New York City History Day
New York City History Day is being hosted by the Center for Brooklyn History in 2021. For more information, please visit bklynlib.org/nychd or email nychd@bklynlibrary.org.
For its first 30 years, the regional New York City contest of the National History Day competition was hosted by the Museum of the City of New York.
If you're participating in History Day this year or looking for help crafting student research projects, please scroll down to see our archived resources from past History Days.
About History Day
The Museum of the City of New York hosted the regional New York City contest of the National History Day competition from 1990 to 2020.
National History Day is an education program that engages students in grades 6–12 in the discovery and interpretation of historical topics. By participating in History Day, students can research topics related to the annual theme and can express themselves creatively through various formats such as exhibit boards, documentaries, websites, papers, and performances.
The History Day methodology supports teachers and schools as they work towards aligning curriculum and instructional priorities with Common Core Standards demonstrated through College and Career Ready student performance tasks. Read the report of how and where NHD aligns with the Common Core Standards here. National History Day was awarded the prestigious 2011 National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama.
Take a Look at New York City History Day 2020
The Frederick A.O. Schwarz Education Center hosted the 30th Annual New York City History Day on Sunday, March 1, 2020. The 2020 NHD theme was “Breaking Barriers in History.” Click here to see all category and special award winners from the March 1, 2020 competition.
This year the New York City History Day Awards Ceremony was streamed live from the Museum of the City of New York on March 11, 2020. To watch the ceremony, visit the Museum's YouTube channel.
Resources for Starting your Research
We’ve compiled a list of resources for students and educators designed to guide you through the History Day research process. Check out what’s available below.
National History Day Website
This is the homepage for the National History Day competition, where you can find the annual theme and contest rule book.
History Day Student Planning Guide
This MCNY guide for students outlines the research process, from picking a topic to developing a thesis statement. It also includes some great online databases and archives for primary research.
MCNY Analyzing Primary Sources Worksheet
Use this sample worksheet to help you unpack your primary sources and use them to build your historical argument.
Questions Judges May Ask
Review the questions judges may ask during student interviews and practice presenting your research.
Museum of the City of New York Collections Portal
Explore over 200,000 objects drawn from the collection of the Museum of the City of New York and find great sources to support your History Day project.
National History Day Teacher Resources
Find educator resources to help you implement National History Day in your classroom.
History Day Project Categories
Learn about the five different kinds of History Day projects you can create and find links to project examples.
NYC Research Institutions
Check out this list of New York City research institutions, archives, and libraries to jump-start your research.
