As 2019 drew to a close, I concluded my review of the conferences I attended or would like to have attended in 2019. The final one was the annual conference of the Westchester/Lower Hudson Council for the Social Studies held on December 13 at a hotel in West Harrison in Westchester County. [Read more…] about Lessons from a Social Studies Conference
County Historian’s Roundtable: Lessons from Putnam County
I recently attended the Putnam County Historians’ Roundtable. The meeting was called by the Putnam County Historian’s Office and was held in early December at the Putnam County Historical Society in Cold Spring.
To read about that meeting and to see if it is applicable to your county, click here.
Report On Greater Hudson Heritage Network’s Conference
The Greater Hudson Heritage Network (GHHN) conference, “Experimenting with History: A Field Guide to Connecting Science and Your Heritage Organization” was recently held at Bear Mountain Inn. The welcome message touts the conference as a field guide to the area. Specifically, the areas of concern are STEM, visitations, and understanding collections better through conservation, forensics, and imaging technology. [Read more…] about Report On Greater Hudson Heritage Network’s Conference
Heritage, Archaeology, and Tourism: MA Historic Preservation Conference
The Massachusetts Historic Preservation Conference was held in Plymouth, MA, on September 20th. This one-day conference was one I really would have liked to be able to attend but I just wasn’t able to work it into my schedule. Part of the attraction was the location itself plus the work underway to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Pilgrims.
“This year’s theme, ‘Untold Stories in Preservation’ serves as a springboard for discussion, case studies and model preservation projects that reflect on and engage people in histories that have not been as widely acknowledged as others,” the welcome letter said. “Plymouth will be a touchstone for how different stories and legacies are represented and how historic preservation can play a role in presenting them.” [Read more…] about Heritage, Archaeology, and Tourism: MA Historic Preservation Conference
Peter Feinman On National Underground RR Conference
The National Park Service/National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom (NTF) Conference was held September 11-14, 2019, in Niagara Falls. The title of the conference was “Crossings: Bridging the Authentic Underground Railroad Past to the Present.” The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) was a partner. [Read more…] about Peter Feinman On National Underground RR Conference
The American Revolution: An Academic Perspective at SHEAR
I recently began a series of conference reports. The series will include conferences I attended and conferences with abstracts posted on the web that I did not attend but know about and consider worth reporting on. [Read more…] about The American Revolution: An Academic Perspective at SHEAR
Peter Feinman: Historians Need Meetings and Meetups
Historians can often be isolated. They need fellow historians to thrive. After years in graduate school, perhaps more writing a dissertation – how many colleagues will you have who share the same interest?
We are a social species and storytellers, so we periodically need to gather. I recently explored how important that is. You can read about it here.
The Amistad Commissions: New York and New Jersey
On September 8, I had the honor of boarding the Amistad docked in Yonkers, New York. The event was a last minute one, arranged in part through African American Westchester 400 (AAW400) and the City of Yonkers. I am a member of that committee. Although the 400th Anniversary is over, the work continues to tell the story of the African contributions to the our county, state, and country.
[Read more…] about The Amistad Commissions: New York and New Jersey
Peter Feinman: After 7 Years ‘Path Through History’ Still Falls Short
August 28, 2019, marked the seventh birthday of the Path through History project.
I was there on August 28, 2012, with hundreds of others for the opening fanfare. People were excited about this new initiative to revitalize cultural heritage tourism in the state. [Read more…] about Peter Feinman: After 7 Years ‘Path Through History’ Still Falls Short
American Association for State and Local History Conference
This August 28-31, the joint American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) and International Coalition of Sites of Conscience Annual Meeting will convene in Philadelphia to learn, engage in fellowship, tour, and address this year’s theme, What Are We Waiting For? Depending on the work at hand, this theme serves different purposes. It is a call to action, a challenge to embrace difficult work now. It is also a cautious whisper, a reminder to slow down and get it right. Although different issues warrant different responses, consideration of the question is essential in light of the challenges our field, communities, nation, and planet are facing. [Read more…] about American Association for State and Local History Conference