Alaska Historical Society

Alaska Historical Society
Name	Alaska Historical Society
Formation	1958
Headquarters	Juneau, Alaska
Region served	Alaska
Leader title	Executive Director

Alaska Historical Society The Alaska Historical Society is a statewide nonprofit organization founded in 1958 to promote the preservation and interpretation of Alaska's past through conferences, publications, grants, and partnerships. The Society connects local museums and archives with historians, genealogists, educators, and tribal organizations across regions such as Anchorage, Fairbanks, Nome, and Ketchikan while engaging topics from the Alaska Purchase to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

History

The Society was established amid the statehood era following the Alaska Statehood Act and in the wake of increased interest generated by events like the Klondike Gold Rush historiography and scholarship surrounding figures such as William Seward and Alexander Baranov. Early activities included organizing sessions tied to the annual meetings of institutions such as the American Historical Association and regional organizations like the Pacific Northwest History Conference. Throughout the 20th century the Society collaborated with entities including the Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, and the National Park Service on projects relating to sites such as Denali National Park and Preserve and Sitka National Historical Park. Post-1970 initiatives reflected legal and cultural shifts exemplified by the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act and the National Historic Preservation Act, working alongside tribal councils like the Tlingit, Haida, and Athabascan communities and institutions such as the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Mission and Programs

The Society’s mission aligns with preservation efforts advocated by organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, coordinating with state agencies including the Alaska State Museums and the Alaska State Archives to support historic site surveys, oral history initiatives, and the stewardship of sites like the Totem Bight State Historical Park. Programmatic efforts range from regional workshops hosted in cities like Juneau and Kodiak to collaborative projects with the Alaska Federation of Natives and scholarly partners at the College of William & Mary and the University of Alaska Anchorage. The Society routinely organizes annual meetings featuring panels on topics such as the Aleutian Islands Campaign, the Good Friday earthquake, and the development of industries like Alaska oil.

Publications and Communications

The Society publishes a peer-reviewed journal, the Alaska History, providing a platform for scholarship on subjects including Russian America, the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, and biographies of figures like Miles O. Hayes and Eleanor Roosevelt when connected to Alaskan topics. It issues newsletters, program bulletins, and conference proceedings in partnership with presses such as the University of Alaska Press and archives such as the Alaska State Library. Communication channels include collaborations with media outlets covering heritage topics, presentations at conferences like the Western History Association, and digital projects modeled after initiatives by the Digital Public Library of America.

Collections and Museums

While not a collecting museum itself, the Society works closely with institutions that steward collections, including the Alaska State Museum, the Anchorage Museum, the Museum of the Aleutians, and regional repositories like the Kodiak Historical Society and the Seward Community Library and Museum. Projects have focused on artifacts from the Russian Orthodox Church in Alaska era, maritime materials related to the SS Baychimo, and documentary collections concerning the Alaska Railroad and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. The Society supports cataloging and conservation strategies employed by organizations such as the National Archives and Records Administration and the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts.

Awards and Grants

The Society administers awards and small grants recognizing scholarship and preservation, paralleling programs like the National Endowment for the Humanities grants and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission fellowships. Awards have honored authors of works on topics such as the Yukon Gold Rush, military history including the Aleutian Islands Campaign, and studies of indigenous leadership such as Elizabeth Peratrovich. Grant recipients have included university researchers at the University of Alaska Southeast and community historians from the Pribilof Islands.

Governance and Funding

Governance is overseen by a board drawn from curators, academics, historians, and community leaders representing constituencies across regions such as Southeast Alaska, Interior Alaska, and the Bering Strait Region. The Society’s operations are funded through membership dues, contributions from foundations like the Rasmuson Foundation, project grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and partnerships with state entities such as the Alaska Historical Commission. Financial stewardship adheres to nonprofit standards similar to those advocated by the Council on Foundations.

Outreach and Education

Outreach includes teacher workshops aligned with curricula referencing events such as the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and the Fairbanks Gold Rush; traveling exhibits coordinated with the Alaska Federation of Natives; and oral history trainings modeled on protocols from the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and the American Folklife Center. Educational collaborations involve public programming at sites like Gold Rush National Historical Park, lectures featuring researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on maritime history, and partnerships with tribal museums including the Alutiiq Museum.

Category:Organizations established in 1958