History: a Massachusetts Community Activity

16th Annual MA History Conference – Held online

Engaging public history, including local history activities, is crucial to the civic well-being of our communities, our Commonwealth, and our nation. The conference focused on history as a community activity, with more than fifteen sessions and workshops, a plenary by community history scholar Diana Becerra, a Commons area with tabling, and plenty of opportunities to meet and greet, network, exchange ideas and hatch plans and collaborations. Due to ongoing concerns about Covid-19, this year’s conference was held online

Agenda for Jun 7, 2021

11:00AM-12:00PM

Community-Driven Exhibit Planning
Speakers: Bridget Peregrino, Stacen Goldman, Laura Rankin

1:00PM-2:15PM

Welcome and Keynote Address
Speakers: Diana Sierra Becerra

2:30PM-3:30PM

Finding Community Through History
Speakers: Charan Devereaux, Lee Blake, Keidrick Roy

Curating Marginalized Heritage
Speakers: Abby Battis, Kisha Tracy

Engaging Community, Building Digital Collections: An Introduction to RoPA (the Roadmap for Participatory Archiving)
Speaker: Sarah Collins

3:45PM-4:45PM

Unceasing Access: Research and Collection Development During Covid-19
Speakers: Brian Sheehy, Amita Kiley, Robert Forrant, Mark Cutler

Museum Education: How to Start (If your organization is small), How to Grow (If your program already exists), and Lessons Learned
Speakers: Michelle Pizzilo, Katie MacDonald, Kristin Gallas, Saria Sweeney

Indigenous Communities and Historical Institutions: Beginning Conversations, Building Relationships
Speakers: Faries Gray, Niki Lefebvre

5:00PM-6:00PM

Happy Hour and Awards