American Association for State and Local History

The U.S. Travel Association says that overseas visitors are set to drop by 2 million this year. Visitors from Canada and Europe are not visiting out of protest and fear. The loss of tourists, an important segment of visitors to historic sites, is having a negative impact on the economy.

Our October AASLH History Hour is tomorrow. Join us for some spooky fun that will include three breakout sessions. Learn more and register at tinyurl.com/HH1026.

Elise Helmer, Executive Director, Bowne House Historical Society, attended her first AASLH Conference last month and was impressed that the sessions had so much to offer small museums.

History Colorado will remain the name of the state's historical society, but the museum in Denver is going back to its former name. "The change reflects a simple idea: History Colorado is proud of its history museum, and is calling the building what it is," said History Colorado in a statement.

Thank you to all Joint Conference attendees who participated in this year's silent auction! The auction raised almost $5,000. With your support, and the generosity of over 80 donors, we raised funds for AASLH professional development opportunities.

Tribal partners are leading the Society in the process of returning remains and items to communities. Woodworkers are commissioned by the Society to create the boxes and ensure they are made with proper care.

The American Association for State and Local History provides leadership, resources, and advocacy to help the history community thrive. The support we offer the history field is funded by donations to AASLH's Annual Fund. Donate at aaslh.org/about/donate.

A new Dolly Parton Museum is opening soon in Nashville. The Life of Many Colors Museum is an interactive museum that features never-before-seen artifacts and video messages from Parton herself, exploring the singer's life in her own words.

AASLH is hiring a Research and Strategic Initiatives Manager. Learn more and apply at tinyurl.com/w5zzhpje.

A disaster can strike any history organization. Make sure you're prepared by attending this webinar on October 28. You'll learn the best practices and resources for developing actionable plans for a wide range of disasters. Register at tinyurl.com/354azcwp.

Jan Bernstein and her consulting firm have been helping history organizations comply with NAGPRA since 2003. Attend our online workshop on October 22 to learn about the 2024 updated regulations, how to apply NAGPRA principles at your organization, and more. Register at tinyurl.com/4nnzsvd7.

Join our webinar tomorrow to learn about research and tested communication strategies that can help you navigate challenging conversations about the past, build on common ground, and strengthen public understanding and trust in your work. Register at tinyurl.com/mvmv9rt3.

Meet your peers from around the country at AASLH History Hour next Tuesday, October 27. This month, we'll share ghost stories at historic sites, how to route conversations back to history, and spooky season programming ideas. Register at tinyurl.com/HH1026.

The 2026 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers finds that 69% strongly or somewhat disagree the museums should respond to pressure to remove content about topics such as gender, race, climate change, and slavery.

This webinar will offer attendees a basic understanding of what local advocacy is and why it matters, ways to translate big ideas into practical and flexible techniques, and concrete examples and tools for getting started. Register at tinyurl.com/36dhu8yx.

View and download photos from last month's Joint Conference with the National Council on Public History. Photos of those who accepted their Leadership in History Awards are included. See the pictures at flickr.com/photos/historydoers.

In an effort to bring more visibility and support to community-based archives, many of which have collections that have been excluded from mainstream institutions, the Mellon Foundation has published a study of these organizations.

Given increasing extreme weather conditions and other calamities, disaster planning has never been more important. Attend this webinar to gain a deeper understanding of the risks an organization should consider and how to mitigate them. Register at tinyurl.com/354azcwp.

The Small Museums Community assists America's small museums in their endeavors, helping to make them stronger and more responsive to their communities. Learn more about this community at aaslh.org/communities/smallmuseums.

Through case studies and deep discussion with other participants, this workshop on October 22 will give you the tools you need to understand and apply NAGPRA principles at your organization and maintain ethical and authentic partnerships with Native organizations. Register at tinyurl.com/4nnzsvd7.

Congress is now considering legislation that would dismantle National Historic Preservation Act's central safeguard: Section 106. We ask you to contact your Senators this week to oppose S. 5653 as written and demand meaningful changes to its historic preservation provisions.

Attend our webinar on October 20 to see how you can use AASLH's new manual, "Speak Up for History: Getting Started in Local Advocacy," to advocate for your organization. Register at tinyurl.com/36dhu8yx.

Thanks to the generosity of over 450 individuals and 60 organizations, the Making History Matter fundraising campaign raised over $1 million! We are grateful to the donors of this campaign. The funds will support inclusive history practice, small museum programming, and the AASLH Endowment.

AASLH's John Garrison Marks leads a webinar on October 21 and will share recent research about how Americans think about history and its value to society. Register at tinyurl.com/mvmv9rt3.

Attend our webinar tomorrow to learn about the practices and preferences of those who visit history museums and historic sites. Learn more and register at tinyurl.com/2sr2b27y.

AASLH has been partnering with Wiki Education to help train history practitioners in contributing to Wikipedia. This month, join Wiki Education's experts for free editing workshops, where you will learn about Wikipedia policies, how to make meaningful edits, and more.

