At a time when the Trump Administration is quickly altering public interpretations of history and removing references to the past on websites and public spaces, it is vital that historians keep track of what is changing. This is no ordinary time. It has become clear that the current Administration is not simply tweaking interpretations of the past but is removing facts and stories essential to the public’s understanding American history from public historical sites, museums, websites, and executive agencies. In such times, it is our shared responsibility to tell the truth about the past.

We, the Journal of the Early Republic/Panorama editors, ask all who care about history to contribute to our new Early Republic Tracker. Our goal is to maintain a record of what is changing and where in early U.S. history (1765-1865). What we need right now is clear documentation. If you have seen a change in how the federal government is representing the past (online, in national parks, or elsewhere), please complete this form: https://forms.gle/GAiwYDmX8k6h8Sy96

We know that some public servants are nervous about sharing information. We will respect requests for anonymity. We will edit posts for length and to avoid broader interpretive claims. The Tracker is not intended to be the place for longer discussions; for now, we just want to offer a record. That said, we would welcome anyone to submit to the JER or Panorama longer interpretive essays about the changes we are seeing to public representations of the past.

Thank you for helping us tell the truth about the past.

Sincerely,

Emily Arendt, Ronald Angelo Johnson, & Johann Neem, editors