Contest Rules
New York City History Day follows all National HIstory Day rules and regulations. Please note that a new rule book has been released in June 2020. Visit National History Day to download your copy of the rule book.
New York City History Day will accept three submissions per category and division from each school. (ie: a school can submit up to three individual exhibits and three group exhibits, but NOT four individual exhibits).
New York City History Day is an education program that engages students in grades 6-12 in the discovery and interpretation of historical topics. By participating in History Day, students can research topics related to the annual theme and can express themselves creatively through various formats such as exhibit boards, documentaries, websites, papers, and performances.
Questions about the contest? Send us an email - nychd@bklnylibrary.org
Brooklyn Public Library’s Center for Brooklyn History is the host of NYC History Day!
New York City History Day is sponsored in part by the Rose M. Badgeley Residuary Charitable Trust and the Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund.
About The Center for Brooklyn History
Drawing on its unique collection of physical and digital primary source materials and artifacts, the Center for Brooklyn History inspires discovery, advances research, and preserves the history and cultural heritage of Brooklyn’s diverse communities. Through regular high-profile events, exhibits, and educational programs at 128 Pierrepont Street, online, and in branch libraries throughout Brooklyn, the Center also serves as a hub for residents, students, and scholars interested in the history and civic life of their borough and city.
The Center for Brooklyn History (CBH) represents a merger between Brooklyn Public Library's Brooklyn Collection and Brooklyn Historical Society’s collections, exhibitions, and programming, including educational initiatives and public programs from both organizations. The Center strives to democratize access to Brooklyn’s history and is dedicated to expanding and diversifying representation of the history of the borough by unifying resources and expertise, and broadening reach and impact throughout Brooklyn and beyond.
Located at the landmarked Pierrepont Street building in Brooklyn Heights, which was home to Brooklyn HIstorical Society for 140 years, CBH collects, preserves, and provides access to the most expansive collection of Brooklyn history and life in the world. The combined collections that comprise the new Center for Brooklyn History's holdings include over 250,000 photographs, 37,000 books, 1,800 archival collections, 2,500 maps and atlases, 5,700 artifacts, 300 paintings, 1,400 oral history interviews, and more. The collections foster new and cutting-edge scholarship, support public learning and research, and enrich CBH's exhibitions, educational activities, and public programming.
Education at the Center for Brooklyn History
Utilize Brooklyn history to cultivate 21st century learning skills through our FREE award-winning education offerings and resources! The award-winning Brooklyn Connections team at the Center for Brooklyn History offers students and educators access to a plethora of original archival materials, standards-aligned curricula, virtual class visits, as well as CTLE-earning professional learning workshops every year. Access educator-vetted lesson plans and curated primary source packets on local history topics 24/7 from our website.
Interested in learning more? Visit our website or join our mailing list.
New York City History Day is an education program that engages students in grades 6-12 in the discovery and interpretation of historical topics. By participating in History Day, students can research topics related to the annual theme and can express themselves creatively through various formats such as exhibit boards, documentaries, websites, papers, and performances.
Questions about the contest? Send us an email - nychd@bklnylibrary.org
Brooklyn Public Library’s Center for Brooklyn History is the host of NYC History Day!
New York City History Day is sponsored in part by the Rose M. Badgeley Residuary Charitable Trust and the Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund.
What to Expect During the Contest
2024 New York City History Day will be hybrid. Documentary, Paper and Website categories will be submitted and judged virtually between Thursday, February 15 and Sunday, March 3, 2024. Performance and Exhibit categories will be judged in person at a one-day event held on Sunday, March 3, 2024 at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Branch at Grand Army Plaza. All registrations must be completed by Thursday, February 8, 2024, including required written materials for ALL project categories (title page, process paper, and annotated bibliography). Virtual submission must be completed at this point. If you plan on submitting a project in the Exhibit or Performance category, you must be available to present your project on March 3.
The award ceremony will be held at The Center for Brooklyn History on Thursday, March 7.
New York City History Day is an education program that engages students in grades 6-12 in the discovery and interpretation of historical topics. By participating in History Day, students can research topics related to the annual theme and can express themselves creatively through various formats such as exhibit boards, documentaries, websites, papers, and performances.
Questions about the contest? Send us an email - nychd@bklnylibrary.org
Brooklyn Public Library’s Center for Brooklyn History is the host of NYC History Day!
New York City History Day is sponsored in part by the Rose M. Badgeley Residuary Charitable Trust and the Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund.
Judging Criteria for all New York City History Day Projects
Historical Quality (80%)
- Historical argument
- Wide research
- Primary Sources
- Historical context
- Multiple Perspectives
- Historical Accuracy
- Significance in History
- Student Voice
Clarity of Presentation (20%)
- Clarity of audio, written, visual materials
- Technical clarity