Press Release - Nominations Sought for History Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Scott Schaffnit
July 15, 2009
(701) 328-2794

BISMARCK – The state’s history agency, the State Historical Society of North Dakota (SHSND), is seeking nominations for four categories of awards that recognize outstanding achievement in the field of history.

The deadline for nominations to be sent to the SHSND is Friday, August 14. Nominations will then be reviewed by a SHSND committee. Presentation of the awards will be made during the awards banquet at the 21st Annual Governor’s Conference on North Dakota History at the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck Friday, September 25. The theme of this year’s conference, which takes place September 25-26, is The 3 Rs in North Dakota: Education from 1870 to 1950. The conference will examine the beginnings of North Dakota’s school system from the educational programs of the early military establishments at the forts, the one-room schoolhouse, and the boarding school through the heyday of the Class B and Class C schools of the post-World War II years.

These are the four categories in which nominations are being sought:

• Excellence in Local History Award – Recognizes those individuals who dedicate their time, talent, and efforts to local and state history. It is given to those whose activity in local and regional history serves as a role model of excellence for others to follow. The award is specifically reserved for those individuals associated with county and local historical efforts and who are deemed to have made a significant contribution in preserving, interpreting, promoting, researching or otherwise extending knowledge and understanding of the history of their locality, county or region within North Dakota. Individuals to be considered include those persons living or deceased who have demonstrated evidence of long-term dedication and personal commitment in pursuit of these goals.
• Association for Excellence in Local History Award – Recognizes those associations/organizations whose activity in local and regional history serves as a role model of excellence for others to follow. The award is specifically reserved for those associations/organizations associated with county and local historical efforts that are deemed to have made a significant contribution in preserving, interpreting, promoting, researching or otherwise extending knowledge and understanding of the history of their locality, county or region within North Dakota.
• Heritage Profile Honor Award – Recognizes those individuals who have made a lasting or significant contribution in preserving, interpreting, promoting, researching and/or otherwise extending the knowledge and understanding of the history of North Dakota. Individuals to be considered include those living or deceased who have demonstrated evidence of long-term dedication and personal commitment in pursuit of these goals.
• North Dakota Person of History Award – Recognizes those individuals who have had a prominent role in the history of North Dakota. It posthumously

honors those who have made a lasting or significant contribution to the growth, development and progress of the state, or the social well-being of its citizens; who have achieved acclaim or prominence in their chosen fields of endeavor and/or have had a profound effect upon the history of the state or the lives of its people. To be eligible, a nominee for this honor must have been deceased at least 10 years.

For more information and a copy of the nomination form or forms, contact SHSND awards chairman Scott Schaffnit, State Historical Society of North Dakota, 612 East Boulevard Avenue, Bismarck, ND, 58505-0830, call (701) 328-2794 or email sschaffnit@nd.gov. Nomination forms are also available by visiting the SHSND website at www.history.nd.gov and clicking on “History Award Nomination Forms” under the heading “Application Forms & Downloads” on the website’s home page.

The State Historical Society of North Dakota manages 55 state historic sites and two state museums, operating as North Dakota’s department of history, archaeology and archives since 1895. The agency has 60 full-time employees and some 200 volunteers working in its four divisions statewide.

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Bismarck, North Dakota 58505
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