Donna M. Davis, Ph.D., professor in the Division of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Foundations, serves as Vice-President and Program Chair for the Organization of Educational Historians. Dr. Davis is leading the effort to bring the group’s annual meeting to Kansas City this year. The meeting will be held at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center on October 4-5, 2019. Dozens of scholars and graduate students from around the country, including many from the UMKC School of Education, are expected to participate in this conference. It is the first time the conference will be held outside of Chicago, and the first national conference to be hosted by a member of the Division of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Foundations in many years.
Since 1965, the Organization of Educational Historians, formerly the Midwest History of Education Society, has brought together a wide range of scholars to examine the history of education through a broad framing of perspectives and possibilities. The theme of this year’s annual conference, “Lift Every Voice: Uncovering Hidden Stories in the History of Education,” requires scholars to examine those groups of individuals whose educational experiences may have been left out of critical conversations. At this conference, historians of education and other scholars will be encouraged to explore previously silenced spaces in an effort to bring voice to folks who, for whatever reason, have been quieted. These might include youth who identify with specific ethnic and/or cultural groups, those who identify as LGBTQIA, or those who thrive with varying degrees of ability. Indeed, the goal of this line of inquiry is to allow for rich discussions around issues of equity and social justice, as they have been defined—or ignored—in educational settings. Local, national, and international topics will be presented.
In addition to the paper presentations, the meeting’s Keynote Speaker will be John L. Rury, Ph.D., professor at the University of Kansas. A nationally renowned historian of education, Dr. Rury will present his current research on the history of schooling in the Kansas City community.
For more information about the conference, including registration information, please visit the Organization of Educational Historians’ website or contact Dr. Davis directly via email.
