Presidential Sites Summit Session Information

TUESDAY

General Session: Tuesday 9:00-10:45

Presidential History and Memory: Negotiating Narratives Across Time and Space

This general session will examine the dynamics of and relationship between history and memory. Historians, archivists and educators at presidential sites, including homes, memorials, libraries and other locations, are often called upon to “verify” history or historical facts, but sometimes their interpretations run counter to the collective memory of an individual, event, or a particular moment in time. The session will explore the challenges of myth-making and myth-breaking, which can be crucial for both attracting patrons and securing support for presidentialwill sites, as well as upholding professional standards of the discipline.

General Session: Tuesday 11:00-12:15

Fostering Leadership through Education Technology

Educating leaders for the 21st Century requires global classrooms and creative partnerships. In this panel discussion, learn from those using innovative digital solutions and immersive experiences to empower the next generation. This panel will examine current trends and best practices in education, highlighting case studies to showcase the interpretation of the White House and presidential topics.

General Session: Tuesday 2:15-4:00

Digitization & Technology

Every cultural heritage organization faces similar problems when it comes to digitizing materials. Digitizing projects require time, money, labor and technology to complete. Although organizations of all sizes face the same issues, there is no one size fits all solution. In this session representatives from large institutions with national reach, as well as smaller organizations with limited resources will offer ideas and strategies suited to their respective sizes for handling the ongoing challenges of digitization projects. This session will promote information sharing among institutions to help encourage networking.

Evening Event: Tuesday 7:00-9:00

Back to the White House

This two-part session will explore presidential descendants and the portrayal of the presidency and presidents in American cinema.

WEDNESDAY

General Session: Wednesday 9:00-10:45

Presidents and the Press Throughout History

This session will be a conversation with former Press Secretaries, White House Correspondents Association members, former Meet the Press moderators, journalists and other related speakers. They will discuss the role media and the press play into documenting the presidency throughout history.

Breakout Session A: Wednesday 11:00-12:15

Inclusive Presidential History

This panel will explore recent efforts made by sites and libraries to incorporate the stories of lesser-known individuals or social groups (women, African Americans, Native Americans) into the lives and times of the presidents. The panel will feature presenters representing professionals in curatorial work, public programs, and historical interpretation who have embraced this challenge, providing lessons for a variety of types of presidential sites—including those with regional or national points of focus.

Breakout Session B: Wednesday 11:00-12:15

Philanthropy, Fundraising, and Outreach in a Rapidly Changing Environment

The cultural landscape within the United States has altered significantly in recent years. Different states and regions have different outlooks on public funding for cultural heritage, and different resources for philanthropy available. Many sites and organizations are placing great emphasis on building donor engagement programs and identifying the most effective strategies to ensure success. The session will consider such initiatives, but also address the blossoming of crowdfunding. This general session will talk about adapting to quickly changing attitudes, the pros and cons of online tools, and benefits of dedicated programs of philanthropy.

General Session: Wednesday 2:30-4:00

Civics Education and Presidential Sites

To be revealed soon!