Join us for some spooky fun at October's History Hour, AASLH's free monthly online meet up. This History Hour will feature three rounds of breakout sessions. Learn about what each round will involve and register at tinyurl.com/HH1026.

Are you a history or museum professional who is interested in learning Indigenous history, but hasn't taken the time to do it yet? In this course you will be given a basic introduction to Indigenous history from a basic vocabulary to contemporary issues today. Register at tinyurl.com/ppm4jjrd.

The IMLS National Museum Survey provides essential data that helps museums, associations, policymakers, funders, and other stakeholders understand the state of the museum field. Please respond if you received an invitation. If your organization did not receive an invitation, contact nms@imls.gov.

While every history institution is susceptible to disasters of some kind, properly preparing for such events can promote more effective recovery. Attend this webinar to gain a deeper understanding of the risks an organization should consider and how to mitigate them. Register: tinyurl.com/354azcwp.

Museum Store Sunday takes place on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and offers special shopping experiences in museum stores. To learn how your organization can participate and access a participant toolkit, visit museumstoresunday.org.

This recorded webinar will assist professionals and volunteers at history organizations of all types and sizes to craft more compelling and more effective fundraising messaging. Watch the recording at tinyurl.com/ReframingFundraising.

We are seeking volunteers to help with the first round of blind review of session proposals for next year's Annual Conference. All that's needed is 3-4 hours of your time to read through about 30 proposals this Dec. If interested, please fill out this form by Nov. 1: surveymonkey.com/r/5XGGP6F.

Neecole A. Gregory, Director of the Morton Museum of Collierville History writes about her experience at the AASLH-NCPH Joint Conference on the AASLH blog.

You are invited to submit a proposal for a session, workshop, or working group for the 2027 AASLH Annual Conference in Madison, Wisconsin. The deadline is December 4. The online submission form will be available soon at tinyurl.com/AASLH2027.

Building on AASLH's new manual, "Speak Up for History: Getting Started in Local Advocacy," this webinar on October 20 will offer attendees a basic understanding of what local advocacy is and why it matters. Register at tinyurl.com/36dhu8yx.

Feeling overwhelmed and underprepared to comply with NAGPRA? During this workshop on October 22, Bernstein & Associates NAGPRA Consultants will provide an overview of NAGPRA and the 2024 updated regulations as well as offer a roadmap to repatriation. Register at tinyurl.com/4nnzsvd7.

The AASLH Job Board features positions at history organizations across the country. If you are looking for your next job or hiring visit jobs.aaslh.org.

AASLH encourages your participation in Museums on Call. Museums on Call invites museum professionals to explore how cultural institutions can meaningfully support patients, families, and care teams across the healthcare continuum.

Political and cultural divisions in America today pose great challenges to the history field. This webinar on October 21 will explore recent research and tested strategies to help history practitioners work more effectively in today's fractious discourse. Register at tinyurl.com/mvmv9rt3.

Curious how your organization can engage younger generations—the future visitors, donors, history practitioners, voters, policymakers, and civic leaders of our society? Attend tomorrow's webinar led by Caroline Klibanoff, Executive Director of Made By Us. Register at tinyurl.com/6kev58en.

Is this place haunted? Join us for some spooky fun at October's History Hour, AASLH's free monthly online meet up. At this History Hour, there will be three rounds of breakout sessions. You'll meet a new set of peers during each round. Register at tinyurl.com/HH1026.

America's history sector is vast, unique, and vital. Attendees to this webinar on October 14 will gain information to help strengthen their institutions and make the case for importance of the history community to varied stakeholders. Register at tinyurl.com/2sr2b27y.

This virtual workshop on October 21 will offer guidance and troubleshooting for organizations of all sizes and budgets, and deaccessioning projects on a variety of timelines. Register at tinyurl.com/mv5ttuz5.

Looking for a new way to show your support for AASLH and the history field? Check out the AASLH Store! Find shirts, sweatshirts, and hats that range from the silly (Living in the Past is Kind of My Job) to the serious (Speak Up for History). Check out the store at bonfire.com/store/aaslh.

Speaking at an event to mark the 10th anniversary of the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III encouraged museums to shine a light on all aspects of history.

Mackenzie Gardner, the outreach and education coordinator at the Chucalissa Museum, attended the recent Joint Annual Conference. Read about her experience on the AASLH blog.

National History Day is a competition in which students in grades 6–12 choose a topic and dive deeply into the past by conducting extensive research in libraries, archives, and museums. Learn how your organization can participate during a webinar on October 8. Register at tinyurl.com/2akmsjus.

Political and cultural divisions in America today pose great challenges to the history field. This webinar on October 21 will explore recent research and tested strategies to help history practitioners work more effectively in today's fractious discourse. Register at tinyurl.com/mvmv9rt3.

At history organizations, visitors are most often over 60, highlighting an opportunity to engage younger audiences. Attend our webinar on October 7 to learn strategies that will bring more young people to your site. Register at tinyurl.com/6kev58en.