Association of Public Historians of New York State News

2025 Annual Conference

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 01:22:50 GMT

“Small Communities, Big Ideas”

The Association of Public Historians of New York State (APHNYS) is pleased to announce that our 2025 Annual Conference will be held in Cazenovia, NY, October 6-8, 2025. Our conference draws more than 100 government-appointed historians and affiliates from across the state. The conference will be held at the Hampton Inn & Suites, located at 25 Laker Lane, Cazenovia, NY 13035.

APHNYS Conference

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 18:01:39 GMT

SAVE THE DATE: The APHNYS Conference will take place in Cazenovia October 6-8, 2025. More details will follow.

Election of 2025 Officers

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 20:34:16 GMT

The Association of Public Historians of New York State (APHNYS) is pleased to announce the election of its new officers for the year 2025. The election took place at the organization's 2025 organizational meeting on January 10, 2025.

Julie Madlin, City of Ogdensburg Historian, was elected as the President of APHNYS.

Samantha Hall-Saladino, Fulton County Historian, was elected as the 1st Vice-President. Lauren Roberts, Saratoga County Historian, was elected as the 2nd Vice-President.

Sarah Landschoot Riegel, Town of Phelps Historian, was elected as the Secretary, and

Mary Cascone, Town of Babylon Historian, was elected as the Treasurer.

The APHNYS Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing the organization's operations and advocating for the preservation of New York State's history. The board holds regular meetings on the second Friday of each month from 9:30 to 11 am, which are held online via Zoom. The board can be contacted at any time through the organization's website at https://www.aphnys.org/APHNYS-Officers-and-Directors.

APHNYS Accepting Proposals for 2024 Conference - Share your work!

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 13:43:18 GMT

The APHNYS Program Committee is still accepting proposals for our upcoming 2024 Annual Conference being held on Long Island this year! Our theme, It's a Whale of a Tale: Outstanding Narratives in NYS History, is meant to inspire historians to think about the way historical narrative is shaped, as well as how it is conveyed to the public. Proposals can include individual sessions, workshops or panel discussions. The deadline to submit proposals is April 30th. To view our conference theme or submit a proposal, click here: https://aphnys.org/page-18086

Regional Spring Conferences 2024

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 23:21:01 GMT

The 2024 Regional Spring Conference Schedule is linked here. We hope you'll take the opportunity to attend, meet with fellow historians and learn something new! Regional Meetings.pdf

2024 Officers Elected

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:17:10 GMT

At its 2024 organizational meeting on January 9, 2024, the APHNYS Board of Directors elected the following officers for the year:

President—Christine Ridarsky

1st Vice-President—Julie Madlin

2nd Vice-President—Samantha Hall-Saladino

Secretary—Babette Huber

Treasurer—Mary Cascone

Regular meetings of the board will be held on the second Friday of each month from 9:30 to 11 am. Most meetings will be held online via Zoom or Google Meet. Committee appointments will be announced soon.

Updated 2023 Conference Program

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 02:53:51 GMT

The 2023 Annual Conference is just a little over a month away! Don't forget to register! We've updated the preliminary conference program to include details on the keynote speaker and tour options. Check it out here. We can't wait to see you in Ithaca in September!

Order your APHNYS Merchandise

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 02:58:56 GMT

Once again, APHNYS will have fun historian merchandise available for purchase at the annual conference, September 18-20, 2023. Make sure you get what you want before it sells out by pre-ordering using this form.

We will send you an email confirming the total cost of your order. Payment will be made in person at the conference by cash, check or charge card. Additional items will be for sale at the conference.

If you have any questions, please email mcascone@townofbabylon.com.

2023 New York State Family History Conference

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 02:56:51 GMT

The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society’s (NYG&B) 2023 New York State Family History Conference will be held in person and virtually Nov. 2–4, 2023. This year’s conference, “Navigating New York: From Queens to the Queen City,” will feature in-person and virtual programs and events in New York City and Buffalo, alongside access to more than 20 on-demand sessions, which can be viewed until December 15, 2023. In addition, all live sessions in New York City and Buffalo will be recorded and also made available on demand until December 15, 2023. Go to this link for more information.

Online registration for APHNYS 2023 Ithaca conference is open

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 00:40:47 GMT

We have opened the online registration for the APHNYS 2023 conference to be held in Ithaca from September 18-20, 2023. Go to https://www.aphnys.org/event-5122052 to register with a credit card. If you want to send in the form with a check, go to https://www.aphnys.org/resources/2023%20Conferenence%20Registration%20Final.pdf Please mail the form and check to APHNYS, PO Box 1363, Sag Harbor, NY 11963.

