The 65^th Annual Conference of the Western History Association (WHA) coincided with a formative and stressful part of my graduate school career. Two weeks prior to arriving in Albuquerque, I had completed written comprehensive exams; I was scheduled to complete my oral examinations to advance into candidacy a week after the conference. Coupled with the ongoing stress of exams and the current state of academia, the conference was timely for me to gain motivation and continue through with the work that I am doing. The WHA conference also broadened my perspective on the type of opportunities and networks that may be available to me while progressing through graduate school and into a career.

For first-time attendees like me this year, I must say that initial introductions to the WHA conference can be somewhat overwhelming. This year’s conference included over two hundred panels, breakfast talks and luncheons, plenary speeches, tours, and events. With so many events and people, it can initially feel difficult to find grounding. I know I felt senses of imposter syndrome stepping into the hotel lobby.

However, I was fortunate to participate as graduate student staff that allowed me to connect with fellow students. I met people pursuing a variety of historical topics from various graduate programs. Some folks even related to my interests in histories of Mexican-origin communities of the Pacific Northwest. I was happy to meet Sharon Salgado Martinez and to learn that folks like her are working toward more fully developing and sharing the histories of Mexican-origin communities.

Along with networking opportunities, serving as graduate student staff also exposed me to the on-the-ground work that made the WHA conference possible. Shania Lopez-Cabrera created a welcoming and well-organized environment for graduate students who staffed the conference. She also made sure that graduate staff were aware of free food and books that were available to us. For someone just being introduced to the broader world of academic conferences, my involvement as a graduate staff member opened me up to connecting with people and scholars dedicated to their respective fields of study and dedicated to ensuring smooth operations of the WHA conference.

Supported by the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University, the Graduate Student Workshop was another meaningful activity that I had the opportunity to be involved in. I met passionate archivists who were more than enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge, expertise, and resources in support of my research and the research of fellow graduate students. Hannah Abelbeck, Libby Trones, and Dylan McDonald even sent follow up correspondence about funding resources to the affinity group I was part of for the workshop.

I also got the chance to meet fellow graduate students through the Graduate Student Workshop. Their passion and approaches to their work motivate me and push me to reconsider how to frame and approach my research. I was particularly interested in listening to Bethany Bass and Kara Culp about their research projects on the educational histories of Black and Brown communities in Texas. Their work connects with histories I hope to further understand; part of my research involves considerations of how children of migrant farm-working families experienced education. Overall, I felt that participating in the Graduate Student Workshop was immensely beneficial to me. I am grateful to the workshop organizers who put together the “Education, schools, desegregation, and policy” affinity group for the workshop.

Along with new people I met at the WHA conference, I had the opportunity to spend time with people close to home and to rekindle past working connections with folks who are part of my origin communities. I presented on the panel “Community Across Borders: Pan-Latino Histories in a Vast West” with Jonathan Angulo—whose thorough research and kind questions made me think through ways I could improve my own work. I had time to have lunch with faculty from my home department at Washington State University (WSU)—Dr. L Heidenreich, Dr. Iván González-Soto, and Dr. Shiloh Green-Soto. I had coffee with a former work colleague, Dr. Jerry Garcia. My time with Dr. Garcia turned toward a conversation about potential archival donations to WSU’s Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections. Rekindling previous connections while fostering new ones has led to pathways in building onto the history of Mexican-origin and Latino communities.

Overall, the 65th Annual WHA Conference broadened ideas about what is possible for me as a graduate student in history. Editors at book presses were kind enough to set time aside and discuss with me the steps and long processes that authors and presses take to publish books. If I had not attended the conference, I most likely would not consider the possibility of publishing the work that I set out to do. I feel that my participation and involvement at the conference opened potential pathways, collaborations, and conversations with people I would otherwise not have had the chance to meet. I hope to cross paths with folks I met at this conference in the future and to continue our conversations. I appreciate the experience of attending the WHA conference and thank the WHA Graduate Student Prize Committee for allowing me to attend. I am hopeful to attend next year’s conference in Portland!

Bend, OR — November 5, 2025 — Today, the High Desert Museum announces the Schnitzer Prize of the West, an inaugural initiative launched in close partnership with Jordan D. Schnitzer and the Harold and Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation. The new Prize—the first of its kind in the region—will award $50,000 annually to an individual or a small group of individuals whose work addresses environmental and conservation challenges of the American West, with a particular focus on honoring, innovation, social impact, and uncommon collaboration. The open call for self- and third-party nominations runs on the High Desert Museum’s website from today through January 1, 2026.

