By RobinDecember 27, 2019
Archival research is sometimes compared to the effort of
putting together a jigsaw puzzle—a puzzle where you have to find the pieces, you
have no photo reference of the actual puzzle, and there are zero edge pieces
and certainly no corner pieces. There are obviously parts of the comparison
that don’t work, but it is apt for those needing a crash course in archival
understanding.
I spend my fair share of time in an archives (it helps to be
employed in one). I have a master’s degree in library science with an archival
concentration and I just finished a dissertation on the history of the nineteenth-century
archives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In other words, I
spend a lot of time thinking about archives and their creation and use by
today’s scholars. I jokingly tell people that I’m more comfortable with dead
people and their records than I am with living people (the joke, of course, is
that I’m not joking).
Continue Reading
By J StuartDecember 17, 2019
LINK
Posting Dates: 12/10/2019 – 12/24/2019
Job Family: Human Resources
Department: Church History Department
PURPOSES
This position will assist the Church History Library in processing, cataloging, arranging, housing, and indexing Church History Library archival collections in order to assist the Church History Department in its purpose to help God’s children keep and make sacred covenants. Successful applicants will work at the direction of Church History Specialists to create bibliographic records that will assist internal and external researchers in locating and using archival collections.
Continue Reading
By J StuartDecember 15, 2019
Every year I look forward to seeing which books will be published (you can read my recap of the best books and articles of 2019 HERE). The list isn’t comprehensive—many books don’t have listings on press websites quite yet. Nevertheless, I hope that I’ve highlighted many of the books Mormon historians are anxiously waiting to have their hands on in the next twelve months (and that you’ll send me information on books I’ve missed!). All quotations are from the Press’s website (when available) and all links are to the publisher’s website (where available).
Continue Reading
By Jeff TDecember 12, 2019
Historians exist in a world of naming (Mormon Historians doubly so!).1 But, what’s in a name? Historian John O’Malley offers two reflections on this question, one a little naïve and another a little wiser. The first:
“Sometimes very little. A rose still smells as sweet. Even designations for historical phenomena like ‘the Middle Ages’ that were once loaded with prejudices lose them through repeated usage. They become the equivalent of dead metaphors, where the image loses its punch. Is it not further true that all such historical constructs are imperfect, not much more than pointers to what can never be fully grasped by them, impositions on a fluid reality that they can never adequately capture? What difference does it make, then, what we call the Catholic side of the early modern period? Should we not stop worrying about labels, mere terms of convenience, and get on with the real business of history?”2
Continue Reading
By J StuartDecember 9, 2019
Visions,
Restoration, and Movements
Mormon
History Association 55th Annual Conference
CALL FOR
POSTER SESSION PROPOSALS
UPDATED Submission Deadline: February 18, 2020
The Mormon History Association (MHA) is accepting submissions for a poster session, to be held in the Riverside Convention Center Exhibit Hall during the 55th annual conference in Rochester/Palmyra, New York, June 4-7, 2020. We welcome proposals that address the conference theme, “Visions, Restoration, and Movements,” but all proposals will receive equal consideration. Please visit https://mormonhistoryassociation.org/2020-conference to view the conference call for papers. This poster session offers participants the opportunity to discuss and answer questions about their work in a relatively informal, interactive setting. This format is particularly useful for works-in-progress and for projects with visual and material evidence. Presenters must be MHA members, register for and attend the meeting, and be available for a two-hour poster viewing session and reception during the conference, date and time TBD. MHA will waive the conference registration fee for all student poster presenters.
Continue Reading
By J StuartNovember 26, 2019
Better Days 2020 is looking for volunteer ambassadors to help share suffrage history at community events throughout Utah in the next year.
2020 will mark the 150th
anniversary of Utah women’s first votes, the 100th anniversary of
the Nineteenth Amendment, and the 55th anniversary of the Voting
Rights Act. Better
Days 2020 is a non-profit founded to commemorate these voting
rights anniversaries in Utah. They’re working statewide to raise the profile of
women in Utah’s history through education, public art, and events.
You can get involved by
giving presentations, sharing information at a booth or table, or volunteering
at events. To become a volunteer ambassador, check out the online
training and sign
up here to indicate your interest and availability.
Better Days 2020 will send you a t-shirt and other materials when you schedule
your first event!
Find more details about becoming a Better Days ambassador here. If have any questions or know of any groups interested in hosting a presentation on Utah’s suffrage history, please contact Katherine Kitterman, Better Days 2020 historical director, at katherine (at) betterdays2020 (dot) org.
By J StuartNovember 25, 2019
Another year, another excellent year for Mormon history and Mormon studies publications! Traditional categories, like biography and primary source collections, continue to see strong publications and newer methodological innovations written within interdisciplinary fields are showcasing their value to the field. While there’s no way to include every single publication, these are the thirty or so that I believe will be most important to the field in the future. What did I get wrong? What did I miss? Let me know in the comments!
Continue Reading
By J StuartNovember 5, 2019
Our friends at the John Whitmer Historical Association have published their call for their 2020 conference. You can see the original post HERE.
As pioneers and Zioneers left Nauvoo due to crushing conflict, Restoration groups in newly-created outposts struggled to build communities of worship. Did they create economic stability and refinement, or did they experience strife with competing neighbors? Perhaps the outpost provided a visionary oasis with new doctrine and ritual. How did saints returning to Nauvoo try to negotiate a peaceful existence?
Continue Reading
By J. StapleyOctober 31, 2019
The Church Historian’s Press has released a new George F. Richards (GFR) digital history project that includes transcripts of his journals. This appears similar to the George Q. Cannon diaries CHP project. Currently the website holds transcripts of the first two volumes of GFR’s journals, spanning August 1880 to March 1892. GFR’s journals have been on a short list of documents that I have been interested in for a long time, and I am consequently very excited.
Continue Reading
By J StuartOctober 30, 2019
POSTING INFO
Posting Dates: 10/16/2019 – 11/13/2019
Job Family: Human Resources
Department: Church History Department
PURPOSES
Assist the Global Support and Acquisitions Division (GS&A) of the Church History Department in collecting, preserving, and sharing Church history throughout the world. This is an exciting and unique opportunity for someone interested in pursuing a career in history or library/archival science. We are looking for a motivated, energetic, and organized individual to join our team!
This paid internship is anticipated to last one year (12 months). This position is a part-time (28 hours per week) hourly, nonexempt position. The candidate must be currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from (within the last 12 months), an undergraduate- or graduate-degree program. Preference will be given to history/MLIS students, or those who are English majors working on an editing certificate.
Continue Reading
Newer Posts |
Older Posts
Recent Comments
Steve Fleming on Study and Faith, 5:: “The burden of proof is on the claim of there BEING Nephites. From a scholarly point of view, the burden of proof is on the…”
Eric on Study and Faith, 5:: “But that's not what I was saying about the nature of evidence of an unknown civilization. I am talking about linguistics, not ruins. …”
Steve Fleming on Study and Faith, 5:: “Large civilizations leave behind evidence of their existence. For instance, I just read that scholars estimate the kingdom of Judah to have been around 110,000…”
Eric on Study and Faith, 5:: “I have always understood the key to issues with Nephite archeology to be language. Besides the fact that there is vastly more to Mesoamerican…”
Steven Borup on In Memoriam: James B.: “Bro Allen was the lead coordinator in 1980 for the BYU Washington, DC Seminar and added valuable insights into American history as we also toured…”
David G. on In Memoriam: James B.: “Jim was a legend who impacted so many through his scholarship and kind mentoring. He'll be missed.”