New York State 250th Commemorative Field Guide

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 03:13:14 GMT

The year 2026 will mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the foundational document of the revolution that occurred between 1774 and 1783 and resulted in the creation of the United States of America. What is now the State of New York played an immense and vital role in both the Revolutionary Era and the subsequent 250 years of American history. Planning for such an important commemoration in a comprehensive way at the local, regional, and/or state level can be a daunting task. Because of this, the Association of Public Historians of New York State (APHNYS) has partnered with the Office of State History at the New York State Museum to produce the New York State 250th Commemoration Field Guide which provides suggested commemorative themes, ideas, and information to help planners at the local and regional level in all parts of the state.

On February 24, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law the “New York State 250th Commemoration Act,” establishing a state commission to facilitate the planning and development of the commemoration of the 250th in New York State. This bill was introduced in the State Assembly by Assembly member Carrie Woerner and in the State Senate by Senator Shelley B. Mayer and passed both houses of the legislature unanimously. The 250th Commemoration Act draws particular notice to the potential of the 250th commemoration to consider both the complexity of the American Revolution itself and the continuing struggle to achieve the ideals of the Revolution that at the time excluded a large portion of the population.

We ask you to consider each of the themes in this field guide as suggestions for how your community or organization can begin to think about commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of this nation. Each local community and region of the state has its own unique story to tell which together tell the history of the state itself. We urge you to take this once per half-century opportunity to help tell that history so that it may be preserved for the coming centuries.

We will keep you posted as the commemoration moves forward.

APHNYS Fall 2023 Conference Preliminary Program is available

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 21:31:22 GMT

The Preliminary Program for the upcoming conference in Ithaca from September 18-20, 2023 - "Home, Sweet Home" - is now available at 2023 prelim program for website (aphnys.org) We still have a few details to work out, but our sessions are basically set. When we have the final information ready, we'll be opening up the on-line registration for the conference. A reminder of the conference cost:

Member - Full conference $65.

Member - One day $25.00

Member - Virtual $100.00

Non-member - Full conference $85.00

Non-member - One day $50.00

Non-member - Virtual Conference $150.00

You have until August 18 to make your Hotel Reservation.

The conference will be held at the Hotel Ithaca, located at 222 South Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850. The conference rate is $139 a night.

Booking can be made on-line with the APHNYS conference rate by using this link: APHNYS Room Reservations at the Hotel Ithaca

You can also call 607-272-1000 to make reservations. Be sure to mention APHNYS in your phone call. The cut-off date is August 18, 2023. After that date, rooms will be subject to availability.

Region 11 Spring Meeting

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 18:22:10 GMT

Saturday, May 20, 2023, 9 am-1 pm*

Victor Town Hall, 85 East Main Street, Victor

8:30-9:00—Registration and Refreshments

9:00-9:15—Welcome by Babette Huber, Town and Village of Victor Historian,

APHNYS Board of Trustees Member

9:15-10:00—"House Histories”, Wilma Townsend, Curator, Ontario County

Historical Society

10:15-11:00—"Attracting the Next Generation and Beyond”, Panel

11:15-12:00—Sharing information, questions, gripes, kudos—all attendees

*12:00-12:30—Lunch time for those attending the Cemetery Cleaning workshop

(please bring your own lunch)

Region 2 Spring Meeting

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 18:19:39 GMT

Region 2 will hold its spring meeting on Saturday, May 6, 2023, 10am to noon.

Region 9 Spring Meeting

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 18:17:02 GMT

The Region 9 Historian’s Meeting will be Saturday May 13th, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Samuel Center for Canal History (38 Rochester St., Port Byron), a former Catholic Church being given new life as a research center!!!

Schedule of events:

9:00-9:10 Welcome & Introduction from Cayuga County Historian Ruth Bradley

9:10-10:00-Dan Wiles, Park Manager at the Port Byron Old Erie Canal Heritage, and manager of the Samuel Center will talk about how the building came to be, what the plans for the future are and the new research center.

10:50-10:50- A national representative from the Daughters of the American Revolution, American Revolution’s 250th committee will speak (virtually) about the organizations’ plans and how local historians can get involved.

10:50-11:40-Devin Lander, NYS Historian will talk about the state’s work on the upcoming 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, and what you can do in your local community to assist.