In a moment when the American West—and the world-at-large—is confronting unprecedented ecological challenges, the Prize seeks to highlight innovative responses to urgent issues such as water scarcity, tribal rights and sovereignty, land-stewardship, changing climate, and more—offering models that can be replicated in other areas of the country facing similar pressures.

Since its founding in 1982, the High Desert Museum has been dedicated to sharing the stories of the American West through wildlife, art, cultures, history, and interdisciplinary experiences, creating a shared connection and dialogue among its community. The Prize builds on this commitment to conservation and on past initiatives such as the Earle A. Chiles Award—which recognized significant “Win-Win” contributions to managing the High Desert region's natural resources—as well as the Museum’s partnership with lifelong Portland resident and West Coast businessman Jordan D. Schnitzer, a dedicated steward of the local community and the region’s advancement.

“The Schnitzer Prize of the West is an exceedingly timely and relevant effort to shine a light on the innovators, collaborators and visionaries among us,” says Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D, Executive Director of High Desert Museum. “Their work demonstrates that we can look toward our future together even as we consider the economic and ecological challenges before us.”  

“The Schnitzer Prize celebrates remarkable individuals and teams, who through their uncommon collaborations, are producing actionable solutions to the legacy challenges we face in the West,” said Jordan D. Schnitzer, President of Schnitzer Properties and The Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation.

Administered through the High Desert Museum, Prize nominations and applications will be evaluated by an esteemed panel of advisors comprised of former tribal leaders, ranchers & farmers, water policy and river restoration practitioners, a poet laureate and renowned historian, directors of prominent academic centers that focus on the study of the American West and more. To learn more about this dynamic group, visit the High Desert Museum website. 

The Prize is now accepting nominations, and selected nominees will be invited to submit a formal application in early 2026. Nominations not selected in this inaugural cycle will automatically carry over for two forthcoming cycles. The Prize Winner will be announced in the spring of 2026. In addition to the $50,000 cash prize, the Winner will also receive a unique piece of art during an award ceremony in Portland, Oregon.

For more information on the Schnitzer Prize of the West, nomination eligibility, and selection process, please visit highdesertmuseum.org/schnitzer-prize.

Anne Gregory

Graduate Student Scholarship Blog Post

The Western History Association 2025 Annual Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico was only my second WHA, my first being the year before in Kansas City, Missouri. This year, I had a wonderful experience and treasure the many great conversations I had in the hallways and ballrooms of the Albuquerque Convention Center. Attendees are the heart of the annual meeting and I met other graduate students, archivists, librarians, locals, professors, and independent scholars. Disenchantment was this conference’s annual theme, a fitting expression for a challenging year. I have been inspired by this year’s conference theme to be more expansive in my scholarship and to devote more time in service to my community. I believe we, as historians, hold the potential to change the future by clearly narrating the past, bolstering society by telling artful histories.

I attended talks that opened possibilities for my scholarship. A highlight was a panel on African American history, titled “The Black Man’s Hope: Black Towns in the Trans-Mississippi West.” The panel presentation, featuring Jeanette Eileen Jones, Tonia M. Compton, Victoria McKeller-People, and Anthony Wood, was outstanding, with examples from Kansas and Colorado, in rural, urban, recreational, and organizational settings, with tips on sources and methodologies, and a discussion of current theories. I look forward to hearing more from these researchers at future gatherings.

I was fortunate to attend some great events. I heard this year’s Presidential Address from William Bauer, an inspiring reflection on family, titled “Indigenous Travelers in the American West.” Bauer shared a story about commemoration in the Round Valley community that touched on intergenerational memory and experience. I also met some great folks at the Presidential Lunch and had a nice chile relleno. Friday night’s Awards Ceremony and Reception was a whirlwind and I want to send best wishes to everyone that attended. Congratulations to all the recipients! Saturday’s Native Scholars Lunch was another wonderful get-together. Brenda Child received honors, and gave a poignant talk that reflected on work, family, and the field. 

My own panel on Indigenous health took place on Saturday, featuring Juliet Gilmore-Larkin, Maria John, and David DeJohn. Our conversation was fruitful and interesting. I presented my findings about health on the Dawes Enrollment Cards for the Muscogee Nation. After reading through the bulk of the enrollment records for the Muscogee and Seminole Nations, I could trace trends on marriage, mobility, maternity, child care, disability, and mortality during allotment. I shared a summary of this data plus a few initial conclusions, as well as some favorite allotment stories, to a receptive audience.

