Texas State Historical Association
Encyclopedia
The Texas State Historical Association or abbreviated TSHA, is a non-profit educational organization, dedicated to documenting the rich and unique history
of Texas
. It was founded on March 2, 1897. As of November 2008, TSHA moved from Austin
to the University of North Texas
in Denton
.
The executive director is J. Kent Calder. The association president (2011-2012) is Merline Pitre; the preceding president is Dianne Garrett Powell (2010-2011). Other past presidents are the late Robert A. Calvert
(1989-1990) of Texas A&M, Alwyn Barr
(1992-1993) of Texas Tech University
, and Jerry D. Thompson
(2001-2002) of Texas A&M International University
in Laredo
..
Among the many TSHA fellows is Paul H. Carlson
(1992), Texas Tech professor emeritus and a specialist in Texas and the American West.
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It was founded on March 2, 1897. As of November 2008, TSHA moved from Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
to the University of North Texas
University of North Texas
The University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067...
in Denton
Denton, Texas
The city of Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Its population was 119,454 according to the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eleventh largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex...
.
The executive director is J. Kent Calder. The association president (2011-2012) is Merline Pitre; the preceding president is Dianne Garrett Powell (2010-2011). Other past presidents are the late Robert A. Calvert
Robert A. Calvert
Robert Arnold Calvert, Jr., known as Bob Calvert , was a historian and professor at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, best known for his standard textbook, The History of Texas, co-authored with Arnoldo De Leon and Gregg Cantrell.Calvert was born in Stephenville, the seat of Erath...
(1989-1990) of Texas A&M, Alwyn Barr
Alwyn Barr
Chester Alwyn Barr is an American historian who specializes in African American studies, the American South, the American Civil War, and Reconstruction. He is a professor emeritus and former history department chairman at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.-Works:Barr received his Ph.D...
(1992-1993) of Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
, and Jerry D. Thompson
Jerry D. Thompson
Jerry Don Thompson is Regents Professor of History at Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas. He is a prolific author of books on a variety of related topics, specializing in the American Civil War, the history of the Southwestern United States, and Texas History...
(2001-2002) of Texas A&M International University
Texas A&M International University
Texas A&M International University, often referred to as TAMIU, is a public, co-educational, state-supported university located in Laredo, Texas...
in Laredo
Laredo, Texas
Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,...
..
Among the many TSHA fellows is Paul H. Carlson
Paul H. Carlson
Paul Howard Carlson , an historian of Texas, the American West, and Native Americans, is a professor emeritus at Texas Tech University in Lubbock....
(1992), Texas Tech professor emeritus and a specialist in Texas and the American West.
Publications
The organization produces three educational publications:- The Southwestern Historical Quarterly (originally called the Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association) is the oldest continuously published scholarly journal in Texas. This journal usually features 16 articles per year, covering topics in a range of appeal.
- Riding Line is published by the agency as a quarterly newsletter. It features news and current information on statewide historical activities.
- The Texas AlmanacTexas AlmanacThe Texas Almanac is a biennially published reference work providing information for the general public on the history of the state and its people, government and politics, economics, natural resources, holidays, culture, education, recreation, the arts, and other topics...
is a biennially published reference work providing information for the general public on the history of the state and its people, government and politics, economics, natural resources, holidays, culture, education, recreation, the arts, and other topics. TSHA acquired the Texas Almanac as a gift from the A. H. Belo Corporation on May 5, 2008.
Educational programs
- Educational Department - Founded in 1939, looks to promote the teaching of Texas history in the states’ schools.
- Junior Historians of Texas - An extracurricular program for students in grades four through twelve.
- Texas History Day - Provides an opportunity for students to develop their knowledge of history in an annual state-level history fair for students in grades six through twelve.
- History Awareness Workshops - Helps educators develop teaching strategies for informative content and practical classroom applications.
- Heritage Travel Program - a one-week traveling seminar dealing with a specific subject in Texas history held at summer.
Research services
The organization publishes the New Handbook of Texas which is a six-volume multidisciplinary encyclopedia of Texas history, culture, and geography. In addition, the Handbook of Texas Online is provided by TSHA for internet historical research of Texas.See also
- East Texas Historical AssociationEast Texas Historical AssociationThe East Texas Historical Association is an organization of professional historians and interested laypersons dedicated to the preservation of the overall history of East Texas, generally defined as that portion of the state east of Interstate 35. The association was founded in 1962 after a long...
, based in NacogdochesNacogdoches, TexasNacogdoches is a city in Nacogdoches County, Texas, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the city's population to be 32,996. It is the county seat of Nacogdoches County and is situated in East Texas. Nacogdoches is a sister city of Natchitoches, Louisiana.Nacogdoches is the home of... - West Texas Historical AssociationWest Texas Historical AssociationThe West Texas Historical Association is an organization of both academics and laypersons dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of the total history of West Texas, defined geographically as all Texas counties and portions of counties located west of Interstate 35.-Formation of the...
, based in LubbockLubbock, TexasLubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...