National History Day (NHD) guides students in grades 6–12 through a year of historical research and inquiry, interpretation, and creative expression. Harnessing the effectiveness of student-centered, project-based learning, NHD asks students to conduct primary- and secondary-source research on a historical topic of their choosing and present their work as a documentary film, website, performance, paper, or exhibit. To showcase their projects, students can compete at local, regional, state, and national contests.

Every year, more than half a million students nationwide—guided by thousands of teachers—participate in National History Day. In Massachusetts, over 6,000 students participate from districts across the Commonwealth.

As the sponsor of Massachusetts History Day, the Massachusetts Historical Society (MHS) supports students and teachers throughout the MHD journey. We offer robust resources that help students to locate historical sources, develop effective research strategies, and prepare projects for competition, and we equip teachers with best practices and tools for teaching MHD.

Benefits of NHD

National History Day makes history relevant, engaging, and meaningful for students. In a single project, NHD addresses state standards for history and social science and the civic learning requirement, while honing important 21st-century skills. The NHD program:

• Boosts student performance across all subjects
• Improves media literacy, writing, research, and critical thinking skills
• Prioritizes inquiry-based, hands-on learning
• Fosters an understanding of and appreciation for democracy
• Inspires meaningful civic action and engagement

NHD students have gone on to careers in business, law, medicine, education and countless other disciplines where they put into practice the skills and content knowledge learned through NHD. Learn more about the long-term impact of NHD here.

MHD is made possible through the generous support of our partners

Commonwealth of Massachusetts