Conferences give graduate students like myself opportunities to hear up-to-the-moment research from leaders in the field and this year, I was lucky to see David DeJong give his presentation on successes working with the Gila River community in southern Arizona. I was also excited to hear about Juliet Gilmore-Larkin’s work on health, agency, and ableism. I am appreciative to everyone that came to hear us share our work. It is so crucial to have the opportunity to present my research to scholars in my field and I am grateful to everyone on my panel for their hard work. A special thank you to Juliet Gilmore-Larkin, our organizer, and Maria John, our chair.

Service is important to our organization and I had the exciting opportunity to join the Accessibility Committee. I am glad to have the chance to work with them to improve the WHA experience for everyone, as well as promote scholarship about ableism and disability in the West. I want to extend a thank you to this committee for supporting access both in the Western history community and beyond. I would also like to say thank you to everyone that organized and facilitated this year’s conference. Congratulations on a job well done.

My visit to the city was memorable. Albuquerque served crisp mountain air and the kind of sunshine that only happens in the desert. Downtown had a peaceful kind of quiet, its history present in muted colors. I made sure to find time to explore and try a few spots. I found a great little pizza place, JC’s New York Pizza Dept., where I ordered a cheese slice for lunch and indulged in vegetarian rolls at Sushi Hana, located on Central Ave.. for dinner. I also made time to splurge on an iced latte at The Brew, a vibrant coffee shop tucked away a few blocks from the Clyde. If I regret anything, it was not plunking down a dollar for the zine workshop. To the zine folks, please bring back the zine workshop in Portland, Oregon so that I can get a chance to make one next year.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at PDX 2026!

Balancing Networks: Reflections on the WHA Graduate Student Prize

Attending the Western History Association conference this year was an exercise in balance. Winning the Graduate Student Prize was deeply gratifying. Still, what stayed with me most was not this much-appreciated recognition—it was the challenge of juggling roles: committee chair, presenter, attendee, and colleague. The WHA has always been a place where scholarship and service overlap, and this year I felt that overlap acutely. I left Albuquerque with a renewed admiration for how this organization sustains the very networks of collaboration and service that enable historical practice and scholarship in the first place.

As Chair of the Public Education and Teaching Committee and a member of the Digital Scholarship Committee, much of my time in Albuquerque was spent in meetings and conversations about how we can better connect Western history to broader audiences. Our committee sponsored a session titled “Teaching Local History in/of the West,” featuring educators from Colorado State University who have been developing hands-on, place-based history programs for K–12 students. Learning about how their students learned about their own community’s history was a vivid reminder that teaching Western history isn’t only about revisiting the past; it’s about grounding the next generation in the complexity of where they stand.

That session set the tone for my week. The Teaching and Public Education Committee meetings were full of energy—new members with creative ideas, veterans sharing lessons learned, and genuine enthusiasm for how history education can adapt to the moment. Balancing those responsibilities with my own desire to attend panels, meet colleagues, and listen to cutting-edge research was difficult. There were moments I felt the tug between wanting to sit in on a discussion of Indigenous mapping projects or nineteenth-century irrigation politics and needing to return to a committee room to review proposals or plan our next initiative. But in that tension, I realized something fundamental: professional service isn’t a distraction from scholarship; it’s one of the ways we make it matter.

As historians, we often talk about networks—the formal and informal relationships that shape movements, communities, and change. At the WHA, I experienced what that actually feels like in real time: a web of conversations, panels, hallway introductions, and late-night debates that give life to an otherwise solitary discipline. I spent part of my week serving and the other part trying to absorb everything the conference offered, from digital scholarship workshops to panels on rural reform. Somewhere between those rooms, I began to see that these connections—between people, methods, and ideas—are the real architecture of the field.

I also presented my own work on a panel titled “Prairie People and Progressive Politics: Entrepreneurs, Money, Political Media, and Revolt on the Great Plains since 1877.” My paper, “Mobilizing the Middle Border,” examined the cooperative politics and entrepreneurial reform networks of agrarian activists in the Midwest during the Gilded Age. The feedback from my co-panelists, chair, and audience was sharp and generous, forcing me to think more critically about how reformers navigated their own contradictions—between profit and community, autonomy and solidarity. In a sense, that same contradiction mirrored my own week: the push and pull between personal intellectual ambition and collective responsibility.

