Teddy Roosevelt at the cornerstone-laying of AU's McKinley Building. AU Archives

Department of History

Offering doctoral, master's, public history, and bachelor's programs.

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History 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016-8038 United States

Teddy Roosevelt (right of man in white vest) watches the laying of the cornerstone for AU's McKinley Building, 1902. AU Archives. Read more about AU's presidential past.

The World Is Open to AU History Majors

History classes hone our students' research, writing, and analytical skills. Our home in Washington, DC, offers students unparalleled resources for research, internships, and jobs. The nation's capital is our classroom.

Our outstanding faculty are not only exemplary teachers and scholars, but they are also actively involved with archives , museums, government institutions , and non-profits in DC, across the United States, and around the world. Whether you are interested in working in government, private industry, non-profits, or academia, AU's Department of History offers a stepping stone to a promising career.

The History Department offers a BA, a combined BA/MA, a minor, an MA in History, an MA in History and Public History, and a PhD.

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Bulletins

Professor Ibram X. Kendi worked with CBS Morning News to analyze high school history textbooks for how they teach topics in American history such as slavery and the Civil War.

AU PhD candidate Katherine Kitterman wrote an article on women's voting rights in Utah for the Washington Post

The Washington Post Magazine published a deep dive on the work and ideas of AU professor Ibram Kendi. The Post writes, "After a precocious scholarly career spent demonstrating the depressing pervasiveness of racism, he stands uncommonly hopeful, inviting us onto a path forward."

Department News

Professor Kendi in front of blue AU swagging.

Ibram X. Kendi Discusses Racism, Hope, and How to Be an Antiracist

Professor Kraut stands in Statue of Liberty museum with windows behind him and torch too.

Alan Kraut’s Vision Becomes Reality in New Statue of Liberty Museum

AU Alumnus Lonnie Bunch III Named 14th Secretary of Smithsonian