The Revolution Was Streamed: Bringing the (Now) Current State of Public History into Focus
In 2019, I wrote about the burgeoning potential of digital platforms to revolutionize public history. Five years on, that revolution hasn't just been streamed – it's been downloaded, shared, and is now an integral part of how we engage with the past. Let's revisit those initial predictions and see how the landscape has evolved.
Initial Predictions Revisited:
The Rise of Digital Storytelling: Spot on! Podcasts, video essays, interactive websites, and social media campaigns have become powerful tools for historical storytelling. Consider the success of podcasts like "You're Dead To Me" or "Throughline," which make history accessible and engaging to a wide audience.
Democratization of History: More nuanced. While digital platforms have empowered individuals and communities to share their stories, the digital divide and issues of representation remain. We need to be mindful of who has access to these tools and whose stories are amplified.
Blurring the Lines Between Creator and Consumer: Absolutely. User-generated content, online forums, and comment sections have enabled a more interactive relationship with history. Projects like the Library of Congress's crowdsourced transcriptions showcase this shift.
Global Reach, Local Impact: Definitely. Digital platforms connect us across continents, but they also enable hyperlocal historical projects to flourish. Consider the rise of local history apps and online exhibits that celebrate specific neighborhoods and communities.
What's New (and Surprising)?
The AI Effect: Tools like ChatGPT are reshaping how we research and interpret history. AI-powered translation,archival analysis, and even content generation are becoming commonplace, raising new questions about authorship and authenticity.
Immersive Experiences: Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) offer unprecedented immersive experiences. You can now virtually "walk" through ancient Rome or explore the inside of a slave ship, making history visceral and emotional.
Challenges: Misinformation and the rise of "deepfakes" pose serious threats to historical truth. As public historians, we have an even greater responsibility to be critical consumers of information and to teach others how to do the same.
The Way Forward
Public history is thriving in the digital age. We must continue to embrace these tools while also grappling with the ethical and practical challenges they present. Let's strive for inclusive, accurate, and engaging public history that uses technology to foster empathy, understanding, and connection to the past — while holding others accountable to the same standards.