The conference also offered a front-row seat to how a major professional gathering comes together. I was privileged to be invited to join the 2026 Program Committee. Observing how proposals are evaluated and sessions are balanced gave me new respect for the organizational labor that makes what seems effortless from the outside possible. Like the cooperative ventures my research examines, conferences depend on a shared commitment to process—sometimes slow, often imperfect, but ultimately democratic.

Beyond panels and meetings, one recurring topic seemed to animate nearly every hallway conversation: artificial intelligence. The range of views was striking. Some colleagues saw AI as a new pedagogical tool; others viewed it as a threat to critical thinking itself. The debate reminded me that our field has always lived at the intersection of technology and interpretation. The question isn’t whether to resist or embrace change, but how to teach discernment in a moment when both the archive and the classroom are rapidly transforming. This will remain a focus of both the Digital Scholarship and Teaching and Public Education committees.

By the time the conference ended, I felt both exhausted and recharged. Balancing committee obligations with intellectual curiosity had not been easy. I missed panels I wanted to attend, skipped social events I had planned for, and made edits to my talk between meetings. But that balancing act was instructive. It showed me that professional service is not an accessory to academic life; it is a form of practice—a way of learning to think collectively, to collaborate, and to understand the field as a living organism rather than an audience for our individual work.

If anything, my week at the WHA reaffirmed that history is a cooperative enterprise. The same values that shaped the reformers I study—mutual aid, shared labor, and the belief that small, local action can yield significant results—still animate the best of what we do as historians. Watching teachers, students, and scholars find common cause in public education sessions, seeing digital humanists and labor historians swap ideas, or hearing arguments spill over into the hotel lobby long after panels ended—all of it underscored that the WHA is not just a professional association. It is a community that continues to experiment with how to make history public, relevant, and humane.

Winning the Graduate Student Prize was, of course, an honor. But more importantly, it reminded me that recognition is less a culmination than an invitation—to keep showing up, to keep balancing curiosity with service, and to keep contributing to the shared project that is western history. If the people I study built cooperative institutions to navigate an uncertain world, then perhaps our own committees, classrooms, and conferences are their modern analogues: experiments in connection, held together by trust, debate, and the stubborn hope that collaboration still matters.

Every year, the Western History Association brings together scholars, students, and community members who share an interest in the histories, stories, and lived experiences of the North American West. This year’s conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was no exception. My week in Albuquerque was a whirlwind of scholarship, networking, delicious food, and a few logistical hiccups, but it left me energized and grateful to be part of this community of historians.

I arrived on Tuesday as part of the graduate student staff and dove right into behind-the-scenes work. It gave me an early glimpse of the scale of the conference and a chance to meet the other grad staff members. By the end of the evening, we had organized over one thousand tote bags – which I know many of us look forward to getting each year.

Wednesday, after taking the day to walk around the city with friends, the conference officially kicked off with the opening reception at the Albuquerque Museum. The venue itself was amazing, and felt like the perfect spot for historians to come together. In between conversations, I wandered through the exhibits, learning more about the city in which I found myself for a few short days.

Thursday began early with the Environmental History breakfast, one of my favorite events of the conference. Over the course of the breakfast, scholars discussed their projects, shared advice, and caught up on each other’s progress. This year, I had the opportunity to meet some new folks at my table and even solicit a few words of wisdom as I continue working on my dissertation proposal. After breakfast, I spent the morning and early afternoon attending panels that highlighted graduate student research on water history and the histories of empire in the American West.  Next, as a member of the WHA Graduate Student Cacus, I attended the Graduate Student Caucus lunch, and I was thrilled by the turnout. There’s something energizing about being in a room full of graduate students navigating similar stages of academic life, sharing concerns, celebrating wins, and brainstorming the future of the Grad Cacus and the WHA. Plus, the food was delicious. Afterward, I took some time to catch up with old friends and wandered the city a bit. Finally, Thursday ended on a high note with the Graduate Student Reception. Leah and the 2024–25 committee truly outdid themselves in planning the event. It was lively, welcoming, and full of opportunities to connect with students from across the country.

