FAQ

Maryland History Day, a year-long educational program sponsored by the Maryland Humanities Council, encourages students to explore local, state, national, and world history. After selecting a historical topic that relates to an annual theme, students conduct extensive research by using libraries, archives, museums, and oral history interviews. They analyze and interpret their findings, draw conclusions about their topics' significance in history, and create final projects that present their work. These projects can be entered into a series of competitions, from the local to the national level, where they are evaluated by professional historians and educators.

History Day is open to all students in grades 6-12. All types of students participate in History Day - public, private, parochial and home-school students; urban, suburban and rural students; academically gifted and average students, and students with special needs.

There are two divisions of competition: junior (middle school) and senior (high school). There are nine categories of entries for each division: individual exhibit, group exhibit, individual documentary, group documentary, individual performance, group performance, individual web site, group web site, and individual paper. Students can compete at school and district (county) levels. Winning students in district competitions may move on to the state competition, and the top two entries in each category and division at the state contest advance to the national contest.

Students choose a history topic related to National History Day's annual contest theme, conduct extensive research over the course of the school year, and create performances, documentaries, papers, exhibits, or web sites which they may enter in competition at the district, state, and national levels.

First, students should find out if their school has a History Day program. If not, they simply need to find a teacher who is willing to act as a sponsor and mentor for their projects. Students do not need to register to participate in the program unless they plan on competing. Some schools have their own contests first to determine who will move on to district contests, which typically take place in late February and throughout March. Top entries at the district contest may move on to the state contest. Registration information for the state contest is online, and details about procedures will be given to winners at the district contests.

Winning students receive recognition and prizes at the district, state, and national levels. Winners at the state contest are awarded medals and cash prizes, and winners at the national competition receive medals, cash prizes, scholarships, and other awards. Many History Day students have been invited to display their projects in museums, historical societies, and other venues. Outstanding teachers also receive statewide recognition and cash awards.

Maryland History Day is growing by leaps and bounds, with over 18,000 students participating throughout Maryland. Nationwide, 700,000 students annually participate in National History Day programs. More than 2,500 students from across the country attend the national contest (from 48 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Department of Defense Schools in Europe, and International Schools-Asia).

Maryland History Day is the state affiliate of National History Day, which began in Cleveland in 1974, and expanded to a national program in 1980. History Day in Maryland began in 1983 and grew to a statewide program in 1997. The Maryland Humanities Council has directed the state Maryland History Day program since 1999.

History Day is more than a contest; it is reforming the way history is taught and learned. The contest provides teachers with an innovative teaching tool and fosters students' enthusiasm for learning. In addition to the contest, History Day offers teacher workshops, summer teacher institutes, curricular materials, and other resources for educators.