AHS Blog
2022 Annual Conference
Conflicting Visions in Alaska History
Alaska Historical Society Annual Conference
October 6-8 and 13-15, 2022
Alaskans burn President Jimmy Carter in effigy during the Alaska lands battle, circa 1978. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Collection. Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives, University of Alaska Fairbanks.
The Alaska Historical Society will be hosting their 2022 annual conference on October 6-8 and 13-15, 2022, in collaboration with the Cook Inlet Historical Society. An in-person reception and keynote presentation by environmental historian Bathsheba Demuth (“History from a Dogsled: The Yukon and the Stakes of Telling the Past”) will occur at the Anchorage Museum on October 6 at 7pm and will be live streamed. The rest of the conference presentations and panel discussions will be virtual through the Crowdcast streaming application. Some in-person tours may also be available in Anchorage.
Conference Theme: Conflicting Visions in Alaska History
Alaska history provides numerous examples of conflicting visions. Russian colonizers coerced Native labor to pursue sea otters for a profitable commercial trade, disrupting the Native subsistence economy and decimating populations. Following the U.S. purchase of Alaska, conflicts arose as fortune-seekers reaped profits from this resource-rich territory, often with disastrous consequences to the indigenous people already occupying Alaska. The discovery of oil in Prudhoe Bay and the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) and Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act set the stage for legal battles over land and resource use.
Other conflicting visions in our history revolved around education. For example, the practice of removing Alaska Native children from their communities and taking them to boarding schools, intended to educate and “civilize” them, harshly curtailed the transmission of Native language and culture. The conference will include a panel on Alaskan boarding schools, featuring former students at Mount Edgecumbe and other schools.
The conference also highlights the importance of recent history. Panels are planned on the rollout of ANCSA and preparations for the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline, both of which occurred within the last 50 years. We plan to offer mini- workshops in methods of studying, archiving, interpreting and teaching recent history.
Stay tuned for more conference information as it becomes available, including a full program schedule. Conference registration is $50 and opens August 1.
For more information about Bathsheba Demuth and her presentation, see the Alaska Historical Society’s July 7, 2022 News Release: “National Author, Environmental Historian to Open Fall History Conference.”
For more information or questions, contact: Rachel Mason, Program Chair, rachel_mason@nps.gov
2022 Conference Call for Papers
Conflicting Visions in Alaska History
Alaska Historical Society Annual Conference
October 6-8 and 13-15, 2022
Alaskans burn President Jimmy Carter in effigy during the Alaska lands battle, circa 1978. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Collection. Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives, University of Alaska Fairbanks.
The Alaska Historical Society, with the Cook Inlet Historical Society, invites presentations for its 2022 annual conference whose theme is: “Conflicting Visions in Alaska History.” It is currently scheduled primarily online but with some in-person events in Anchorage, October 6-8 and 13-15. Environmental historian Bathsheba Demuth, whose 2019 book, Floating Coast, An Environmental History of the Bering Strait, received numerous awards, is the keynote speaker.
Alaska history provides numerous examples of conflicting visions. Russian colonizers coerced Native labor to pursue sea otters for a profitable commercial trade, disrupting the Native subsistence economy and decimating populations. Following the U.S. purchase of Alaska, conflicts arose as fortune-seekers reaped profits from this resource-rich territory, often with disastrous consequences to the indigenous people already occupying Alaska. The discovery of oil in Prudhoe Bay and the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) and Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act set the stage for legal battles over land and resource use.
Other conflicting visions in our history revolved around education. For example, the practice of removing Alaska Native children from their communities and taking them to boarding schools, intended to educate and “civilize” them, harshly curtailed the transmission of Native language and culture. The conference will include a panel on Alaskan boarding schools, featuring former students at Mount Edgecumbe and other schools.
The conference also highlights the importance of recent history. Panels are planned on the rollout of ANCSA and preparations for the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline, both of which occurred within the last 50 years. We plan to offer mini- workshops in methods of studying, archiving, interpreting and teaching recent history.
SUBMIT A PROPOSAL!
Papers on all topics related to Alaska history are welcome. Presentations are limited to 20 minutes. All presenters must register for the conference.
To submit a proposal, please send presentation title, an abstract of 100 words or fewer, and two sentences about yourself to Rachel Mason, Program Chair, rachel_mason@nps.gov.
Proposals are due June 15, 2022.
Guide to Primary Sources on the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act
December 18, 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the landmark Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) by President Richard Nixon. The Alaska Historical Society wanted to recognize the movement that led to ANCSA and its evolving significance, and provide an opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments and struggles of those who made this happen. The result is the “Guide to Sources for the Study of the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act“ (edited by Karen Brewster), which presents primary archival, published and on-line sources that will be useful to anyone interested in learning about ANCSA.
The guide is presented in three-volumes and the current draft (as of 12/15/21) can be downloaded at the Resources for the Study of the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act webpage in the Discover Alaska’s History section of the Alaska Historical Society website.
Volume 1: “Guide to Sources for the Study of the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act”
- Introduction to the Guide by William Schneider, Karen Brewster, Joan Antonson
- Brief Interpretive History of ANCSA by William Schneider
- Description of Collections By Location and Detailed Inventories of Collections by Karen Brewster
- ANCSA Timeline by Joan Antonson
- List of Key Participants in ANCSA by Sue Sherif and Ron Inouye
Volume 2: ANCSA Bibliography by Sue Sherif and Joan Antonson
Volume 3: Resources For Teaching ANCSA at 50 by Michael Hawfield (PDF’s of items mentioned in this list of resources is available at the PDF Resources for Teaching ANCSA at 50 webpage in the Discover Alaska’s History section of the Alaska Historical Society website)
The three volumes are also available through the University of Alaska’s Scholarworks database at: https://scholarworks.alaska.edu/handle/11122/12594
This project was supported by a grant from the Rasmuson Foundation, and contributions from the following Native corporations: Doyon Limited, Sealaska, Bering Straits, Calista, and
Koniag. Additional support was provided by the Atwood Foundation through a grant to
the UAA Consortium Library.
