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History Agenda for the New Year

January marks the beginning of a new year for the legislators as well. Following the November elections there may be new people in office and new people in charge of the committees and subcommittees that affect the history community. Below are three items which can be considered for advocacy for the coming year. Congressional History […]

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History Storytelling: A Local Theatrical Experience

We are a storytelling species. Sometimes stories can be told orally by a single individual. Sometimes stories can be told through exhibits. And sometimes stories can be told through plays. Plays provide an opportunity for local participation as well. I am not referring to the musical “Hamilton,” unless your site happens to be one where […]

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Sessions of Value at the American Historical Association Conference

The annual conference of the American Historical Association will be held January 3-6, 2019, in Chicago. I will not be attending the conference. I have reviewed the program book and there are many sessions which are of value to history organizations, municipal historians, and educators. Below are the abstracts of these sessions. If someone is […]

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Experiencing History: Sleep As a Slave Did

On August 14, 2015, I read an article in the home-delivered New York Times “A Journey to Enclaves of Slavery in the North.” I cut out the article with the intention of writing a blog on the subject at some point in the future. That time has now arrived and naturally I was unable to […]

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Thou Art the Man! – King David and Judge Kavanaugh

The American Civil Religion posits that we are a city on a hill. At this point both political parties have abandoned that idea. The longtime staple of presidential politics and the America culture has been banished from public discourse. It died with the death of John McCain. We no longer aspire to a leadership role […]

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The New York State Assembly Committee on Tourism Meeting September 26, 2018

ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, PARKS, ARTS, AND SPORTS ASSEMBLY SUBCOMMITTEE ON MUSEUMS & CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Oral Testimony by Invitation Only SUBJECT: Impact of Arts and Cultural Organizations on the State’s Economy PURPOSE: To examine the impact New York’s artistic and cultural institutions have on the economy of the State.   […]

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A Rose by Any Other Name Is Still the Tappan Zee Bridge

What can we learn from the controversy over the naming of the Tappan Zee Bridge? What lessons can be drawn by looking at the larger picture? Let’s examine the data and see if we can put the pieces together. Start with the above-the-fold headline in my local paper on August 31, 2018: Cuomo or Tappan […]

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Make New York State History Great Again

On August 28, 2012, Governor Andrew Cuomo declared his intention to make New York State history great again. The occasion was the launching of his Path through History project. I attended the program in Albany and still have the materials and souvenirs from that day. The program was intended to generate revenue (and jobs) through […]

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