Seeing “Hamilton” on Broadway—and reading the excellent companion book Hamilton the Revolution—has stirred a few thoughts for those of us who write history, tell history, and love history. On the persistent DNA of founding fathers and founding mothers: In “Hamilton,” you understand within seconds who these people[...]

Patrick Hanlon’s books Primal Branding (2006) and The Social Code (2011) are a bit dated but still relevant. They analyze why certain brands gain “visceral traction in the marketplace,” while other brands with equally good offerings fail. Crux: Branding is a belief system. Specifically, Hanlon says the[...]

So you’re fired up about chronicling your company’s history. You contact CorporateHistory.net and other vendors. You ask great questions, often noting that “we know we finally need to do it, because otherwise our history may be lost.” Yet a few months later, the fire goes out at[...]

Which objects symbolize your organization’s history? At year-end, gather a few and display them on your About Us pages, Instagram, and e-timeline. Take a cue from the Object Project at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC, which displays “everyday things that changed everything.” I’ve[...]