AHS Blog
2018 AHS Conference Call for Papers
CALL FOR PAPERS
Gold-seekers and their building materials at Nome City, 1899. Alaska State Library, Clarence L. Andrews Collection (P45-1054).
Tundra & Ice: History in Alaska’s Arctic
Alaska Historical Society Annual Conference
September 12-15, 2018 in Nome, Alaska
Alaska’s Arctic is fertile ground for historical inquiry. Northern topics abound like whaling in the Arctic Ocean, the gold stampedes to Nome and Kotzebue Sound, the Prudhoe Bay oil strike, and the rich history of Inupiaq and Yupik people and their contributions to environmental protection and civil rights in Alaska. This year we look northward and contemplate ways to preserve our histories and share them with the world. As always, presentations on all Alaska history topics are welcome.
This year the Alaska Historical Society and Museums Alaska will hold their conference in Nome (a first for AHS), and this year’s theme—Tundra & Ice: History in Alaska’s Arctic—invites reflection on the people, landscapes, and events that have shaped Alaska’s higher latitudes. Our featured speaker will be Dr. Lorraine McConaghy, public historian at Seattle’s Museum of History & Industry and Washington State History Museum, who has many years of experience wrangling with questions of whose stories are told and how we tell them.
You are invited to submit proposals for papers, panels, and poster sessions. Presentations are limited to 20 minutes. Presenters must be registered for the conference.
To submit a proposal, please send your presentation title, an abstract (<100 words), and two sentences about yourself to Chris Allan, Program Chair, sprucetip105@gmail.com.
Proposals are due May 15, 2018.
For more information, go to “Conference Information” and “How To Shape Proposals and Presentations” on the AHS website.
Book About the 2017 Kenai Peninsula History Conference
In the spring of 2017, “150 Years,” the Kenai Peninsula history conference was held to examine the area’s transfer from Russian to United States rule. It attracted a sold-out crowd to Kenai Peninsula College in Soldotna.
Now, the conference organizers are pleased to announce publication of 150 Years: Proceedings of the 2017 Kenai Peninsula History Conference. The 317-page book includes information from the conference plus additional material about local history. Written for general readers, it is lavishly illustrated with maps, tables, and photographs both historic and new.
The 2017 event was the first local history conference held on the Kenai Peninsula since 1974. An official Alaska sesquicentennial event, it focused on the colorful but largely unknown 1800s, when Dena’ina, Sugpiat, Russian, and U.S. factions met in war and peace to transform the region. Speakers at the conference included not only historians but also archaeologists, linguists, journalists, a poet, a sculptor, a geologist, and a fisherman. Spanning three generations and diverse viewpoints, they came both from local communities and from as far away as Moscow.
The first copies of the book are now being distributed. The books retail for $29.95 each and are on sale at River City Books in Soldotna, The Homer Bookstore, and the Kasilof Museum and Historical Park.
For more information, contact:
Shana Loshbaugh
Project Manager
150 Years: Kenai Peninsula History Conference
kenaipeninsulahistory@gmail.com
(907) 460-7554
Oral History Project on the TUSTUMENA
Do you have a story about the “Trusty Tusty?”
The Alaska state ferry MV Tustumena, “Trusty Tusty,” has connected Aleutian and Kodiak Island communities with mainland Alaska since 1964. The boat is to be retired in 2019, and a group has been working on collecting oral histories from the fans of the ‘Trusty Tusty.”
Courtesy of Alaska Department of Transportation
This August a pair of film makers, Lucy and Mike, will be collecting stories as they travel on the boat from Homer to Unalaska. They are interested in hearing from passengers, crew, and others served by the boat. Did you meet someone particularly interesting on the ferry? Do you remember a particularly rough storm, wildlife sighting, or rescue? Was the boat part of a significant homecoming or leave-taking? How did regular ferry service change your life or your town?
Your memories matter! If you have a story to share, let the project team know at info@tustystoryproject.org.
To learn more about the MV Tustumena Oral History Project: http://tustystoryproject.org/
2018 Conference Schedule
The schedule for the conference in Nome is now available.
Remember to visit the Conference website to register, and learn about travel to and accommodations in Nome.
2018 Conference Registration
Gold-seekers and their building materials at Nome City, 1899. Alaska State Library, Clarence L. Andrews Collection (P45-1054).
Tundra & Ice: History in Alaska’s Arctic
Alaska Historical Society Annual Conference
September 12-15, 2018 in Nome, Alaska
Registration is now open for the 2018 Alaska Historical Society and Museums Alaska conference in Nome.
Visit the Conference Website to register and find out more information about the conference schedule, travel, and local accommodations.
2018 Award Nominations
The Alaska Historical Society is seeking nominations for its annual awards to individuals and groups which have notably contributed to the knowledge, preservation, and understanding of Alaskan or local history this past year. Nominations can be made by letter or can be submitted electronically, but must document the individual’s or group’s significant contribution.
The Esther Billman Award of Excellence is given to a state or local society, museum, government agency, or other organization which has completed a project or series of projects contributing to the preservation and understanding of Alaskan history during the past year.
The Evangeline Atwood Award is given to an individual in recognition of significant long-term contributions to Alaska state or local history.
The James H. Ducker Alaska Historian of the Year Award is given to an Alaska resident for publication of significant new material about Alaska’s past during the past year. Nominations for this award must include a copy of the publication for review.
The Barbara S. Smith Pathfinder Award is given to an individual or several individuals who have indexed or prepared guides to Alaska historical material that has not been accessible. Nominations for this award must include sample pages of the index or guide.
The Elva R. Scott Local Historical Society Award is given to a local historical society that has completed a significant project or reached a major milestone over the past several years.
The Contributions to Alaska History Award recognizes an individual or individuals who has made a singular and significant recent contribution to Alaska history.
Nominations must be received by August 1, 2018. Please send them to: Michael Hawfield, Chair, Awards Committee, Alaska Historical Society, P.O. Box 100299, Anchorage, AK 99510-0299. E-mail: mchawfield@alaska.edu. The awards will be announced at the Alaska Historical Society and Museums Alaska banquet at the annual meetings and conference in Nome in September.