2022 AHS Awards: Request for Nominations
Do you know individuals and groups which have done a worthy project, made long-term contributions to local history, made historical materials better known, or written a book that has contributed to the understanding and preservation of Alaska’s history this past year? It is time to nominate these folks for recognition by the Alaska Historical Society.
Each year the Alaska Historical Society recognizes, through its awards program, individuals, historical societies, and public institutions for outstanding research, writing, and promotion of Alaska history. AHS invites nominations for its 2021 awards.
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 published the last sixteen months. history during the past year. Historian James Ducker edited the Society’s scholarly journal Alaska History for 30 years.
The Esther Billman Certificate of Excellence award is given to local or state historical society, museum, government agency, or other organization for a project or series of projects contributing to the preservation and understanding of Alaska history. Esther Billman’s service as curator at the Sheldon Jackson Museum is commemorated by the award.
The Evangeline Atwood Award is given to an individual for significant long-term contributions to Alaska state or local history. Evangeline Atwood was one of the founders of the Alaska Historical Society.
The Barbara Smith Pathfinder Award is given to an individual or individuals for indexing or preparing guides to Alaska historical material. Barbara Smith, a historian, archivist, and exhibit curator prepared invaluable guides to Alaska Native, Russian Orthodox, and Russian American records.
The Elva R. Scott Local Historical Society Award is for a special achievement of a community historical society or museum to make the local people and historical events known. Elva Scott was a founder of Homer’s Pratt Museum, and after moving to Eagle was the newsletter editor, tour guide, and official of its historical society.
The Student and Beginning Professional Travel Scholarship Awards are cash awards given to help individuals attend and participate in the Alaska Historical Society’s annual meeting and conference.
The Contributions to Alaska History Award recognize an individual or groups that have made singular and significant recent contributions to the promotion and understanding of Alaska history.
A letter of nomination with sufficient detail and supporting materials should be sent to the AHS Awards Committee, members@alaskahistoricalsociety.org or mailed to P.O. Box 100299, Anchorage, AK 99510. Nominations for the Ducker Award must include a copy of the publication for the committee’s use.
Nominations are due August 30, 2022.
Denaina Place Names Project
Chanshtnu place name marker designed by Ahtna artist Melissa Shaginoff. Photo courtesy of Anchorage Park Foundation.
The Alaska Historical Society is honored to endorse an effort to introduce Native place names to parks and trails in Alaska to expose more Alaskans and visitors to the invaluable contributions of Native people to our state.
The Denaina Place Names Project in Anchorage recently installed a sign at downtown Anchorage’s Westchester Lagoon. The “Chanshtnu” sign shares the Dena’ina place name for nearby Chester Creek, which means “Grass Creek.” Support for this project has been provided by the Anchorage Park Foundation and the Rasmuson Foundation.
To learn more about the Chanshtnu sign project, watch the Indigenous Place Names Project video by Alyssa Yax Adi Yadi London for Culture Stories.
Alaskana Collection at Loussac Library
As part of its continuing efforts to advocate for the preservation and public access of Alaska historical materials, the Alaska Historical Society has partnered with the Cook Inlet Historical Society to request Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson to proceed expeditiously to create new space in the Anchorage Loussac Library to protect and display the library’s historical collection. “Without timely action by your administration on this issue, Anchorage could lose federal grant funds and an opportunity to renovate space for this collection, an effort to which community members have dedicated significant time and creative energy over the past several years,” the societies wrote.
Student and Emerging Professional Awards 2022
Student and Emerging Professional Awards
for the
Alaska Historical Society Annual Meeting and Conference
Conflicting Visions in Alaska History
Virtual / Anchorage, October 6-9 and 13-15, 2022
Alaskans burn President Jimmy Carter in effigy during the Alaska lands battle, circa 1978. Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives, University of Alaska Fairbanks.
The Alaska Historical Society offers two scholarship awards to attend its annual meeting and conference. One award is for a post-secondary student who is researching an Alaska history topic, and the other is for an emerging professional in a related field. Awards consist of an honorarium and a conference registration package.
Eligibility:
- Applicant must be a member of the Alaska Historical Society at the time of applying.
- Student applicants must be a graduate student or upper-division undergraduate in Fall 2022 with a course of study related to Alaska history.
- Emerging professional applicants must be engaged in Alaska history or cultural work and have been so employed fewer than five years.
- Applicants are required to attend the meeting in its entirety and make a presentation.
- Information about the meeting and the call for papers can be found at: https://alaskahistoricalsociety.org/
Application process: Each applicant must submit: 1) letter with a statement of eligibility and an explanation of how attending the meeting will enhance your academic or professional development, 2) title and abstract of proposed presentation, and 3) a résumé. Applicants will be judged on the applicant’s achievement in Alaska history relative to current status and the likely benefit of the meeting to the applicant.
The application deadline is June 15. Electronic submission is preferred. Applications should be submitted to members@alaskahistoricalsociety.org or via regular mail to: AHS Awards, P.O. Box 100299, Anchorage, AK 99510.
