AHA Supports Visas for Cuban Scholars to Attend LASA Conference - April 29, 2013
By Kenneth Pomeranz
I write on behalf of the American Historical Association (AHA) to request your support to facilitate visas for Cuban scholars who have been invited to participate in the XXXI International Congress of the Latin American Studies Association to be held May 29 to June 1, 2013 in Washington, D.C.
Historians Discuss Immigration Reform on Capitol Hill - April 11, 2013
By Allen Mikaelian
Yesterday, a short distance from the AHA offices, supporters of immigration reform marched on the National Mall, as a bipartisan group of eight senators continue deliberations that have been alternately described as “stuck,” “close,” “virtually complete,” or “about to get serious.”
AHA Protests Senate Initiative to Restrict Funding of Political Science Research - March 27, 2013
On March 20, 2013, the United States Senate approved an amendment offered by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) to the Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013, which would restrict the use of federal funds in the National Science Foundation’s Political Science Program. In response, the Council of the American Historical Association approved the following statement of concern:
Preservation EXPOsed! Deserves More Exposure - March 19, 2013
By Jennifer Reut
The US National Archives (NARA) recently held its annual Preservation EXPOsed! event in Washington, DC, highlighting a diverse slate of preservation specialists and topics.
The National Parks and the Value of History - March 13, 2013
By Debbie Doyle
Heritage tourism is big business. A recent report on the economic impact of the National Park Service (NPS) estimates that 279 million visits to the parks in 2011 generated $30 billion in economic activity and supported 252,000 jobs, both in the park service and in communities surrounding the parks.
AHA Addresses Historical Issues in Supreme Court DOMA Case - March 04, 2013
By Kenneth Pomeranz and James Grossman
The American Historical Association has joined a group of individual distinguished historians in signing an amicus brief in US v. Windsor, a case before the Supreme Court contesting the validity of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). As is so often the case in legal contexts, the details can get lost in the swirl of broader issues and we want to clarify some important aspects of the AHA’s decision.
The Value of the Humanities: A Roundtable of Links - February 26, 2013
By James Grossman
Humanists readily understand the “value” of what we teach, study, and write. We too often forget that this is less obvious to many of our neighbors, and have not developed a deep and wide advocacy movement to promote humanistic thinking and work.
“Answer the Call of History”: Obama’s Inaugural Address Appeals to the Past - January 25, 2013
By James Grossman
President Obama’s second inaugural offers all Americans food for thought, but it has particular valences for historians. Like so many in this genre, it draws on the past to legitimize particular values, to highlight what has been accomplished (and what has not), and to justify a definition of national character and purpose.
AHA Council Endorses Academic Freedom Decision - December 06, 2012
In response to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the American Association of University Professors urge for accreditors “to take steps to ensure that the protection of academic freedom is a central concern in their evaluation of higher-education institutions,” the Council of the American Historical Association approved the following statement of support:
AHA Council Update: New Policies related to Hiring Practices - September 25, 2012
By Vanessa Varin
In June, the AHA formally approved several policies proposed by the Professional Division related to hiring practices that are relevant to both members and nonmembers.
AHA Hosts the Executive Director of the Canadian Historical Association - September 24, 2012
By Vanessa Varin
The AHA recently had the pleasure of hosting Michel Duquet, Executive Director of the Canadian Historical Association (CHA). Duquet met with a variety of AHA staff in order to get a sense of the day-to-day operations of the association.
AHA Advocacy: Historians and Archivists Collaborate to Keep Georgia State Archive Open - September 21, 2012
By James Grossman
The Chronicle of Higher Education highlights the partnership between historians and archivist to maintain public access to Georgia’s state archives. We’re seeing a variation to Georgia’s announcement closing the archives all too often: public officials who proclaim the importance of history, and then strip the funding from institutions that preserve our heritage or programs that promote history education. The growing fervor and first steps by Georgia officials towards reversing the decision demonstrates why associations like the AHA, the Society of American Archivists, and National Coalition for History are critical advocates for open and reliable access to historical documents.
