2026 AASLH/NCPH Call for Proposals

Conference Theme: Revolution is at the center of every remarkable societal change. Through formal politics, grassroots organizing, boycott, protest, litigation, war, and a wide range of other mass and individual actions, behind every revolutionary moment are the people working to bring revolutionary ideas into reality. In the face of rapid cultural, social, political, and technological change, history’s importance as a guide for our future has become clearer than ever. Documenting during crises, archiving our collective past, supporting researchers and revolutionaries alike, public historians are part of the landscape of revolution. We bring history to the public because it matters.

The ongoing work of revolution is front and center in Rhode Island’s story, past and present. Rhode Islanders have always prided themselves on their independent spirit. To wit, 125 years after the Declaration of Independence, state leaders placed a statue called The Independent Man atop the grandest state house in the nation. Scholars, public historians, educators, and avocational historians interpret Rhode Island’s revolutionary roots and legacies as embedded in self-determination and self-rule, traits with often contradictory legacies and implications. On these lands of early contact and conflict, interpretive sites and educational institutions share the stories of vibrant Indigenous communities, African heritage legacies, as well as histories of immigration, industrialization, political tumult, and religious freedom. 

As we close out the US semiquincentennial year in this historically significant city, we are called to a moment of reflection on the work of revolutions past and the work that lies ahead. AASLH and NCPH members come together at this moment to take stock of our field and ask each other important questions. How do the events of the past fifty years shape how we do the work of public history in the next fifty years? How do we effectively respond to the challenges of our world while strengthening the field? What work will drive our revolutions? What revolutionary work needs to be done to forge the future of the field? And how do we as history practitioners continue to create fulfilling careers in the ever-evolving landscape of our field?

Presenter Information: The Session Organizer is responsible for logistics, requests for materials and equipment, communication with participants and AASLH/NCPH staff, and leading the session itself. For 2026, AASLH and NCPH are waiving the requirement that Session Chairs be members of either organization in order to welcome as many new voices as possible to our joint conference in this semiquincentennial year.

In order to involve as many people as possible in the meeting, no one can chair more than one session or participate in more than two. The committee also strongly discourages sessions where all presenters are from the same organization. It is also suggested that you consider including varied stakeholders, such as project directors, partners, advisors, users. If you need assistance finding presenters that bring diversity in institution, geography, perspectives, or race, please contact the AASLH or NCPH staff or the 2026 Program Co-Chairs. Note: You will need to create a username and password for the Submittable site. This is separate from your membership login at aaslh.org or ncph.org.

Topic Ideas: If you need assistance finding co-presenters that bring diversity in institution, geography, perspectives, or race---or if you simply want feedback on a draft of your proposal as you work to build the strongest possible session---consider filling out a (completely optional!) Topic Proposal by October 15. NCPH will host topic proposals on their website and invite feedback from the public history community, including offers to collaborate and refinements or suggestions to your draft proposal. If you prefer not to publicly share your topic proposal but could use assistance finding presenters, contact AASLH or NCPH staff or the 2026 Program Co-Chairs. 

Session Formats:

• EXPERIENTIAL (75 minutes) - Do a program – don’t just talk about it. Immerse your colleagues in a playful (or challenging) experience exploring your topic. Attendees should spend time doing something, not just talking. 
• COMMUNITY VIEWPOINTS (75 mins): This showcase features projects in the area near the conference location that includes a variety of stakeholder and collaborator perspectives across stages of the project’s development, with a particular focus on community participants and grassroots collaborators. Community participants and collaborators should be represented on the panel.
• LIGHTNING ROUND (75 minutes) – A strong moderator puts together a session around a particular theme. Then, they recruit speakers who can teach something specific to the audience in ten minutes or less. An ideal Lightning Round session would have 10 minutes for introduction, 50 minutes for 5 presentations, and 15 minutes for Q&A. 
• NUTS AND BOLTS (75 minutes) – This session type focuses on a particular skill. It is not designed to be a “show and tell”, but a “show and how to.” For example, it could be creating a collections management plan, developing a mission-driven budgeting process, or creating an education program for autistic children. It should be specific enough that attendees leave with a practical skill, but flexible enough that any size museum can adapt it for their needs. 
• ROUNDTABLE (75 minutes) - Roundtables are typically about half presentation and half discussion among presenters and the audience. Presenters examine complex historical or professional issues in discussion before an audience. These should go beyond “show and tell” presentations and instead be information-rich, emphasize practical takeaways, and include discussion of the complexity of the issues. Presenters should bring targeted questions to pose to others at the table in order to learn from and with each other. Ample time must be allowed for audience discussion. 
• WORKING GROUP (2 hrs): Facilitators and up to 12 discussants grapple with a shared concern. Before and during the meeting, working groups articulate a purpose they are working toward or a problem they are actively trying to solve and aim to create an end product. Proposals are submitted by facilitators, who will seek discussants after acceptance.
• WORKSHOPS (full- or half-day sessions on Wednesday or Saturday): These long-form, in-depth sessions are designed to teach special skills in a small group setting and may occur on or off-site. Proposals should detail the specific skills the workshop will teach as well as the methods and techniques instructors will use. Workshops should include takeaway resource materials (handouts, samples, reading lists, tools/props, etc.). Workshops may have up to four instructors. Participants in workshop sessions pay fees which contribute to the conference budget and presenters and panelists all contribute their presentations in-kind. 

Review Rubric: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:29e8be0d-26c6-4605-8adf-20af31300007