Brochures
Learn about GHS programs and initiatives through the following downloadable brochures.
Georgia Historical Society:
Telling America’s Story through Georgia History
Making the past relevant to present is at the core of our mission. Through our award-winning public programs, publications, teacher training, and research services, we aim to educate and use the power of our shared history to offer all Americans new and deeper perspectives on the past and present.
The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) is the premier independent statewide educational and research institution responsible for collecting, examining, and teaching Georgia history. Founded in 1839, the Georgia Historical Society is the oldest continuously operating historical society in the South and one of most prestigious in the nation.
The Georgia History Festival
The Georgia History Festival is the signature K-12 educational program of the Georgia Historical Society, reaching hundreds of thousands of students statewide. Beginning with the new school year in September, a variety of public programs, exhibits, events, and educational resources bring history to life for students of all ages and encourage Georgians to explore the rich history of our state. In addition to new online and in-person programming, the Festival includes popular annual events, such as the Colonial Faire and Muster living-history program held at Wormsloe State Historic Site, the statewide free museum experience Super Museum Sunday, the Georgia Day Expo, and the Governor’s induction of two modern-day Georgia Trustees at the elegant Trustees Gala.
The Georgia Trustees
The Georgia Trustees is a recognition as old as Georgia and is today the highest honor the state can confer. In conjunction with the Governor’s Office, the Georgia Historical Society reestablished the Georgia Trustees to recognize Georgians whose accomplishments and community service reflect the highest ideals of the founding body of Trustees. The original Georgia Trustees, a governing body chartered and appointed by His Majesty King George II of England in 1732 to establish a new colony in North America, founded the Georgia colony upon the principle of Non Sibi, Sed Aliis – “Not for Self, but for Others.” They governed the colony with this vision until their disbandment in 1752, after which Georgia became a royal colony. Reestablished in 2008, the Governor and the Georgia Historical Society make an annual appointment of new Trustees whose history-making accomplishments and service reflect the original Trustees’ ideals.
Recognizing an Imperfect Past:
A History and Race Initiative
Through Recognizing an Imperfect Past: A History and Race Initiative, the Georgia Historical Society seeks to educate and use the power of our shared history to foster difficult but necessary conversations that will offer all Americans new and deeper perspectives on the past and the present.
The Initiative offers a variety of opportunities for companies and organizations to explore the roots and legacy of the complex issues of racial injustice and inequality, such as slavery, segregation, lynching, red-lining, and massive resistance.
View the Recognizing an Imperfect Past brochure
Learn more about Recognizing an Imperfect Past: A History and Race Initiative
Georgia Business History Initiative
Each year, the Georgia Historical Society selects iconic companies in our state to be honored through the Georgia Business History Initiative. By showcasing these companies, GHS seeks to teach students, citizens, and tourists alike about the pivotal role of Georgia’s leading businesses in the economic, cultural, and social development of Georgia and the United States.
Participation in the Business History Initiative enables GHS to create and distribute exceptional educational resources recognizing the impact of Georgia’s long-standing corporate citizens to the economic strength and well-being of our communities. Further, support for this program allows us to share these and other business-related resources with audiences young and old, highlighting examples of leadership and entrepreneurialism as well as collaborations between business, government, and private citizens that have been integral to the development of our communities throughout the past century.
Donating Your Papers to the Georgia Historical Society
Your personal story is also a part of our state’s and nation’s history. It is woven into the fabric of the past. Your actions and accomplishments have impacted the present and will shape the future. You can help succeeding generations by leaving behind the primary sources—your papers—that will shed light on how their world was created.