Reports on a study of the opinions regarding the state of the art of historical research, writing, and instruction among 1,047 readers of the "Journal of American History," the journal of the Organization of American Historians. (CFR)

Provides an interpretation of survey results of historians by an Italian scholar of American studies. Maintains that U.S. historians and historiography are changing the way Italian and other European scholars view history and its societal role. Concludes that cultural and intellectual pluralism is deeply rooted in U.S. political culture. (CFR)

Reports on two interviews between a historian and Ken Burns, the documentary filmmaker. Discusses the role and interrelationship of academic historians in the making of documentary historical films. Argues that academic historians have lost touch with the public and this role has fallen to amateur historians. (CFR)

Discusses historians' attitudes expressed in a survey about cultural diversity, social change, and historical research. Questions basic public interests and needs that people feel. Concludes that the great strength of the United States is that individuals have the freedom to pursue individual searches for memory and meaning. (CFR)

Traces the development of Afro-American history since Carter Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915. Reviews two books, BLACK HISTORY AND THE HISTORICAL PROFESSION (Meier and Elliott, 1986) and THE STATE OF AFRO-AMERICAN HISTORY: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE (Hine, 1986), stating that they illustrate the…

Contends that history is a nearly "sense-less" profession because reading is almost the only source of historical understanding. Reviews content related to sensory experiences in college history textbooks. Argues that including language about the senses in historical writing and instruction will enlarge the audience and the field of…

Discusses and analyzes results from a survey of historians on historical research and the goals of history in a society. Asserts that the responses show a profession that is heterogeneous in background and attitudes. Compares the role of history and historical interpretation in the United States and Argentina. (CFR)

Contends that the results of a survey of historians indicate a profession divided within itself. Maintains that cultural diversity was considered one of the "best" and "worst" attributes of contemporary U.S. society. Discusses the concept of progress and its current historical interpretations. (CFR)

Maintains that academic historians are frustrated about their ability to reach different publics. Describes the National Park Service's public history activities. Concludes that exciting opportunities exist for academic historians in research and presentation of U.S. history. (CFR)

Discusses the process of moving state capitals (between 1776 and 1812) to achieve equal representation through geographic centrality. Presents contemporary arguments for the process including the belief that central location of the capital promoted better attendance by all state representatives. Describes how the system was replaced by numerical…

Offers suggestions concerning the nature of memories as captured in oral interviews by analyzing interviews with former employees of the Studebaker Corporation automobile plant in South Bend, Indiana. Stresses not only what people remember, but also how they go about the creation of their memories and how their memories give meaning to their…

States that U.S. historians have dismissed the Spanish Borderlands as irrelevant historic development of the United States. Reports that a survey of history textbooks used in U.S. colleges and universities revealed this lack of interest. Discusses early historiography of Spanish Texas, stating that recent research compels historians to reevaluate…

Examines the historical characteristics of women in the United States. Discusses the conceptions of women's roles expressed by writers from Alexis de Tocqueville to Betty Friedan, specifically the notion of the woman's "sphere" in society. Concludes that the idea of "separate spheres" was used to characterize power…

Uses Frederick Douglass' efforts to preserve the memory of the Civil War to illustrate the issue of memory in U.S. history. Illustrates the dangers of collective forgetting while giving deference to the healing function of forgetting on the personal level. (KO)

Offers a perspective on the multiple and unequal meanings of citizenship in U.S. history that favors an emphasis on citizenship as a legal status, a source of obligations, and an ideal kept alive by active commitment. Calls for expanded engagement in public life to give meaning to promises of equal citizenship. (DSK)