About the SHA

The Southern Historical Association is one of the most rigorous and convivial professional associations in the United States. The SHA holds an annual meeting, usually in the first or second week of November, and proudly publishes The Journal of Southern HistoryThe deep and enduring significance of the South as a region—its centrality to the history of critical national issues, including civil rights, public health, the environment, gender roles, politics, and the economy—has ensured that the SHA and its members have been vital participants in the national dialogue for more than eight decades. The organization also has a history of enriching its programs by featuring influential figures like Ralph Ellison, Robert Penn Warren, Natasha Trethewey, and President Jimmy Carter. Yet, for all its dynamism, the SHA has remained a genuine scholarly and human community; regardless of their institutional affiliation, members attending the annual meeting can expect to come away feeling professionally and personally renewed after encountering new ideas and visiting with old friends. This was precisely why, at age 88, the great historian and SHA benefactor C. Vann Woodward admitted privately that while he avoided the meetings of the other major historical organizations, “I still like to go to the ‘Southern.’” 

The Benefits of Membership

Members of the SHA enjoy 365 days of benefits, including four issues of the Journal of Southern History, discounts on conference registration, a conference program, updates from organization headquarters, and much more. Your dues help the Association promote: interest and research in history in and of the American South at all education levels; the encouragement of state and local historical societies in the South; and federal advocacy on matters of common concern to historians. 

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Donate to SHA

Since 1934 the Southern Historical Association has worked diligently to advance the cause of history in and of the American South, all while earning a reputation as one of the most rigorous, yet thoroughly convivial academic organizations in the United States. Your giving ensures that this Association, which has served the region and the profession so well, will remain uniquely welcoming, vibrant, and rewarding for future generations dedicated to exploring the complex and critically important history of the American South.

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