Friday was another busy day, beginning with the Coalition for Western Women’s History breakfast. It was my first time attending, and I left feeling inspired by the incredible work being done by scholars dedicated to gender and women’s history in the West. From there, I headed straight into presenting at an 8:15 a.m. roundtable titled “New Voices in the Histories of Gender and Sexuality in the American West.” Despite the early hour, we had a strong turnout, and the audience’s engagement made the session memorable. The questions and discussion that followed affirmed the direction of my project and helped me think more deeply about its broader implications. After the roundtable, I prepared for my second presentation of the day as part of the Early-Stage Research Lightning Round. Presenting work at such an early point in my dissertation process was both vulnerable and exciting, and it was encouraging to see the support and curiosity from my fellow presenters and attendees. With my presentations complete, I allowed myself a bit of time to wander through the exhibit hall. Of course, no WHA exhibit hall experience is complete without buying a few new books. Later in the afternoon, I attended the CWWH/CRAW reception to continue conversations from the morning’s breakfast. Then, I headed to the Awards Ceremony, where I was honored to receive the graduate student prize. It was a moment that made me pause and appreciate how grateful I am for the mentorship of Leisl Carr Childers and Mike Childers which introduced to the WHA back in San Antonio in 2022. The day wrapped up with the Veterans and Allies Reception hosted by the Applied History Initiative. There, I made new connections and even began sketching out ideas for a panel I hope to submit for next year’s conference. The collaborative spirit of WHA is always strong in informal gatherings like this, where unexpected conversations spark new ideas.

Saturday, I took the morning to explore Albuquerque’s food scene and squeezed in a few final panels before shifting into travel mode. Unfortunately, a cancelled flight meant an extra night, but I eventually made it back to Champaign on Sunday, tired yet full of gratitude. Even before I left New Mexico, I found myself already making plans for next year’s conference and I already can’t wait.

Furthermore, I am incredibly grateful for the support of the WHA and the scholars I have come to call friends since my first conference in 2022. This award comes a crucial point in my trajectory as a student and being able to fully engage in the conference was more valuable than many can know. The WHA always make a point to support grad students the best they can, and it shows in their awards, the program, and the number of graduate students that participate every year. It is for this reason, among others, I am proud to be a part of the WHA, and continue to look forward to attending each year.

 

Dale Mize

University of Illinois

I am grateful to the Western Historical Association for awarding me the Graduate Student Prize, which made my first WHA conference a truly memorable experience. The WHA Conference is the largest conference I have ever presented at, and the first conference at which I took advantage of all the different networking events and ceremonies. I am in a unique position compared to other awardees, as I have recently graduated from a master's program and am currently applying to PhD programs. This further pushed me to use every spare minute and session as an opportunity to meet graduate students and professors. In the months leading up to the conference, I studied the program closely and meticulously planned every hour of the three days.

After the eleven-hour drive through miles of Texas and New Mexico desert, my colleague, Madeline Johnson, and I finally arrived in Albuquerque, New Mexico. On the drive up, I reached out to multiple professors and graduate students at potential PhD programs I plan to apply to this upcoming cycle. I hit the ground running and met up with a graduate student right as we stepped into the hotel on Wednesday night. After an invigorating two-hour conversation about the program, our research, and the application process, I moseyed off to bed feeling excited for the days to follow.

Madeline and I woke up bright and early the next morning to meet up with Dr. Valerio-Jimenez before our 8 o’clock panel, “Critical Histories of Archives in Texas”. Although we struggled with the AV system, the intimate, casual setting created a great atmosphere for engaging with fellow public historians and archivists. The next panel I was particularly excited for was “Emotional Frontiers: Towards a History of Feelings in the North American West”, because the panel focused on queer and Chicano activism. What was most striking to me was Magaly Ordonez’s presentation on the cannabis culture and queer activism in the 1970s. The panel inspired me to consider how/if cannabis culture influenced queer activism in San Antonio during the 1970s.

When “Doing Queer History” was added to the program at the last minute, I was ecstatic! The session led to an open discussion among professors, students, and public historians about the current state of queer history, the issues, and ongoing political developments. The inclusive and caring atmosphere during the session and for the entire conference cultivated a safe environment that allowed all scholars to speak freely. As a historian from Texas, I understand the importance and urgency of these conversations. As a new historian in queer history, it was informative to hear from historians who have been researching queer history for much longer than I have.

Between sessions, I had the opportunity to talk with professors about what I am looking for in a PhD program and to understand how programs can vary. To end the long day, I headed to the presidential plenary and the graduate student reception! Not only was the food so needed after a long day, but it also allowed me to unwind with fellow graduate students and make connections for future potential collaborations. I meet archivists from Big Bend, Kentucky, and Phd students from Massachusetts and Lubbock, Texas. Everyone was so nice and eager to share their research interests, as well as suggest potential sources, archives, or ideas that might help my research.

