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Gain insight into history organizations of all shapes and sizes in this book, which addresses the opportunities and challenges of public historians' work through the prism of the past, present, and future of our communities and institutions, as well as the public history field itself. Featuring essays from some of the leading thinkers in the profession, this book not only looks at major themes as they relate to historians' work but also inspires creativity in how they approach their work in an institutional and personal sense.
The themes themselves are important, but even more important are the articles (presented here as chapters) that amplify the overarching themes. Chapters discuss in-depth and through real-world examples, the work of history organizations. They specifically focus on the challenges and opportunities that are important to any nonprofit (or small business)-entrepreneurship, change, transformation, possibility/opportunity, partnerships-but also those unique to history organizations, leverage the asset of history to: explore place, commemorate the past (and therefore better understand the present), demonstrate how it is people who make history, and discern how to use the past to chart the future.
Together, An American Association for State and Local History Guide to Making Public History provides a roadmap of the national discussions the field of history museums and organizations is having regarding its present and the future.
List of contents
Foreword - Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko
Introduction
Chapter 1 The Only Thing that is Constant is Change
Chapter 2 The Winds of Opportunity - Barbara Franco and Laura B. Roberts
Chapter 3 Discovering the Power of Transformation
Chapter 4 Understanding Change and Transformation in History Organizations - Candace Tangorra Matelic
Chapter 5 Making History a Twenty-First-Century Enterprise
Chapter 6 Entrepreneurship in History Organizations - John W. Durel
Chapter 7 A Twenty-First Century Renaissance
Chapter 8 The Spirit of Rebirth - David A. Janssen
Chapter 9 The Power of Possibility
Chapter 10 It's Possible - Kent Whitworth and Scott Alvey
Chapter 11 The Whole is Greater
Chapter 12 Greater than the Sum of Our Parts - Erin Carlson Mast
Chapter 13 Crossroads: Exploring the Vibrant Connections Between People and Place
Chapter 14 Explorations in Place and Time: A Personal Journey - David A. Donath
Chapter 15 Turning Points: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Change
Chapter 16 What Kind of Ordinary Will You Be? - Max A. van Balgooy
Chapter 17 Commemoration: The Promise of Remembrance and New Beginnings
Chapter 18 Public History and the Challenges of Commemoration
Edward T. Linenthal
Chapter 19 Inclusion is Active
Chapter 20 I AM History: Embracing Inclusion in Social and Political Climates - Dina A. Bailey
Chapter 21 Epilogue Moving History from Nice to Essential - John R. Dichtl
About the author
Bob Beatty is founder and president of The Lyndhurst Group, a history, museum, and nonprofit consulting firm providing community-focused engagement strategies for institutional planning, organizational assessments, and interpretive direction. From 2007-2017 Bob served in a variety of capacities at the American Association for State & Local History, the only comprehensive national organization dedicated to state and local history, most recently as chief of engagement. He is editor of History News magazine and managing editor of the AASLH Editorial Board.
Summary
This book looks at major themes and inspires creativity in how to approach work in an institutional and personal sense. An AASLH Guide to Making Public History in the 21st Century provides a roadmap of the national discussions the field of history museums and organizations is having regarding its present and the future.
