Founded in 1907, the Organization of American Historians (OAH) is the largest professional society dedicated to the teaching and study of American history.
OAH’s annual conference this year is in Los Angeles, California, from March 30th-April 2nd. You can find Senior Acquisitions Editor Matt Bokovoy at booth 106.
Alison Rose Jefferson, author of Living the California Dream will be hosting a panel and tour during the conference. Event details are below.
Friday, March 31, 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM PT
Preserving Black Pasts: Public Histories of African American Leisure and Recreation
In 2021, a team of researchers completed work on a national study of the history of African American outdoor recreation for the National Park Service (NPS), which culminated in the publication of a Theme Study, recommendations for new National Historic Landmarks, and an educational website that catalogs and contextualizes Black recreational sites founded during the Jim Crow era. This project built on the work of public historians and conservationists to preserve endangered sites and teach the history of African Americans’ leisure experiences to the public. This round table discussion brings together academic, independent, and NPS historians to describe these recent projects and discuss how the stories of Black recreational sites can enrich public understandings of racial segregation and Black freedom struggles in America’s past and present.
Saturday, April 1, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM PT
The Hidden Histories of Los Angeles’ Beaches
On this tour, historians Alison Rose Jefferson and Elsa Devienne will share their research on the hidden histories of Los Angeles’ beaches. Topics will include but are not limited to the history of African American beach access and discrimination, the environmental history of the shores, the life, death and rebirth of world-famous “Muscle Beach,” and the repression of gay cruising at “Crystal Beach.”
Stop by booth 106 to check out our latest books in the field!
UNP blog 