11:40-12:15 Lunch

12:15-1:00 APHNYS Updates, 1779 Sullivan Campaign Working group and we will let you have the floor and talk about what you are doing, frustrations you are having, anything that you feel is pertinent to your role as a municipal public historian

Registration is $15 and includes a boxed sandwich lunch from Potter’s Family Restaurant. All lunch options include a sandwich (mayo & mustard are on the side), chips, macaroni salad, cookie and a water. Please let me know which option you would like:

1.) Turkey & Provolone on Multigrain with lettuce & tomato

2.) Ham & Swiss on sourdough with lettuce & tomato

3.) Roast Beef & Cheddar on Rye with lettuce & tomato

4.) Grilled Balsamic Vegetable Wrap

Please make your payment out to APHNYS, and mail it and your lunch choice to:

Madison County Historian

PO Box 668

Wampsville, NY 13163

Region 6B Spring Meeting (Franklin & St. Lawrence Counties)

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 23:06:50 GMT

May 6, 2023

Start time 9 am.

Coffee, tea, and pastries provided by the Madrid Historian and her Deputy/Co- Historian

Opening and welcome by County Historian- Nancy LaFaver

Introduction of Historians and hosts- Nancy LaFaver

Announcements= Nancy LaFaver

Roundtable with Historians- moderated by Nancy LaFaver

Compliments/Complaints- Nancy LaFaver

Program- Presentation by Madrid Historian-Sara Day Schulz and Co Historian- Carrie Rutherford

Followed by a tour of the Walker House Museum

Departure

contact Nancy LaFaver

NLaFaver@stlawco.org

Region 7 of APHNYS will hold its spring 2023 meeting in Herkimer on

Saturday, April 22, 2023 at the Dutch Reformed Church on North Main Street

Herkimer across the street from the Herkimer County Historical Society. The

meeting will begin at 9:30AM and end at 2:30PM

9:30- 10:00 register and sign-in; coffee mingle with others

10:00-10:45 Samantha Hall-Saladino (Fulton County Historian) “Elizabeth

Cady Stanton and Fulton County Historical Society Resources for historians”

10:45-11:30 Ron Ketelsen (Sharon Springs H.S. president) “How To Revive

Your Historical Society”

11:30 - 12:00 Justine Hutchinson (Herkimer Reformed Church Administrative

Assistant ) “Dutch Reformed Church and Palatine Settlers”

12:00-12:45 Lunch -visit bookstore

12:45-1:30 “Incorporating DNA results into Genealogy Research” Cassandra

Castle (Herkimer County H.S. Executive Director)

1:30-2:30 James Greiner (Herkimer County Historian) “Murder and Mayhem

in Herkimer”

2:30-? Visit the jail and Suiter Mansion

Region 3 Spring Meeting

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 23:05:14 GMT

Friday, April 28, 11:30-1 PM "Lunch Break Brown Bag"

at: The Historical Society of Rockland County | 20 Zukor Road New City, NY 10956 | 845-634-9629

Their director, Susan Deeks, has kindly offered to host us.

Bring your own lunch.
Send me any agenda items you think need discussion. Otherwise, I envision this as an informal discussion time, with some emphasis on what our communities are doing (or not doing) to prepare for the nation's 250th. We can also enjoy seeing the host site and their exhibits.
Please RSVP if you think you will attend so we have an approximate head count. The room holds up to 40.
I do not at this time plan to have a virtual attendance option, but if I hear back from several that you need that, I will gather your emails and send out a Zoom link, and set up my laptop, and see how that works for you.
I will also ask for someone to take notes, to share with those not able to attend.
Note: We will have a 'free will' donation basket for the host organization. You'd be surprised how few organizations in our Region there are that can or will host-- for free-- this kind of meeting that are 'relatively central or at least equally

inconvenient for most.'

RSVP: The courtesy of a reply is requested by April 20.

contact

Sue Gardner

warwickhistory@gmail.com

Region 7 Spring Meeting

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 22:59:55 GMT

Region 7 of APHNYS will hold its spring 2023 meeting in Herkimer on

Saturday, April 22, 2023 at the Dutch Reformed Church on North Main Street

Herkimer across the street from the Herkimer County Historical Society. The

meeting will begin at 9:30AM and end at 2:30PM

9:30- 10:00 register and sign-in; coffee mingle with others

10:00-10:45 Samantha Hall-Saladino (Fulton County Historian) “Elizabeth

Cady Stanton and Fulton County Historical Society Resources for historians”

10:45-11:30 Ron Ketelsen (Sharon

Springs H.S. president) “How To Revive

Your Historical Society”

11:30 - 12:00 Justine Hutchinson (Herkimer Reformed Church Administrative

Assistant ) “Dutch Reformed Church and Palatine Settlers”

12:00-12:45 Lunch -visit bookstore

12:45-1:30 “Incorporating DNA results into Genealogy Research” Cassandra

Castle (Herkimer County H.S. Executive Director)

1:30-2:30 James Greiner (Herkimer County Historian) “Murder and Mayhem

in Herkimer”

2:30-? Visit the jail and Suiter Mansion

contact Dick Williams:

aladdin153@aol.com

Region 8 Spring Meeting

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 22:58:48 GMT

Region 8 Tri-County Conference Invite

A Gathering of Jefferson, Lewis, and Oswego County Historians

Lewis County Historical Society (LCHS)

7552 S. State Street, Lowville, New York 13367

Friday, May 12th, 10:00AM – 3:00PM

Doors Open 09:30. One Hour Optional Tour at 2:00PM

You are invited to attend the Region 8 Association of Public Historians New York State (APHNYS)

Conference with local historians from Jefferson, Lewis and Oswego Counties. This year’s event

will be held at the Lewis County Historical Society. The primary goal is bringing historians from

the region together where we learn of contacts as well as research processes from one another.

