History in Focus

Experts in historiography and the Holocaust discuss challenges faced by history instructors, integrating historiography in secondary school curriculum, and the emotionalization in far-right politics. Woody Holton talks about triggering, the Far Right targeting Black history, and the shift towards emotional appeals in American far-right politics.

Producer Matt Hermane speaks with historian Brenda Child about the March 2024 History Lab feature on Contemporary Indigenous Art and History, part of AHR's ongoing series on "Art and Historical Method." Then we revisit now past AHA president Edward Muir's presidential address—titled "Conversations with the Dead"—at this year's AHA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

Explore the picnicking practices of Sephardic Jewish communities in the late Ottoman Empire, focusing on food, setting, and cultural exchange. Discover the evolution and significance of picnicking in the Ottoman Empire, including the experiences of different social groups. Experience the Sephardic Los Angeles community and their global connections. Dive into attendees' experiences at the AHA conference, discussing panels on historiography, women in colonial Mexico, and race in the Atlantic world. Learn about the development of a new course on US women's history.

Debra Blumenthal examines slave markets in 15th century Spain and their influence on conceptions of women's health. And Beeta Baghoolizadeh discusses the legacy of racialized forms of enslavement in 19th and 20th century Iran.

Historian Tore Olsson discusses designing a history course around the popular video game Red Dead Redemption 2. And Kalani Craig introduces the AHR's new guidelines for Digital Media Submissions.

Durba Ghosh introduces the AHR forum "Mismonumentalizing and Decolonizing: Public History as History for the Public." We also hear from one of the forum's contributors—Thomas Adams and Sue Mobley—on their work on recent efforts to rename streets in New Orleans.

Historians Darrell Meadows and Joshua Sternfeld discuss the AHR Forum they assembled on AI and the practice of history. And Brian DeLay delves into his article on the role of the international arms trade for revolutions in the Americas.

Listen as organizers of the #AHRSyllabus Project discuss their new teaching resource, joined by contributors of syllabi on podcasting and historical smells. Topics include teaching initiatives in the American Historical Association, exploring the power of teaching history, incorporating podcast creation in the classroom, teaching history through the sense of smell, and challenges faced by evidence-based disciplines.

For nearly half a century, Curtis Boyd and Glenna Halvorson-Boyd have devoted their lives to providing safe and affirming abortion care. Curtis, a former Baptist minister, began providing abortions in Texas before the procedure was legal in the state. After Roe v. Wade, with the help of an interfaith network of clergy, Curtis opened up a clinic in Dallas. In the 1970s, Glenna came to work there as well, and the two eventually fell in love. Their partnership and shared commitment to abortion care has enabled them to withstand the increasing violence of the anti-abortion movement and to continue providing abortions to this day. This episode was produced by the podcast Sexing History. It is the inaugural entry in AHR's new podcast collaboration initiative.

AHR editor Mark Bradley talks with Pure+Applied designers Paul Carlos and Urshula Barbour about the AHR's first major redesign in over fifty years. This work was recognized with a design award from the Association of University Presses in April 2023.