UPDATE: Michigan Legislature Proceeds with Budget Provision Targeting University Internships - June 08, 2012
By James R. Grossman
Last month, the AHA issued a statement strongly opposing a move by Michigan state legislators to prevent students from earning credit through internships at certain institutions that happen to be engaged in protests against any Michigan business. The AHA maintains that “The proposed law would, in short, make illegal the gathering of information, or even learning how to gather information, in cooperation with a group that seeks to inform public debate.”
AHA Council Statement on Michigan Legislation - May 07, 2012
The AHA Council has passed the following statement on recently proposed legislation in Michigan…
AHA’s Executive Director Testifies for Humanities Funding - March 22, 2012
By Allen Mikaelian
American Historical Association Executive Director James Grossman testified today before the House Committee on Appropriations’ Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Speaking on behalf of the AHA and the National Humanities Alliance, Grossman urged the subcommittee to provide no less than $154.3 million to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for fiscal year 2013. This represents a small increase over the 2012 appropriation, and was the same amount requested by the Obama administration.
Article By: Allen Mikaelian
Tell Congress Not to Eliminate Title VI/Fulbright-Hays Programs - October 26, 2011
By James R. Grossman, executive director of the AHA
Title VI / Fulbright-Hays is an essential aspect of the infrastructure of research and education in areas beyond the boundaries of the United States. If you are in the congressional district or state of the Members on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees (see list below) call and urge their support for “holding the line” on funding, that is to say, no more cuts to Title VI/FH in FY 2012.
Article By: James R. Grossman, executive director of the AHA
A Second Urgent Appeal on Education Legislation - October 18, 2011
By Jim Grossman, executive director of the AHA
This is the first—and I hope the last—time I will ask members of the history profession twice in one week to contact members of Congress. Indeed, my general inclination is to avoid an all-too-common Washington practice of rallying members with innumerable “urgent” notices. There is much that is urgent; but I do try to keep our please to a minimum so that you can be confident that when we do ask, it does matter – and that there is a chance that we can accomplish something.
Article By: Jim Grossman, executive director of the AHA
Urgent Message on Federal Funding for History Education - October 14, 2011
By Jim Grossman, executive director of the AHA
On Oct. 11 the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee released the draft of a bill reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as No Child Left Behind. Sen. Tom Harkin, (D-IA), the committee chairman, and Sen. Michael Enzi (R-WY) the ranking Republican have been engaged in negotiations since early this year in crafting the bill.
Article By: Jim Grossman
History Programs Face Major Cuts in FY ’11 Federal Budget - April 14, 2011
By Lee White, executive director of the National Coalition for History
On April 12, 2011, the House Appropriations Committee released a list of proposed cuts in federal programs for the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2011. Nearly every program of interest to the historical and archival communities was reduced. However the fact that some, such as Teaching American History grants, survived is a testament to the dogged lobbying efforts of the National Coalition for History, its constituent organizations and allies in civics education.
Article By: Lee White, executive director of the National Coalition for History
Humanities Action Alert: Tell Congress to Support NEH Funding - February 08, 2011
The National Humanities Alliance (NHA) has released a Humanities Action Alert, encouraging those who value the humanities to contact Congress, through this online form, and ask them to support continued funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Call to Support Records Law for New York - August 31, 2010
By Robert B. Townsend
In a letter to David Paterson, the Governor of New York, AHA Executive Director Arnita Jones asks the governor to sign recent legislation (S6846/A9928) that would help ensure the proper treatment of state records.
Article By: Robert B. Townsend
Teaching American History Grants: A Call for Action - August 24, 2010
By Bruce Craig
Recently, a number of AHA members and others have expressed concern and dismay over the future of the Teaching American History (TAH) grants, a program begun virtually single-handedly by Senator Robert C. Byrd in 2003. True, he was the program’s devoted supporter who brooked no opposition in growing the program from an initial $50 million appropriation to the present approximately $120 million as a line item in the Department of Education’s budget. Now that the senator is gone there are those, in the Obama Administration and elsewhere, who say that history must take second or third place to reading and mathematics, that in the midst of a the most severe recession in several generations the U.S. cannot afford the program, and, some even argue there is no evidence that the TAH program has made much of a difference, or that it has improved history teaching.
