“Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?” —Hamilton musical
(Hey, if you’re going to borrow, may as well borrow from the best, right?)
As we watch a particularly tumultuous chapter of American history unfold, I’ve been thinking a lot about how future historians will tell our story. Unreliable sources, extreme viewpoints, and (sigh) “alternative facts” surround us and will create challenges for future generations.
At the same time, we could look back and imagine people living 100 years ago might say the same of their time. After all, they had just endured the “Great War,” a pandemic, and the worst terrorist attack in American history.
So how do we tell what actually happened? How do we assign value to past events and create an accurate historical narrative? We believe a strong, reliable narrative should be:
- Rooted in primary sources
- Able to offer context to current events
- Honest and authentic
- Accessible to all users
Primary sources outline the “Who?” “What” Where” and “When?” of history. They include census records, maps, journals, newspapers, and photographs published at the time of the era or period being examined and lay the groundwork for a strong narrative. We use such sources to gain a clear understanding of the trends and circumstances of history. From there, we begin to make some generalizations and begin to ask specific questions about history and the people who lived there.
From primary sources, we can also better examine context around the actions and events of the past. Considering context allows us to better understand the ”Why?” of the past. While events and behaviors of the history may feel uncomfortable or plainly wrong to our modern sensibilities, context can at least offer a better understanding of why events occurred as they did. When we consider concurrent events such as economic conditions, circumstances of war or civil unrest, social upheaval, and other factors we can better understand how people and events existed in their time and place.
By fully examining and understanding context, we embrace authenticity in our work. A quality historical narrative must be honest about both the triumphs and mistakes of the past. We work in history, not nostalgia, and know that we have a responsibility to turn a light on the highs and lows of history.
Finally, a narrative is only as good as its reach. By making a narrative accessible, we all learn from the past and better understand where we are today. Whether that means tying the events of the past directly to current events or by drawing a contrast as to how things shifted over time, a good narrative brings the past alive and makes it interesting and relevant to today.
asterpublichistory.com 