The cost to attend is $10.00 (payable to APHNYS) – light refreshments and lunch is provided. We

prefer this to be paid in advance, however, we will accept cash or check at the door.

Please RSVP and return the bottom portion by May 5th to:

Lewis County Historical Society (LCHS)

Tri-County Region 8 Conference

7552 S. State Street, Lowville, New York 13367

contact

Tom LaClair at historian@townofclayton.com

Passing of two long time local historians

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 17:58:17 GMT

Sorry to report that in a short period we have lost two stalwarts of our New York State local government historian community.

Wayne County Historian Peter Evans passed away on March 11. His obituary is at Obituary for Peter K. Evans | Young Funeral Home (youngfuneralhomeny.com). Peter served as an APHNYS trustee and as Region 11 Regional Coordinator and was a faithful attendee of our annual conferences. Our sympathies go to Sue-Jane and her entire family.

Dr. Marilyn VanDyke, former town of Queensbury Historian and a founding member of APHNYS, passed away on March 13. She was APHNYS second Vice President at its creation in 1999 and served on the board of trustees. She also was very active in APHNYS's predecessor organization, AMHNYS (Association of Municipal Historians of NYS). Here is her obituary. Our sympathies to her family: Marilyn VanDyke Obituary - South Glens Falls, NY | M.B. Kilmer Funeral Home- SGF

2023 APHNYS Conference Call for Proposals

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 22:05:56 GMT

Join us in Ithaca for our 2023 Annual Meeting!

"Home, Sweet, Home"

The Association of Public Historians of New York State (APHNYS) is pleased to announce that our 2023 Annual Conference will be held in Ithaca, NY, September 18-20, 2023. Our conference draws more than 100 government-appointed historians and affiliates from across the state.

Named after the island home of Homer’s King Odysseus, Ithaca sits on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake and is the seat of Tompkins County in the Finger Lakes region of Central New York. As we gather in Ithaca this fall, we consider the pull that the city’s mythological eponym had on its homesick hero and invite you to explore our theme— “Home, Sweet Home”—and its various implications.

How have people connected with the places they call home, whether their birthplace, adopted community, or ancestral origins? How have geographies and landscapes influenced people’s social, cultural, and economic experiences, whether in urban, suburban, or rural homes? How have people used the land they call home? How have people’s homes been a point of pride? How have people defined or redefined their homes? Their families? How have home spaces reflected safety and protection, or threat and vulnerability? What disruptions to homelife—war, captivity, enslavement, migration, natural disasters—have people faced? What have been the experiences of those without homes, those displaced from their homes, or those who lived in places they might not have considered home?

At this year’s conference, we invite New York’s public historians to explore these and other questions relating to the concept of home and its influence on the lives of people throughout our state’s history.

We invite proposals for workshops, panels, and presentations that explore this theme. Deadline: April 30 2023. The Program Committee will review proposals and respond to all applicants by June 15, 2023.

War of 1812 Program

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 22:56:37 GMT

Nancy LaFaver, Lisbon Town Historian and St. Lawrence County Historian, organized a children's program with Dana Denhoff, reenactor with Forsyth’s Rifles. Dressed in a Forsyth Rifles officer’s uniform from the War of 1812 era, Mr. Denhoff explained the uniform details and how to load and shoot it the rifle. He finished by describing the Battle of Ogdensburg for the group. The presentation held the students attention and even some of the parents learned some new information. After his presentation, the kids had a good time trying on the various uniform pieces.

Ms LaFaver followed up Mr. Denhoff’s presentation by describing a skirmish that took place in Lisbon (Red Mills today) in October of 1813 at Scott’s Tavern. The tavern is still intact and is now a private home.

Ms. met the children on February 18th to join County Legislator, Jim Reagen, for the reenactment and listened as he narrated the battle.

Everyone present agreed that a living history presentation and a reenactment is the best way to learn about historical people and events!

An update from APHNYS President, Ray LaFever

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 21:11:46 GMT

My first month as APHNYS President has been busy as I adjust to the role and transition some of my previous activities as 2^nd Vice President to our Vice Presidents Julie Madlin and Lauren Roberts. And the rest of the board has been busy too.

