Message from President

Dear Colleagues,

We had a terrific conference this year. I’d like to take the opportunity to thank those who made Denver a success and to preview what is ahead for NACBS.

We had 83 panels and around 350 registered participants along with two engaging keynotes. A special thanks to our Program Chair, Mikki Brock, and the Program Committee. Thank you to our host the WCBS and to Kyle Thompson, Marjorie Levine-Clark and Andy Muldoon for their assistance with local arrangements. The Friday Plenary featured James Vernon who presented “Oil, Decolonization and the Ruinous Forms of Racial Capitalism at Heathrow.” Mary Fissell delivered the Saturday Plenary: “Savin, Sex, and Scandal: Rethinking Abortion in Early Modern England.” Citations for the numerous prizes and grants presented at the Awards Reception to our members are now available on the website. Thank you to all of those who served on and chaired these committees. Our volunteer-led organization needs you and we appreciate and acknowledge your commitment to NACBS.

This conference would not have been possible without the dedication of our Executive Director, Amanda Perry. Our Executive Council is really wonderful and I couldn’t have asked for a better team: Past President Deborah Valenze, Vice President Brian Lewis, Executive Secretary Michael de Nie, Treasurer Jennifer Purcell and Associate Secretary Amy Milne-Smith. I’d also like to thank members of the Council who guide our decision-making process.

Thanks also go to our Journal of British Studies team. Editors Nadja Durbach and Tammy Proctor and assistant editor Chelsea Reutcke are shepherding JBS through the open access process and continuing to publish cutting edge research. Our book review editors at the University of Nottingham- Onni Gust, David Gehring and Richard Hornsey- have done an excellent job and will be handing the reins over to a new team soon. Thank you to Carol Herringer, Susannah Ottoway and Ken Shonk for taking on this important role. 

We’d also like to thank our sponsors and exhibitors. Every year the Sidney Stern Memorial Trust supports graduate student travel. This year, contributions from the Stern Foundation helped us to award 21 need-based travel grants to support attendance at our annual meeting. Thanks also to the 14 attendees who registered at the sustaining rate, $50 of which from each went to support these travel grants. We also thank the Institute for Historical Research, the Royal Historical Society, the Huntington Library and the University of Colorado, Denver History Department for sponsoring this year’s conference.

NACBS is now more than an annual conference. We have sponsored 15 book launches since last November, an online grad mini-conference and a JBS editorial session. These are part of the yearlong programming that keep us connected. We are committed to supporting our members and exploring new ways of doing so and we’d welcome any suggestions on how we can do this better. Amanda Perry's expanded role as Executive Director includes overseeing NACBS media. She has made our online communications- Broadsides and weekly newsletters- both relevant and engaging. If you have a book coming out or want to contribute to Broadsides please contact Amanda. 

We’d also like to thank outgoing members of the Nominating Committee, Jessica Hanser and Craig Gallagher, and welcome our newly elected members. Congratulations to Erika Huckestein and Sarah Mass who will serve on the Nominating Committee.

Now for what’s ahead. NACBS is turning 75 next year. We want to ensure that NACBS maintains its relevance for the next 75 years and, in that spirit, are launching a fundraising campaign to support our fellowship programs. We’d like to raise money to secure the future of these grants and ask you to consider a donation and/or possibly explore a naming opportunity for these awards. We’ll be kicking things off tomorrow on Giving Tuesday, so keep an eye on your inbox for more details.

Next year, the NECBS will host us in Montreal (November 14-16) where we will celebrate our anniversary. In 2026, PCCBS will host NACBS in Pasadena. The really big news is 2027 when NACBS will, for the first time, be held in London in collaboration and partnership with the IHR. We will hold the conference in mid-July and are committed to making it inclusive and affordable, offering hybrid options and engaging in fundraising to subsidize member travel to the UK.

Finally, consider this an invitation to get involved. As a member, you have access to all that the NACBS has to offer and the opportunity to volunteer your time and serve the organization. Please do renew your membership as soon as possible if you haven’t already. We have a volunteer tab and membership is now a year-long benefit no matter when you sign up.

Wishing you all a happy holiday season ahead. Looking forward to seeing you in Montreal.

Michelle Tusan