SYRACUSE, N.Y. – For her dedicated service to public history, Lead Historian and Archivist Susan Hughes of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation has been named the 2023 recipient of the Hugh Hastings Award presented by the Association of Public Historians of New York State (APHNYS).
The prestigious honor is awarded by APHNYS in “recognition of distinguished service to and support of the public history community, through work to promote and preserve history in New York State.” Hughes, of Oswego, has worked in the public history sector for more than 30 years. At the Pomeroy Foundation, Hughes oversees a wide range of historical marker programs and the research historians who support the marker applicants and grantees.
“Susan is an exemplary professional committed to the support and advancement of New York State’s public history community,” said Pomeroy Foundation Executive Director Carrie Berse. “She has had a tremendous impact through her work at the Pomeroy Foundation, helping people in all regions of our state and throughout the nation research and obtain historical markers for the benefit of their communities. She is truly a leader in the field and a mentor to emerging professionals. We applaud Susan on this well-deserved recognition.”
Hughes will receive the Hugh Hastings Award at the 2023 APHNYS conference scheduled to take place from September 18-20 in Ithaca, N.Y. The award is named in honor of Hugh Hastings, the first State Historian for New York State (1895-1907). A statewide nonprofit professional organization, APHNYS represents more than 1,600 government-appointed historians. The Hastings award is given to a historian who does not work in the public sector.
Before joining the Pomeroy Foundation in 2014, Hughes worked in the University Archives at Syracuse University and as a Regional Archivist for the Documentary Heritage Program. She has consulted for numerous historical organizations and local governments. Hughes earned a B.A. from the University of Delaware and an M.A. in history with a public history concentration from Bowling Green State University where she worked at the Center for Archival Collections.
About the Pomeroy Foundation
The William G. Pomeroy Foundation® is committed to supporting the celebration and preservation of community history; and working to improve the probability of finding appropriate donor matches or other life-saving treatments for blood cancer patients. Established by Trustee Bill Pomeroy in 2005 to bring together his two greatest passions, the Pomeroy Foundation is a private, philanthropic organization located in Syracuse, N.Y. As the nation’s leading funder of historical roadside markers, the Pomeroy Foundation has awarded more than 2,100 grants for markers and bronze plaques in 48 states and Washington, D.C. To learn more about the Pomeroy Foundation, visit wgpfoundation.org.
About APHNYS
The Association of Public Historians of New York State is a 501(c)3 non-profit professional organization that represents the 1,600+ government-appointed historians in the state. Under state law, every county and municipality in New York is required to have an appointed historian to document, preserve, interpret, and share the history of their communities. It is part of the state’s commitment to ensuring that New Yorkers have access to quality educational experiences enriched by cultural heritage resources.
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Media Inquires
Kathy Coffta SimsDirector of Communications
William G. Pomeroy Foundation
315-913-4060 | kathy@wgpfoundation.org