American Historical Association

Upon the announcement of his upcoming retirement, the AHA congratulates Lonnie Bunch on his extraordinary tenure as Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and his long career championing the importance of history in American life.

“Working collectively to establish a union showed me concrete ways to move forward.”

This Labor Day, we’re revisiting Alexandra J. Finley’s 2022 piece on joining the effort to organize a faculty union at the University of Pittsburgh.

Joining the Chorus When she joined the union organizing committee at her university, Alexandra J. Finley found solidarity, camaraderie, and power as a faculty member.

Starting a new MA or PhD program in history?

Join us on October 13 for our inaugural online orientation for new MA and PhD students in history. This free event is designed to help new graduate students learn how to find their footing, build community, and make the most of graduate school.

We’ll explore how the discipline works, where historical scholarship happens, and the many places historians build careers. A panel of graduate students, an early-career historian, and a director of graduate studies will share advice on navigating graduate school and making the most of the opportunities ahead.

Designed primarily for students beginning graduate programs in history, the event is also open to continuing graduate students, students in related fields, and anyone interested in the topic.

📅 Tuesday, October 13
⏰ 2 p.m. ET
💻 Online and free

Sign up at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/7617873350118/WN_x6i6x4uMQ0GH2xhl4ZZaqA.

A recording will be available after the event.

Alexandra Levy, AHA director of communications and public affairs, on Capitol Hill today for a meeting with a Congressional leadership office on moving forward with legislation making historic records available to the public.

For updates on this and other AHA advocacy efforts, sign up for email updates at https://bit.ly/AHA-email.

Undergraduates: submit to 's Undergraduate Poster Session by October 22. The Poster Session is an opportunity for undergraduates to share their research with peers and established scholars in a visual format.

Presenting Undergraduate Research at the Annual Meeting - AHA Learn how to submit a proposal to present your undergraduate thesis or research at the AHA annual meeting.

“Students (and teachers) on both sides of the Atlantic reminded me why I fell in love with history in the first place.”

In , Brendan Gillis reflects on a 250th commemorative summer and the encounters that reminded him just how exciting it can be to teach, learn, and do history.

Read more: https://www.historians.org/perspectives-article/the-kids-are-all-right/.

The Kids Are All Right – AHA For AHA director of teaching and learning Brendan Gillis, the most memorable moments of America's 250th did not come from historic places or remarkable artifacts. They came from students.

As sanctions continue to shape international relations today, history can provide critical context.

This AHA program, presented to elected officials and congressional staff on Capitol Hill in February 2024, offers historical perspectives on the role and impact of sanctions as an instrument of international relations.

Featuring Benjamin Coates, Bruce Jentleson, and Nancy Mitchell.

Watch the recording:

AHA Congressional Briefing: Historical Perspectives on Sanctions AHA Congressional Briefing | February 6, 2024On February 6, 2024,...

Remember your favorite day of US history class? K–12 teachers have their favorites too, including the American Revolution, World War II, and the Civil Rights Movement.

Check out the AHA’s American Lesson Plan to see what teachers love to teach, what they find challenging, and what they want their students to walk away with.

American Lesson Plan, Part 4: Curricular Content A nine-state examination of topics and themes in US history classes, including Native American history; the Founding Era; Westward Expansion; Slavery, the Civil War, and Reconstruction; Industry, Capi...

It’s here! 📖 Alana Venable, AHR managing editor, and Sarah Muncy, AHR senior managing editor, with their copies of our long-awaited special issue: "'76 Objects."

"'76 Objects" marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by exploring what material culture can reveal about the American revolutionary era. Each contribution to the issue centers on an object, from a plow and woodworking plane to a fire bucket, store ledger, needle case, Franklin stove, and more.

Explore "'76 Objects" at historians.org/ahr.

What can you do with a history BA?

The AHA’s Careers for History Majors booklet conveys the value of the undergraduate study of history through clear graphs and informal prose. Readers will find hard data, practical advice, and answers to common questions from students and their parents.

Careers for History Majors - AHA Studying History Can Enrich Our Lives The Value of a History Degree With clear data and informal prose, Careers for History Majors equips readers with data, practical advice, specific strategies, and ...