MHA Announces New Public History Award

MHA’s board of directors is thrilled to announce the establishment of the Ardis E. Parshall Public History Award, a biennial award of $1,000 presented to an individual or team of people who produce the best public history project in Mormon studies during the preceding two years.  

MHA members Heather and Kelly Stone suggested the idea and have generously pledged a $5,000 matching grant in an effort to raise $10,000 to endow this award. The MHA board and the Stones hope that this award will remind current and future scholars of the important work they do when they turn their talents and efforts to a broader audience. 

The board wholeheartedly approved of  the Stone’s suggestion that the award be named in honor of independent historian Ardis Parshall, who exemplifies the spirit of this award through her major contributions in the public arena, through her 8,000-post Keepapitchinin blog, five years of Mormon history columns for the Salt Lake Tribune, public history projects like Century of Black Mormons, and publications. Parshall has used her exceptional research and writing skills to demonstrate that history is not only in the purview of the academic. MHA is grateful that Parshall was thrilled to allow us to name the award for her.

Examples of public history products that might be considered for the award are those that use historical methods and research in a non-academic or primarily non-academic setting; living history projects in which members of the research population are encouraged to participate as researchers, interpreters, and/or presenters;and research that uses media and channels accessible to the public as the primary presentation format. This could include but is not limited to websites, blogs, exhibits, art shows, documentaries, feature or news articles, theatrical performances, and popular books. 

We invite all who appreciate public history and the many contributions of Ardis Parshall to donate so that together we can match the $5,000 contribution and establish a $10,000 permanent endowment. Any size donation helps! You may donate to the Parshall award endowment by clicking on the “Donate” tab at mormonhistoryassociation.org or by mailing a check (write “Parshall award” on the memo line) to the Mormon History Association, P.O. Box 980398, Park City, Utah 84098. We anticipate an outpouring of appreciation for the work of Ardis Parshall and others who bring Mormon history beyond academia and the walls of the traditional classroom. 

Taunalyn Rutherford

MHA Awards Chair

Reminder to Submit Nominations for MHA’s 2021 Awards

It’s time once more to think about the work of the past year and submit nominations for the 2021 awards! We remind you that submissions need to have been published (or written in the case of student papers and dissertations) in the 2020 calendar year. The deadline for these submissions is February 2021. We encourage you to nominate your own work and/or any notable work that you have encountered. For more details please click here.