Friday was another early morning since I sat on another panel titled “New Voices in the Histories of Gender and Sexuality in the American West”. Before the session, I met the other amazing historians working in the field of gender and sexuality in the West, and hearing about their research was truly captivating and inspiring. It was an amazing feeling to be surrounded by peers who were in similar stages of their research and building connections within our field. In uncertain times, it is easy to become disillusioned with reality, but I left this session being reminded that I am not alone in my experience and that others are as determined as I am to preserve this history.

After my session, I spoke with attendees who shared similar research interests with me and exchanged information and reading suggestions. The rest of my day was packed with panels, one of my favorites was “Market Relationships and the Migrant Entrepreneurs”, where I learned about new histories of swap meets and street vendors in Los Angeles, California, alongside histories of Indigenous Hawaiian lei markets in Honolulu, Hawaii. One of the biggest takeaways was Dr. Julia Brown Bernstein’s concept “plazamaking,” which describes how migrants create a sense of belonging and adapt to life in urban Los Angeles in the neoliberal era. As someone interested in Mexican American history, Dr. Bernstein’s presentation demonstrated various ways to analyze foundational concepts in the field, such as identity, cultural negotiation, and autonomy.

The last event I attended was the award ceremony, where I gathered with all the friends I made throughout the conference and congratulate my fellow historians on their accomplishments in history. On the long drive home, I reflected on my experience at the WHA Conference and felt supported with a renewed sense of purpose. I am deeply grateful to the WHA for this opportunity and to every person who shared their work and encouragement with me, and I look forward to carrying this momentum into the next chapter of my academic journey.

TSLAC Research Fellowship in Texas History

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) is now accepting applications for its 2026 Research Fellowship in Texas History. The fellowship includes a $2,000 stipend and is awarded for the best research proposal utilizing the collections of the State Archives in Austin or the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center in Liberty, Texas.

The TSLAC Research Fellowship in Texas History is made possible by the generous support of the Texas Library and Archives Foundation.

The application must include the purpose of the proposed research, collections of interest, a discussion of how this research will contribute to a greater understanding of Texas history, plans for dissemination and a curriculum vitae. The recipient of the fellowship will be asked to present the results of their research at a TSLAC event. Judges may withhold the award at their discretion.

Visit www.tsl.texas.gov/arc/researchfellowship to apply by January 15, 2026.

In partnership with Penn State’s Africana Research Center, the Richards Center established a competitive, one-year postdoctoral fellowship in 2012. The fellowship rewards recently graduated Ph.D.s studying aspects of the African American experience from slavery to Civil Rights.

Since 2020, Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts, Department of History, and the Richards Center have hosted a second Center-sponsored postdoctoral fellowship (in addition to our joint RCWEC/ARC fellowship). The fellowship rewards recently graduated Ph.D.s studying aspects of the Civil War Era, particularly focusing on slavery and emancipation.

Both fellowships are one year with the possibility of renewal for a second year. While in residence, the fellows have access to the Center’s professional resources, receive guidance from a mentor, and participate in a series of professional development workshops. The fellows will present their research to the graduate community and will invite senior scholars in their field to the university to review and comment on their work.

https://richardscenter.la.psu.edu/fellowships/past-postdoctoral-fellows/

Application and Submission Process

Successful applicants must have completed all requirements for the Ph.D. within the previous four academic years. Salary/benefit package is competitive.

To be considered for this position, submit a complete application packet including a cover letter describing your research and goals for the scholarship year, a curriculum vita, and a list of three references. We will request writing samples and letters of recommendation from candidates who advance in the search process. Successful candidates must either have demonstrated a commitment to building an inclusive, equitable, and diverse campus community, or describe one or more ways they would envision doing so, given the opportunity.

Review of materials will begin November 1, 2025, and continue until the position has been filled. Please direct questions about the process via e-mail to richardscenter@psu.edu.

Postdoctoral Scholar, African American History

The Richards Center and the Africana Research Center invite applications for a postdoctoral scholar in African American history, beginning July 1, 2026. This is a one-year position, with a high possibility of renewal for a second year. All research interests spanning the origins of slavery through the civil rights movement will receive favorable consideration. Proposals that align with the Richards Center’s interests in slavery, abolition, and emancipation are especially welcome. During their residency, the scholar will have no teaching or administrative responsibilities. In addition, they will attend workshops, professional development sessions and other relevant events, and will be expected to take an active part in Penn State’s community of researchers.