Article By: Bruce Craig, former executive director of the National Coalition for History.
AHA Joins Other Organizations in Release of Consensus Policy Recommendations affecting the Teaching American History Grants - July 29, 2010
The AHA is part of a partnership with twenty other organizations to promote an alternative to the Obama administration’s plans for several subject based programs, including Teaching American History, that will be affected by the pending reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
American Historical Association Calls on the Texas State Board of Education to Reconsider Amendments to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies - May 18, 2010
The following press release and statement were sent to the Texas State Board of Education from the American Historical Association today…
Support National History Day - March 17, 2010
By Lee White, executive director of the National Coalition for History
The following text is an alert from the National Coalition for History. It is crossposted on the NCH web site. National History Day (NHD) is asking for your help to gain support from members of Congress for a $1 million National History Day appropriation that will help state programs grow and improve.
Article By: Lee White, executive director of the National Coalition for History
AHA Joins Coalition on the Academic Workforce Call for Fair and Equitable Treatment of All Faculty - February 08, 2010
By Robert B. Townsend
At its January meeting, the AHA Council endorsed a new study from the Coalition on the Academic Workforce (CAW) that calls on college and university faculty and administrators to assure that all teachers at their institutions are treated as professionals.
Article By: Robert B. Townsend
National Humanities Alliance 2010 Annual Meeting & Humanities Advocacy Day - January 20, 2010
The following text is from an e-mail sent out by Jessica Jones Irons, executive director of the National Humanities Alliance, encouraging participation in this year’s NHA Annual Meeting & Humanities Advocacy Day. Register before February 7, 2010 for the March 8-9, 2010 events.
Urge the Senate Not to Eliminate NSF’s Political Science Program - October 08, 2009
By Lee White, executive director of the National Coalition for History
Crossposted from the National Coalition for History’s web site. Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) has proposed an amendment (No. 2631) to eliminate the National Science Foundation’s political science program.
Article By: Lee White, executive director of the National Coalition for History
Humanities Action Alert from the National Humanities Alliance - September 24, 2009
The following is a reposting of an action alert emailed out by the National Humanities Alliance.
National Humanities Alliance Action Alert - September 10, 2009
The following is a reposted action alert from the National Humanities Alliance.
As you may know, a significant increase for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is currently pending in Congress. We ask you to contact your legislators today and urge them to support additional funding of $15 million for the NEH.
Signatures Needed for House NEH Dear Colleague Letter - March 25, 2009
Our friends at the National Humanities Alliance report that the co-chairs of the Congressional Humanities Caucus, Rep. David Price (D-NC) and Rep. Thomas Petri (R-WI), have prepared a Dear Colleague letter in support of $230 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities in fiscal year 2010…
Advocating for History and the Humanities - February 04, 2009
By Robert B. Townsend
The National Humanities Alliance has extended its deadline to register for the 2009 Conference and Humanities Advocacy Day to this Friday (February 6). This annual event in Washington D.C. (held this year on March 10-11) brings together leaders and faculty in higher education, teachers, and others working in a wide range of humanities-related employment to promote our interests on Capitol Hill.
Article By: Robert B. Townsend
AHA Letter to Russian President Dmitrii Medvedev Concerning Raid on Human Rights Organization - December 18, 2008
AHA president Gabrielle Spiegel and executive director Arnita Jones sent a letter (PDF) yesterday to Russian Federation president Dmitrii Medvedev, expressing on behalf of the American Historical Association concern over the violent raid on the offices the Russian human rights organization Memorial on December 4, 2008.
Historians Speak Out Against Proposed Walmart at Wilderness Civil War Battlefield - December 11, 2008
By Lee White, Executive Director of the National Coalition for History
On December 11, in a letter to Walmart President and CEO Lee Scott, 253 historians from throughout the country urged the retail giant to reconsider plans to build a 138,000 square-foot supercenter immediately adjacent to the Wilderness Battlefield in Orange County, VA.
