Kentucky Association of Teachers of History

Welcome to the Kentucky Association of Teachers of History (KATH) website. Since 1976 KATH has offered a common forum and source of information for all teachers of history in this state, so that they may know of one another’s research and publications, educational activities, concerns and problems. KATH is a service organization for those concerned about improving the quality of history education in Kentucky and offers opportunities to network and to experience professional development events, especially through our annual conference. In this way we hope to improve the scope and quality of teaching history throughout Kentucky.

Dr. James Klotter, founding member of KATH, at the 41st Annual Meeting in October 2016 in Lexington.

Although our name emphasizes history, our interests are interdisciplinary and include the humanities and the social sciences. Members include elementary, middle school, high school, and college and university teachers, as well as administrators and public historians. KATH is unique in that it is not controlled by any one agency or institution.  We believe in collaboration and cooperation among all levels of instruction.

For nearly a half century, each annually elected KATH Board president has brought in a nationally known historian for everyone to hear and get to know personally in a small group setting.  Volunteering their time and connections with international, regional or local experts, the KATH Board primarily meets to organizes the annual meeting.  They distribute useful information for history educators (using for example, the H-Kentucky network), and organize task groups to recognize scholarly achievement through a history writing award program: the Anita Sanford Tolson Award for high school students; the Thomas D. Clark Award for undergraduates in American history; the Ray Betts Award for undergraduates in non-U. S. history; and the George Herring Award for graduate level papers.

  See the 2017 KATH Student Writing Award Winners here.

Please make your plans now to attend the annual KATH conference in the fall! We look forward to seeing you there.

You are invited to become a member of KATH. Annual membership dues are $5.00 for students; $10.00 for a regular membership; and $15.00 for an institutional membership. If you have questions, please contact the KATH Treasurer, Alana Cain Scott at Morehead State University (a.scott@moreheadstate.edu), and if you decide to join, please use the KATH membership form.