A. Collections and Libraries

The Archives of the OAH is located at the Ruth Lilly Library at Indiana University Indianapolis (IUI).

B. Programs

The OAH undertakes a variety of projects and programming throughout the year. Each spring, the organization convenes the OAH Conference on American History, the largest national annual U.S. history conference, that includes a program of panels, workshops, roundtable discussions and other sessions and events for U.S. history specialists and educators.

For almost 30 years the Organization of American Historians has partnered with the National Park Service to bring leading scholarship to bear on the presentation of history at our national parks. Through the OAH-NPS collaboration, OAH members have opportunities to undertake sponsored research projects, many of which allow for student engagement during the process and lead to avenues for publication upon completion. The wide range of OAH-NPS projects include scholars’ visits to national park sites, administrative histories, historic resource studies, national landmark theme studies, peer review of interpretive material, curriculum development, and conferences and seminars. Through these projects, members can pursue their scholarly interests while also enriching the stories of our national parks.

The OAH’s International Residency Program supports opportunities for scholars of American history to collaborate and conduct research in diverse global settings, fostering cross-cultural connections and enriching the understanding of American history within an international context. Current international exchange programs include the Japan Residency Program and the Germany Residency Program in American History, supported through funding from the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission and the Thyssen Foundation, respectively.

The OAH is governed by an Executive Board of 15 voting members, and supports a variety of service committees that support organizational efforts around issues impacting the profession and other topics that fall under the organization’s mission.

The OAH has delegates and representatives with the Advisory Committee on Historical Diplomatic Documentation, American Council of Learned Societies, and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The Organization is a member of the National Humanities Alliance and the National Coalition for History.

C. Publications

The OAH publishes the Journal of American History, the leading scholarly publication in the field of U.S. history. Appearing quarterly since 1914, first as the Mississippi Valley Historical Review (1914-64) and then as the Journal of American History (1964- ), in addition to scholarly articles and book reviews, the Journal also features digital history, film, and exhibition reviews.

The OAH also publishes a quarterly magazine,The American Historian, Process: A Blog for American History, and the JAH Podcast.

D. Fellowships and Awards

The OAH sponsors or cosponsors awards and prizes in recognition of scholarly and professional achievement in the fields of U.S. history. Among OAH’s annual awards are the Roy Rosenzweig Distinguished Service Award, the Friend of History Award, the Tachau Teacher of the Year Award, and the Stanton-Horton Award for Excellence in National Park Service History. The OAH awards prizes and grants specifically to graduate students, including the Louis Pelzer Memorial Award for the best essay in American history by a graduate student, and the John Higham Research Fellowship to provide research funds for a graduate student writing a doctoral dissertation in American history. A full listing of awards and prizes is available on the OAH website.