Article By: Lee White, Executive Director of the National Coalition for History
Release of the Brothman/Moskowitz Grand Jury Records - October 29, 2008
By Elisabeth Grant
Last Friday, October 24, the government released the Brothman/Moskowitz grand jury records through the National Archives web site. This is the latest development in the release of the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg case court records, which the AHA helped petition for.
Article By: Elisabeth Grant
Cheney Ordered to Preserve Records - September 20, 2008
By Robert B. Townsend
This afternoon U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered the office of vice president Dick Cheney to preserve all records related to his office and the performance of his duties, pending further review.
AHA Part of Lawsuit to Preserve the Records of Vice President Cheney - September 10, 2008
By Robert B. Townsend
The AHA is joining Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Stanley Kutler, Martin Sherwin, the Organization of American Historians, and the Society of American Archivists, in a lawsuit seeking to force the office of the vice president to preserve the records of his office through the coming transition in administrations.
Article by: Robert B. Townsend
Press Briefing on Release of Rosenberg Grand Jury Testimony - September 10, 2008
By Elisabeth Grant
Tomorrow, Thursday September 11, 2008 a press briefing will be held at The George Washington University Gelman Library on the release of the grand jury testimony from the trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. The AHA was part of the petition, in January of this year, to have these files released, along with the National Security Archive, the American Society for Legal History, the Organization of American Historians, the Society of American Archivists, and New York Times reporter Sam Roberts…
Article by: Elisabeth Grant
Judge Releases Most of Rosenberg Testimony - September 01, 2008
By Robert B. Townsend
In a ruling issued August 26th, U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein ordered the release of most of the grand jury testimony from the case of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, and a related case against Abraham Brothman and Miriam Moskowitz…
Humanities Advocacy Day and the NHA Conference - March 10, 2008
By Debbie Ann Doyle
On March 3 and 4, 145 members of the humanities community, including college professors, museum professionals, librarians, archivists, and independent scholars, gathered in Washington, D.C. for the 2008 National Conference of the National Humanities Alliance (NHA), of which the AHA is a member. The highlight of the conference was the ninth annual Humanities Advocacy Day.
AHA Objects to Destruction of Guantanamo Records - February 20, 2008
By Robert B. Townsend
In letters sent to federal authorities, the American Historical Association objected to recent disclosures that the Central Intelligence Agency destroyed records from interrogations of individuals suspected of terrorism, and requested action to prevent further loss.
Advocating for History - January 04, 2008
By Elisabeth Grant
Among the dozens of Annual Meeting sessions held yesterday was a unique panel on “Historians, Advocacy, and Public Policy .” This session, highlighted in yesterday’s morning overview, focused on a topic that many historians don’t pay much attention to: advocacy.
Update: Federal Funding for National History Day - October 26, 2007
By David Darlington
Updating a story from earlier this week, Senators Norm Coleman (R-HI) and Daniel Akaka (D-HI) have declined to bring to the floor for a vote their amendment (S.AMDT.3364), submitted last Thursday, which would have set aside $2 million in federal funds for “activities related to” National History Day.
Federal Judge Invalidates Order Allowing Former Presidents to Withhold Records - October 02, 2007
By Lee White, Executive Director of the National Coalition for History
On October 1, a federal district court judge gave historians and researchers a partial, but significant victory in a lawsuit questioning the legality of President George W. Bush’s Executive Order (EO) 13233, which broadened the rights of presidents and former-presidents to withhold federal records from the public.
New Petition Against Florida's Definition of History - March 30, 2007
By Noralee Frankel
Florida’s A++ Plan, an educational directive passed by the Florida state legislature in 2006, mandates that “American history shall be viewed as factual, not as constructed, shall be viewed as knowable, teachable, and testable, and shall be defined as the creation of a new nation based largely on the universal principles stated in the Declaration of Independence”. An electronic petition drive is underway to amend the mandate.
