Mark your calendars for the 61st Annual WHA Conference, October 27-30, 2021. Currently, the WHA is planning for an in-person conference in Portland, Oregon. Head over to the 2021 Conference Website to register and learn more updates!

The WHA leadership is closely monitoring the current public health crisis and rise in coronavirus cases. We are following CDC guidelines and state, county, and municipal public health directives. As we collect more information, the office will keep all participants and attendees informed of any changes to the current conference format. The WHA strongly urges all 2021 conference attendees to be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before traveling to Portland in October.

On July 1 of this year, the WHA opened its operations in the History Department at the University of Kansas, the organization’s new institutional host. Elaine Nelson remains in her role as the WHA Executive Director and joined the KU History Department faculty as an Assistant Professor of History. The KU History Department has an award-winning faculty with strengths in several areas of study, including western, environmental, and Native American history. The WHA will benefit from the support of the dynamic faculty, staff, and graduate students who work to maintain the department’s national reputation. We are confident that the organization’s transition to KU will allow the WHA an opportunity to continue to expand its core mission and initiatives. There are already conversations underway about how the WHA will contribute to the graduate student community and offer collaborative opportunities with faculty across a variety of KU programs.

The Western History Association recognizes the significant impact that Covid-19 brings to the personal and professional lives of our members and affiliates around the world. The WHA staff and leadership is closely monitoring the situation and will make careful, informed decisions in the months leading up to our annual conference in October. The WHA staff, which transitioned to work remotely on March 9, will alert members and conference participants with urgent updates in a timely manner through email, social media accounts, and the WHA website. We are living in difficult times which call upon us to be flexible and generous. We are deeply grateful for the service, support, and dedication you provide to the WHA, and we hope you are well and taking care of yourselves, families, colleagues, and communities.