For more information and how to apply, see here.

Postdoctoral Scholar, Civil War Era

The Richards Civil War Era Center, in conjunction with the Department of History and the College of the Liberal Arts, invites applications for a postdoctoral scholar in the history of the Civil War Era, beginning July 1, 2026. This is a one-year position, with a high possibility of renewal for a second year. All research interests spanning the pre-war period through Reconstruction will receive favorable consideration. Proposals that align with the Richards Center’s interests in slavery, abolition, and emancipation are especially welcome. During their residency, the scholar will have no teaching or administrative responsibilities. They will attend workshops, professional development sessions and other relevant events, and will be expected to take an active part in Penn State’s community of researchers.

For more information and how to apply, see here.

The LGBTQ+ History Association is pleased to announce a call for papers for its fourth conference, the Queer/Trans History Conference* 2026 (#QTHC26), to be held at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor from June 2 to 5, 2026. 

*Yes, this is a new name! The LGBTQ+ History Association has always interpreted “queer” as an umbrella that included queering of gender identity and expression, but it is important to name the work that we do more explicitly. With this name change, we’re affirming that this conference is a place to have the conversations about how sexuality, gender, and transness intersect and diverge. Also, in a political moment when the U.S. federal government is actively erasing trans history, we are committing to defending history, resisting fascism, and continuing to tell stories from the queer and/or trans past. 

Scholars working on any aspect of the queer and/or trans past, in any region of the world, during any period, are encouraged to apply. This conference highlights historical approaches to queer/trans scholarship, and while interdisciplinary approaches are welcome, we are soliciting proposals that explore queer/trans lives in the past. There is no specific theme; rather, we hope that this gathering will simply showcase the best of current work and new directions in the fields of queer and/or trans histories, including panels addressing historiographical debates or states-of-the-field. We encourage queer/trans scholarship on racial formations and racial capitalism, colonialism and empire, disability and embodiment, paid and unpaid labor, and practices of kinship and intimacy. Moreover, we are interested in panels that look beyond the twentieth-century United States. To promote robust conversations, we encourage panels organized by theme rather than region.

We particularly encourage panels and roundtables that respond to the political crises and technological changes impacting how we research, study, and teach queer/trans history today. In an era in which the teaching of history, ethnic studies and gender/sexuality studies faces increased scrutiny and backlash, we welcome panels and roundtables that explore critical reflections on queer/trans history in the classroom, from K-12 through higher education. As the US National Park Service deletes trans history content from government webpages, we encourage submissions that discuss queer/trans public history projects today. As the media through which queer/trans history knowledge circulates continue to diversify, we welcome panels that discuss how historians are using podcasts, online exhibitions, blogs, documentaries, social media rolls, Signal threads, Zoom webinars, and other formats to tell stories about the queer/trans past. 

Dorm rooms and on-campus hotel rooms will be available to make this conference as affordable as possible and registration fees will be minimal. 

A note from the conference co-chairs:

We want to thank members who’ve reached out to express concern about hosting the 2026 conference in the United States. We’re working to address those concerns, and particularly to make the conference as accessible as possible given the circumstances, including offering fully virtual options, sponsoring visas, and helping keep the costs of the conference as low as possible. We encourage folks to keep reaching out to us--this process is collaborative, and there would be no QTHC without all of you.

There is no perfect solution. While the U.S. is a place that international scholars may want to boycott or feel is unsafe to travel to, it is also a place that is hard for our trans and/or immigrant members to leave and return to. We also believe it is important to keep discussing trans and queer histories in the United States when the federal government is actively trying to erase these fields of inquiry. We considered several options and went with one where we had a dedicated local organizer with the capacity to facilitate the logistics on the ground. We want this conference to be accessible for as many people as possible. Ann Arbor has a generally welcoming climate for LGBTQ folks, ample institutional resources, interesting archives, and a richly documented local/regional LGBTQ history, so we’re excited about this opportunity. 

We see a future for the QTHC that continues to move around, and if you and your institution can host for 2028, please be in touch with the LGBTQ History Association co-chairs! We are open to a Canadian location for 2028, and look forward to an ongoing discussion with our membership to explore how best to facilitate accessible transnational dialogue about the queer/trans past in the years to come.

