CCHA Coordinating Committee for History in Arizona


Arizona Centennial

SESSION 1 REVIEW
What would you like to see Happen
with the Arizona Centennial?

In May 2004, CCHA launched a planning initiative to encourage the development All attendees participated in small group discussion sessions focused on the question, "What would you like to see happen?" A tremendous number of ideas were generated by each group and documented during the session. The ideas from each group have been collated and organized into nine different categories:

PREPARATION - LEGACY - INCLUSIVITY - BALANCE
PARTNERSHIPS - EDUCATION - COMMUNICATION
PROMOTION - ACTIVITIES & PROGRAMS
The participants envisioned an ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE for the Arizona Centennial designed to ensure statewide participation. While centralized planning was deemed necessary, the trend was toward regional and local implementation. Some concerns were expressed over control by small groups or special interests that would limit the possibilities and opportunities for the diverse citizenry to experience the centennial. During this early planning stage, the discussions about PREPARATION took two distinct tracks. First, most groups felt that additional work needed to be done to learn about what has and has not worked in other states. Second, as a strategic plan is laid out, several factors were listed as important to pursue:

The importance of emphasizing LEGACY features into the Arizona Centennial was a strong component of the discussions. Both tangible and intangible outcomes were articulated:

Tangible and meaningful products such as:
  • New research,
  • new printed materials,
  • artwork
  • monuments & markers,
  • sites,
  • new document and artifact collections,
  • oral history interviews were noted as essential.
Less tangible, though equally important, products were also noted:
  • Pride in Arizona,
  • internal and external stimulation of interest in the state,
  • an understanding of identity (What is an Arizonan?),
  • a greater awareness of Arizona heritage,
  • cross-cultural understanding yielding a unifying effect (Many Voices - One Arizona),
  • points of Pride to emphasize Arizona's "riches,"
  • local, regional and state spirit of community,
  • and, the hope of all historians - to create an appetite for history.

It is essential that the Arizona Centennial program be INCLUSIVE if it is to be meaningful for all the citizens of the state. We are a rich and diverse population with many perspectives and many voices; some different groups noted at the workshop:

A BALANCE needs to be considered at many levels, again to ensure the broad spectrum of human experience is included:

To achieve success, PARTNERSHIPS were often highlighted as necessary components of the centennial program structure. A variety of entities were noted for possible collaborations:

A wide variety of opportunities were cited during discussions about tying into EDUCATION at all levels, pre-school through graduate programs at the universities. We should seek opportunities to assist with curriculum development and support teachers in bringing the Arizona Centennial to the classroom. It was noted that education should not mean just classroom opportunities; education for the general public was also an important component of the Arizona Centennial experience. Discussions leaned toward engaging with the citizenry by assisting them to tell their story of people and place in very public venues: malls, restaurants, sports arenas etc. Other ideas that were supported:

To COMMUNICATE the Arizona Centennial, we need to develop new and existing links to the public as well as provide valuable informational tools:

PROMOTION of the Arizona Centennial should begin with public service announcements about planning meetings. Statewide contests for logo and slogan designs can boost awareness. Volunteerism needs to be encouraged.

The brainstorming session produced a wide variety of ACTIVITIES and PROGRAM ideas.