Washington State Historical Society

The Washington State Historical Society will carry out “Dialogue in Place,” an initiative to engage community and tribal partners in determining the future of historical markers placed across the state by the Society between 1900 and 1950. The society will partner with a community engagement consultant and community advisory committee to develop a process for civic dialogue that invites diverse stakeholders to discuss the complicated, inaccurate, or incomplete histories on the markers and determine whether to reinterpret, remove, or replace them. As a result, participants will feel empowered by engaging in civic dialogue and the public will have access to fact-based, inclusive historical interpretation in their communities. The society will use skills and knowledge gained through the project to produce a toolkit and training modules as guidance for other local history organizations who wish to initiate similar processes of civic dialogue and engagement.