History belongs to all of us; discovering and narrating our histories empowers individuals and communities. Public Historians help make that happen. UMass Boston’s History MA/Public History Track and Public History Certificate prepare graduate students for careers in history, working with and for the public in a variety of settings. We support community endeavors to document, preserve, and interpret their histories, and partner with regional historical organizations. We are committed to broadening the borders of historical practice to include diverse voices and histories in collaboration with partners across communities. This means sharing knowledge and authority, striving to make history relevant, and partnering to support and facilitate the diverse histories of the communities we serve.
Public historians study the way we remember and interpret the past. They use historical methodologies to preserve, collect, present, and interpret history with and for public audiences. Public historians work with historic landscapes, sites, parks and monuments; in museums and historic buildings, archives and special collections; on film and digital media; and with community groups and organizations, families, and institutions. They also study public awareness and consciousness of the past and how various actors shape historical narratives in the public sphere.