PANEL 1:  TELLING OUR OWN UNTOLD STORIES: RESILIENCY AND HISTORY IN THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Abstract: The National Park Service calls itself America’s storyteller. But who tells the stories of the storytellers? This panel features two NPS historians who are expanding the documentation and interpretation of NPS personnel, with particular focus on issues of gender and race. Their presentations explore how the global pandemic and social justice movements of 2020 and 2021 both complicated and invigorated their work

Anne G. Ritchie, oral historian, National Gallery of Art
Chair and commentator

Nancy Russell, Archivist-NPS History Collection, National Park Service 
"The Myth of the Men’s Uniform”

Lu Ann Jones, Staff Historian, Park History Program, National Park Service
“‘The Story of People that Look Like Me’: Women in the National Park Service”

pANEL 2:  STRIKES, THEATRE, AND Atomic Energy  

Chair, Julie Prieto, Historian, U.S. Army Center of Military History

D. Caleb Smith, Ph.D. Candidate, Tulane University
"From Strikes, Marches and Pickets To Title VII Precedents: Revisiting ‘Bloody’ Bogalusa’s Black Freedom Struggle, 1964 – 1970"

John M. Lawlor, Jr., Professor Emeritus, Reading Area Community College
"Drama behind the scenes of a Federal Theatre Project: Harry Archibald's 'Feet on the ground.'"

Eric Boyle, Historian, Department of Energy
"A Pioneering Work in Federal History—The New World: A History of the United States Atomic Energy Commission"

SESSION 2
JUNE 2
2:15 TO 3:45PM

PANEL 3: DOCUMENTING THE NIH DURING PANDEMIC AND SOCIAL UNREST

Abstract: The National Institutes of Health has played a major role in researching therapeutics, vaccines, prevention, testing, health disparities, and basic science during the COVID-19 pandemic, partnering with industry and academia. The Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum (ONHM) quickly pivoted to figure out how to document all of this for the future. Racial reckoning also came to the agency, giving ONHM the chance to work with NIH UNITE, which seeks to identify and address structural racism within the NIH-supported and the greater scientific community. This panel will talk about the initiatives they created and collaborations they undertook to capture what historians may call the NIH's greatest hour

Gabrielle Barr, Archivist, Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum 

“Behind the Mask: Preserving History as it Happens”

Michele Lyons, Associate Director and Curator, Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum

#Shadowwork: An Exhibit on Racial Reckoning at the NIH

Panel 4: Reaching the People Across Platforms:
Virtual, Hybrid, and Non-Traditional Programming for Museums, Commemorations, and History Organizations

Abstract: The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 forced museums, federal history offices, and all types of history organizations to dramatically shift their approach to public history events and programming. Unable to host visitors in person, staff had to find creative ways to adapt to the new situation and still fulfill their missions of sharing history with the public. Some organizations already had pre-existing virtual and remote programming to build upon, while others had to start from scratch. As the pandemic has progressed into different phases and circumstances continue to rapidly change, it has become clear that virtual and remote public history programs will not be completely disbanded even when the pandemic subsides.

In this roundtable, a diverse group of experts from both federal and private institutions will share their experiences with creating dynamic history programming during the pandemic. They will highlight their successes, challenges, lessons learned, and future plans. Topics will include commemorations, education initiatives, exhibits, virtual programs, hybrid programs, best practices, and much more.

Richard Hulver, Historian, National Cemetery Administration
Moderator

Allison S. Finkelstein, Senior Historian, Arlington National Cemetery
“Creating a Hybrid Commemoration: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Centennial”

Jessie Kratz, Historian, National Archives
“Collaborate, Innovate, Lean: Virtual Engagement at the National Archives”

Lora Vogt, Curator of Education and Interpretation, National WWI Museum and Memorial
“Commemorations, Covid and Creating Community at the National WWI Museum and Memorial”

Jeremy Collins, Director of Conferences and Symposia, The National WWII Museum
Beyond Four Walls: Virtual Educational Outreach at The National WWII Museum 

PANEL 5: THE PUBLIC EDUCATION PROJECT OF SHFG: A PROGRESS REPORT AND DIALOG WITH SHFG MEMBERSHIP

Abstract: The "founding four" of the PEP will discuss the origins, purposes, and development of the organization and its programs. The latter include the pilot project of original historical videos and promotions, the development of the PEP website, and the Historical Messaging Initiative, for which we are currently seeking funding, We will engage with the audience to answer questions and talk about ways in which the federal historical community can participate in our programs. The presentation will consist of brief statements from each of the founding members, plus comments by any other PEP Team members who are able to attend. There will be ample time for Q and A with audience members.

Judson MacLaury, U.S. Dept. of Labor Historian, retired

Mike Reis, Senior Vice President at History Associates Incorporated

Don Ritchie, Senate Historian Emeritus

Lee Ann Potter, Director of Educational Outreach at the Library of Congress

Panel 6: Institutional resiliency, environmentalism, and federal records 

Chair, Kristin Ahlberg, Office of the Historian, Department of State

Dr. Colin Jay Williams, DLA Historian
"Contracting Out at the Defense Logistics Agency: a Case Study in Institutional Resiliency"

Neil Philip Buffett, Ph.D., Suffolk County Community College (SUNY)
"Richard Nixon, Youth Environmentalism, and the President's Environmental Merit Awards Program"

Joel Christenson, OSD History Office
“The View from Washington: What Federal Records Reveal about Puerto Rico’s Nationalist Uprising of 1950”