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AASLH Award for WWI Exhibit

The American Association for State and Local History announced that the Brown County Historical Society exhibit, Loyalty and Dissent: Brown County and WWI, won a 2018 Leadership in History Award. This is the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history. By publicly recognizing superior and innovative achievements, the Leadership in History Award winners serve as models and inspirations for others in the field. Nicholas Hoffman, AASLH National Awards Chair and Managing Director of Education and Visitor Experience at the Missouri Historical Society, said, “This year’s award winners demonstrate the power of relevancy, collaboration, experimentation, and a more inclusive history to challenge communities to think critically about the past and present.”

I am proud to have led the team that developed this exhibit. It took an institutional commitment to excellence to make it happen. Visit the Brown County Historical Society soon and also take in the third-floor exhibit, Never Shall I Forget: Brown County and the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. I don’t believe any Minnesota historical museum actively features two AASLH-winning exhibits.

The Silent Army

The Brown County Historical Society exhibit, Loyalty and Dissent: Brown County and WWI, is likely the most in-depth exhibit on the subject in the state. Last month, it received a Minnesota History Award from the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums. I had a small part in the formation of the Alliance back in 1990-91. I had previously been president of the Bay State Historical League in Massachusetts, and, on arriving in Minnesota, found that there was no similar organization here. So we worked to begin some networking. In honor of the Minnesota History Award for the WWI exhibit, I’ve posted a tribute, The Silent Army, to those Brown County men who gave their lives.