by Robert Coutts
Winnipeg, Manitoba
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This issue of Manitoba History marks the end of our long-running publication. However, in its place we are very excited to introduce our new journal Prairie History, which will also be published by the Manitoba Historical Society (MHS). As the new name suggests, Prairie History will engage in a wider focus, publishing the histories and stories related to Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, along with the borderland histories associated with the northern US plains. We hope to continue the high quality of writing and research that has characterized Manitoba History for many years while telling broad and wide ranging stories from contributors across the West.
Prairie History has a long and distinguished publication pedigree. In 1879, one of the first initiatives of the newly established Manitoba Historical and Scientific Society was support for public lectures on a wide range of topics. These lectures were later published as the Transactions of the Manitoba Historical and Scientific Society, or Transactions for short. Seventy-two Transactions had been published by 1909, when the Society entered a period of inactivity. These are referred to as the First Series. This was followed by the Second Series published between the World Wars, from 1926 to 1936. Finally, the Third Series was published starting in 1944.
It was joined in 1956 by the Society’s award-winning magazine Manitoba Pageant that presented a wealth of information on topics of interest to a wide range of readers across all ages. Both publications were succeeded in 1980 by Manitoba History. For forty years, Manitoba History has featured original work on the social, economic, political, intellectual, and cultural history of Manitoba and the Canadian West. With Prairie History we hope to continue that proud tradition.
The incentive to create a new western journal came in part with the lack of historical publications in the West in recent years. Over the last year or so, the editorial team, along with the Executive and Council of the MHS, agreed that the time is right for a new journal in the West. Prairie History will give potential authors across the region a venue for the publication of their research and writing and will expand our readership by giving subscribers those geographic, social, cultural, and economic stories that unite the West while telling unique and individual stories of community and identity throughout Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
With Prairie History our goal is to publish the latest and best work of both young and experienced scholars, the best in popular history, book reviews and review essays, as well as discussions related to heritage news and issues. We will also include commentaries related to archival and museum collections. Our team will be expanded to include editors from each of the prairie provinces.
Those readers familiar with Manitoba History are aware that the journal combines scholarly articles with popular history as well as book reviews and other specialty pieces. That tradition will continue. In more recent years, the Gazette heritage newsletter is also part of each issue. It is the only journal in Canada to combine these diverse approaches in one publication. Scholarly contributions will continue to be peer-reviewed. Prairie History will be illustrated and will publish in full colour, in print and digital formats.
So, we say goodbye to Manitoba History and its long publishing past and look forward to the inaugural issue of Prairie History which will be published in the Winter of 2020.
Articles can be submitted to: journal@mhs.mb.ca. For more information go to: www.prairiehistory.net.
Page revised: 23 December 2019
