Advocacy Actions
Search
News Topics
AHA Topics
Thematic
Geographic
Month
Year
February 10, 2026
AHA Joins Letter in Defense of Academic Freedom at Texas A&M
January 29, 2026
An Update on the Federal Budget, January 2026
December 2, 2025
AHA Staff and Members Speak Out to Improve Texas State Standards
November 14, 2025
Social Studies TEKS Revision Action Alert
November 6, 2025
AHA Advocacy: Call to Action
Support AHA Advocacy
The American Historical Association provides leadership for the discipline, defends academic freedom, and promotes the critical role of historical thinking in public life. We need your support for our ongoing advocacy efforts. Please join join or donate today.
AHA Legal Actions
AHA Lawsuit to Defend the Presidential Records Act
The American Historical Association, in collaboration with American Oversight, filed a lawsuit challenging a recent memorandum from the Department of Justice declaring the Presidential Records Act unconstitutional, potentially blocking public access to hundreds of millions of records and presenting serious risk to transparency and recordkeeping throughout the executive branch, including the National Archives.
Lawsuit to Restore the NEH
The ACLS, the AHA, and the MLA have filed a lawsuit in federal district court, seeking to reverse the recent actions to devastate the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Amicus Briefs
The AHA endorses amicus briefs that coincide with the AHA’s Guiding Principles for Taking a Public Stance, and our members often lend their expertise to crafting amicus briefs.
Defending Historical Records
In recent decades, the AHA has taken legal action to defend the preservation of historical records on multiple occasions, litigating to ensure future generations will have access to America's documentary record.
Supporting History & the Work of Historians
Your Voice Matters
Access the AHA's advocacy guides for information about supporting history at the federal level, advocating for international education, submitting comments to the Federal Register, and more.
History & Public Policy
The AHA is committed to honest history—in the classroom, in public memory, and through the many programs through which the federal government supports research.
Congressional Briefings
The AHA’s Congressional Briefings series seeks to provide Congressional staff members, journalists, and other members of the policy community with the historical context essential to understanding contemporary issues.
Tracking Federal Actions Affecting History
The AHA is tracking information on federal actions and their impact on history and education.
Supporting History Education
AHA State History Standards Support
As part of its mission to promote historical thinking in public life and professional integrity in history education, the American Historical Association monitors and offers guidance on state-level academic frameworks.
Freedom to Learn
The AHA’s Freedom to Learn initiative educates historians and others on how to advocate publicly for honest history education and responds directly to proposed legislation.
Teaching History with Integrity
The AHA leads or participates in several initiatives to provide resources and support for history educators facing intensifying controversies about the teaching of the American past.
AHA Testimony Before Legislatures & Boards of Education
AHA staff have delivered public testimony in defense of teaching honest history.
Historians Speak Out
Historians Respond to Federal Actions
AHA members are providing important historical context and insight to the public on the recent actions by the federal government.
AHA Media Appearances & Publications
AHA staff and Council members have written articles and made public appearances highlighting the challenges teachers and educators face from legislation restricting the teaching of “divisive concepts" and issues related to teaching history with integrity.
Teaching with Integrity: Historians Speak
These videos feature historians describing how exploring America's past honestly in the classroom benefits the nation's students, and how the freedom to learn also strengthens our shared democracy.
“Only historians and trained museum professionals are qualified to conduct such a review, which is intended to ensure historical accuracy. To suggest otherwise is an affront to the professional integrity of curators, historians, educators and everyone involved in the creation of solid, evidence-based content.”
~Sarah Weicksel (AHA) in The New York Times on the Trump administration’s announcement of a “sweeping review” of the Smithsonian to “ensure alignment” with the administration’s goals, August 2025.
“You cannot censor your way to great schools.”
~Julia Brookins (AHA) before the Texas State Board of Education, 2022
Policies & Principles
Advocating for the Discipline
The American Historical Association’s mission to enhance the work of historians also encompasses professional standards and ethics, innovative scholarship and teaching, academic freedom, and international collaboration. The AHA provides leadership for the discipline and promotes the critical role of historical thinking in public life. The Association defends academic freedom, develops professional standards, supports innovative scholarship and teaching, and helps to sustain and enhance the work of historians.
Congressional Charter
In 1889, the American Historical Association was incorporated in the District of Columbia by an act of Congress: “for the promotion of historical studies, the collection and preservation of historical manuscripts and for kindred purposes in the interest of American history and of history in America.”
AHA News
Perspectives on History
Read articles on advocacy issues in Perspectives.
For the Press
Access press releases issued by the AHA and other resources for the media.