The 1997 annual meeting of the Association will be held in New York City, January 2–5. The Program Committee welcomes proposals from all members of the Association (academic and nonacademic), from scholars in related disciplines, and from affiliated societies. The program for the annual meeting seeks to promote excellence in research and teaching as well as discussion of significant professional issues, rights, and responsibilities. The Program Committee seeks presentations that address the entire community of historians and provide opportunities to examine the larger concerns of the profession. (See Program Committee Guidelines, Perspectives, September 1995, page 13).

In addition to welcoming panels in traditional areas and periods, the Program Committee particularly encourages proposals on the theme "Human Rights." The committee also encourages proposals that explore the interaction between research and teaching. Proposals for entire sessions, panels, or workshops are preferred; however, individual paper proposals will be considered for possible matching. The 1997 meeting will pilot a "poster session." In this format, an individual is provided with space, a period of time, and a listing in the program, during which period he or she is available (armed with a poster that includes appropriate graphic illustrations and an abstract of the presentation). Common in the sciences and some social sciences, this format allows individual scholars to discuss their work with interested colleagues. It is also suitable for computer demonstrations, CD-ROM projects, and videos.

Proposers of panels or individual presentations must use the cover sheet and checklist provided on page 14 of the September issue of Perspectives. All persons appearing in the program must be members of the AHA, the exception being foreign scholars and scholars from other disciplines. Participants in the 1996 program will not be eligible to appear on the 1997 program. Session organizers should consult Patrick Manning's article on page 12 of the September issue of Perspectives for suggestions regarding the best configuration of panelists and ways to present the most compelling proposal.

The first deadline for proposals is October 27, 1995. Send four copies of the complete proposal to the appropriate chair or cochair of the Program Committee as noted below. Individual papers, comparative proposals and sessions related to Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East should be sent to Margaret Strobel, Women's Studies Program, c/o Office of Social Science Research, B-110 BSB, 1007 W. Harrison, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60607-7136. Proposals that deal with Europe or North America and all poster projects should be sent to Michael J. Galgano, Dept. of History, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807.