The program and local arrangements committees have met to discuss our fall conference, to be held September 18-20 in Ithaca. We expect soon to have the conference theme set and will be issuing the call for proposals. The local arrangements committee is finding a number of tour options – the committee’s big challenge will be winnowing them down to a manageable number. Ithaca has a lot to offer.

The membership committee, comprised of our regional coordinators and chaired by Julie Madlin and APHNYS Director Babette Huber, met in late January, mainly to discuss the spring regional meetings that several regions are planning. A list of our regional coordinators is at Association of Public Historians of New York State - APHNYS Officers, Directors and Regional Coordinators. We still are looking for coordinators for Regions 1 (New York City), 3 (Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester Counties) and 10 (Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Schuyler, Tioga, and Tompkins Counties).

APHNYS Director Jason Parkman has been working with the William G. Pomeroy Foundation on their plans for the inaugural Historic Marker Day, set for April 28. The purpose of the day is to clean historic markers. The Pomeroy Foundation would like to make this an annual event. More information about this is located at National Historic Marker Day | William G. Pomeroy Foundation (wgpfoundation.org). This is a great opportunity to involve various members of your communities in taking care of these markers. The site includes information on how to properly clean these. And it isn’t limited to just Pomeroy markers but all historic markers.

A reminder that all local government historian’s annual reports are to be submitted, not only to their appointing authority, but to the New York State Historian. An on-line form is available at Historian Annual Report Form | The New York State Museum (nysed.gov). The site also gives you an option to download the form and submit it that way.

I want to alert everyone to scam/phishing e-mails that our board have been receiving. Messages appear to come from me or from our treasurer Zach Studenroth. They often, but not always, reference the need for assistance in carrying out some type of financial transaction. Sometimes the ones coming to me are more along the line of “do you have a few minutes to talk today?” They appear to come from the publichistoriansnys@gmail.com address, but if you look more closely or hit reply, you’ll see a totally different address.

We have not heard of any of our members getting such messages, but we thought we should alert you just in case. If you ever get something like this from us, do not respond to it. There isn’t much we can do to prevent this. Scammers often go to public websites and harvest the information. The main thing we can do is be vigilant. Whenever you get an e-mail from anyone that makes you a little nervous, listen to your instincts and check it out before making any response.

Don’t forget to renew your APHNYS membership if you have yet to do so. You can do it on-line with your credit by going to Association of Public Historians of New York State - Join (aphnys.org). You can download a membership form if you prefer to mail in your check. The form is at 2023 APHNYS Dues and Membership Form.pdf.

Ray LaFever, APHNYS President

APHNYS Board of Directors and Officers for 2023

Raymond LaFever — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 14:58:55 GMT

The APHNYS Board of Directors held its organizational meeting on January 9 and elected the following slate of officers:

President – Ray LaFever, Town of Bovina Historian

1^st Vice President – Julie Madlin, City of Ogdensburg Historian

2^nd Vice President – Lauren Roberts, Saratoga County Historian

Secretary – Samantha Hall-Saladino, Fulton County Historian

Treasurer – Zachary Studenroth, Village of Southhampton Historian

The board welcomed two new members, elected at last fall’s annual meeting in Kingston, Stan Cianfarano, Warren County Historian and Jason Parkman, Town of Elbridge Historian. A complete list of our officers and directors, as well as of our regional coordinators, is on our website at Association of Public Historians of New York State - APHNYS Officers, Trustees and Regional Coordinators

I’m taking on the role as APHNYS President with some trepidation, following in the footsteps of Christine Ridarsky, Rose Tucker, Gerry Smith and Carol McKenna, but I’m grateful for the great Board of Directors who help to ensure the smooth running of things and to keep me on my toes. I’m particularly grateful to Julie and Lauren for stepping into the Vice President positions. I’m breathing a little easier!

Kudos and hats off to Christine Ridarsky, who shepherded APHNYS through one of its most challenging times as everyone coped with the pandemic. She was instrumental in making it possible for members to renew and to register for our conference on-line. Christine also led us through a much-needed change to our by-laws. And a thank you to departing board member and 1^st Vice President Matt Urtz, who was instrumental in coordinating the streaming options at our conferences over the past three years, among many other things during his tenure on the board. Matt still intends to be involved with APHNYS, thank goodness.

We have started work on our fall APHNYS conference, which will be September 18-20 in Ithaca in Region 10. We will have a streaming option for those not able to come in person. More information, including the call for proposals, is coming soon. And we’ll be encouraging our regions to hold a spring regional meeting. One suggested topic of discussion at these meetings will be succession planning.

