Learn how we're using the past to inform the present and prepare for the future.
By Jen Giambrone, Historian The COVID-19 pandemic has me thinking—like a lot of people—about 1918. The influenza pandemic that swept the globe that year struck at a particularly vulnerable moment. Soldiers from all corners of the globe crammed into filthy …
By Justin Broubalow, Research Historian Our legal clients often ask us to investigate events in the recent historical past. Roughly spanning the last twenty or so years, this encompasses a period when the fact record was likely born-digital—that is, it …
By Justin Broubalow, Research Historian Orders to “quarantine,” “stay at home,” or “shelter in place” issued on a state-by-state basis in the past few weeks feel unprecedented. It is difficult to recall a time of such restriction on personal movement. …
By Emily Sullivan, Historian Is your grocery store missing your usual staples? Do you have kids at home who love cooking or history? This could be an opportunity to learn about how people of the past fed their families during …
By Emily Sullivan, Historian Happy National Pet Day! Has your furry, feathered, or scaly friend enjoyed having its humans at home more than ever? While this may be a new arrangement at your home, throughout history, pets have roamed the …
By Jenna Hill, Historian When Roots: The Saga of an American Family, based on the novel by Alex Haley, aired over eight nights in January 1977, it captivated millions, ignited important conversations about race, and transformed genealogical research. The miniseries—a …
By Colleen Kim, Historian In the few short weeks since the coronavirus outbreak began, social distancing and lockdown measures have changed the way many Americans shop for food. This pandemic is revealing the extent to which American shopping and eating …
By Mimi Eisen, Historian In a matter of a few short weeks, individuals worldwide have come to face the gravity of a pandemic of a respiratory disease caused by the person-to-person spread of a novel (new) coronavirus. The disease, COVID-19, …
By Scott Vierick, Historian The shift towards accessible, digital experiences that many historic sites, cultural institutions, and museums have embraced to share their collections, histories, and stories with a broader audience has perhaps never seemed more important. As the response …
By Janet Holsinger, Senior Historian After I moved away from the Washington, D.C., area where HAI is based five years ago, I began working remotely. An advantage? I am much more efficient than I ever was while working in the …
By Laura Starr, Certified Archivist, HAI Engagement Strategist I am an archivist and historian. I am a spouse, friend, neighbor, and coworker. I am an American and a global citizen. And right now, I am one of the millions practicing …
By Emily Sullivan, Historian This weekend, the 40th annual conference of the National Council on Public History (NCPH) was to be held in Atlanta, Georgia. HAI has a special connection to the organization—one of our co-founders, Phil Cantelon, is also …
