Launched in summer 2015 with the Midwestern History Association, this annual conference in Grand Rapids contributes to ongoing discussions that have sparked a revival of Midwestern studies among historians in the United States.

As a proud partner of the Midwestern History Association, the Hauenstein Center is committed to supporting historical scholarship on the American Midwest. Home to the Great Plains and Great Lakes; known for agriculture and industry; for majestic countryside and great cities; labeled the Breadbasket, the Heartland, and the Rust Belt; the history of the Midwest – its peoples and places, cultures and conflicts, aspirations and afflictions – is the history of America’s most common ground.

The Midwestern History Association, created in the fall of 2014, is dedicated to rebuilding the field of Midwestern history, which had suffered from decades of neglect and inattention. The MHA advocates for greater attention to Midwestern history among professional historians, seeks to rebuild the infrastructure necessary for the study of the American Midwest, promotes greater academic discourse relating to Midwestern history, and offers prizes to scholars who excel in the study of the Midwest.

To become a member of the Midwestern History Association, visit www.midwesternhistory.com.