ALERT—Tell Congress to Restore Access to Presidential Records - March 09, 2007
On March 8 the House Oversight Committee unanimously approved the “Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2007.” The bill is expected to go to the House floor the week of March 12. Please tell your congressional representatives your thoughts on this bill.
Sprawling Over History - February 08, 2007
By Andrew Bell
The U.S. Bureau of the Census recently reported that there are now more than 300 million Americans consuming food, land, water, and other natural resources at an incredible rate. Unfortunately, one of the first casualties of our seemingly insatiable appetites may be our history…
Blogging the IRB - January 12, 2007
By Robert Townsend
Members who are troubled about the growing intrusion of Institutional Review Boards over oral history will want to take a look at Institutional Review Blog, just started by Zachary Schrag at George Mason University.
Letter to Mayor Shirley Franklin of Atlanta - January 10, 2007
By Elisabeth Grant
In a letter to Mayor Shirley Franklin of Atlanta, Georgia, AHA President Barbara Weinstein, Past President Linda K. Kerber, and Executive Director Arnita A. Jones, expressed the AHA Council’s concern over an incident between historian Felipe Fernández-Armesto and an Atlanta police officer, that began with jaywalking and escalated to an 8 hour ordeal in jail.
A New Voice for History in Washington - December 22, 2006
By Robert Townsend
Leland White, the new Director of the National Coalition for History, just posted his first report over at History News Network.
More Sunshine for the Smithsonian - December 20, 2006
By Robert Townsend
In bureaucratic terms, a new report from the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO) offers a fairly damning critique of the way the Smithsonian Institution implemented its contract with the Showtime Network and provided information to the general public.
EPA Economies Put Documents on Endangered Species List - December 13, 2006
By Andrew Bell
A cost-cutting move by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to shut down its national network of scientific libraries, possibly destroying thousands of pages of agency documents in the process, has raised the hackles of four key Democrats elected to the 110th Congress.
Clarifying the Clarifications - December 12, 2006
By Robert Townsend
Michael Carome has once again “clarified” the federal Office of Human Research Protection’s position on oral history. According to a blog posting by Jeffrey Cohen (“an independent consultant in human research protections”), Carome reiterated his medically themed clarification of two years ago at recent PRIM&R conference of regulators. Unfortunately, it is hard to discern where Carome’s clarifications end and Cohen’s opinions begin in the blog posting.
Sunshine for Smithsonian/Showtime - November 21, 2006
By Robert Townsend
The Smithsonian Institution is trying to sweep its secret contract with Showtime under a Congressional rug, according to Carl Malamud at the Center for American Progress. Malamud reports that “Smithsonian lobbyists are trying to paper over their exclusive 30-year sellout to Showtime, saying that the contract has posed no problems and nobody seems to be upset about it anymore.”
The National Coalition for History Reacts to the Recent Election - November 09, 2006
By Elisabeth Grant
Bruce Craig, Director of the National Coalition for History, forecasts the effects of a Democrat controlled House of Representatives on history and archives in his most recent NCH Washington Update.
Debating the Need for IRBs – A Chronicle Colloquy - November 09, 2006
By Elisabeth Grant
Yesterday the AHA’s own Robert Townsend, assistant director for research and publications, lead a live online discussion on the need (or lack there of) for institutional review boards in oral history.
Oral History and IRBs - November 06, 2006
By Robert Townsend
Students, and their advisors, working on the history of the 20th century should take a look at the article on “Oral History Under Review” in this week’s Chronicle of Higher Education. The Association is on record as objecting to the often arbitrary application of IRB rules, which use criteria that seem wholly inappropriate to our field. The report documents a number of troubling cases that reinforce those concerns.
The Problem with IRBs - October 12, 2006
By Robert B. Townsend
Anyone concerned about the extension of Institutional Review Board (IRB) oversight into humanities and social science research will want to read The American Association of University Professors new report on “Research on Human Subjects: Academic Freedom and the Institutional Review Board.” As the report details, the IRBs exercise virtually unchecked power, make up standards and criteria as they go along, and typically fail to provide any means of appealing their decisions.