The editors of Modern American History (MAH), Darren Dochuk and Sarah B. Snyder, are pleased to announce that the journal is accepting research article submissions for its July 2026 special issue, which will focus on themes in history related to the celebration of the 2026 United States’ Semiquincentennial (250^th Anniversary). MAH showcases top-quality, emerging research on the history of the United States since the 1890s. The journal is dedicated to publishing academic work that stimulates debate and makes meaningful connections between the subfields of this vibrant and expansive field. The journal is the only peer-reviewed periodical for academic historians of the United States working on the modern era. MAH is published by Cambridge University Press and is based at the University of Notre Dame.

While submissions on any topic pertinent to modern U.S. History are welcome at any time, the journal is now soliciting papers specifically on the history of the commemoration of 1776 in modern American life. Under this rubric, the MAH special issue will explore the ways that commemorative years in the life of the nation have stirred popular sentiments of patriotism as well as spirits of dissent; laid bare tensions in the body politic and created opportunities for alternative national and community celebrations; infused public discourse with questions about American “exceptionalism” in the global context, as well as fresh ways of seeing America in transnational flows of ideas, interests, and people; generated new ways of thinking about the past (and earlier anniversary years), with enduring impact on American cultural institutions; and drawn to the forefront discussions and debates about the state of democracy in modern America.

We seek to publish research articles (10,000-12,000 words, including notes) that pursue these (and other related) lines of inquiry through a variety of sources, lenses, methods, and approaches: while the topic naturally lends itself to “political” history, we encourage submissions from those specializing in all subfields of modern U.S. history, including the history of environment, gender, race, religion, popular culture, labor, technology, public memory, the military, diplomacy, and ideas.

At this initial stage in the submission process, we invite authors to submit an article proposal, no longer than 600 words total, that outlines the core scholarly claims, interventions, and sources of their article-length study of the history of the commemoration of 1776 in modern American history. Please include the following information:

• An article title that should not exceed 15 words

• An abstract of roughly 400-500 words that summarizes the argument and scholarly contributions your article makes in relation to the special issue theme

• A brief author biography of 80-100 words

• Contact details for author(s): email, postal address, affiliation, and telephone number

To be considered for potential publication in the 2026 special issue, your article proposal should be received by January 31, 2025. A committee of MAH advisors will assess the proposals, then notify selected authors by February 21, 2025. Final commissioned article manuscripts will be due by June 30, 2025. To avoid potential delays in the publication process, authors will be encouraged to consult the style guide prior to submitting their articles electronically through the journal’s online system.

Inquiries: Please email your proposal (and inquiries) to [email protected]