AHS Blog | 49 History
Alaska Historical Society’s Logo Redesign and Brand Guidelines
Request for Proposals
Alaska Historical Society’s logo redesign and brand guidelines
Project Information
The Alaska Historical Society is a non-profit, educational institution dedicated to encouraging
creative inquiry into our past, facilitating and advocating for the sharing of information, ideas
and resources related to Alaska history, and promoting the value of history in contemporary life.
We believe the history of Alaska is the history of many groups and peoples who have shaped this
place, including Alaska Native peoples as the first Alaskans, and those from every continent and
population group. Governed by a 15-member board of directors, the Society provides numerous
opportunities to achieve these goals, including a semi-annual scholarly journal, a quarterly
newsletter, website and frequent social media communications with our members and the public.
We are in the process of redesigning our journal and want to use the opportunity to redesign our
long-time logo and develop brand guidelines. The new logo and guidelines will be used in all our
publications, on social media, on our letterhead and to help convey to members and the public
our values. Those values include inclusivity, wisdom, integrity, enlightened civil discourse and
factual storytelling in both the written and oral forms.
There is confusion and criticism of our current logo, which many perceive to be reflective of the
Russian tzarist-era double-headed eagle rather than the broad diversity of Alaska history we
strive to represent. At the same time, we want advice from a designer about the use of typeface
and colors in all our publications, website and social media materials.
We are seeking an experienced designer to help us develop a new logo which meets the
following criteria:
• Is easily identifiable as representing the Alaska Historical Society;
• Better reflects Alaska’s Indigenous history and contributions;
• Can be used in various sizes and colors and is in a shape which fits our publications;
• Is simple and clean in appearance.
Scope of Services
The AHS is seeking proposals for a redesign of the logo and brand guidelines, including:
• Meeting the above criteria;
• Providing options for use of the logo in different colors;
• Suggesting typefaces and a color palette for use throughout our materials;
• Will meet the test of time and is not gimmicky.
The AHS hopes to have a new logo ready for use for our 2023 conference in early October. The
contractor should expect to meet via Zoom several times with a committee of Society members.
The first meeting is to suggest ideas, followed by two or three meetings to review draft logos and
guidelines.
Proposal Content
Proposers submitting a response to the RFP are to provide:
• Business background/resume,
• Several samples of work,
• 2-3 references,
• Budget/costs – our goal is no more than $2,000 (paid hourly or at a flat fee).
Responses to this RFP are due April 28, 2023, and should be sent to:
members@alaskahistoricalsociety.org
Images of the Society’s publications and social media are on AHS website,
www.alaskahistoricalsociety.org
Questions regarding this request for proposals should be directed to
members@alaskahistoricalsociety.org
Historical Society to Launch Lecture/Discussion Series to Enhance Alaska Civil Discourse
Press Release: Historical Society to Launch Lecture/Discussion Series to Enhance Alaska Civil Discourse
Topics Include Americanization of Alaska, Native Sovereignty, Climate Change, Conservation and Development
News Release Contact: David Ramseur, President
July 17, 2023 907-317-3657
To help raise the level of civil discourse across Alaska, the Alaska Historical Society (AHS) is launching a four-part lecture and panel discussion series focused on major public policy issues facing Alaska. The sessions, scheduled to kick off this fall at the Anchorage Museum, are designed to combat the often willful distortion of history and create a more productive environment in which to arrive at sound public policy.
“Today in Alaska, as in much of the rest of the country, our civil 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 history can inform and improve current public policy debate, we hope to raise the level of discussion so an informed public can encourage decision-makers to draw on history to make fact-based policy which serves the broadest diversity of Alaskans,” Schneider said.
The AHS is Alaska’s largest statewide organization dedicated to the informed exchange of ideas through a factual appreciation of Alaska’s history. It is partnering with the Cook Inlet Historical Society and the Anchorage Museum on the series. The Atwood Foundation has provided a generous grant to cover costs. Other supporting organizations include the League of Women Voters, the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolf Debate Program and OLÉ!, an Anchorage-based nonprofit which offers educational classes.
Each session will feature a small panel of experts who will discuss the topic at hand and take questions from both a live and on-line audience. Alaska students will be encouraged to participate.
The series will tentatively kick off in October with a focus on the “Americanization of Alaska.” Starting in 1867 with the transfer of Alaska from Russian to American control, the federal government extended its administration over the territory. Americanization had both enormously positive and negative impacts which continue today. The unsettled relationship between the federal government, the state and Native groups deserves closer discussion as Alaskans consider areas such as resource management and policies relating to responsibilities to Alaska Natives under the federal trust.
Subsequent sessions will address:
Alaska Native sovereignty and equality for all – The landmark 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was broadly welcomed as the settlement of long-standing Alaska Native claims. Some contend the act greatly limits Native sovereignty while others point to Native assertion of self-governance and an active role in contracting for management of vital services such as health care and education.
Historic examples of how conservation and development can co-exist – Alaska is recognized as a state with rich natural resources vital to the nation. Since Statehood in 1959, resource development has been vital to the state. Similarly, conservation advocates and their organizations have played a role to ensure responsible development. This session will assess the historic record by pointing to examples that apply to present and future development.
Alaska: the canary in the coalmine for climate change – Many scientists consider Alaska Ground Zero for predicting the direction and impacts of climate change. This session will examine research produced in Alaska and how it speaks to the present.
The AHS has long been concerned about how the willful distortion of history and rampant misinformation shape public opinion and has driven the electorate both in Alaska and nationally into corners of extremism where reasonable compromise on vital public policy is too frequently unattainable. The Society has taken public positions on controversial public policy issues and with this series, hopes to strengthen Alaskans’ appreciation of our history and raise the level of our civil discourse.
