Is There Anything New in History?

Is there anything new in history? Of course there is! Anyone follows the New York Almanack or the announcements and Historian’s Notes on the Office of State History’s site sees new and exciting developments in New York’s robust history community every day.

But here are a few things – all except the first from beyond New York – which haven’t received much attention that might be of interest to the state’s history community:

* Alton B. Parker, Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, 1897-1904, a leading judicial statesman in that era, and 1904 Democratic party presidential nominee, is the only nominee of a major political party with no biography. That will be addressed early in 2024 when SUNY Press publishes Bradley C. Nahrstadt’s Alton B. Parker: The Man Who Challenged Roosevelt.

*History News Network, an excellent source for news and opinions about issues and developments in history, was in abeyance while its proprietors sought a new affiliation. Now it is back, affiliated with BUNK, a site started a few years ago to carry opinion essays and links to history pieces in the media.  If you are interested in current controversies in history, particularly in the schools, you might find HNN editor Michan Connor’s December 6 editorial, “For Historians, The Best and Worst of Times” of interest.

*The American Historical Association has taken a leadership role in defending history from what it perceives as political and other threats. It is the lead partner in the “Learn From History” alliance, a consortium intended to preserve “efforts to limit the ability of educators to maintain the scholarly integrity of courses in US history.”

*University of Richmond historian Edward Ayres, a prolific historian and pioneer in digital scholarship (and one of the founders of BUNK and other initiatives) has launched the New American History project. It is billed as “a new way to teach American history” with resources “to teach the past in light of the present.” It has online maps, “American Journey” (a history travelog (with links to historically significant places and essays on the history that took place at them), “American Visions’ (with links to and information about events and people in Ayres’ new book by that title), and some leading-edge technology (e.g., using Generative AI to rewrite a passage from Henry David Thoreau’s Walden

*The Wisconsin Historical Society, a leader in the field, is planning a new Wisconsin History Center that will present history in new says. You can take a virtual online tour from the site that shows you their new concept of history and how they plan to implement it.

*The Minnesota Historical Society, another leading history program worth following, has developed a new online guide to provide easier access to its programs in St. Paul and around the state. It also has one of the nation’s most extensive programs for education  including its “Northern Lights” series geared to social studies and American history education in the schools. It also publishes a popular magazine, Minnesota History. MHS promoted public interest and support by publishing detailed annual reports that show its services and special reports on projects funded through a special state “legacy fund” that it administers.

* The Levine Museum of the New South in Charlotte, North Carolina is another institution that always has something new. Its mission is to confront sensitive, difficult issues with exhibits and programs. It is a useful model for education and offers, for instance, a series of North Carolina historical studies.

*The Canadian History Hall in the Canadian Museum of History, opened a few years ago after planning that included asking Canadians what they thought should be in their museum, continues to offer a series of innovative programs.

*Many history organizations have carried out, or are carrying out, strategic planning for the post-COVID era.  They are searching for new ways to reach the public, particularly online using digital resources. For instance, the Maryland Historical Society rebranded and expanded its vision a few years ago and became the Maryland Center for History and Culture.

Its 2023-2028 strategic plan lists “Building Capacity and Resilient Financial Models” as a goal and also includes a commitment to “increase engagement with Maryland history” and will be “creating programs and resources that are relevant, responsive, and useful for a broad range of audiences. Partnerships, visibility, and responsiveness are integral to this goal.” The Massachusetts Historical Society presents a grand vision in its strategic plan: “A world where historical understanding is the cornerstone of a healthy democracy.”

*The Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and the New Media, launched 30 years ago, carries out many digital history projects. It recently announced a new series of projects, including  teaching guides for pre-service history teachers