National History Day in Missouri

National History Day in Missouri is an exciting way to encourage young people to explore history and teach them to understand historical issues, ideas, people, and events. It is a year long educational activity that promotes the development of knowledgeable, skilled, enthusiastic, creative learners and citizens.

The Missouri State Archives is proud to be the sponsor of the regional competition (Region 4) for the central Missouri area. Students in grades 6-12 from schools in Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Cole, Cooper, Howard, Moniteau, Morgan, Osage, Pettis, and Saline counties conduct research on topics related to a broad annual theme. Individually or in groups these students conduct research in libraries, archives, and museums; many conduct oral interviews and visit historic sites.

Each year approximately 700,000 students from across the United States participate in National History Day. Participants are divided into a Junior Division (grades 6-8) and a Senior Division (grades 9-12). There are seven categories in each division, which are grouped by presentation type and may include, individual or group, performances, documentaries, or exhibits, or an individual historical paper.

Student interns and staff of the Missouri State Archives annually compile and post a list of possible theme-related Missouri Research topics. Other repositories, including the Western Historical Manuscript Collection, Columbia, and the Harry S Truman Library, Independence, compile annual lists of theme-related materials available to students who visit or send queries to their reference facilities.

The central Missouri region contest is held each year on the last Saturday of February at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Jefferson City. The top three place finishers in each category are eligible to participate in the state contest at the University of Missouri-Columbia in April. First and second place finishers at the National History Day in Missouri competition proceed to the National History Day competition at the University of Maryland-College Park in June.

2008 National History Day theme is Conflict and Compromise in History

Region 4 Contest in Jefferson City on February 23, 2008

State Contest in Columbia on April 12, 2008

National Contest in College Park, MD on June 15-19, 2008

Missouri Secretary of State, Robin Carnahan