Professional Development
Records in Transition: A Conversation with NARA Leaders
February 10, 2021
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) plays a critical role in ensuring that records of each Presidential administration are captured for historical research. Exactly how NARA works with the White House and Federal government agencies during transitions is governed by two different laws that work very differently. In this webinar, hear NARA leaders discuss NARA's role and authority under the Federal Records Act and Presidential Records Act, what happens to records during a Presidential transition, what NARA did to prepare, and where we stand now.
Speakers: Laurence Brewer, Chief Records Officer of the U.S. Government; Gary M. Stern, General Counsel; and Meg Phillips, External Affairs Liaison, who served as moderator.
Introduction to Research at the National Archives
January 26, 2022
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) houses historical records of the United States Government. These holdings include historical documents, photographs, audio recordings, and other materials created by Federal agencies, Federal courts, and the U.S. Congress from the eighteenth century to the present. Given the volume of material, locating and accessing particular records can seem daunting. However, NARA has multiple tools available to help researchers identify and access records online. This webinar will provide an overview of these tools and discuss strategies for searching for particular records at NARA.
Speakers: Rose Buchanan is an Archivist in the Archives 1 Reference Branch at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., where she works primarily with headquarters-level records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and other Federal civilian agencies. She has a master's in public history from North Carolina State University and a master's in library science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Elizabeth Burnes is an Archivist for the National Archives at Kansas City who serves as NARA's Subject Matter Expert for Immigrant Records and is the lead archivist for Alien Files (A-Files) reference. She received a Bachelor’s degree in history at Truman State University and a Master’s degree in history and museum studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Building a Professional Network
February 24, 2022
One of the most important parts of job searches and career advancement is making connections. But where to start and how to make meaningful connections is less clear. Our three panelists discussed both the importance of networking and how to network effectively. This panel provided a guide to graduate students and early career professionals in creating and maintaining networks both in and out of the academy.
Moderator: Sydney Seigel, OAH
Panelists: Sarah Zenaida Gould, Mexican American Civil Rights Institute; Christine Lamberson, Federical Judicial Center, History Office*; and Daniel Ronan, Resilient Heritage
*The views expressed herein are her own and are not the views of the Federal Judicial Center or its Board.
Preparing for the Non-Academic Job Search
May 25, 2022
Choosing a non-academic career path requires a shift in tactics when it comes to preparing your application materials. On Wednesday, May 25, three Ph.D.s who pursued careers outside the academy discussed strategies for applying for non-academic positions, such as translating your CV into a resume that showcases your work, crafting memorable cover letters, and marketing your unique skills.
Chair: Ayoka Wicks, editorial assistant, The American Historian, and graduate student, Indiana University Bloomington
Panelists: Evelyn Causey, Alabama Historical Commission; Rahima Schwenkbeck, Policy Studies Organization; and Edward Valentin Jr, National Museum of the United States Navy
Navigating Freedom of Information Act Requests
June 7, 2022
Undertaking Freedom of Information Act requests can be a daunting task for researchers. Join us on Tuesday, June 7, 3:30pm ET, to gain insights into the process and learn tips and best practices from those who regularly navigate the process. The webinar will include ample time for audience questions. Facilitators: Matt Guariglia, Institute of Criminal Justice at University of California, Hastings School of Law, and Kiran Misra, South Side Weekly and Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.
The below webinars were sponsored by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation as part of the Public Voice for Historians Project.
Writing for the Public: How to Get Started
A webinar and working group
This webinar discusses specific strategies for pursuing public-facing writing and concludes with break-out rooms so participants have an opportunity to workshop ideas for potential pieces with the Washington Post’s Made By History editorial team: Kathryn Cramer Brownell, Brian Rosenwald, and Carly Goodman.
A recording of this webinar is available in the Member Forum on the OAH Connected Community
Writing for the Public: Why it Matters and How to Do it
This webinar features specific strategies for pursuing public-facing writing and discusses ways to integrate this work into your C.V. and tenure file to credit public engagement work and demonstrate impact.
Hosted by Brian Rosenwald and Kathryn Cramer Brownell, editors at Made By History, Washington Post.
This workshop will be conducted in the Zoom Meetings platform to allow all participants to interact using cameras and microphones
A recording of this webinar is available in the Member Forum on the OAH Connected Community
Historians and Political Activism
This webinar explores how historians use their expertise to shape the political arena and public policy process. Made By History editor and immigration historian Carly Goodman will be joined in conversation by two scholars whose historical work informs the public debate: Erika Lee, who is President-Elect of the OAH and Regents Professor of History and Asian American Studies and the Director of the Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota; and Yael Schacher, who is a senior U.S. advocate at Refugees International, where she focuses on U.S. asylum, U.S. refugee admissions, temporary protected status, and immigration policy.
A recording of this webinar is available in the Member Forum on the OAH Connected Community
Historians and Social Media: Strategies, Tools, and New Outlets
This workshop will discusses strategies for disseminating historical scholarship through social media and offer tips for public engagement on new types of mediums. Kathryn Cramer Brownell, Made By History editor and associate professor of history at Purdue University, moderates a discussion with three panelists who have extensive experience in bringing historical research to Twitter, podcasting, Substack, and Clubhouse. Dr. Robert Greene II is assistant professor of history at Claflin University, senior editor at Black Perspectives, publications chair for the Society of U.S. Intellectual Historians, and an active #Twitterstorian. Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky is author of The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution, a regular podcast guest and media commentator, and author of the Substack “Imperfect Union. Jason Steinhauer is the founder and host of History Club, a weekly show on Clubhouse with 100,000 followers and appx. 2,500 participants per episode.
A recording of this webinar is available in the Member Forum on the OAH Connected Community
