U.S. Department of State: Office of the Historian
http://history.state.gov/
Created and maintained by the Bureau of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C.
Reviewed Oct.–Nov. 2009.
A new Web site created by the Office of the Historian in the U.S. Department of State covers broad ground. It contains a short history of the agency, information on various secretaries and principal officers, and histories of embassies and official buildings that the department’s personnel have occupied. This should be of value to anyone seeking general information on the Department of State.
Of particular interest to scholars and students, the site’s “Countries” file contains information on how the United States has maintained relations with each of the countries it recognizes. The hyperlinks within the guide to each country can be useful. In the case of Afghanistan, a 2001 Library of Congress country study does a decent job outlining that nation’s history. Links to a State Department Background Note and Central Intelligence Agency World Fact Book entry provide current facts and figures. An up-to-date State Department country file elucidates current U.S. policy with links to North Atlantic Treaty Organization sources and speeches by U.S. officials.
At its core, the site provides access to the more than five hundred volumes of documents in the Foreign Relations of the United States series. As yet it mainly covers the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon-Ford eras. The volumes are organized chronologically by president, and then geographically and topically. All are easily searchable, and each contains an index with the page numbers hyperlinked to the relevant documents. The section also contains a subdivision titled “Themes” that explores a small but growing list of issues in American foreign relations: decolonization, the 1960 U-2 incident, and so on. Each theme presents a summary, a selection of key documents, and related Web resources. Hopefully, the completed site will also include Office of the Historian products that are now accessible only with difficulty on the Department of State’s main site and Freedom of Information page. Its worthy 1997 preliminary study of U.S. and Allied efforts to recover and restore stolen Holocaust assets comes immediately to mind.
A still evolving “Milestones” section needs more thought. Designed to provide context for diplomatic issues, the section is divided into eighteen periods covering the years 1750–2000. Each period describes important moments within its span of time. The short essays are nicely written but contain neither footnotes nor links to the sort of resources that give the “Countries” and “Themes” sections depth and versatility.
The need to correct those absences is particularly compelling because the site seeks to further the department’s tradition of working with the academic community. To that end, it even provides access to a growing set of free, easily downloadable curriculum materials on issues in American foreign policy geared to the needs of middle school and high school educators. These packets contain well-designed lesson plans, chronologies, glossaries, and hyperlinks to other sites. Some offer free and easy-to-order videos.
Overall, the State Department’s history site has much to commend it. Providing important resources to the nation’s teachers and scholars, it deserves to be more widely known.
William M. Hammond
U.S. Army Center of Military History
Washington, D.C.
FAQs
The Office of the Historian is responsible, under law, for the preparation and publication of the official documentary history of U.S. foreign policy in the "Foreign Relations of the United States" series.
What does a State Historian do? ›
Under general direction, incumbents supervise, on a statewide basis, the planning and development of a historical resource management program unit in the Department of Parks and Recreation; recommend and execute programs of identification, description, evaluation, preservation and resource management of historical ...
Who is the head of the Office of the Historian? ›
Office of the Historian
| Office overview |
|---|
| Office executive | Adam Howard, Historian |
| Parent department | United States Department of State |
| Parent Office | Foreign Service Institute |
| Website | history.state.gov |
The Office of the Historian can be cited using the following format: "Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State" . The office is responsible for the production and publication of the Foreign Relations of the United States series and has emerged as a model for public history .
What is the Office of the Historian of the United States House of Representatives? ›
The Office of the Historian collects and provides information to the widest possible audience on all aspects of the House's rich history spanning more than two centuries: important events, people, precedents, dates, and statistics.
What is a government historian? ›
In government, some historians conduct research to provide information on specific events or groups. Many write about the history of a particular government agency, activity, or program, such as a military operation or space missions.
What are 3 things historians do? ›
Historians typically do the following: Gather historical data from various sources, including archives, books, and artifacts. Analyze and interpret historical information to determine its authenticity and significance. Trace historical developments in a particular field.
What is the purpose of a historian? ›
Historians collect and evaluate information from many primary sources to answer questions about historical events, a process known as the historical method. They may analyze written records, physical artifacts, and other types of evidence during the course of their investigations.
Can you be a historian without a degree? ›
However, if you want to become an historian or pursue a higher-level career, you will need to earn at least a master's degree. If you aspire to become a history professor, you should plan on earning a doctoral degree in history.
What is a historian officer position? ›
The historian assembles and preserves the record of activities and achievements of the PTA and assists the president in preparing the Annual Unit Historian Report (Annual Unit Historian Report 2.3. 13a; Forms, Chapter 9). Historian records, like minutes, should be kept forever.
The National Park Service (NPS) hires many historians to manage and interpret for the public the historic sites on their properties.
Do historians have offices? ›
Historians perform most of their work in offices but also visit field sites which may be in remote areas.
Is Office of the Historian credible? ›
The Office of the Historian is staffed by professional historians who are experts in the history of U.S. foreign policy and the Department of State and possess unparalleled research experience in classified and unclassified government records.
Is state.gov reliable? ›
The www.state.gov website serves as the State Department's portal of information on U.S. foreign policy and information about the State Department. Every effort has been made to provide accurate and complete information.
How do historians source a document? ›
They gather and weigh different kinds of evidence, including primary sources (documents or recollections from the time period being studied), material artifacts, and previous scholarship (secondary sources).
What does the historian do in a club? ›
Provide Background: The individual is this position helps to preserve the history of the club. The duties of the historian include keeping record of the club's accomplishments and activities throughout the year, and collecting photographs, news articles and other memorabilia important to the club.
What is a historian in the military? ›
Historians research and document the past, focusing on military conflicts and their effects. Historians in the Military may teach, write books, serve in military history detachments, or act as advisors. They research, analyze, record, and interpret the past as recorded in a myriad of sources.
What is a historian in the Air Force? ›
The historian objectively records wing history, and deploys to record contingency operations history, in order to preserve an official record of Air Force mission accomplishment.
What does an FFA historian do? ›
The Duties of the Historian are: Devolop and maintain a scrapbook; Research and preapare chapter history items; Submit history and stories to the media; and Assist the Reporter with any needs.
