National History Day
National History Day is a program that engages middle- and high-school students in uncovering and sharing history while developing their skills in research, critical thinking, writing, and public speaking.
Indiana Humanities is excited to become the Indiana affiliate for National History Day beginning in 2026. We appreciate your dedication to the program and patience through the transition. We look forward to working with you to make National History Day an engaging education experience for students across the state.
National History Day Indiana
About National History Day
National History Day (NHD) teaches critical thinking, writing, and research skills; prepares students for college, work, and citizenship; and inspires students to do more than they ever thought they could.
NHD reaches more than half a million students and tens of thousands of teachers each year via its international student history contest and its wide range of teacher professional development programs, curriculum tools, and other educational activities.
NHD’s core program is its competition in which students in grades 6–12 choose a topic and dive deeply into the past by conducting extensive research in libraries, archives, and museums. They then present their conclusions and evidence through papers, exhibits, performances, documentaries, or websites, moving through a series of contest levels where they are evaluated by professional historians and educators.
Through this process, students develop skills in communication, project management, and historical thinking. Their teachers do as well.
About the Indiana Program
Indiana Humanities became the new home for National History Day in 2026. We appreciate your patience through the transition. We will release information on the 2026-2027 season as it becomes available.
If you have questions, please submit them to NHD@indianahumanities.org, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we’re able.
We are honored to be the new affiliate for a program that has touched so many Hoosiers. Your support makes our efforts possible.
National History Day Highlights
Learn about the National History Day program
For more than 50 years, National History Day has improved the teaching and learning of history around the world.
Read more
Learn about this year's National History Day theme
The theme for National History Day® (NHD) 2027 is Innovation in History: Impact, Influence, Change. Innovation goes beyond creating new tools or devices to finding new ways of thinking, organizing, and influencing society. To put it simply, innovation, at its core, is about change and the impact of that change.
To fully explore innovation in a historical context, we must look beyond the idea itself and examine its effects. How did people, over time, imagine, develop, and implement new ideas, technologies, or methods? And in what ways did those innovations influence societies?
Explore the themePartners and Funders
Questions?
Contact us!
nhd@indianahumanities.org | 317.616.9409