The Public History in Historical Perspective Series, edited by Marla Miller and published by the University of Massachusetts Press, has enjoyed many successes and steady growth since its inception in 2009. The significant achievements of the series have not only made it a cornerstone of the UMass Press publishing program, but have also inspired and shaped new generations of public historians. Books in the series provide critical perspectives to scholars who seek to understand the role of history and memory in public life.
“We are extremely proud to publish the series, Public History in Historical Perspective,” says Mary Dougherty, the director of University of Massachusetts Press. According to Dougherty, over 15,700 copies of series titles have been sold, including library copies available to borrow in electronic or paper formats. A number of the books in the series are routinely assigned in courses nationwide. And the press and the series are now poised to drive innovation in the realm of digital scholarship, an area of keen interest among public historians.
“With exciting manuscripts in various stages of completion, readers can look forward to a series of continued excellence,” says Edward Linenthal, a member of the series’s editorial advisory board. “Such case studies transport us into the intimate and at the same time very public ‘predicament of aftermath.’ More generally, they offer stark evidence that the past remains forever dynamic.”
For more on the series’s first ten years, visit Public History in Historical Perspective: Celebrating a Decade of Success, in the UMass History Department blog, @email.