The James A. Barnes Club, Temple University’s graduate student history organization, is pleased to announce the 31st edition of its Annual Barnes Club Graduate Student History Conference, one of the largest and most prestigious graduate student conferences in the region, drawing participants across the nation and around the world. The Barnes Conference will be held Friday evening March 13th and Saturday March 14th, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Temple University’s Center City Campus in downtown Philadelphia.
Proposals from graduate students for individual papers or panels are welcome on any topic, time period, or approach to history. We welcome proposals that foreground public history and digital humanities, and are eager to work with applicants in these fields to facilitate their participation. Panels will include three or four paper presentations, running between fifteen and twenty minutes each, with comments and questions to follow.
At the conclusion of the conference, cash prizes will be awarded to the best papers in multiple scholarly categories. Of particular note is the Russell F. Weigley – U.S. Army Heritage Center Foundation Award, a substantial award offered through the U.S. Army Heritage Center to the best paper in military history presented at the conference. The Barnes Conference is also proud to offer the John T. McNay Prize in American History, a prize which celebrates the life and legacy of John McNay, whose leadership as a graduate student revitalized the Barnes Club and helped found the Barnes Conference, as well as the Howard Spodek Prize in World History, a prize that celebrates the important work and life of renowned world historian, author of “The World’s History” (1996, currently in its 5th edition) and Temple University Professor Howard Spodek who passed away on August 20, 2023.
The Barnes Conference will also award the Public History Scholar Award, which will be presented to the best project or paper centered around public or digital history.
Please submit a 250-word abstract that outlines your original research, project, or panel proposal, and a current C.V. via this link (https://forms.gle/gon934vyrWmgnNae8) no later than Friday, January 16, 2026. Final conference papers will be due on Friday, February 13, 2026. Papers should be 15 double-spaced pages (excluding endnotes). The registration fee is $50 for presenters. A continental breakfast, lunch, and pre- and post-conference receptions are included. Registration is free for all Barnes Club Members. If you have any questions, please email: jabconf@temple.edu.
