What We Know, What We Wish : Maine Statehood, Historical Commemoration, and the Urgency of Public History

Cities, states, and nations are grappling with how best to commemorate historical events and anniversaries in ways that are fair, accurate, and open public dialogue about the often contested past.This volume springs from varied approaches to the historical commemoration of Maine’s state bicentennial in 2020 that involved academics, independent scholars, local and statewide cultural organizations, sovereign Wabanaki nations, and the state itself in the form of the Maine State Bicentennial Commission.While wide-ranging in their goals and values, all sought to take advantage of opportunities for collaboration to contribute to a dynamic and multi-faceted practice of public history.These new essays use Maine’s bicentennial as a focal point to put public history theory into action.Its diverse contributors share stories about the past that move beyond celebration to reflect crucial ways that the past shapes our understanding of the present and our aspirations for the future. This volume’s cor