Public History and GC

By Steven M. Nolt, professor of history, 2013

Public historians take history beyond classroom walls and communicating to new audiences in new ways. Public history vocations include local historical society staff, cultural resources managers, museum professionals, historic preservationists, archivists, film and media producers, and policy advisors. GC students and alumni have been involved in public history in many ways, from working at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Elkhart County Historical Society to curating an exhibit for Goshen College Library Gallery and producing a film for the Kauffman Museum in North Newton, Kansas. We expect to introduce a new course in public history in 2013, building on relationships with area museums, local historical societies, and the Mennonite Church USA Archives.