Explaining Public History

The question,Is it possible for public historians to make money by offering historical services to private clients,divided a gathering of prominent historians into three groups.One group believed that it was not possible,another group was opposed to the first group and a third group hinted that the pre-requisite to earning income from public history services is that ability to build a portfolio of tangible services that can be offered to trade associations,not-for-proft groups and companies in the private sector with the rigours used by freelance journalists before the advent of the Internet.

Start With Family & Community History Projects

An idea that this writer developed by saying that the field of family history is the easiest sector for a beginner.Capable of putting together a family calendar,three to four months before the end of the year,with the intention to produce an almanac and a family magazine to consolidate his status as a family historian. A position that made the gathering to echo,the family magazine,properly designed,well edited and printed,will serve as a portfolio that the beginner will use in prospecting for new clients? After this question,the discussion defined public history as efforts or attempts to raise a better understanding or awareness on historical issues outside the academic world.

Corporate Historian and Business Record Manager

The supporter of the practice of public history insisted on the fact that the family magazine,can include advertisements from family business owners and the public historian can extend his services to cover community tours,produce a local travel guide and undertake writing the biographies of state politicians and prominent persons.As services that will make the beginner to add, business record audit,record retention,classification and storage as part of his freelance services to companies in eager to engage the services of a corporate historian or record manager.By the end of the session,there were questions on billing for public history services,how to write a business plan,how to find clients and the turnover needed to break-even,as a public historian.At this point, the supporter of the practice of public history sniffed,register for the workshop on why not become a public historian."