July 8, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Telluride Historical Museum Exhibit Wins AASLH 2015 Leadership in History Award
Sixty recipients from thirty-one states receive highest honor from AASLH
NASHVILLE, TN—The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) announced that the Telluride Historical Museum’s 2014 exhibit Voices of Wartime: Telluride During WWII was selected as a 70th annual Leadership in History Award winner, the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history. The Telluride Historical Museum’s award is one of 60, honoring people, projects, exhibits, books, and organizations from across the country.
“The Leadership in History Awards is AASLH’s highest distinction and the winners represent the best in the field,” said Trina Nelson Thomas, AASLH Awards Chair and Director, Stark Art & History Venue, Stark Foundation. “This year, we are pleased to distinguish each recipient’s commitment and innovation to the interpretation of history, as well as their leadership for the future of state and local history.” The Telluride Historical Museum will receive the Award of Merit, presented for excellence in history programs, projects, and people when compared with similar activities nationwide
The Museum’s winning exhibit, Voices of Wartime: Telluride During WWII, explored the history of the Second World War as remembered by Telluride residents. A revealing look into how daily life changed—and did not change—during the war, the exhibit utilized the power of oral histories to capture the experiences of local residents and share them with a new generation. Surrounding the stories of Telluride locals were images, artifacts, and newsreels explaining the war’s global story.
The Telluride Historical Museum capitalized on its designation as a Smithsonian affiliate for this exhibit by coordinating loans from other affiliated museums, including the National World War II Museum and the Chinese American Museum. Community partners came together as well, including the Telluride Daily Planet, Telluride Masons #56, Telluride Elks Lodge #692, Telluride Rotary, and the American Legion Post 12.
The AASLH Leadership in History Awards Program was initiated in 1945 to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history throughout America. Each nomination is peer-reviewed by AASLH’s state captains. Final awards are decided by the Awards Committee, comprised of AASLH’s fourteen regional representatives and the National Awards Chair.
Presentation of the awards will be made at a special banquet during the 2015 AASLH Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday, September 18. The banquet is supported by a generous contribution from the History Channel.
A full listing of recipients can be found at: www.about.aaslh.org/awards.
About the American Association for State and Local History:
AASLH has provided leadership and support for its members who preserve and interpret state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful to all Americans since 1940. AASLH is a not-for-profit professional organization of individuals and institutions working to preserve and promote history. From its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, AASLH works to advance knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of local history in America. AASLH publishes books, technical publications, a quarterly magazine, a monthly newsletter, and maintains numerous affinity groups and committees serving a broad range of constituents across the historical community. The association also sponsors regional and national training workshops and an annual meeting.
For more information, visit www.aaslh.org