Category: News

Sat, April 04, 2026

Critical Issues Lecture Recordings

About the Series To help raise the level of civil discourse across Alaska, in 2023 the Alaska Historical Society (AHS) launched a lecture and panel discussion series. “Today in Alaska, as in much of the rest of the country, our civic discourse has deteriorated to a point where sensible public policy is not only enormously challenging, but often unachievable,” said William Schneider, University of Alaska Fairbanks professor emeritus and recent past president of the Alaska Historical Society. “By demonstrating how knowledge of... (Read More)

Thu, October 02, 2025

Historical Society Makes a Dozen Awards for Excellence & Accomplishments

P.O. Box 100299 Anchorage, Alaska 99510-0299907.615.1255 / alaskahistoricalsociety.orgFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 1, 2025 Contact: David Ramseur, 907-317-3657Historical Society Makes a Dozen Awards for Excellence & AccomplishmentsTo recognize outstanding accomplishments to research, preserve and educate aboutAlaska history, the Alaska Historical Society announced a dozen awards at its recent annualconference in Fairbanks. They ranged from a new book documenting the impact of oil dollars onstate politics to innovative archaeological research at Kodiak’s Alutiiq Museum.Here is a summary of the awards: Evangeline Atwood... (Read More)

Mon, March 03, 2025

AHS Statement on Diversity to University of Alaska Board of Regents

On February 28, 2025, the Board of the Alaska Historical Society sent the following letter to the University of Alaska’s Board of Regents to call upon the Board of Regents to rescind its new policy regarding using the terminology affirmative action, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and terms associated with DEI. Read the full letter in PDF Dear Regents:For 58 years, the statewide Alaska Historical Society has worked to ensure that Alaska’shistory incorporates diverse perspectives and embraces an inclusive vision of... (Read More)

Tue, January 28, 2025

Nome Serum Run 100th Anniversary Events

EXTRA! EXTRA! In 1925, a life-saving relay involving 20 mushers and more than 150 sled dogs carried diphtheria antitoxin 674 miles from Nenana to Nome, battling harsh weather conditions to stop a deadly epidemic in isolated Nome. Gunnar Kaasen's team, with Balto in lead, delivered the serum to Dr. Curtis Welch at 5:30am on February 2, 1925, to conclude the Serum Run or Great Race of Mercury. Celebrate the 100th anniversary of these amazing historic events! MUSEUM TALKSPresented at Carrie... (Read More)

Wed, January 22, 2025

Statement on Denali Name Change

Read the PDF Version here The Alaska Historical Society opposes President Trump’s unilateral name change of Denali, our state’s highest mountain, to Mount McKinley, and applauds efforts by Alaska’s two U.S. senators to pursue legislation to overturn the president’s act and restore the mountain’s broadly supported name.Within hours after becoming president for his second term on January 20, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order renaming Denali, North America’s tallest mountain, Mount McKinley. He said: “We will restore the name... (Read More)