Alabama Humanities Alliance

Each year, our Alabama History Day program reaches thousands of students in middle schools and high schools statewide. And that includes schools within Alabama’s Department of Youth Services!

Earlier this month, dozens of students at Lurleen B. Wallace School (Mt. Meigs campus, Montgomery) and Adele G. McNeel School (V***a campus, Birmingham) presented their Alabama History Day projects to panels of judges from across the state. Just as students in other school, regional, and state contests do with Alabama History Day.

Some students’ work was even showcased in a public exhibit hosted this spring at the National Park Service’s Montgomery Interpretive Center, on the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Traill.

We’re enormously grateful to a pair of invaluable partners for this effort — the state’s Department of Youth Services and the Alabama Writers' Forum (AWF). AHA and the AWF collaboratively developed a 10-week Writing Our Histories curriculum to help DYS students participate in Alabama History Day. The curriculum builds on the AWF’s well-established Writing Our Stories program, which also takes place on DYS youth campuses.

Participating students on both campuses got to pick a topic of their own choosing within this year’s 250-inspired theme of “Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History.” Students learned how to conduct primary research, expressed their findings creatively through their artistic exhibits, and developed public speaking skills.

As an 11th-grade student from L.B. Wallace shared: “This is my first history project that I’ve ever completed. It took a lot of hard work and much patience. I learned computer skills, research skills, and speech skills with how I learned to speak in front of a large group of people!”

Thank you to our partners, sponsors, teachers, and judges who make these incredible opportunities possible!

Happy May — where AHA is bringing it all month long!

Swipe for new AHA-funded podcasts, America at 250 events, teacher workshops, and more. Including AHA taking our Alabama History Day program inside the state’s Department of Youth Services!

Plus: Don’t miss an early peek at two opportunities we’re hosting next month in Jasper, at Bevill State Community College. There, on June 16, we’ll offer a Local Museum Workshop with our friends from , , and more.

This gathering will give Alabama museums and other cultural organizations the chance to share success stories, network, and learn about AHA grant offerings! Afterwards, we’ll host a PastForward Healing Circle, a thought-provoking and participatory introduction to our Healing History initiative.

We hope you’ll join us. And we hope you’ll keep applying for our monthly Mini Grants and Road Scholar grants to bring humanities-rich public programs to your community!

We are sad to hear of the passing of Alexander City’s Ben Russell, a leading Alabama businessman and philanthropist who was also a staunch supporter of the humanities.

AHA was always grateful for the appreciation that both Ben and Luanne Russell showed for lifelong learning and civic engagement. As a couple they were committed to making Alabama a smarter, kinder, more vibrant place to live. It was our honor to recognize Ben and Luanne with one of our Alabama Humanities Awards in 2016. The first photo here is from when they were honored that year, in Birmingham.

Ben’s legacy will live on in all who look to strengthen the shared communities we call home.

Are you a K-8 teacher of history or civics? Know someone who is?

Applications are due THIS FRIDAY, April 30, for AHA’s Jenice Riley Memorial Scholarship, supporting the exceptional teaching of history and civics in (and beyond!) Alabama’s classrooms.

The competitive Riley Scholarship is awarded annually to K-8 educators who excel at helping students engage with history and civics. Riley Scholars receive $2,000 in support of history- and civics-related classroom projects or for professional development opportunities.

Our 2026 proposal theme is “Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History” — inspired by (but not limited to) the 250th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence in 2026. This was also the theme of AHA’s 2026 Alabama History Day competition!

To learn more, and to apply, visit alabamahumanities.org/jenice-riley-memorial-scholarship.

Congratulations to the Auburn and Alabama AI Ethics debate teams for their conversations today at the AI Ethics Iron Bowl! It was Alabama Humanities’ pleasure to help fund this program through an AHA Mini Grant.

Thank you to all participants for considering what ethical decision-making looks like in the age of artificial intelligence. And thank you for sharing your insights with the public today!

For some context, today’s full-day event featured students engaging in a structured, multi-round debate centered on AI case studies. These cases explored complex issues such as algorithmic bias, privacy, surveillance, automation, misinformation and the broader societal impact of emerging technologies.

Unlike traditional debate formats that emphasize winning an argument, the AI Ethics Iron Bowl prioritizes ethical reasoning, intellectual curiosity and respectful dialogue. Students are encouraged to explore the complexity of each issue, incorporate humanities-infused critical thinking, acknowledge uncertainty and engage constructively with differing viewpoints.

