Awards of Merit

Program Overview

The Connecticut League of History Organizations recognizes excellence in Connecticut history through its annual Awards of Merit. The awards recognize institutions and individuals who demonstrate the highest professional standards and who enhance and further the understanding of history in Connecticut.  The purpose of the awards is to recognize the care, thought, and effort invested in these contributions and to inspire and encourage others by acknowledging exceptional contributions to state and local history.

The Awards of Merit program is also a stepping stone to national recognition through the American Association for State and Local History’s Leadership in History Awards. We encourage organizations with eligible projects to consider submitting to both award programs. For more information about the AASLH awards, visit https://aaslh.org/programs/leadership-in-history-awards/ and contact state representative Nick Foster at nfoster@wiltonhistorical.org.

Award Categories

CLHO presents Awards of Merit in two categories: Projects and Individual Achievement.

Projects include most types of public-facing research and interpretive work, including but not limited to exhibitions, research projects, websites and digital history/digital humanities projects, online exhibitions, books and other publications, educational and other public programs, talks and lecture series, documentaries/films/videos, demonstrations, restorations, preservation projects, etc.  We accept and review nominations for projects presented in-person, in print, virtually/online, or in hybrid forms.

Individual Achievement awards are intended for people who have made significant and longstanding contributions to Connecticut history beyond the local level. While we recognize that there are countless individuals who are worthy of recognition, this statewide award is intended for those whose achievements rise beyond a single town or locality.  We encourage towns and local history institutions to recognize the contributions of important individuals at the local level with their own awards and accolades.

Statement of Excellence

Projects recognized with an CLHO Award of Merit should demonstrate an effort to go above and beyond the ordinary for an organization or individual. Qualified projects should show a level of “excellence” and serve as an example for others in the field to follow. Projects can show excellence in a number of ways, including (but not limited to):

• Discussing or examining difficult and/or diverse topics, such as class, ethnicity, race, gender identity, mental health. The project should seek to create a sense of inclusion and be reflective of the most up to date standards of interpretation within the history field.
• Demonstrating effective use of historical sources to tell new stories, reinterpret common stories from new perspectives, or uncover “hidden history” which alters or expands our shared understanding of the past.
• Exploring innovative methods to teach history to a broad and diverse audience. Excellent projects can offer multiple avenues for audiences to interact and engage with the material that best suits their learning style.
• Showing how history is relevant to the present and the future.

Eligibility

We accept nominations from individuals, history organizations, and other cultural institutions in Connecticut. We strongly encourage history organizations to nominate their own work, and to recognize outstanding contributions by peer organizations with a nomination. Individuals may nominate their own work in the project category, but they may not nominate themselves for individual achievement awards.

All projects completed in Connecticut or by Connecticut organizations within the preceding 18 months are eligible for nomination. Individuals under consideration for achievement awards should reside in Connecticut and have a track record of significant contributions to Connecticut history beyond the local level.

Nomination Process

To make a nomination, follow the instructions below and submit your package to the 2022 CLHO Awards of Merit Dropbox by the deadline.

Nominations open in December and are due by February 15, 2023. The awards committee meets in early March to deliberate.  Award recipients will be notified in mid to late March, and awards will be presented at CLHO’s Annual Business Meeting and Awards of Merit Presentation on April 18, 2023.

To learn more about making a nomination, visit our nomination page.