National History Day

Innovation in History: Impact, Influence, Change

The American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB) is proud to support National History Day (NHD) students and teachers as they explore the 2027 theme: Innovation in History: Impact, Influence, Change. This year's theme invites students to investigate how people have imagined, developed, and implemented new ideas, technologies, and methods, and how those innovations influenced societies over time.

To fully understand innovation in a historical context, students must look beyond the idea itself and examine its effects. Public media stations have long documented these advancements, capturing breakthroughs, debates, and discoveries as they unfolded.

Using the Archive

Students can use the AAPB to explore how television and radio have presented, interpreted, and followed innovations across nearly 100 years of broadcasting history. The AAPB provides access to over 300,000 digitized programs from all U.S. states and many territories.

These materials include:

• Interviews with scientists, inventors, policymakers, and cultural leaders
• National newscasts covering major breakthroughs
• Local reporting documenting community-level change
• Public affairs programs analyzing the impact of new ideas and technologies

AAPB's collections allow students to see how innovations were understood in their own time and how public media shaped conversations around change.

For more information on the 2027 theme, visit National History Day. For help from AAPB staff, email aapb_notifications@wgbh.org.

How the AAPB Helps You Explore Innovation

Innovation isn't just about inventions; it's about new ways of thinking, organizing, communicating, and solving problems. Public broadcasting has documented these developments for more than 70 years, capturing:

• How communities responded to new technologies
• How policymakers debated scientific breakthroughs
• How cultural leaders shaped new ideas
• How innovations changed daily life

AAPB's programs let you see innovation in real time through interviews, documentaries, news coverage, and local reporting.

Tips to Use the Archive

Special Collections: Special Collections group programs by theme, series, or historical topic. They're a strong starting point for finding content already organized around innovation, science, technology, culture, or social change.

Exhibits: Exhibits highlight how public broadcasting has covered issues and events of cultural and historical significance. Each exhibit includes curated programs and contextual essays, helpful for building background knowledge and understanding impact and influence.

Search Tools: Use filters to narrow results by:

• Media Type
• Year(s)
• Topic
• Genre
• Contributing organization
• Geographic location

Local History: AAPB includes content from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. Students researching regional innovation can explore our interactive map to find local reporting.

Relevant Collections and Exhibits

These collections and exhibits highlight how public broadcasting has documented scientific, technological, cultural, and social innovations over time.

• War and Peace in the Nuclear Age Collection
• Weather Whys Collection
• Mind Over Matters Sustainability Segment Collection
• About Science Series Collection
• Higher Education Today Collection
• To The Best Of Our Knowledge Collection
• Representing Children with Disabilities on Public Television Collection
• The HIV/AIDS Epidemic and Public Broadcasting Exhibit
• Climate Change Conversations: Causes, Impacts, Solutions Exhibit

Example Topics and Suggested Content

• Nuclear Technology & Global Politics
• Climate Science & Environmental Innovation
• Meteorology & Weather Forecasting
• Medical Innovation & Public Health
• Education Technology & Access
• Disability Representation & Media Innovation
• Science Communication & Public Understanding
• Sustainability & Environmental Design

How to Cite AAPB Programs

AAPB programs can be cited like any digital media source. Include:

• Program title
• Series title (if applicable)
• Producing Station
• Original broadcast date
• URL

Example: "War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Interview with Jimmy Carter, 1987" GBH, 1987. American Archive of Public Broadcasting. https://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip_15-gt5fb4ws83

FAQ

Can I download content?

AAPB programs are available for streaming only. However, AAPB staff can connect you with the producing station to request copies for your National History Day project.

Can I use programs that aren't available online?

In some cases, AAPB can provide password-protected, two-week access to certain materials through our Limited Research Access (LRA) Policy. Email aapb_notifications@wgbh.org with your request and a brief description of your project.

I need help with my research. How do I contact AAPB staff?

Email aapb_notifications@wgbh.org. Our team is happy to help.