Reflections on Local History: A Conversation with Marieke Van Damme of History Cambridge

Strategies and Frameworks for Historical Associations to Empower Collective Efforts

I had the pleasure of interviewing Marieke Van Damme, Executive Director of History Cambridge. Speaking with her made it clear that the organization is on a dynamic and evolving journey — reflected in its programs, its rebranding, and its deepening commitment to community-centered history.

And for me when I learn about that journey, I very much see a theme of neighbors telling stories about their neighbors in history, and neighbors today learning about the history of all neighborhoods in Cambridge through local people contributing their history of their street, gardens, dive bar, neighborhood and more. I think these programs are an example for other local historical societies and associations of great Neighbor History. How institutions can bring community members together to explore the history of their local areas and by telling stories of distant and even recent past we can celebrate history.

Read on to learn more about History Cambridge’s journey and how your local historical organization can learn from their experiments in programming….