Tag Archive

human rights

Public histories of poverty

, , , , ,

In his Congressional Gold Medal acceptance speech from 2013, Dr. Muhammad Yunus quipped that one day “soon we will visit the museum to see poverty.” Given that public historians interpret and document other social ills in museums and historic sites— sexism, racism, homophobia, ableism—where does poverty and its attendant questions of class fit in our interpretive plans? Read More

Editors’ conversation on interpreting immigration, Part 2

, , , , , ,

Editors’ Note: This is the second part of a two-part editorial conversation on interpreting immigration in public history.  Part 1 is available here.

AJL: How can public historians effectively take an intersectional approach to interpreting immigration? How can we bring different audiences and stakeholders together? Read More

Editors’ conversation on interpreting immigration, Part 1

, , , , , , ,

Editors’ Note: Four years ago, outgoing NCPH president Bob Weyeneth called on public historians to “pull back the curtain” on their process. Turning topics of contemporary relevance into public history involves numerous collegial conversations which usually remain behind the scenes. The History@Work editors thought our readers might be interested in the following conversation prompted by Adina Langer’s development of a new exhibition at the Museum of History and Holocaust Education at Kennesaw State University. Read More

Statues, national monuments, and settler-colonialism: Connections between public history and policy in the wake of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante

, , , ,

In the past three months, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has made statements about both statues to settler-colonialism and national monuments that protect important indigenous sites. First, in October, he was asked about the possibility of taking down Confederate monuments on federal land. Read More

Project Showcase: The Semiotics of Sex

, , ,

The Semiotics of Sex: A History of Queer Identity Politics is a multi-platform digital history project that explores various methodologies for historicizing queer activism and identity for public consumption. Through a commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the world’s first queer political protest, the project demonstrates that digital tools are a vital resource for public historians interpreting queer history. Read More

“Now let him enforce it”: The long history of the imperial presidency

, ,

Historically, imperial presidents have often expanded their power through a crisis that legitimizes their actions. As we look at current events, it is imperative to recognize how President Donald J. Trump is utilizing this tactic. Portrayed as a measure to curb terrorism, President Trump’s efforts to halt entry of migrants from selected predominantly Muslim countries, as well as refugees into the United States, have been identified by political commentators, such as Fareed Zakaria, as fear mongering and religious discrimination. Read More

A response to the election

, , , , ,

How should public historians respond to the new reality of the incoming political leadership in the United States? Representative democracy in the United States has survived the bitter partisanship of the Early Republic, the Civil War, corruption and scandals, the rise of international fascism, and the paroxysms of protest against the Vietnam War, so it is likely to endure. Read More