Having done research in local history, having worked in an archives that did public outreach, and now teaching history, I was glad to see the announcement about H-Local. I see it as a means to get in touch with and learn from other people working in the field, both as historians and teachers. One of the problems we face with many of our students is that "history" seems to be something outside of themselves, something that doesn't involve them in any meaningful way. Local history is a way to engage them, both immediately in terms of learning some, and what history is all about, and for the future, as they grow and mature as individuals and as citizens. The more we can help each other do this, the better. I have learned so much from other networks, and I expect H-Local will be no different.

Teaching interests: U.S. survey, Indian history survey, Oral History, Early American History to 1763, Revolutionary and Early National 1763-1815, Racial and Ethnic Groups in American History

Research interests: Louisiana history, especially South Louisiana/Acadiana (French Louisiana); ethnicity and local history; oral history; teaching local history

Professional societies: National Council on Public History, Institute for Early American History and Culture, Louisiana Historical Association, Southern Historical Association, State Historical Society of Wisconsin, French Colonial Historical Society, American Society for Ethnohistory, National Trust for Historic Preservation

Local historical societies: Portage County Historical Society (board member)

Local history museums: Portage County Historical Society Heritage Park

Michael Foret
Assistant Professor of History
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Stevens Point, WI 54481
(715)346-2404
mforet@uwspmail.uwsp.edu



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