Making History at the Local Level

Last month the American Association for State and Local History published Making History at 250: The Field Guide for the Semiquincentennial.

Boston 1775 readers know we prefer the synonym Sestercentennial, but we certainly support the widespread commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.

The A.A.S.L.H. describes its new resource as offering “guiding themes and inspiring ideas to help you prepare for 2026”—you being a state or local history organization. “Whether you’re already planning or are still unsure if you’ll take part, this publication will help all of us fulfill the potential of this anniversary.”

The organization also appears to be building its contact list of organizations interested in the Sestercentennial, asking people to fill out the brief form on this page to download the guide.
It further says:

We are monitoring national, regional, and state commemoration plans as they develop, serving as a clearinghouse of information for history organizations and practitioners at the local, state, and national levels. We are publishing resources to help guide commemoration planning, like webinars, blog posts, and other publications. We are in communication with other national initiatives, including the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, to help ensure that the values and goals of the history community are represented well in national commemoration efforts.

Ahead of 1976, a lot of Bicentennial event planning was pushed onto local and state organizations because the Nixon administration was consumed with other matters. I think that actually worked out well, with lots of local history publications and bottom-up initiatives. With increased communication, small organizations now have the potential to connect directly and to reach broader audiences.