That said, for those Iron Bowl diehards keeping track at home, the Tigers took home this one. :)

Congrats to all!

Incoming: History Day judges appreciation post!

Earlier this month, hundreds of students participated in the final leg of our 2026 Alabama History Day program — competing in our state contest at American Village. We’re so proud of the students for their research and creativity. And we are always grateful to the teachers who drive this program in their classrooms.

But today we are shouting out our judges! We could not do Alabama History Day without an incredible roster of judges who volunteer their time each year.

These judges are often educators themselves, or are historians, librarians, museum curators, lawyers, writers, or many other things! They provide their expertise at school contests, regionals, and our state contest. They rank student projects to determine winners and help ensure the quality of scholarship that goes into this program.

Most importantly, though, they spend quality time interviewing each student about their research — asking questions and giving the students’ much-appreciated feedback about their work. That encouragement from our judges is one of the most important elements of this entire program.

Learn more about this year’s contest:
alabamahumanities.org/students-become-the-teachers-at-alabama-history-day.

Thank you, judges, for making Alabama History Day 2026 such a meaningful experience for all involved! Here’s to next year...


National History Day

A photo from last evening’s Healing Circle monthly cohort, a nearly year-long experience offered through AHA’s Healing History initiative. These participants are sharing with, and learning from, each other — as we explore our shared histories. Yes, around a circle and over a Sunday meal.

We deeply appreciate everyone in this photo for their openness, honesty, and willingness to learn. Together, we’re learning what it means to be in real conversation with each other. To share, and truly listen, to each other’s personal stories.

We’re not allowing the past to divide us. Instead, we’re building bridges to bind us together in the present.

If all this sounds intriguing to you, visit AHA’s Healing History page to learn about one-day opportunities throughout 2026. And stay tuned for info on our 2027 Healing Circle cohort.

Our thanks to the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham for their generous support and partnership with this initiative. And to Innovation Depot for hosting us each month. This type of work always takes the village. Join us!

Learn more:
alabamahumanities.org/healing-history

Happy Spring! And happy humanities season — every season! Scroll through to check out what’s going down this month across the state...

Among the highlights:
— Alabama History Day at Montevallo’s American Village
— Launch of Alabama Constitution Hall Park’s America 250th event series
— ‘America at 250’ Road Scholar presentations happening in Mobile, Dothan, and Eufaula
— Seminar in Gadsden on ‘Everyday People, Everyday Records: Genealogy from our Nation’s Beginnings’
— Two chances in the Birmingham area to participate in AHA’s Healing History initiative
— A new AHA-funded podcast series, ‘Voices of Alabama Families’

We’ve also got a pair of April 30 deadlines coming up for:
— K-8 history and civics educators to apply for AHA’s Jenice Riley Memorial Scholarship
— Alabama educators to register for ‘Teaching the Holocaust’ with our partners at the Alabama Holocaust Education Center

And don’t miss another Iron Bowl battle between Alabama and Auburn! This one’s got a twist: It’s an AI Ethics Iron Bowl debating the ethical future of artificial intelligence. AHA is proud to support this public debate with one of our Mini Grants. (And, remember: You can apply by the first of each month for a Mini Grant or Road Scholar talk for your own community!)

So much happening! Join us, won’t you?

P.S. Yes, a few of these events happened already. Our apologies. We were a little preoccupied with all those young historians blowing our minds at Alabama History Day!

Congrats to all our 2026 Alabama History Day participants! From classroom projects in the fall and winter, to school and regional competitions this spring, and then our Alabama History Day state contest last week -- hundreds of middle school and high school students have joined in the fun statewide.

These students have learned how to do primary research, become confident and curious learners, and showcased their creativity in presenting their findings as filmmakers, website designers, artists, writers, and actors. Now, our state winners have their sights on National History Day this summer in Maryland and Washington, D.C.!

Many thanks to all the teachers, judges, parents, partners, and sponsors who make the Alabama History Day program possible all year long. And thank you to American Village for hosting our state contest this year. What a special spot to host a competition on the 250th anniversary of our nation's Declaration of Independence!


National History Day America250AL Alabama Historical Association Alabama Department of Archives and History University of Montevallo Judges!