The Historian's Code

[Laurie Verge]

While attempting to find something in my Word Documents, I ran across this tidbit from a Surratt Society member that I thought all might find enlightening:

A Historian’s Code (1)

1. I will footnote (or endnote) all my sources (none of this MLA or social science parenthetical business).

2. If I do not reference my sources accurately, I will surely perish in the fires of various real or metaphorical infernal regions and I will completely deserve it. I have been warned.

3. I will respect the hard-won historical gains of those historians in whose steps I walk and will share such knowledge as is mine with all other historians (as they doubtless will cheerfully share it with me).

4. I will not be ashamed to say “I do not know” or to change my narrative of historical events when new sources point to my errors.

5. I will never leave a fallen book behind.

6. I will acknowledge that history is created by people and not by impersonal cosmic forces or “isms.” An “ism” by itself never harmed or helped anyone without human agency.

7. I am not a sociologist, political scientist, international relations-ist, or any other such “ist.” I am a historian and deal in facts, not models.

8. I know I have a special responsibility to the truth and will seek, as fully as I can, to be thorough, objective, careful, and balanced in my judgments, relying on primary source documents whenever possible.

9. Life may be short, but history is forever. I am a servant of forever.

(1) Stewart, Richard, Ph.D., “Historians and a Historian’s Code,” ARMY HISTORY, No. 77 (Fall 2010), p. 46.

Cited by Glenn F. Williams, Historian, National Museum of the U.S. Army in email to members of the Company of Military Historians, 30 Sep 2010, with this explanation: “I wanted to share this with you all. Written by the U.S. Army’s Chief Historian, Dr. Richard Stewart, I found that it not only speaks volumes with only a few words, but says what I have always felt about being a historian in my “second career” (after retiring from active military service) in general, and as a member of the Army Historical Program in particular. It appeared in the regular feature “The Chief Historian’s Footnote,” of ARMY HISTORY, the professional quarterly journal of the U.S. Army Historical Program, published by the U.S. Army Center of Military History, in the Fall 2010 issue. You do not have to be an Army historian to appreciate it (or subscribe to the journal either, by the way).

[Gene C]

I just got off the ouija board with Miss Cleo, and she said you were dead right about #6.


On a serious note, those are great guidelines to follow.

[BettyO]

Amen, Sister Laurie!

[L Verge]

My favorites are #8 and #9. And, I can tell you right now that Bill Richter's creed for life is #1! That man can cover his work with more citations than a holly tree has leaves in winter!

[BettyO]

I like # 1 and # 2 myself..... !! I view footnotes as "Two Books in One!"

[L Verge]

Did y'all notice that this forum had 59 people all on at the same time at 4:11 pm today??? Yahoo for us! And, I don't mean search engine. We're the little engine that could...

[LincolnMan]

8 & 9 are divine!

[My Name Is Kate]

Too bad more journalists and the news media don't follow some of those guidelines a little more diligently.

[ReignetteC]

Sometimes the footnotes (or endnotes) are the best part of the book.

Relying on primary source documents: Hear, hear!

[Donna McCreary]

I love them all -- especially #1, #4, #8, and #9.

[Joe Di Cola]

I, too, love #9 with this addition: Life is short, but it is WIDE!

[LincolnMan]

You're right about that Joe!

[GARY POPOLO]

Laurie, Loved your Historians code. Especially numbers 4 and 9. History is forever how true that is! It is a shame that alot of other professionals donot follow this code. If so what a beautiful world we would have to share. Enjoy your day everyone