About Us

We Want More History is a coordinated national day of programming to strengthen civic health, build community trust, foster democratic dialogue, and showcase the vital role of history in public life. It responds to heightened public interest in history and historical interpretation by activating trusted public institutions where people already gather to learn, reflect, and engage. At its core, the project amplifies public libraries as anchors of civic engagement, intellectual freedom, and community well-being. It also centers public lands including national parks, state parks, and city parks as shared civic spaces where history is interpreted in place and connected to lived experience. Historians and educators are positioned as scholars and teachers committed to the public good through evidence-based, contextualized understanding of the past, in order to promote excellence in scholarship, encourage wide public discussion, and advocate for history.

The project is designed to be visible, participatory, and replicable, creating a shared national moment while strengthening long-term relationships between libraries, historians, educators, land managers, and community partners. Timed to align with America 250-era programming, it ensures that national commemorations reflect the full, complex story of the people and places that make up the United States.