The Georgia History Festival is the signature K-12 educational program of the Georgia Historical Society. Beginning with the new school year in September, a variety of public programs, exhibits, in-school events, and educational resources bring history to life for students of all ages and encourage Georgians to explore the richness of our state’s past. The Festival continues in February, the founding month of the Georgia colony, with events like the popular Colonial Faire and Muster living history program held at Wormsloe State Historic Site and Super Museum Sunday, and culminates in April with the annual Trustees Gala, where each year we induct two modern-day Georgia Trustees.

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In conjunction with the Governor’s Office, the Georgia Historical Society reestablished the Georgia Trustees as a way of recognizing Georgians whose accomplishments and community service reflect the highest ideals of the founding body of Trustees. The original Georgia Trustees, a governing body chartered and appointed by His Majesty King George II of England in 1732 to establish a new colony in North America, founded Georgia upon the principle of Non Sibi, Sed Allis, “Not for Self but for Others.” GHS and the Governor’s Office reestablished the Trustees in 2009. The Governor annually appoints new Trustees whose history-making accomplishments and service reflect the original Trustees’ ideals.

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Each year the Georgia Historical Society selects iconic companies in our state as designees of the prestigious Georgia Business History Initiative. Through the Business History Initiative, GHS seeks to teach Georgia students, citizens, and tourists alike about the pivotal role of Georgia’s leading businesses in the economic, cultural, and social development of Georgia and the United States.

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The Georgia Historical Society's Community Archives Initiative is dedicated to preserving Georgia’s diverse histories through active community participation. Our initiative encourages Georgia residents to become part of history by volunteering to enhance archival collections alongside archivists, attending community-based workshops, and contributing family artifacts and other materials. Together, we can ensure that Georgia’s past is preserved, shared, and accessible to researchers for generations to come.

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The Vincent J. Dooley Distinguished Fellows Program honors and secures Vince Dooley’s legacy for his lifelong commitment to history and higher education. As a longtime member of the Georgia Historical Society’s Board of Curators, Coach Dooley demonstrated his strong belief in and support of the Society’s mission as a nationally-recognized research and educational institution. The Dooley Distinguished Fellows Program accomplishes two goals consistent with Coach Dooley’s life and legacy: recognizing senior scholars in the field of history and mentoring and developing emerging historians.

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While our diversity has been a source of great strength, all too often we have failed to achieve the promises of equality and justice proclaimed in our founding documents. Through Recognizing an Imperfect Past: A History and Race Initiative, GHS uses the story of the past to foster difficult but necessary conversations that help all Americans gain a better understanding about the role race has played in shaping Georgia and the United States, and about how that understanding can help us envision a better future.

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Whether through hands-on activities with primary sources in the GHS Research Center, in-school presentations by GHS staff, or curriculum aligned with state and national education standards, the Georgia Historical Society enables students of all ages to experience history beyond the textbook. Further, GHS is committed to helping educators meet the needs of 21st-century learners through a variety of online and in-person professional development opportunities. From NEH-supported summer institutes to self-paced online courses and interactions at respected professional conferences, GHS professional staff continue to partner with educators to improve history education nationwide.

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The Georgia Historical Society’s Affiliate Chapter Program was established in 1996 to provide resources to local historical organizations and to provide opportunities for those organizations to learn from one another, thereby developing a more informed network of institutions dedicated to sharing the many local stories that make up Georgia’s rich and diverse history. Today that network includes nearly two hundred local historical organizations throughout the state of Georgia and beyond.

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The Georgia Historical Society recognizes individuals and organizations that have helped to ensure a future for Georgia’s past through dedicated scholarship, programming, and altruism through a variety of awards programs. From awards recognizing excellence in local history across state, to publication awards, to the annual induction of new Georgia Trustees by the Governor, GHS is proud to acknowledge those who advance knowledge and understanding of the rich and diverse history of our state.

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GHS coordinates a regular program of statewide lectures and public presentations that share new perspectives and scholarship with a variety of audiences. These programs regularly engage the nation’s leading scholars in lively conversation about the vital issues of our time through free, interactive public events across the state.

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