While we interpret and save the history of our communities, we have to think of the future of preserving that past. As we think of retiring from our positions, or even before that thought enters our minds, it wouldn’t hurt to start looking around for someone suitable to follow us and make sure that whatever information we have as local government historians passes smoothly to our successors.

Succession planning is something that APHNYS is working on also. APHNYS is getting new faces and new viewpoints on our board, but we are always looking for more. Out of our twelve regions, three of them have no regional coordinator, so we’re hopeful that some of you will step up to ensure that all the regional coordinator spots filled, allowing us to get a broad perspective statewide.

So, here’s to a successful 2023 for APHNYS and all local government historians.

Ray LaFever

President, Association of Public Historians of New York State (APHNYS)

PS – If you haven’t joined APHNYS or renewed your membership, I hope you will consider doing so today. You can join on-line at Association of Public Historians of New York State - Join (aphnys.org) or send in a membership form to APHNYS, P.O. Box 1363, Sag Harbor, NY 11963. You can download the form at 2023 APHNYS Dues and Membership Form.pdf

Live from the APHNYS Conference: A New York Minute in History

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 14:59:34 GMT

APHNYS was delighted to host a live taping of the A New York Minute in History podcast at our 2022 conference in Kingston. Hosts Devin Lander and Laura Roberts spoke with City of Kingston Historian Taylor Bruck, APHNYS President Christine L. Ridarsky, and Madison Count Historian Matt Urtz, as well as Susan Hughes, historian and archivist for the conference's presenting sponsor the William G. Pomeroy Foundation and Don Widman, host of the podcast American History Hit. Learn more and listen at Live From the APHNYS | A New York Minute in History - WAMC Podcasts.

APHNYS Annual Awards - Seeking nominations

Raymond LaFever — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 14:32:55 GMT

APHNYS is seeking nominations for its awards, given every year at its annual conference. Here are the categories for the awards:

Franklin D. Roosevelt Local Government Historian Professional Achievement Award –

Awarded to an appointed historian for lifetime achievement in the practice of public history in NYS.

Edmund J. Winslow Local Government Historian Award for Excellence – Recognition for excellence in one or more public history projects or publications.

APHNYS Award for Excellence in Promoting Local History – Excellence in cooperation and promoting local history through research, writing, and other related accomplishments.

Hugh Hastings Award – Honoring citizens and government officials who work to promote, preserve, and stimulate interest in the history of NYS.

Joseph E. Meany Award – Excellence in promoting and/or preserving military, labor, or marine projects or publications.

To submit a nomination, go to this link for the form: https://forms.gle/T89ZaoJ1inVgJNH17

APHNYS Registered Historians

Raymond LaFever — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 19:23:52 GMT

The APHNYS Registered Historians program is looking for a few good historians to participate. Nothing says honor and distinction than being recognized by both your fellow historians and your own municipality as a registered historian. Over the last few years, an increasingly larger number of historians have become registered with APHNYS. These historians have shown their commitment to their own profession and their area by performing all the duties of the job.

The APHNYS Registered Historians Committee has streamlined the process. Click on the link below for the application form. Take the time to read the form fully and add the requested supporting material. The deadline submission for this program is July 1, 2022.

Association of Public Historians of New York State - Registered Historians (aphnys.org)

Our address for mailing completed packets is:

Sandra Bradford

Attn: Registered Historians Program

5588 Mark Taber Road

Trumansburg, NY 14886

Or, better yet, scan the application and documentation submit the complete application packet as a PDF file to: Sept.winds@live.com

Take the time to look over the program. It denotes those who truly strive to promote excellence in history. Those who complete the program will be recognized at the 2022 Conference in Kingston with a certificate and a special Registered Historians pin.

2022 APHNYS Conference Marketing Opportunities

Raymond LaFever — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 15:20:17 GMT

The 2022 Association of Public Historians of New York State (APHNYS) annual conference will be held in Kingston, New York, September 19–21. You are invited to spread the word about your organization, institution, products, or services to the 80+ public historians in attendance, our 400+ members, and New York’s 1,600+ government-appointed historians.

Information about how you can be a sponsor, exhibit at the conference and advertise in our annual conference program is in our APHNYS 2022 Annual Conference marketing opportunities.

APHNYS 2021 Annual Conference: Watershed Moments

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 14:46:47 GMT

Last year was a year like we've never experienced before. As we struggled with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we also marked the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment that recognized U.S. women’s right to vote and the 150th anniversary of the 15th Amendment that enfranchised black men, as well as the anniversaries of innumerable other “Watershed Moments” in local, state, and national history. As the Association of Public Historians of New York State gathers in Oswego, at the convergence of the Oswego River and Lake Ontario, we seek to examine the various ways in which public historians interpret and commemorate “Watershed Moments,” as well as the role water has played in shaping the communities we serve.