Guidelines for Submission

We are accepting proposals for:

1.      Fully in-person panels (three papers, a chair, and a comment; chair and comment roles can be fulfilled by the same person), roundtables (three to five speakers who will speak for 5-10 minutes each, plus a chair), workshops (an event in which one or more facilitators present on a topic and engage the audience in hands-on activity or constructive dialogue; examples might include  “Writing for the Public with the Editors of Nursing Clio,” “How to Launch a Podcast with Dig: A History Podcast,” “Writing a Book Proposal,” etc; workshops will require attendees to pre-register, and a max participant threshold should be set in the proposal), or single papers. 

2.     Fully virtual panels (three papers, a chair, and a comment; chair and comment roles can be fulfilled by the same person), roundtables (three to five speakers who will speak for 5-10 minutes each, plus a chair), or single papers. In response to member feedback about hybrid panels and prohibitive costs around technical support, we have decided not to accept hybrid proposals that require conference support to implement the hybrid experience. 

Our hope is that with options for fully virtual panels we can support opportunities for scholars who feel unsafe traveling to the United States to gather, share scholarship, and connect. 

We will consider individual paper submissions, out of which the program committee will assemble a very limited number of panels (either fully virtual or in-person). See below for ways to connect with others working in your field.

Panels and roundtables will be 1.5 hours. We encourage all full panel submissions to include at least one graduate student where possible. All panels should include a diversity of scholars in terms of institution, rank, and identity. Please only apply as part of one panel or roundtable. (The exception to this rule is for the role of chair or commentator, which may be performed by someone who is also giving a paper or appearing on a roundtable.) You do need to include someone to perform the chair, with an optional commenter. 

You may reach out to conference co-chairs for help in locating a chair and/or commentator: email conference@lgbtq-ha.org. In order to assemble panels, feel free to use the LGBTQHA listserv to connect with others working on similar topics (LGBTQHA@groups.io; if you are not already a member, you can register here: https://groups.io/g/lgbtqha) or use the hashtag #qthc26 on BlueSky or Facebook. 

Full Panels should include, in one Word document:

· Title of panel

· Panel abstract (300 words max.)

· Title and abstract for each paper (300 words max.)

· One-page CV or biographical statement with contact information for each participant

· Chair (required) and Commenter (optional) roles specified

Roundtables should include, in one Word document:

· Title of roundtable

· Panel abstract (300 words max.)

· Abstract for each contribution (300 words max.)

· One-page CV or biographical statement with contact information for each participant

· Chair role specified

Workshops should include, in one Word document:

· Title of workshop

· Workshop description  (300 words max.)

· Maximum number of participants 

· Expectations of participants (Do they need to bring a book proposal in progress? A laptop or other equipment? Sturdy walking shoes?) 

· Support that the facilitators would need from the conference staff

· Workshops can run up to 3 hours; please make a note in the proposal of the desired run time. 

· One-page CV or biographical statement with contact information for each facilitator

Single paper submissions should include, in one Word document:

· Title of paper

· Paper abstract (300 words max.)

· One-page CV or biographical statement with contact information

Please submit all proposals by November 1, 2025 to conference@lgbtq-ha.org. The QTHC 26 program committee will make decisions and send notifications in December. All presenters are expected to be (or become) members of the LGBTQ History Association by the time of the conference. Membership information is here.

The Huntington Library is now accepting Research Fellowship Applications for the 2026-2027 fellowship year for Long-Term, Short-Term, and Travel Grants/Exchange Fellowships.  

Long-Term fellowships are open to all scholars with a PhD, and available for one term (4-5 months) with a $25,000 stipend or one academic year (9 months) with a $50,000 stipend. Short-term fellowships (1-3 months) with stipends of $4,000 per month are open to graduate students, faculty, postdocs, working artists, creative writers, and independent researchers working on a scholarly project served by The Huntington's collections. Travel Grants/Exchange fellowships (1 month) with either a $4,000 stipend or room and board provided by the host institution are available to scholars at any stage from ABD onwards for research outside of North America, particularly with exchange partners in the UK, or in continental Europe or Latin America.

For more information about the types of fellowships, see https://www.huntington.org/available-fellowships   

For details of eligibility and the applications process, see https://www.huntington.org/fellowships and for answers to frequently asked questions, see https://huntington.org/fellowship-faqs  

Applications are due by 11:59 PM PST on November 15, 2025.