Developing your synthetic powers

13 March 2015 – 3

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Doing public history, in all its diverse manifestations, requires certain specialized habits of mind. One of the most vital but also the most mysterious is synthesis.

When I begin work on an exhibition, such as the one I’ve been developing for the past two years, I read as many books and talk to as many people as I can, and then–I wait. Read More

Making a pop-up museum: Dusting off the Dark Ages

11 March 2015 – 1

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At Ohio Wesleyan University, I teach an upper-level medieval history course, “Constantine to Charlemagne.” This is an undergraduate class, with 18 students of varying backgrounds. The course addresses a time period (ca. 300-850) often slandered as barbaric and backwards, so my goal is for students to see the richness, texture, and vibrancy of the period along with the political and economic troubles that befell certain areas. Read More

Professional opportunities March 10, 2015

10 March 2015 –

To submit an item for the News Feed, send an email to: news[at]publichistorycommons.org

ANNCT: “Making public forgotten black histories 1750-2014: From ghostly hands to children’s memorials on slave graves,” Public History Discussion Group presentation by Alan Rice – March 21, 2015, London, UK

AWARD: The Western History Association invites nominations for the 2015 Autry Public History Prize for media exhibits, public programs, or written works that contribute to a broader public reflection and appreciation of the past or serve as a model of professional public history practice in the history of the North American West. Read More

Above ground, below ground, on the ground: CRM in practice

03 March 2015 –

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Editor’s note: This post continues a series commemorating the anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act by examining a past article published in The Public Historian, describing its significance, and relating it to contemporary conversations in historic preservation.

Locations speak to multiple generations, cultures, and time periods. Read More

“APUSH” in the right direction

27 February 2015 – 3

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As public historians, we like to think we know something about narrative. We know that human beings construct meaning through stories, and that history is the art of constructing compelling stories from the traces of the past. Psychologists have demonstrated the emotional and inspirational power of “hero’s journey” narratives in which protagonists overcome great odds through self-sacrifice and determination, and return from the journey with wisdom and gifts to improve the world. Read More