Latest News & Announcements

The State Historical Society of Missouri is hitting the pavement this year to commemorate 100 years since Route 66 began with a telegram sent from the Colonial Hotel Springfield, Mo., accepting the number "66" for the soon-to-be famous highway. We look back on this national icon to understand the places and people who traveled from afar or lived or ran businesses along the Mother Road. SHSMO's new exhibition, Through the Windshield: Missouri’s Route 66, helps us view this prism in 20th century history and culture in Missouri.

Ozark Vitality, the State Historical Society of Missouri, and Opportunity 1888 Foundation announce the world premiere of Soaring Together: A Tuskegee Airmen Story, a new short film inspired by the true story of World War II Tuskegee Airmen James Shipley of Tipton, Missouri, and Harry Stewart Jr. of Queens, New York.

Happy New Year! The State Historical Society of Missouri is offering a variety of talks, publications, music, and programs, both online and in person, as the nation celebrates the semiquincentennial of the U.S. Declaration of Independence throughout 2026. 

The State Historical Society of Missouri is awarding three Gary R. Kremer Center for Missouri Studies fellowships in 2026. The 2026 fellows are Deborah Cohen, associate professor of history at the University of Missouri–St. Louis; Brian Frehner, professor and chair of the University of Missouri–Kansas City Department of History; and Cory Haala, assistant professor of history at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point.

The State Historical Society of Missouri board of trustees has elected Robert M. Clayton III of Hannibal as president of the State Historical Society for a three-year term. Clayton has served as a trustee of the Society since 2013. Senator Roy Blunt, who has served as SHSMO’s president since 2023 will continue to serve as a trustee of the Society. 

The State Historical Society of Missouri is among 20 organizations partnering with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Google Arts & Culture to celebrate the centennial of Route 66 with a collection of 130 stories of the Mother Road’s past, present, and future. America’s iconic highway offers a unique place in history representing the nation’s spirit of adventure and its diverse culture and people that shaped the communities along Route 66.  

The public is invited to an open house reception on Thursday, October 30, 4-6 p.m. at the SHSMO Center for Missouri Studies in Columbia in honor of Gary Kremer on his retirement. Gary has served as executive director at the State Historical Society of Missouri for over 21 years and more than 50 years as a highly regarded leader, educator, and advocate for preserving, publishing, and teaching the state's history. Kremer will step down as executive director at the Annual Meeting November 22, 2025.

Mark your calendars for the 7th Annual Holiday Open House at the State Historical Society of Missouri and the Richard Bookstore inside the Center for Missouri Studies in Columbia. The event will be held Saturday, December 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Browse festive, handcrafted gifts from Missouri makers, enjoy holiday cheer, visit with Santa, and be serenaded with live caroling while supporting local artists! We are accepting Missouri-based artists, makers, and artisans who would like to sell their items at the open house. A few spots remain open to vendors.

SHSMO’s Rolla Research Center and Missouri S&T Curtis Laws Wilson Library are sponsoring four events (virtual and in person) and an exhibition at the library on the Missouri S&T campus in October to celebrate American Archives Month. An exhibition highlighting the 75th anniversary of desegregation in higher education and related programs will occur throughout October. These special events at the Curtis Laws Wilson Library include:

Opening Reception October 7, 5:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. The exhibition will run throughout October during regular library hours.

Professor Maria Esther Hammack of Ohio State University and author of the upcoming book, Channels of Liberation: Freedom Fighters in the Age of Abolition, will be giving the African American Experience in Missouri lecture at the State Historical Society of Missouri on Oct. 1 at 6:30 p.m. titled, “Asking the Way to Mexico: Engineering Freedom from Missouri to Mexico.”