connecticut Avenue N.W., will accommodate additional AHA and affiliate events.

Rates at the Marriott, Omni, and Hilton are $109 single and $139 double. The additional person fee is $30. All rooms are subject to city and state occupancy taxes of 14.5 percent per room, per night. Rates are in effect three days before and after the meeting dates (that is, from December 31, 2007 through January 9, 2008) and are for a limited number of rooms only at each property.

Making A Hotel Reservation

Beginning September 4, 2007, attendees can make hotel reservations directly with hotels. Requests for reservations will be accepted via the Internet (through special links from the AHA's web site www.historians.org/annual to each hotel's web site) or via the hotel's direct-dial or toll-free numbers. For the Marriott, call direct 202-328-2000 or toll-free 888 236-2427 (within U.S. and Canada). For the Omni, call direct 202-234-0700 or toll-free 888-444-6664 (for U.S. residents only, seven days a week from 6:00 a.m.-midnight CST). For Hilton, call direct 202-797-5820 or toll-free 888-324-4586. International attendees must use the hotel's direct, local number.

Callers should ask for the reservation department, indicating that they are attending the American Historical Association's 2008 annual meeting and providing the group code for the hotel selected (Marriott group code for single and doubles is ahaahaa and the group code for triple and quad is ahaahai; Omni's group code is 12400607842, and the Hilton's group code is AHI). Callers should have the following information on hand when making the reservation: arrival and departure dates, number of rooms required, type of room (single, double, triple, quad), number and names of persons to occupy the room, arrival time, credit card number and expiration date, mailing address, telephone numbers, and e-mail address. Note that room categories will be booked on a first come, first served basis.

Suite reservations can be made by calling the individual hotels directly and cannot be made via the Internet or the chains' toll-free numbers. Consult the AHA's web site for complete details of each property's suite types and rates. The site will be updated weekly with availability information.

For a Marriott suite, call 202-328-2000, ext. 8822, 8 a.m.–6 p.m., Monday–Friday; for an Omni suite, call 202-756-5125 between 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday; and for a Hilton suite, call 202-797-5826 between 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday. The Embassy Suites Downtown, Washington, D.C., at 1250 22nd Street N.W., was added to the AHA's housing block to provide additional suite inventory for individuals or institutions who prefer this type accommodation, particularly those interviewing job candidates during the annual meeting. The hotel is a full-service, all-suite property, and all suites set aside in the AHA block have a private bedroom and a spacious living room. The rate is $144 for single occupancy and $20 for each additional person. For institutions with larger search committees, boardroom suites are available at $164. To make a reservation at the Embassy Suites, call 202-857-3388, ask for reservations, and note that you are attending the AHA Annual Meeting.

Confirmation: Room reservations made by phone are confirmed immediately with a confirmation number. Callers can also ask for an e-mail confirmation. Reservations made via the hotel's web site will be confirmed by e-mail.

Deposit: A deposit or guarantee is required for all reservations. Each property has its own policy. The Marriott requires a first night's deposit or guarantee to a major credit card. If a credit card is used, it is not charged at the time the reservation is made but is used as a guarantee. The Omni requires a major credit card to guarantee a reservation and also does not charge it immediately for a deposit. The Hilton requires a first night's deposit, payable by check or major credit card; credit cards are billed immediately at time of making reservations. The Embassy Suites requires a guarantee to a major credit card; the card is not billed for a deposit.

Cutoff Date: The cutoff date for the AHA's official block at all hotels is December 10, 2007. After this date, remaining inventory in each hotel's block will be released and rooms will be available at the discounted rates on a space-available basis. Frequent updates on availability will continue to be posted on the AHA's web site. If all hotels sell out, the AHA will work with nearby hotels to secure additional hotel rooms and will post details on the AHA web site.

Changes, Cancellations, and Refunds: Meeting attendees can continue to make, modify (depending on availability), or cancel reservations from September 4 through their selected hotel's cancellation period. When canceling a reservation, callers should ask for a cancellation number. For the Marriott, attendees must cancel at least 48 hours prior to reserved arrival date or one night's room and taxes will be charged; for the Omni, the reservation must be canceled prior to 12 noon local time on the day of arrival; for the Hilton, at least 72 hours in advance of arrival date; and for the Embassy Suites at least 24 hours prior to arrival (that is, not later than 4 p.m. on the previous day).

If a reservation is not cancelled and the individual is a “no show,” the hotels will charge one night's room and taxes as a penalty.

Making Travel Arrangements

Association Travel Concepts (ATC) is the official travel agency for the annual meeting. As such, ATC has negotiated discounts with United Airlines, American Airlines, Amtrak, Avis, and Enterprise to bring attendees special air, rail, and car rental rates that are lower than those available to the public. To take advantage of these rates and benefits, e-mail reservations@atcmeetings.com or fax a request to 858-362-3153. ATC is available for reservations from 9:00 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. A link will also be available through the AHA annual meeting web page at www.historians.org/annual or directly from ATC's web site at www.atcmeetings.com. Follow the “Meeting” links to the “TravelASP” booking engine. When registering on the site, enter “AHA” in the company/association field.

