During the annual meeting, we come together to learn from each other, but also from the cities in which we meet. In January, New Orleans will be more than a backdrop for our sessions. We encourage attendees to explore the local communities, and we have organized several tours to facilitate a greater understanding of the city and its history. But we also strive to be responsible participants in the civic culture and discourse of the cities in which we meet. Much of this aspect of annual meeting planning happens behind the scenes, through our outstanding Local Arrangements Committee, but the annual meeting also includes a number of sessions by local historians and on local history.

Over the next months on this blog, we will highlight sessions and events focused on New Orleans and the Gulf region. This week, we focus on sessions that approach the city and region through its exchanges with the wider world.

This post first appeared on AHA Today.