History Commons

Who We Are

The History Commons is indeed a "free and open space" for chronicling history. The Commons is a community of editors and administrators who join with the intention of documenting particular aspects of recent political and social history. One editor might be interested in American civil liberties, another might want to write about the war in Afghanistan, a third might focus on the global economic crisis. Some of us spread ourselves out and write about a number of topics. Everything you do here is driven by your interests. If you don't see a group or project that suits your interests, you can work with the site administrators to create one. The editors, and the content they contribute, are the heart of the Commons.

What We Are

There is a fundamental difference between the History Commons, as it is administered and operated, and the content generated by History Commons editors (and administrators). The History Commons itself, and its administrators, take NO political or social positions. The Commons is resolutely non-partisan. Editors who contribute and edit material own their content--it is not given over to the Commons. The History Commons is a sorting and dissemination instrument. Content is up to the editors. Of course, there are guidelines that the Commons requires to be followed for content to be published, mostly to do with accuracy, neutrality, and sourcing.

Some among the Commons's editorial and administrative staff like the term "information activists." Others prefer to view themselves as researchers, historians, and/or archivists. The Commons is a fluid and flexible medium. You can make the Commons a reflection of your interests and work--within the above-stated parameters.

Where We Are

We are spread over the globe, through the facilitation of the Internet. Most, though certainly not all, of the Commons's editors and administrators live in the United States, and we readily admit to having a bias towards US-based information. That is something an editor can help to change. We welcome, and actively solicit, non-American perspectives and information. As for the servers in which the History Commons Web application resides, they are in California.

When We Are

More appropriately, "What time periods do the History Commons cover?" A casual glance at the home page's "Recently Added Events" might show events from anywhere in a fifty-year period, from the 1950s to just hours before the date at which you're reading this. The oldest event in our database is from the late 1880s, though our primary focus is on modern political and social history--events that occurred within (most of) our lifetimes.

Why We Are

As the mission statement says, we exist to "chronicle history, monitor powerful private interests, and conduct oversight of governments." We aim to put together a comprehensive, exhaustively sourced compendium of information on a variety of topics that can be used by students, historians, journalists, citizen activists, and anyone whose curiosity leads them to begin searching the Internet for information on a particular topic.

How We Do What We Do

Anyone who has the time, the interest, and a passion for knowledge can become part of the Commons. The first step is deciding that you want to become a chronicler of history and an editor of the Commons. The next step is to decide what you want to chronicle. Once you've made those decisions, you create an account and begin writing and posting material. There's a brief learning period where you need to learn how to wrangle the database; we've put together a tutorial and walkthrough that will help you get started. And the site administrators stand ready to help, as do many of your fellow editors and contributors.