Hispanic Heritage Month is here

 Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month!

This photograph captures the Alianza Hispano Americana's Convention in Nogales, Arizona, on January 20, 1934. The Alianza Hispano Americana was a fraternal organization founded in Tucson in 1894 that supported and connected Mexican American communities throughout the Southwest.

More than 90 years later, this photograph offers a glimpse into the people and communities who have shaped Arizona's history and reminds us that Hispanic history is Arizona history.

: 1934; REF #: 69796 Arizona Historical Society

Festival of Science at AHS Pioneer Museum today!

Festival of Science at AHS Pioneer Museum today!

 

National History Day Jim Rex Memorial Award

 Jim Rex Memorial Award is for Youth Division Participants honoring hard work, research, and participating in project-based learning opportunities like National History Day AZ.

Jim Rex taught 7th grade American History for 29 years to Arizona students. His love for engaging students to think, get excited about their past and apply evidence to show what they know was something he shared with over 10,000 students during his career. Wanting to encourage historical thinkers this award is for student projects that show passion, knowledge, and historical argumentation.

Those ranked 1st in their project category received awards of $20 each.

Youth Division winners are 4th and 5th graders. They will gain the opportunity to go to Nationals in the Junior Division as 6-8 graders.

The Historical League congratulates all the 2026 NHD Jim Rex winners. Four winners are pictured here.

Individual Website - March of Bread and Roses: A Child's Tale

by Maedini Pandit

Education Team Member Emily Hahn presents to winner

Shreya Khera for her Individual Exhibit - Hello Girls

Group Documentary - Browder v. Gayle: The Four Women Who Fought Back

by Alina Gaines and Natalie Russo

Entries were:

Youth Group Documentary - The Smallpox and the Anti-Vax Leagues in England

Daniel Armijo

Aiden Barnes

Titoluwani Faleye

Youth Group Exhibit - Running Against the World

Ben Bradley

Stephanie Escalante Rodriguez

Jaxon Gonzalez

Youth Group Documentary - Browder v. Gayle: The Four Women Who Fought Back

Alina Gaines

Natalie Russo

Youth Group Website - Banditen! Jewish Partisan Resistance During the Holocaust

Grayden Lily Cohen

Maxwell Martin

Youth Individual Exhibit - Hello Girls

Shreya Khera

Youth Individual Website - March of Bread and Roses: A Child's Tale

Maedini Pandit

Youth Paper - Too Unfit for a Slave?

Carter Cvelbar

Winnie Ruth Judd story with author Laurie Notaro at AZHC Oct 10

 If you’re fascinated by Arizona history, Phoenix stories and true crime,we have two interesting opportunities coming up to explore the story of Winnie Ruth Judd, one of Arizona’s most infamous historical figures.

📚 FIRST UP: BOOK TALK & FILM — OCTOBER 10

Join us on Saturday, October 10, at the Arizona Heritage Center for a special afternoon exploring the Winnie Ruth Judd story.

New York Times bestselling author Laurie Notaro will discuss her book Murderess: The Hunt for Winnie Ruth Judd and the history behind this infamous Arizona case.

The program will also feature two screenings of filmmaker Scott Coblio’s full-length marionette film, offering a unique artistic interpretation of Winnie’s story.

📽️ Film Screening: 2 PM

📚 Book Talk with Laurie Notaro: 3:45 PM

📽️ Film Screening: 5 PM

📍 Arizona Heritage Center

🎟️ $10

Get tickets for the October 10 event: https://prod5.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/ticketsearchcriteria.aspx?evtinfo=657003~5ac2ccc1-54af-4b64-ae9b-7b0df253cfe3&

Come hear the story, learn more about the history and see this unusual chapter of Arizona history brought to life through both books and film!

🔎 THEN — WINNIE RUTH JUDD TOUR — OCTOBER 17

Want to take the story beyond the book and film?

On Saturday, October 17, you can join a special Winnie Ruth Judd tour and explore the story in a whole different way.

This is a great opportunity for those who want to learn more about the people, places and events connected to one of Phoenix’s most notorious historical cases.

Ed Beauvais, 2017 Arizona Historymaker

 Today we remember Ed Beauvais, who passed away 5 years ago today. Ed Beauvais spent his career in aviation. He founded America West Airlines (AWA) in 1981 and served as the company’s first CEO. By establishing Phoenix as the corporate home and operational hub for AWA, Beauvais contributed significantly to the rapid growth of Phoenix and Sky Harbor Airport.

Ed was also influential in the support for the construction of the Arizona Heritage Center at Papago Park, and he was also honored as a Historymaker by the HistoricalLeague.org in 2017.

You can listen to him tell his story at https://www.historicalleague.org/historymakers/ed-beauvais.

Seen in this photograph is a mixed medium collage of highlights from AWA created in 1990. Beauvais (right) is shown with Michael J. Conway (left), the first President of AWA, celebrating the success and impact of their accomplishments.

5th Annual Postcard Contest to 3rd graders

 12newsAZ promotes the AHS 3rd grade postcard contest, showing past entries on the news. Details of the contest at Arizona Historical Society website.

Simon Kibe: Al Merito Award Winner 2026 + NHD teacher

 "Congratulations to Simon Kibe, one of the Prestigious Al Merito Award winners at the Arizona Historical Society annual meeting on Sept 25 . He has taught at Cibecue High School for 4 years and has done outstanding work with his Apache students, even getting them involved in National History Day at regionals and state.

FYI - not only is he improving his English, he is learning Apache!" reports Historical League member Norma Jean Coulter.

Simon Kibe and Norma Jean Coulter