5. The New Civics

Over the course of this series, we’ve explored the research and recommendations of the “Making History Matter Report.” In this final installment, we’ll discuss how to put the report’s findings into practice with a little help from two leaders in our field: Jennifer Ortiz, Director at the Utah Division of State History, and Steve Murray, Director at the Alabama Department of Archives & History. Then AASLH’s John Marks walks us through the Reframing History Toolkit and addresses some FAQs about the report. 

Like history, the term civics has been pulled into recent political debates. So in this episode, we’re examining the role history museums and organizations can play in the new civics. How can we help our communities find meaning, a sense of belonging, and the tools they need to make their world a better place? To help answer that question, we’re joined by Eric Liu, CEO of Citizen University; Melanie Adams, Director of the Anacostia Community Museum; and Caroline Klibanoff, Managing Director of Made By Us. 

Many people–particularly those from dominant groups–tend to treat history centered on white men as the “neutral,”  depoliticized history. Everything else is considered extra or optional, and our attempts to tell a fuller story of American history are often met with backlash. In this episode, we explore a research-backed framework for engaging audiences in inclusive history (without the backsplash) through specific, place-based, solutions-focused examples. Our guests on this episode are Niya Bates, Susan Ferentinos, and Estevan Rael-Galvez. 

The public widely recognizes the necessity of learning from the past. But there’s a catch. For most people, the meaning of "learning from society’s mistakes” is inseparable from their diagnosis of society today. So in this episode, we discuss one solution to this challenge laid out in the Making History Matter report: “Emphasize how history helps us make progress toward a just world to increase recognition of history’s importance.” To explore the ideas of hard history and learning from the past, we are joined by Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries and Heather Bruegl. 

In this episode, we take a closer look at the first two recommendations in the Making History Matter Report: 1) Talk about critical thinking to shift perceptions about what history involves and 2) Compare historical interpretation to detective work to deepen understanding of historical practice. Hosts Christy Coleman and Jason Steinhauer are joined by three guests: William Convery (Minnesota Historical Society), Stacey Watson (West Kentucky Community and Technical College, The National Quilt Museum), and Sam Wineburg (Stanford University). You can learn more about the Reframing History initiative, download the report, and access transcripts for this podcast at AASLH.org/reframing history. Reframing History is produced by Better Lemon Creative Audio for the American Association for State and Local History. 

We need a more productive public conversation about history. But how do we get on the same page? How do we promote an understanding of history that is inclusive and builds trust in the process of nuanced historical research? In this episode, hosts Christy Coleman and Jason Steinhauer break down the research and strategies in the Making History Matter report. Public historian Lacey Wilson shares her experiences developing a not-so-traditional historic house tour and how visitors reacted. Then AASLH President & CEO John Dichtl and FrameWorks Institute Lead Researcher Theresa Miller go through the research and recommendations step by step. You can learn more about the Reframing History initiative, download the report, and access transcripts for this podcast at AASLH.org/reframing history. Reframing History is produced by Better Lemon Creative Audio for the American Association for State and Local History. 

COMING SOON: As the public debates around history grow louder, it seems there’s a gap between how history practitioners understand their work and what the public thinks history is. We need a more productive public conversation about history. But how do we get on the same page? Over the course of this series, we’ll be speaking to historians, history communicators, and educators from around the country about the language we use to communicate history to the public. Hosted by Christy Coleman and Jason Steinhauer, this six-part series delves deep into a new, research-backed communication framework developed by FrameWorks Institute in partnership with the American Association for State and Local History, the National Council on Public History, and the Organization for American History. Reframing History is produced by Better Lemon Creative Audio for AASLH.Our guests on this series are (in order of appearance): Lacey Wilson, John Dichtl, Theresa L. Miller, William Convery, Stacey Watson, Sam Wineburg, Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Heather Bruegl, Estevan Rael-Galvez, Susan Ferentions, Niya Bates, Eric Liu, Melanie Adams, Caroline Klibanoff, Steve Murray, and Jennifer Ortiz. Download the report and learn more about this research project at https://aaslh.org/reframing-history/