The AASLH Leadership in History Awards Banquet Speaker Edward Ayers became president of the University of Richmond in 2007. There, he has overseen The Richmond Promise, an ambitious collaboration across the institution which has initiated bold curricular innovation and strengthened ties between the university and the city of Richmond.

Representatives from three small museums share their successful experiences in partnering with local organizations, serving as models of how a small museum can have a significant impact on its local community. Then the floor is opened so that audience members can share their own experiences with community involvement.

Join fellow attendees for a Town Hall Meeting, sponsored by the Virginia Association of Museums. As interpreters of our nation’s past, our field searches for meaning in the achievements and trials of those who came before us. Commemoration aims to celebrate, educate, and honor the past. With Commemoration comes reflection. How do we remember key pieces of our nation’s history? Whose lens do we use to see the past? How can these spaces become meaningful and relevant? It brings the promise of new beginnings as we continuously reflect on our past, future, and stories we tell. This interactive session, moderated by Dr. Spencer Crew, will be a rich conversation about the significance of remembering and forgetting, the responsibilities of commemoration, and the power of the voices we choose to recall history.

Whether responding to an immediate crisis or on-going social problem, museum professionals will consider how to support families struggling with difficult issues that impact the community. In the context of current events, participants will be challenged to consider how families might benefit from their museums knowledge, experience and resources.

As historic house museums and historic sites begin to become more visitor focused, this roundtable discussion will attempt to find balance between the interpretation and collections care. Together, we will explore challenges, strategies and solutions from our own historic sites, encourage discussion, and build relationships and professional connections in the process.

This session will discuss new forms of fundraising, why they’re effective, and what advantages they have over the old models. Get real-world examples, and learn how to get started—how to pick the right project, launch it, and make it successful.

AASLH is a leading advocate for increased federal funding for history organizations. Now more than ever, it is important that you do your part to help. Attend this session to learn about our successes, and find out ways we can work together to preserve and increase funding, strengthen existing national programs, and advance professionalism in the field.

Description: Dr. Dorothy Cotton translates years of experience and learning into words and song bearing messages of hope. Through “Songs of the Movement,” laughter, and storytelling, Dorothy synthesizes the lessons from our history into a working vision for the future. Cotton was the Education Director for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference for twelve years. Working [...]

As we look for creative new ways to engage audiences with history, what does “being creative” actually look like? Can history professionals learn to find their creative spirit? The panelists will share their experiences as part of an experiment in creative practice: what they learned, what they did (projects ranging from a musical finding aid to beer with Benjamin Franklin), and why the process included a conversation about “indicators of successful failure”.

As part of their Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning Grants. Many states included an advocacy element, which included outreach to elected officials. State agencies, and the public. This session will review lessons learned in some of these efforts and provide advice on how to conduct similar activities in your state.