ATxH Webinars

Strengthening History Communication:

Research-backed Recommendations for Connecting with the Public

The mission of the Alliance for Texas History is not only to study history but also to communicate it. In a time where challenges to education, to telling a full and complete history, and to overcoming misinformation feel overwhelming, it is vitally important that we understand how to best communicate historical information to the public.

This one-hour webinar, Strengthening History Communication, is sponsored by the Alliance in cooperation with the American Association of State and Local History. Led by public historian and AASLH Vice President for Research and Engagement John Marks, the webinar will offer recommendations to help history practitioners communicate more effectively with the public about what history is, how we do it, and why it is valuable to society.

Drawing on lessons from the groundbreaking AASLH project, Reframing History, the session will provide an overview of common sources of miscommunication with public audiences and provide recommendations for most effectively addressing them. This research is particularly useful for conveying the importance of more inclusive historical interpretations and diffusing objections that often arise at a time when history has become politically polarizing.

The webinar will be held via Zoom on Thursday, September 25th, at 6:30 pm Central. It is a members-only webinar and will be offered at no cost. Pre-registration will be required. Zoom link will be emailed prior to the webinar. Non-members are encouraged to join the Alliance to be a part of this important conversation.

Whether you attend the webinar or not, all Alliance members are encouraged to review the research reports available at the link below. For more information, email us at contact@atxh.org.

Register for the webinar:

John Marks is the Vice President of Research and Engagement with the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), where he helps lead research, advocacy, and strategic initiatives. He is also a historian and writer and is the author of the forthcoming book Thy Will Be Done: George Washington's Legacy of Slavery and the Fight for American Memory. His work has appeared in TIME, Washington Post, and Smithsonian Magazine. He earned his Ph.D. in history from Rice University.