“Cameos of History” on the Landscape

Abstract

This article explores one of the most ubiquitous methods of providing history for the public through a study of the Georgia Historical Marker Program. The marker program, begun in 1951, has undergone changes in stewardship, emphasis, and scholarly rigor in recent years. The evolution of the marker program to be more diverse and inclusive mirrors that of the profession more broadly. This study reveals that what seems like an old-fashioned method of presenting history to the public is still very visible and very much engages the public in discourse about Georgia’s history.