Airfares: By contacting ATC, attendees traveling on United Airlines (ID number 510CK) will save up to 15 percent on applicable classes of service for tickets purchased more than 30 days prior to the meeting and those traveling on American Airlines (ID Number A6918AD) will save up to 5 percent. Some restrictions and service fees may apply. Discounted fares will be available for travel Monday, December 31, 2007, through Wednesday, January 9, 2008, for service into Reagan National (DCA), Dulles International (IAD), and Thurgood Marshall Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) airports. Attendees may also contact airlines directly, and provide the ID numbers mentioned above. United Airlines can be reached at 800-521-4041 and American Airlines at 800-433-1790. Please note that the discount ID numbers noted above can be used only when telephoning the airlines with reservation requests and will not be valid on either airline's web site for internet reservations.

ATC will also search for the lowest available fare on any airline serving the three airports. ATC is a full-service travel agency that provides personalized service, advance seat assignments, special meal requests, frequent flier programs updates, electronic ticketing, e-mail access for convenient booking of your tickets, and more.

Train fares: Amtrak offers a 10 percent discount on the lowest available fare to Washington, D.C. for travel between December 31, 2007 and January 9, 2008. To book, call Amtrak at 800-872-7245 and refer to Convention Fare Code X03Q-921. Please note that this discount cannot be booked via Amtrak's web site—you must call Amtrak directly and mention the fare code. The offer is not valid on Auto Train, but is valid with Coach, Business Class, or First Class seats and also for Sleepers, with payment of the full applicable accommodation charges. Fares are also valid on Amtrak Regional and Acela service for all classes seven days a week, except for holiday blackouts.

Car rental: Attendees can also arrange to rent a car through Avis or Enterprise, with discounted rates effective from December 31, 2007 through January 9, 2008. Contact Avis at 800-331-1600, noting ID number D757141, or Enterprise at 800-593-0505, noting ID number 32H7476.

Ground Transportation

From Airports:

The nation's capital is served by three airports: Dulles International Airport (IAD), approximately 30 miles west of Washington; Thurgood Marshall Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), approximately 38 miles north of Washington; and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), located in Arlington, Virginia, about 7 miles south of the meeting hotels. All airports offer excellent ground transportation with service available from the airports to the hotels. Taxis, vans, limousines, motorcoaches, rail, and rental cars are available. BWI also offers MARC and Amtrak rail service to Washington's Union Station. The Washington Metrorail system offers convenient transportation from Reagan National.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is served by taxi, van, and public transit. Taxicabs are located near the Arrivals (baggage claim) exits of each terminal with dispatchers to assist passengers. A ride from the airport to the hotels takes about 25 to 35 minutes, depending on time of day and traffic, and costs approximately $18. The SuperShuttle provides door-to-door service to and from the airport to downtown hotels. The fare is $12 each way. Conveniently located near the terminal, Metrorail, the region's rapid transit system, has a station on the Blue and Yellow lines adjacent to Terminals B and C. The Marriott and Shoreham hotels are within a block of the Woodley Park/Zoo-Adams Morgan Station on the Red Line ($2.10 regular fare, $1.35 off peak; 30 minutes travel time); the Hilton Washington is four blocks from the Dupont Circle Station on the Red Line ($1.85 regular fare, $1.35 off peak; 25 minutes travel time).

Dulles Airport is served by taxi, motorcoach, rail, and van. Washington Flyer Taxicabs serve Dulles International Airport exclusively with 24-hour service from the airport. Approximate one-way fares to Washington, D.C., range from $51 to $58 and travel time is approximately 45 minutes. Washington Flyer motorcoach service runs from Dulles to Metrorail's West Falls Church Station on the Orange Line. From this point, travelers can continue by Metrorail or by taxicab. Average travel time from Dulles to the station 25 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic. The one-way fare is $9 and round-trip is $16. Once at the subway station, passengers should board trains bound for “New Carrollton” and change at Metro Center station to take a Red Line train toward Shady Grove. The stations for the meeting hotels and the fares are: Marriott and Shoreham (exit at Woodley Park/Zoo-Adams Morgan Station on the Red Line, $1.85 off peak and $2.80 peak; 40 minutes travel time); and Hilton Washington and Embassy Suites (exit at Dupont Circle Station on the Red Line, $1.35 off peak and $2.50 peak; 35 minutes travel time). Another bus and Metro or taxi option for travelers with less baggage is Metrobus 5A (from the Ground Transportation Curb, Arrivals level, down the ramp, at curb location 2E) which connects with Metro at the L'Enfant Plaza station. The express buses leave every 40 minutes on week days (a detailed schedule is available at www.wmata.com) and take about an hour to reach L'Enfant Plaza; the fare is $3. From here, one can take the Metro to the Woodley Park/Zoo-Adams Morgan Station or the Dupont Circle Station, or take a taxi.

The SuperShuttle provides door-to-door van service from the airport to downtown hotels. The fare is $27 each way.