We've got an exciting program planned for you! Look for the full program on our website soon!

Pomeroy Fund for NYS History applications being accepted

Raymond LaFever — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 22:06:06 GMT

Applications are now being accepted for the fourth grant round of the Pomeroy Fund for NYS History, a partnership between the Pomeroy Foundation and Museum Association of New York (MANY).

This round will provide $50,000 in grants to assist 501(c)(3) history-related organizations in New York State with capital needs expenses in 2021.

Grant requests will be considered for technology equipment, facility maintenance equipment, furnishings, major material purchases, renovations, refurbishments, remodeling and rehabilitation.

Eligible organizations must be a history-related organization located in New York State and have an annual operating budget of $150,000 or less. If your organization received funding from the Pomeroy Fund in 2020, you are eligible to apply, but preference will be given to those who have yet to receive funding.

2020 Virtual Conference & Annual Meeting Session Recordings Now Available

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 14:31:50 GMT

Did you miss the 2020 Virtual Conference & Annual Meeting? Or was there a session that you was so good you want to see it again? No worries! All conference sessions were recorded and are now available on APHNYS's YouTube channel. View them here.

APHNYS Launches Groundbreaking New COVID-19 Documentation Project

Mon, 25 May 2020 15:48:10 GMT

Today APHNYS launched a groundbreaking new crowdsourced COVID-19 documentation project for you to use and to share to capture stories about the pandemic and its effects in your community.

The APHNYS Witness to History PixStori project allows anyone anywhere to participate by sharing images and stories about their pandemic experiences from the safety of their own home using a web-based social-media-style application. The goal is gather a large-scale collection of image-based short-form oral histories that can collectively demonstrate how people from throughout New York State responded to and experienced the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Responding to broad prompts, people are invited to choose or take photographs evoking what they wish to share, from their vantage," said Michael Frisch, past president of the Oral History Association and co-founder of Talking Pictures, LLC, the company behind the PixStori application. "In writing or voice, they describe what these images say and mean to them. The result can be a compact core of image, story, reflection, and insight—on their own ground, and in their own terms."

Using a computer, cell phone, or other device, participants just go to our PixStori project site (see below), upload an image from their camera roll (or select a representative image from our collection), and use their built-in mircophone record a brief oral story discussing what the image represents to them. If they don't have a microphone, they can write a story instead.

Frisch highlighted the potential of the APHNYS project and the short-form image-based oral history model, in general, during a workshop presented by the International Federation for Public History this morning.

"At its core is the notion that responses to photographs, especially self-chosen or taken, opens a natural, open-ended story-telling oral history mode," Frisch said. "People describe the photo, and 'grounded but not bounded' by the image, they often then 'take off' to broad reflections. Surprisingly meaningful in concentrated short form, these become even more so, for public history, when brought together like tiny 'tiles' in a mosaic to tell broader stories. This is easy to do because they are 'born small,' modular units easily coded, sorted, and combinable by themes-- for a community, a nation, and perhaps especially for comparative and cumulative documentation of a global pandemic touching everyone’s lives."

We encourage you to use this tool to collect stories from your community. Share the opportunity to contribute on your website and social media pages; personally invite community leaders, first responders, medical personnel, business owners, school teachers, and anyone else you can think of; and send press releases to your local media. All people need to participate is this link:

https://www.pixstoriplus.com/invitation/y3j79ZFh2GagiEF4h.

You may also wish to review the tip sheet that we've created to guide participants: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rqicKMIh7Kl_V_Ev_g4UU8jBsunuJHXk.

Together we can ensure that we leave behind a comprehensive record of New York's COVID-19 experience from which future generations can learn!

Questions? Contact us at publichistoriansnys@gmail.com.

Annual Conference Cancelled Due to COVID-19

Fri, 22 May 2020 15:41:35 GMT

The APHNYS Board of Trustees has made the difficult decision to cancel the in-person annual conference scheduled for September 21-23, 2020, in Oswego due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead our 1st Vice President Matthew Urtz and our Program Committee are working to put together a virtual conference and annual meeting. APHNYS members in good standing will be able to participate for free. Look for details in the coming weeks.

Fortunately, the Lake Ontario Event & Conference Center has agreed to allow us to transfer our 2020 contract to 2021 with no penalties. This means that there will be no negative financial impact on APHNYS as a result of this year's cancellation. Please plan to join us in Oswego next year! Dates will be announced soon.

Please continue to stay safe and to document the effects of the pandemic in your community!

