“I am passionate about history! — as a source of INFORMATION for strategic marketing and PR, and INSPIRATION for all of us who want to make a difference, especially for young people.” -Harrison Bennett
Harrison Bennett at the Boston Public Library, discussing Boston women during the Civil War.
Harrison Bennett started History Smiths in 2010 to focus attention on the power of using “history” to impact communities, businesses, organizations, and individuals – and to “pump” much-needed resources into the historical community in new, innovative ways.
As an award-winning, 20-year veteran of the cultural communities of Boston, Cambridge, the North Shore and Cape Ann in Massachusetts, she has worked with dozens of businesses and organizations whose leaders truly care about the history of the communities they serve. Over the years, Bonnie’s work has included event planning, promotion, public relations, marketing, community outreach, fundraising, graphic design, writing, and publishing.
During the past several years, while Bonnie oversaw and raised funds for large-scale community events on the North Shore, she observed that the business and civic leaders involved (usually men and women at the “top of their game”), wanted to do more than write a check. They wanted to participate and know they were making a difference.
As a result, she transformed her existing company, Hurd Smith Communications, into History Smiths, an agency with a deliberate focus on using history in refreshing, exciting ways.
One of these “ways” is by really looking at the state of history education today – dismal! As David McCullough is known to remark, we need a massive movement to correct what has been happening. The impact on young people is particularly disheartening. Too many girls and young women know NOTHING about women’s history, for example, nor do boys. Too many non-African Americans know NOTHING about Black history. And the list goes on.
Through Bonnie’s public speaking as a historian and author, she is able to “connect the dots” between knowing history, improving self esteem (especially for girls and young women, her particular focus), and understanding how the involvement of businesses and organizations in this work can make an enormous difference. Public schools are all about “teaching to the test” these days. What falls by the wayside are “extraneous” things like history – the very subject that is meant to produce informed, empathetic citizens.
History Smiths has a big vision!
We want to help our clients achieve business results through our services and products AND make a significant difference in the communities they serve.
Everyone wins!
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