On Wednesday, March 5, more than 200 people involved in historic preservation, archives, museums, archaeology, and public history converged on the Ohio Statehouse. We celebrated Ohio Statehood Day (a few days late) with a luncheon and speakers in the atrium, followed by group visits to share our support for history in Ohio with elected representatives. Governor Strickland gave amusing and brief remarks commenting on the practicality of Ohioans who, for example, followed the invention of aviation with the invention of the parachute. Speakers from professional organizations filled us in about the History Works priorities before we went off to meet with legislators or their staff. I’m always amazed by the many fairly young aids that do important work with constituents like ourselves and seemed so poised, affirming, and well informed when I go to Columbus. Both legislators and aids asked interesting questions about Ohio history – they seemed particularly interested in connections between the Civil War and their individual districts. I was lucky to be in a delegation with Jim Bisland, author of a new book Blood, Tears, and Glory: How Ohioans Won the Civil War, who could answer these questions with vivid stories. (You can follow the Civil War, day by day, on his website http://www.bloodtearsandglory.blogspot.com/.)
Statehood Day is a joint effort among the Ohio Historical Society, Heritage Ohio, the Ohio Archaeological Council, the Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums, the Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board, Preservation Ohio, the Ohio Genealogical Society and the Society of Ohio Archivists.
So what do historians want? The legislative agenda includes three key priorities:
1. Meet Public Commitments
- Reinforce the state’s commitment to historic preservation by 1) fully funding the Ohio Historic Preservation Office to help expedite reviews of economic development projects, 2) encouraging the preservation of public historic buildings, and 3) strengthening the state’s policy regarding the impact of public improvements on historic properties.
- Improve student achievement and strengthen citizenship skills in the under-emphasized core subject of Social Studies by increasing the availability of high-quality teacher training and classroom resources.
2. Reinvest at the Local Level
- Establish an income tax check-off that would create a new competitive matching grants program, leveraging public investments in local historical, archival and preservation organizations.
- Establish a dedicated, sustainable source of funding for the efficient management and preservation of local government records.
3. Promote Ohio’s History
- Establish a Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission and invest in activities and educational programs statewide in recognition of Ohio’s prominent role in the Civil War.
- Develop a statewide system of Heritage Areas that promotes and preserves Ohio’s geographically and thematically grouped natural, cultural, historical and recreational resources through technical assistance and funding to develop unique visitor experiences, stimulate community and economic development and compete more effectively with our neighboring states for tourism dollars.
You can read more about Statehood Day and download this list as a .pdf from the Ohio Historical Society at http://www.ohiohistory.org/about/lu/sd.html