Historians: Start Documenting COVID-19

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 23:20:29 GMT

As lAs local government-appointed historians, it is our duty to document not just the past but the present. The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented event in all our lives; it is imperative that we record the impact on our communities and how our citizens respond. The Association of Public Historians of New York State suggests that you immediately begin documenting your community's response and offer the following guidelines and suggestions:

Remember! Health and safety are your number one priority. Documenting your community's response does not include risking your own health or that of your family and friends. Please follow all rules for social distancing and any quarantines that have been established.
Keep a diary. Beginning today, record your memories of local events and reactions to COVID-19 at least since the beginning of March. Continue to update that journal as we move forward: What are you doing, what are you hearing and seeing, and how is the response to COVID-19 affecting your normal habits? Encourage the public to do the same. This can be done by in a variety of ways. Individuals can keep handwritten or computerized diaries, write blogs, record video or audio diaries or use whatever creative venue appeals to them.
APHNYS has developed a form that historians can use to collect stories from throughout New York State. Once the crisis and the collecting period have ended, APHNYS will share the responses with historians throughout the state Please share the Google form widely within your community and via social media and encourage participation: https://forms.gle/ZUxePXJLcQC2fKCK8.
Take and/or collect photographs of various ways your community is responding. Remember to record the name of the photographer and the date and location when/where image was taken. Remember to be cognizant of copyright laws. The Google form mentioned above can also be used to collect images.
Create and continually add to a timeline of your community’s response to the COVID-19. Make note of county, regional, state, and national declarations that have an impact on your community, as well as the community response. For example, Governor Cuomo’s order to close entertainment venues and to restrict restaurant operations, which came out as a Tweet. (Screen shots can be a useful way of documenting Tweets.) Madison County Historian Matthew Urtz shared a draft of a timeline he is creating; feel free to use it as a model for your own work: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tp-0XqBGW7ISBHoMtDzi7fLx-t-PClGN.
Record/save and index local news reports (from print, television, radio and online sources), as well as social media notices. Particularly note any creative online activities people have created locally to keep people informed; these may be harder to document after the fact.
Keep a record of specific activities your community's citizens are taking to help each other in this crisis, such as making grocery runs for the elderly, etc. Collect letters, posters, flyers, social media posts, etc., advertising these activities.
Preserve all directives and other material relating to COVID-19 that are issued by your local government, especially physical media like posters and fliers but also email social media posts.
Talk with and, when possible, record oral history interviews with your community's local officials, first responders, and medical personnel about the actions they are taking and how the public is interacting with them. Keep in mind that these folks likely will not have much time to talk with you now. If they are willing to share now, great, but understand if this is not a good time. In the meantime, take notes. Off-hand conversations will generate a great deal of interesting data that will otherwise be lost. It is much easier to document the situation as it is unfolding. Be sure to record the names of these key people with whom you cannot speak right away so when things settle down a bit you can set up a time to interview them.
Talk with and, when possible, record oral history interviews your community's businesses owners and employees, particularly those who work in local grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, and other sectors that have been particularly affected by the crisis. First responders and healthcare workers will be another key group to consider.

We are unquestionably within a historical moment that will be of great interest to future generations. Government-appointed historians have a duty under New York State Law to document these sorts of episodes. You may wish to partner with your local historical societies, as well. The key here is to document, collect, and preserve as much data and information on the local reaction to COVID-19 as you can.

Important! COVID-19 Update

Sat, 14 Mar 2020 16:00:00 GMT

Regional Meetings Postponed

In light of the New York State's emergency declaration over the outbreak of the novel corona virus and out of an abundance of caution, the APHNYS Board of Trustees voted last night to cancel all regional meetings and other APHNYS-sponsored events through April 30, 2020.

The board will be reaching out to Regional Coordinators in the next few days to determine whether it will be feasible to reschedule meetings that had been planned for March and April. Once decisions have been made, your Regional Coordinator will be in touch. At this time, our treasurer has not deposited any checks for registration fees. If your meeting is not rescheduled or if you cannot attend the rescheduled meeting, your check will be returned to you or voided, depending on your preference. Please do not contact your Regional Coordinator at this time; they will not yet have answers for you.

Several regional meetings are scheduled for early May. We are closely monitoring the health crisis and recommendations from the CDC, NYS Department of Health, and individual counties health departments. We will make a decision about meetings scheduled in May by mid-April and will notify you accordingly.

We appreciate your patience! Please continue to follow recommendation about hand-washing and social distancing. Your health and safety are important to us!

Don't forget to renew your membership!

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 19:17:55 GMT

It's that time of year! Time to renew your APHNYS membership! You don't want to miss out on all of the events we're planning this year. Members receive notices about regional meetings, as well as the Annual APHNYS Conference. Renew today!