America's 250th in the Appalachian Forest: Ongoing Commemoration of America

This panel will draw from over two years of ongoing programming by the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area (AFNHA) and their partners illuminating under-represented voices and stories that collectively have built America at 250. Guided by suggestions from the American Association of State and Local History (AASLH), AFNHA identified three themes for telling our area's role in "America - We the People, the Power of Place, and Justice and Democracy." Topics such as Indigenous Appalachia, early settlement, and growth of communities are being told by AFNHA through blog series and a summer exhibit. Partner projects are being supported by AFNHA grants and will be showcased during the commemoration summer of 2026. This webinar will share how this ambitious project was planned and implemented, including coping with challenges to funding and changes in approach from the federal America 250 initiatives. Panelists: Phyllis Baxter (AFNHA), Dawn Hein (Evergreen Heritage Center), Ben Duvall-Irwin (Elkins-Randolph County Tourism CVB), and Eleanor Renshaw (Beverly Heritage Center)