Alaska Historical Society

Alaska Historical Society Official page for the Alaska Historical Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of Alaska history.

The Alaska Historical Society is a volunteer-based, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of Alaska history by the exchange of ideas and information, the preservation and interpretation of resources, and the education of Alaskans about their heritage. Governed by a 15-member board of directors, the Society provides a forum and a vehicle to achieve these goals. AHS is a membe

rship organization with 480+ members. Each year the Alaska Historical Society holds its annual meeting in different cities around the state and presents a public conference on selected topics in Alaskan history. These meetings give members a chance to share the latest research into Alaska history, as well as swap stories about the old days. Papers presented at the society’s annual meeting have dealt with a wide variety of topics as they relate to Alaska, such as the church, oral history, education, transportation, women, the military, the fishing industry, maritime history, aviation and many more. The Society also publishes an award-winning semi-annual journal of historical scholarship: Alaska History, which is free to members and available for subscription or purchase. Its articles cover every facet of Alaska’s fascinating history, from mining to education, from exploration to biography. The book review and Alaskana sections keep readers apprised of publications and activities of interest. "Alaska History News" is published four times a year and is distributed free to members. This newsletter informs readers of events, new publications, local historical society activities, governmental policies affecting history programming, and provides information on new resources available for the researcher or local society.

On this day in history, August 24, 1912, President William Howard Taft signed the Second Organic Act which created the T...
08/25/2026

On this day in history, August 24, 1912, President William Howard Taft signed the Second Organic Act which created the Territory of Alaska.

The territory was comprised of four judicial districts - each having four representatives and two senators. The first 24 Territorial Legislators hailed from Candle, Douglas, Fairbanks, Fox, Iditarod, Juneau, Katalla, Ketchikan, Knik, Nome, Ruby, Seward, Sitka, Skagway, Valdez and Wrangell.

Read more: https://akleg.gov/100years/legislature.php?id=-1

The Alaska Historical Society has lots of options - from one day rates to virtual attendance - for this year's Alaska Hi...
08/21/2026

The Alaska Historical Society has lots of options - from one day rates to virtual attendance - for this year's Alaska Historical Society Conference in Homer (and online) October 7-10.

Explore the different options and buy your ticket. Prices increase September 15: www.alaskahistoricalsociety.org/conference

Have you heard that one of the 2026 Alaska Historical Society Annual Conference keynotes is Sam Mihara?Sam Mihara and hi...
08/14/2026

Have you heard that one of the 2026 Alaska Historical Society Annual Conference keynotes is Sam Mihara?

Sam Mihara and his family were sent to a Japanese internment camp when he was just 9 years old. Now in his nineties, Sam is making a special trip to Alaska to talk about his experiences - similar experiences to what many Japanese Alaskans encountered when they were sent to camps in the Lower 48.

Hear from Sam directly:
https://www.britannica.com/video/Sam-Mihara-interview-Japanese-American-imprisonment/-267927

Register to join us online or in Homer for one day or the full 3 day conference: www.alaskahistoricalsociety.org/conference

Sam Mihara and his family were imprisoned in a Japanese American incarceration camp for three years.

It started with a book club in the small community of Atka. 3 students fascinated by their history, the history of the U...
08/11/2026

It started with a book club in the small community of Atka. 3 students fascinated by their history, the history of the Unangax̂ people, transformed their curiosity into an award-winning Alaska History Day website. Then, their project went on to earn the National Endowment for the Humanities' History of Place Award!

But funding for this year’s competition is uncertain, and students like these may not get the chance to participate.

The good news? An anonymous donor has offered a $5,000 match to help save History Day. 💙 Will you make a gift and double your impact for Alaska students?

👉 https://alaskahistoricalsociety.org/save-history-day/

🚨 Help us save Alaska History Day! An anonymous donor has stepped forward with an incredible challenge: they'll match ev...
08/06/2026

🚨 Help us save Alaska History Day!

An anonymous donor has stepped forward with an incredible challenge: they'll match every gift to Alaska History Day, dollar for dollar, up to $5,000, through August 31.

For decades, Alaska History Day has inspired students to become researchers, filmmakers, writers, performers, and critical thinkers. They dive into history, analyze primary sources, and build arguments based on evidence.

But today, the future of Alaska History Day is at risk. Without additional support, this program may not continue. This matching gift is an opportunity to make twice the impact for Alaska's students and help ensure History Day continues for the next generation.

💙 Every dollar you give before August 31 will be doubled, up to our $5,000 goal. Please join us in saving this program and share this post with the history lovers in your life.

Donate today and watch our progress: https://alaskahistoricalsociety.org/save-history-day/

Photo: Alaska students participating the national history day competition near Washington, D.C.

Depending on the resources available, Alaska Native peoples make baskets from many different materials, including spruce...
08/06/2026

Depending on the resources available, Alaska Native peoples make baskets from many different materials, including spruce root, wild rye grass (taxyux̂ in Unangam Tunuu), baleen, and birch bark as pictured. One can appreciate how this photo has a blend of Western clothing and traditional, Alaska Native basket-making techniques at work. Notice the box of what looks like spruce root next to them. Spruce root is often made pliable and used like thread, sewing the birch bark together. Then, many baskets are sealed with spruce sap for water resistance.

This photo is labeled as from Klukwan in Southeast Alaska.

Photo credit: Evelyn Butler and George Dale. Photographs, 1934-1982. ASL-PCA-306, Accessed at: https://vilda.alaska.edu/digital/collection/cdmg21/id/22018/rec/8

Registration is now open for the 2026 Alaska Historical Society Conference. Join us in Homer or online for 1, 2, or 3 da...
08/05/2026

Registration is now open for the 2026 Alaska Historical Society Conference. Join us in Homer or online for 1, 2, or 3 days of incredible sessions about Alaska's history.

Explore registration options like student pricing and more: http://alaskahistoricalsociety.org/conference

Early bird pricing ends on September 15, so don't wait to secure your spot!

Are you a fan of our physical quarterly newsletter featuring the latest happenings of interest to Alaska's historic comm...
07/28/2026

Are you a fan of our physical quarterly newsletter featuring the latest happenings of interest to Alaska's historic community? Well, we have good news! The Alaska Historical Society will now be featuring an E-newsletter to keep you even more up to date on the latest Alaska historic happenings.

We have just released our second newsletter; check it out at the link below and sign up for future releases.

Link to E-newsletter:
https://mailchi.mp/d6e1bd1b9c6e/news-history-day-critical-issues-lectures-next-week-13393101

Link to sign up for future E-newsletter releases:
https://alaskahistoricalsociety.us12.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4e98d429c2426c7de54c28965&id=990b713aa3

Don't miss the deadline! Nominate folks doing the critical work of preserving, researching, and sharing Alaska’s history...
07/27/2026

Don't miss the deadline! Nominate folks doing the critical work of preserving, researching, and sharing Alaska’s history for an Alaska Historical Society award. Nominations close this Saturday, August 1.

🏆Learn more and submit a nomination: https://alaskahistoricalsociety.org/about-ahs/awards/

Each year, the Alaska Historical Society honors outstanding achievements in the research, writing, and promotion of Alaska history. Award recipients are selected by the Alaska Historical Society Awards Committee from nominations submitted by the public.

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Anchorage, AK
99510

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