What we do:
Defend our discipline
We mobilize historians, teachers, and historically-minded activists to challenge the permanent campaign of “fake news” and phony history that has driven the right’s ascent. We will defend the discipline of history against attempts to reduce it to simple affirmations of “American greatness,” and document how prior eras of reaction and repression were successfully combated.
Publish teaching resources
We have developed history and resource guides on numerous topics for classroom use, including U.S. foreign policy, Palestine & Israel, the Iraq War, and conscientious objection and peace movements. We have also produced a series of short videos, titled Liberating History, for classroom use.
Build solidarity on-campus
We see our campuses as key sites for both repression and resistance. We will fight for the right to education, free speech and academic freedom for all members of campus communities, and for the human and civil rights of our students, especially the undocumented, Muslims, people of color, women and LGBTQ+ people.
Click on the images below to read the full articles:
H-PAD New Resources on the US/Israeli attack on Iran
Now that the U.S. government has attacked Iran, with tragic effects there, and across the globe, many of our members are quickly incorporating work on this crisis with ongoing work on US policy and the situation in Gaza and the West Bank.
H-PAD has rapidly compiled some resources, which should be of assistance in this work.
These include:
A list of Middle East/ Iran specialists, who are willing to be a zoom guest in people’s classes, or in meetings with members of Congress or their staff.
A list of organizations that are focusing on the Iran situation and are putting out materials that can be of help in your classes or meetings.
An update on Congressional resistance to the war, focused on the situation in Iran, to be followed with subsequent information on legislation concerning Gaza and the West Bank.
Experts on the Middle East and Iran, able to zoom into campus classes or meetings, or to join lobbying sessions with members of Congress or their staff.
Some Useful Sources of Up-to-Date Information:
Quincy Institute, Responsible Statecraft
superb articles and webinars appearing every day.
National Iranian Commission (NIAC)
especially helpful from NIAC is their Iran Unfiltered
https://niacouncil.org/publications/?e-filter-aba837b-category=human-rights-tracker
Democracy Now,
In depth programming and articles about the wars in Iran and Lebanon
A New Policy PAC
Founded by two former officials from the Biden Administration, in protest of its misguided policy towards Gaza. Excellent source for finding out upcoming, important Congressional legislation.
Congressional Opposition to the War
Congressional opponents of the war will be introducing a series of War Powers Resolution to keep forcing debate on the Administration’s policy. Constituents can play an important role by calling Senators and their Representative—pressing them to speak out against the Iran War, and to support War Powers legislation designed to end it. Senators and Representatives can be reached through the Congressional Switchboard: 202-224-3121.
Note: The Pentagon has requested $200 billion for the war. Once the President seeks funding from Congress, resistance will be urgently needed.
Active Since October 2023
The Israel-Palestine Working Group
Ceasefire Now!
The Israel Palestine Working Group of H-PAD has been working since October 2023 to promote a ceasefire and humanitarian aid to Gaza. We also oppose U.S. military aid to Israel, which only serves to prolong the war and increase the suffering of Palestinians and the destruction of Gaza.
- H-PAD Statement on Escalation of Violence in Israel and Palestine (joint statement with other organizations, October 15, 2023)
- Statement from H-PAD Co-chairs on Escalation of Israeli Violence in Gaza (October 12, 2023)
Recommended Reading
- H-PAD Recommended Reading on Palestine and Israel (October 17, 2023)
We have collected a sampling of some of the best English-language analysis from progressive and anti-imperialist voices that have appeared since October 7th.
We know that no amount of analysis or contextualization can soothe the pain that many people on every side are feeling. But we believe these voices can help inform our efforts to demand an immediate ceasefire to prevent the further escalation of the U.S.-backed Israeli war in Gaza, while also addressing the root causes of the violence, supporting non-terrorist means of resistance to the occupation, and forging a future in which Palestinians and Jews can both live with dignity and security.
Ongoing Action
We have written letters to elected legislators, to the editors of the Chicago Tribune, the Orlando Sentinel, and the Daytona Beach News-Journal, and published articles in The Nation and El Espectador (Bogota, Colombia).
We have also produced a series of short videos on various aspects of the crisis. You can view them on youtube or our other social media channels, and are designed to be shared.
We hope you will join us in our work! If you think you can contribute, please contact Margaret Power at cochairs@historiansforpeace.org.
Statement, January 6, 2024
In Defense of the Right to Learn
A Resolution Passed by members of the American Historical Association at the Annual Meeting, January 6, 2024
The American Historical Association (AHA) will continue to vigorously:
- uphold accuracy in history teaching;
- intervene where appropriate and encourage members to organize against attacks on history and the work of historians;
- defend academic freedom and job security for history teachers at every level;
- write editorials and letters-to-the-editor defending teachers, librarians, and school board members; and
- testify before legislative bodies and school boards about the right to learn.
The Association welcomes support from its members for such activities.
January 3-6, 2025 in New York City
H-PAD at the AHA
In January of 2024 H-PAD held a radical history mini-conference within the larger AHA annual meeting in San Francisco. We sponsored 17 radical history sessions, held a vigil for the people of Gaza, and we proposed a resolution at the AHA business meeting calling on historians to oppose the suppression of academic freedom and honest education; it was approved unanimously.
We will be doing this again at the AHA Annual Meeting for 2025 in New York City.
Last Updated December 2023
Culture Wars Against Education Archive
Historians for Peace and Democracy has compiled an archive of materials on the past and present of the culture wars and responses to them. We hope this archive will help teachers and students on all levels educate themselves about the current crisis and find constructive ways to respond to it. The archive provides a variety of resources that will be useful as well for journalists, commentators, politicians, and the general public. Contents will be updated regularly.
Get Involved in H-PAD
How Historians Can Support Our Efforts
Support educators
Join Historians on Call
Historians-on-Call connects historians with local struggles and opportunities to support educators. To date, more than 90 historians have signed up from Arizona, California, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and other states.
If you are a professional historian, we invite you to join Historians on Call. Visit our Current Activities page to learn more.
Become a member
Join H-PAD as an Active or Supporting Member
Consider becoming a member of Historians for Peace and Democracy. We have two types of membership to reflect our members’ different capacities: “Supporting members” receive communications from us about our activities and possible actions they might consider taking, while “Active members” are asked to indicate areas on which they would be interested in working. These currently include Historians on Call, the Culture Wars against Education Archive, the Legislative Action Working group, and the Israel-Palestine Working Group.
See our Current Activities for more information…
Contribute
Make a Donation
We have no member dues at this time. Instead, we rely on donations so that our network can continue to grow. Please consider committing to make a small monthly donation–our monthly “sustainers” make what we do possible.
Every dollar that you contribute goes directly to amplifying the voices of historians who support pro-democracy and anti-militarist movements at home and abroad.
Thank you for contributing to our work
Contact H-PAD
To donate by check, make it out to Historians for Peace & Democracy and mail it to:
Historians for Peace and Democracy
PO Box 108
Canal Street Station
New York NY 10013
United States of America
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