BWI Airport is served by taxi, van, and rail. The airport is a 45-minute cab ride from Washington with an approximate fare of $65. SuperShuttle offers door-to-door van service from the airport to hotels. The fare to the hotels is $35 each way. Metro offers express bus service between BWI and the Greenbelt Metrorail Station on the Green Line. The BWI Express/B30 service runs every 40 minutes daily. The service costs $2.50 one-way. At Greenbelt, attendees can take a cab, approximate fare $20, or Metrorail (fare $3.20 to $3.30; off peak $2.35). An Amtrak train station also serves BWI with more than 40 Maryland commuter (MARC) and Amtrak trains to Washington's Union Station. The airport provides free shuttle service from its terminals to the BWI Rail Station. MARC costs $6 one way and Amtrak coach-class service is $12 to $16 one way, with a travel time of 25 minutes. It should be noted, however, that MARC trains do not run on weekends and holidays. Upon arriving at Union Station, attendees can take a cab or Metrorail to their hotels.

Arriving on Amtrak:

Washington's Union Station is located at Massachusetts Avenue and First Street, N.E. Amtrak's ticket office at Union Station is open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. A cab ride from Union Station to the hotels takes from 15 to 20 minutes and costs from $10 to $14. Union Station also has its own Metrorail subway stop on the Red Line. The trip to the hotels takes about 10 minutes and costs $1.35 off peak and $1.45 peak.

General Information

Group Meetings and Reunions: Societies and groups that have not already made arrangements to hold sessions or other meetings should send their requests for room space as soon as possible to Sharon K. Tune, Convention Director (fax 202-544-8307). Please specify preferred date, inclusive hours, attendance forecast, and any special equipment desired.

Business Meeting: Resolutions for the business meeting signed by 25 members of the Association will be accepted until December 15; those received by October 15 will take precedence and will be published in the December Perspectives and must be no more than 300 words in length. Resolutions should be sent to the executive director at the AHA office, with a copy to the parliamentarian, Michael Les Benedict, 106 Dulles Hall, Ohio State University, 230 W. 17th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210.

At its meeting on May 15–16, 1980, the Council adopted the following bylaw, as amended May 9, 1994, pursuant to Article VII, Sections 1-5, of the constitution: No motion, resolution, or other business shall be passed by a division of the members at the annual business meeting unless there is present a quorum of one hundred members in good standing.

Location of Offices and Events

AHA sessions will be held at the Marriott Wardman Park, the Omni Shoreham, and the Hilton Washington. The Local Arrangements Committee and Press office will be in the Marriott's Room 8228 (on the lobby level) and the AHA Headquarters/Staff Office at the Marriott's permanent convention registration counter, also on the lobby level. Meeting registration counters and meal ticket cashiers will be in the Marriott's Marriott Ballroom 3. The Job Register will be located in the Marriott's Exhibit Hall C and Atrium. The Exhibit Hall will occupy the Marriott's Exhibit Hall A. The Messaging and Internet Center will be in the Marriott's Exhibit Hall C.

Registration for the Meeting

Advance Registration: Intending participants are urged to preregister for the meeting at the reduced rates of $135 members, $155 nonmembers, $65 student members, $75 student nonmembers, $65 unemployed, and $30 precollegiate teachers. The AHA also offers special preregistration rates of $50 for middle and high school teachers and $100 for undergraduate teachers leading groups of up to five students. (link to the preregistration form). Advance registration must be received by Friday, December 21, 2007, 12 midnight. Please note that preregistration for the 2008 meeting will be handled by a processing service and forms should be sent to the address shown on the form and not the AHA. Intending participants are also encouraged to use the quicker and more convenient online registration system available from September 17 at www.historians.org/annual/.

Registration at the Meeting: The registration desks at the annual meeting, located in Salon 3 of the Marriott Ballroom, will be open from noon to 7 p.m. on January 3; from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on January 4, and from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on January 5. Fees for registering at the meeting will be $160 members, $180 nonmembers, $70 student members, $80 student nonmembers, $70 unemployed, and $35 precollegiate teachers. The special group rate for teachers and students mentioned above will not be available on site.

Admission to all AHA sessions, exhibits, Job Register, and the Messaging and Internet Center requires a 2008 meeting registration badge.

Refund Policy: Advance registrants who are unable to attend the meeting may request—in writing—a refund of their registration fee. Requests should be postmarked no later than December 21, 2007, and should include a copy of the preregistration form that was submitted. Proof of payment—copies of front and back of cancelled check or copy of credit card statement—may also be required. All refunds are subject to a $10 processing fee. No refunds will be issued for requests postmarked after December 21, 2007.

Exhibit Hall

The exhibit hall will be located in the Marriott's Exhibit Hall A and will be open January 3 from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., January 4 and 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and on January 6 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

Job Register

The Job Register will be located in Marriott's Exhibit Hall C and Atrium. Hours of operation will be January 3 from 12:30 to 6:00 p.m., January 4 and 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and January 6 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

Messaging and Internet Center

The Messaging Center, which will facilitate electronic communication among attendees and also make finding them easier, will be located in Marriott's Exhibit Hall C.

—Sharon K. Tune is the Convention Director for the AHA.