Chicago Metro History Day

We had a great time at last night's Teacher Kickoff! Teachers heard advice from former History Day students, and learned about Chicago connections to this year's theme "Innovation in History: Impact, Influence, Change" from historian Nick Kryczka.

Chicago Metro History Day also honored teachers with Years of Service pins. Dave Saunders received a standing ovation for his 35 years of service to Chicago Metro History Day. 🎉

Thank you to all of our amazing teachers! We look forward to a great History Day season.

Ever wonder what it would be like to perform at a museum?

Now you can find out! Cohosted by CHM and School of Rock, Rock the Museum is a music festival that brings talented young musicians to Chicago’s oldest cultural institution for a day of live music while raising funds for the Museum’s educational programs.

Applications are FREE AND NOW OPEN until Monday, October 12, for eligible artists ages 15–22. Get ready to rock on November 21! 🎸

Learn more and apply now ⬇️
tinyurl.com/Rock-the-Museum-2026

Chicago Metro History Day is excited to Rock the Museum! Join us on November 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Chicago History Museum.

Rock the Museum is a music festival co-hosted by the Chicago History
Museum (CHM) and School of Rock (SOR). This event features original music by Emerging Artists as well as covers performed by SOR House Bands. This festival spotlights some of the Chicago area’s most talented young musicians, highlights Chicago’s rich musical history, and raises funds for CHM’s education programs.

Interested in applying to perform? Please visit https://tinyurl.com/ms8ntztf for more details.

Did you know that there is a similar program to National History Day in Europe? is a network of historical research competitions that just celebrated its 25th anniversary. Its parent organization, the Koerber Stiftung, began the first history competition in 1973 -- the Geschichtswettbewerb des Bundespraesidenten. Cathy Gorn and I had the honor of presenting to the EUSTORY organizers and participants about the past 50 years of National History Day and CMHD at the Past Forward Festival last week in Hamburg, alongside colleagues from the Geschichtswettbewerb. We very much enjoyed the opportunity to discuss democratic education and the role of the historical research project in creating informed, engaged citizens. We especially appreciated the reflections by EUSTORY participants and seeing their work in Roots And Reels. Special thanks to our co-presenters Laura Wesseler and Dr. Alice von Plato from the Geschichtswettbewerb des Bundespräsidenten (Körber-Stiftung)!

Chicago History Museum

National History Day

Did you know that there is a similar program to National History Day in Europe? EUSTORY is a network of historical research competitions that just celebrated its 25th anniversary. Its parent organization, the Koerber Stiftung, began the first history competition in 1973 -- the Geschichtswettbewerb des Bundespraesidenten. Cathy Gorn and I had the honor of presenting to the EUSTORY organizers and participants about the past 50 years of National History Day and CMHD at the Past Forward Festival last week in Hamburg, alongside colleagues from the Geschichtswettbewerb. We very much enjoyed the opportunity to discuss democratic education and the role of the historical research project in creating informed, engaged citizens. We especially appreciated the reflections by EUSTORY participants and seeing their work in Roots And Reels. Special thanks to our co-presenters Laura Wesseler and Dr. Alice von Plato from the Geschichtswettbewerb des Bundespräsidenten (Körber-Stiftung)!

Chicago History Museum

National History Day

CMHD Teachers, National History Day's Silent Hero Opportunity is accepting applications until August 6th! Please see their website for FAQs and application information.

Teachers! NHD is excited to announce a new Silent Heroes program for the 2026/2027 academic year, Silent Heroes: Untold Stories of the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard in World War II. Sponsored by a grant from the Veterans Legacy Program, part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, apply for an opportunity to engage students in a special project to research and profile the experiences of two U.S. Navy or Coast Guard Veterans of World War II. After researching the Veterans’ lives in fall 2026, student-teacher teams will visit their local national cemetery to honor their Veterans and read eulogies at their graves. Find more information and apply by August 6, 2026 at https://nhd.org/en/2026/07/18/nhd-announces-silent-hero-opportunity-for-teachers-and-students-in-2026-2027/

We learned so much with the 2026 theme "Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History" this past year! We are looking forward to seeing how CMHD historians interpret the 2027 theme: "Innovation in History: Impact, Influence, Change."

Arjun and Gabriella’s Jumbotron appearance for Senior Group Documentary Finals!

And one last congratulations to Shreya Hingmire for her special award on US Federal Government History for her paper, “A Cycle of Revolution, Reaction, and Reform: The Privacy Act of 1974 and the Evolution of Data Privacy”!

Congratulations to Emily Owca and Francesca Ocampo of Maine West HS for their 3rd place medal in Senior Group Exhibit for “The 1963 Chicago Public School Boycott: The Fight Against the Injustice in Chicago’s Education System”!