MHS Housing as History Program Series Wins 2020 AASLH Award of Excellence

The MHS proudly announces that it is the recipient of an American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) Award of Excellence for the Housing as History Program Series it produced in the fall of 2019. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards, now in its 75th year, is the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history.

Last fall, the MHS hosted a four-part series that looked at the history of six housing sites across Boston and examined the conditions for affordable and public housing today, highlighting the challenges—and opportunities—that lie ahead for the city. For years Boston has been a national leader in efforts to bring much needed public and affordable housing to residents. However, the city’s housing legacy is as complicated as it is innovative. Because Boston and the MHS are well known for colonial history, this series was a chance to not only illustrate the huge impact Boston has had on housing policy in America but to also introduce the MHS to a wide array of Boston residents and bring some public housing history to Members of the Society. The programs were made possible by the generosity of Mass Humanities and the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University

This year, AASLH is proud to confer fifty-seven national awards honoring people, projects, exhibits, and publications. The winners represent the best in the field and provide leadership for the future of state and local history.

The AASLH awards program was initiated in 1945 to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards not only honor significant achievement in the field of state and local history, but also bring public recognition of the opportunities for small and large organizations, institutions, and programs to make contributions in this arena. For more information about the Leadership in History Awards, contact AASLH at 615-320-3203, or go to www.aaslh.org.

About the AASLH
The American Association for State and Local History is a not-for-profit professional organization of individuals and institutions working to preserve and promote history. From its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, AASLH provides leadership, service, and support for its members who preserve and interpret state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful to all people. AASLH publishes books, technical publications, a quarterly magazine, and maintains numerous affinity communities and committees serving a broad range of constituents across the historical community. The association also sponsors an annual meeting, regional and national training in-person workshops, and online training.