Canada's National History Society
Canada's National History Society is a charitable organization based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Society was founded in 1994 by the Hudson's Bay Company for the purpose of promoting greater popular interest in Canadian history principally through its publishing activities and outreach and recognition programs. The Society receives a core grant from the Hudson's Bay Company History Foundation annually, but operates as an independent entity. Its operating budget averages $2.7 million a year, and its largest share of revenues comes from its membership who in addition to subscribing to their magazines also contribute charitable donations. 66% of total annual revenues come from individual subscriptions and donations.
From 2007-2009 it partnered with HBC to administer the HBC Local History Grants Program which provided modest support to small community-based history projects. Today the History Society continues to support local history organizations through the Canada's History Awards program as well as its website's news and travel services.
Publications
''Canada's History''' magazine
Its flagship product is Canada's History magazine. Produced six times a year with a current paid subscriber/membership base of 44,000. In 2017 Canada's History released an archive of the back catalogue of The Beaver.''Kayak''' magazine
In addition, the History Society launched Kayak: Canada's History Magazine for Kids in 2003 which now published quarterly in English and in French as an insert to Quebec children's magazine Les Editions Les Debrouillards. Paid circulation for the English edition is just under 6,000.Books
To date, The History Society has published five books:- For The Love of History, an anthology of the collected works of the first decade of Pierre Berton Award recipients;
- Those Earlier Hills, a collection of R.M. Patterson's articles which appeared in The Beaver magazine;
- 100 Photos That Changed Canada celebrating Canada's most memorable photographs.
Awards programs
The Governor General's History Awards
The Governor General's History Awards program were established in 1996 by Canada's National History Society. The awards include a number of separate awards programs:- The Governor General's Awards for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History
- Excellence in Museums: History Alive! award for innovative museum programming
- The Sir John A. Macdonald Prize for scholarly research
- Excellence in Community Programming
- National Student Awards including: Kayak Kids' Illustrated History Challenge, The Government of Canada History Awards for Students, Aboriginal Arts & Stories, and the Experiences Canada Awards
Pierre Berton Award
Year | Recipient Name |
2016 | Merna Forster |
2015 | Lawrence Hill |
2014 | Mark Zuehlke |
2013 | Tim Cook |
2012 | Dictionary of Canadian Biography |
2011 | |
2010 | Desmond Morton |
2009 | Paul Gross |
2008 | |
2007 | Brian McKenna |
2006 | Ken McGoogan |
2005 | Will Ferguson |
2004 | Jack Granatstein |
2003 | Charlotte Gray |
2002 | Canadian Society for Civil Engineering |
2001 | |
2000 | Peter C. Newman |
1998 | Bob Johnstone: Today in History |
1997 | The CRB Foundation |
1996 | Jacques Lacoursière |
1995 | James H. Gray |
1994 | Pierre Berton |