More details about the series will be released closer to the first session in the fall.
Nike Site Summit Tours
Registration is open for tours at historic Nike Site Summit. Information can be found at www.nikesitesummit.net
There are only 4 bus tours this year, two on July 8 and two on Aug. 13. Early registration is encouraged. See flyer for more details.
Call for Papers: Alaska Historical Society Annual Conference
CALL FOR PAPERS
ALASKA HISTORICAL SOCIETY ANNUAL CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 5-8, 2023
CONNECTIONS AND DISCONNECTIONS IN ALASKA HISTORY
Deadline Extended: Call for papers
The theme for the Alaska Historical Society’s fall 2023 conference is “Connections and Disconnections in Alaska History,” which speaks broadly to how colonialism, industrialization and global conflict have shaped Alaska history. These historical processes have created wealth and opportunity for some, while causing profound losses of land and livelihood for others.
As the Alaska Railroad marks its centennial this year, this theme allows us to explore transportation connections—dogsleds, boats, trains, vehicles and airplanes—which have linked Alaskans to one another and to the rest of the world, but have sometimes created daunting obstacles within the state. The building of the Alaska Highway connected Alaska to the rest of the U.S., but did so with the labor of a racially segregated work force, with the least favorable working conditions assigned to African-American soldiers. Alaska’s connection with Russia has changed from the colonization of Alaska through the cooperation of the Lend-Lease pilots during WWII to today’s re-emergence of the Cold War. The Gold Rush, the rise of commercial fisheries and the oil boom brought new settlers and opportunities for some, but displaced Alaska Natives and took food and economic opportunities from them.
There’s no starker example of disconnection than the history of Alaska Native education policy. Many Alaska Native youth went, some forcibly, from their homes to boarding schools, which had the goal of separating them from their Native identity. The callous and abusive treatment many children received continues to have consequences today. This year’s theme includes the history of reconnections achieved by Alaska Native people in regaining lands, rights and resources, notably through the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and around issues of sovereignty and integration of Native cultures and languages into public education.
Our keynote speaker is Diane Hirshberg, director of the University of Alaska’s Institute of Social and Economic Research, an 18-year veteran of UAA and a specialist in education policy, especially Indigenous education, circumpolar education issues and the role of education in sustainable development.
Please join us in the Central Kenai Peninsula this October. The conference will be mostly in-person, with an an option for remote participation. As always, presentations on all Alaska history topics are welcome. Talks are limited to 20 minutes, and all presenters must be registered for the conference. TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL, please send your presentation title, an abstract of no more than 100 words, and two sen-tences about yourself to Rachel Mason, program chair, at rachel_mason@nps.gov. Proposals are due by Thursday, June 8.
AHS Seeks Graphic Designer for Journal Redesign
The Alaska Historical Society is seeking a contractor to redesign its journal, Alaska History. Please see the attached Journal Redesign RFP here.
About the Society
The Alaska Historical Society is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to encouraging creative inquiry into our past, facilitating and advocating for the sharing of information, ideas and resources related to Alaska history, and promoting the value of history in contemporary life. We believe the history of Alaska is the history of many groups and peoples who have shaped this place, including Native peoples as the first Alaskans, and those from every continent and population group. Governed by a 15-member board of directors, the AHS provides numerous opportunities to achieve these goals, including publication of a semi-annual scholarly journal Alaska History.
About the Journal
The journal currently is a 6”x9” perfect-bound book of about 100 pages, with 550 copies printed and circulated twice a year. It has a glossy cover with a black and white historic photograph featured on the front. The contents include text, black and white illustrations and at least one map. The editor has been doing the layout using InDesign software. Images of the journal covers can be found on the Alaska Historical Society website, www.alaskahistoricalsociety.org and a copy of an issue of the journal can be provided if interested in submitting a bid.
The goals with this redesign are:
- Update the journal’s look for a more contemporary style
- Create a template for the layout and a consistent look
- Build brand awareness for the AHS and the journal
Scope of Service
The AHS is seeking to hire a graphic designer to redesign the journal. The redesign will include addressing:
- The font
- The standard map of Alaska used in every issue
- Technical specifications for high-quality illustrations
- Design of text pages (headers, formatting)
- Use of color photos (at least on the cover) and what this would cost
- The size of the journal (up to 8½”x11”) in the interest of readability
- Software
- Cover and paper stock and binding recommendations
The final product will be a digital template for the journal with specifications and recommendations.
The AHS hopes to have the new template by summer 2023. The contractor should expect to meet via Zoom several times with a small committee of Society members. The first meeting is to discuss priorities and suggest ideas, followed by two or three meetings to review drafts.
Proposal Content
Proposers submitting a response to the RFP are to provide:
- Business background/resume
- Several samples of work
- 2-3 references
- Budget/costs (hourly or flat fee)
Responses to this Request for Proposals are due January 31, 2023, and should be sent to: members@alaskahistoricalsociety.org
Questions should be directed to journal editor Ross Coen at rosscoen@gmail.com or phone 907.251.1634.
Eyewitness Series Booklet #8
A new volume in the Eyewitness Booklet Series has just been completed by Chris Allan, historian for the National Park Service. It is Eyewitness Series #8: Burning for Yukon Gold: The Hidden World of Underground Placer Mining in Alaska and the Klondike, 1898-1901. It is a collection of photographs and first-person accounts revealing how gold miners risked their lives for buried treasure.
All eight booklets in the series are available on the Eyewitness Booklet Series page on the Alaska Historical Society’s webpage under the Publications tab.
