Editor’s Corner

A collaborative effort between academics, public historians, and California State Parks has successfully addressed the controversial legacy of eugenicist Madison Grant within Redwood National and State Parks. The initiative, launched in 2020, led to the removal of a plaque honoring Grant and the renaming of the Madison Grant Forest and Elk Refuge, part of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. This multidisciplinary approach, involving scholars from universities such as UC Santa Barbara and Southeast New Mexico College, demonstrated how public engagement and activism can reshape historical narratives in conservation spaces. The process also highlighted broader state-wide efforts to re-examine offensive or inaccurate place names and monuments through the 'Re-examining Our Past Initiative.' Additionally, the issue introduces two new special editors with expertise in film, digital media, and museum exhibitions, signaling a shift toward more inclusive and dynamic public history scholarship.

Case, S. H. (2023). Editor’s Corner. The Public Historian, 45(3), 7–8. https://doi.org/10.1525/tph.2023.45.3.7