National History Day in Utah
National History Day® in Utah is a year-round history education program serving 4th-12th grade students statewide. Through NHD, students learn history by doing history. They choose a topic from local, national, or world history that fits within NHD's annual theme. The theme for 2026-2027 is, "Innovations in History: Influence, Impact, Change."
By participating in NHD, students learn how to do real historical research, analyze primary and secondary sources, and make an argument based on evidence. Then, they create a museum-style exhibit, documentary film, live performance, research paper, or a website to showcase their work. Students can opt into local tournaments each spring, which culminate in a state contest. Each summer, Utah's top projects compete at nationals in Washington, D.C.
STUDENT TOOLKIT
TEACHER RESOURCES
CONTESTS
Hop to the contest that serves your school for registration, deadlines, contest dates, and details.
PROJECT GALLERY
View a collection of past projects from NHD students.
NOTEWORTHY
BE A JUDGE
CONTEST RESULTS
Check out Utah's state and national contest results.
We Love History Day
Hear from some of our National History Day in Utah students.
FAQ
Who can participate?
Any student, grades 4-12.
Can I participate if my school does not?
YES! No teacher sponsor is necessary to compete as an independent student in the local regional competition.
What is the cost?
It is FREE!
Is the program limited to Utah history?
No. Topics can be selected from local, national, and world history.
What are the five creative categories National History Day offers?
Students can choose to create an exhibit, a documentary film, a paper, a live performance, or a website to present their work.
"By doing these projects, not only do you feel that you have a place in a vast universe, you feel more empathetic. Human."
-MANETTE, NHD UTAH STUDENT
Program History
Since 1980
Our program got its start in 1980 in the History Department at Utah State University. Influenced by the Chicago Metro History Fair, Ohio, West Virginia, and National History Day, History Professor Errol Jones began work to create a history research-based competition for Utah’s youth. With help from colleagues at USU, including then History Department Chair Ross Peterson and the late College Dean William Lye, Jones worked throughout 1980 to raise the money to bring the program to fruition. Start-up money came from many sources including Utah State University. The Utah State Board of Education donated over $20,000 during the summer of 1980. In October of 1980, the Utah Endowment for the Humanities supplied over $25,000 and provided the final key to getting the Utah History Fair started.
Professor Jones and Assistant Director Shannon Hoskins began meeting educators along the Wasatch Front in November. They conducted 10 workshops with educators and 45 in-class presentations to 1,500 students and community members. They worked with 71 teachers in 31 schools and 14 school districts. Four regional competitions were held. At the state contest, judges selected 12 projects to represent Utah at the National History Day Contest in Maryland. During that first year, nearly 500 students competed in the Utah History Fair. Delmont Oswalt, Director of the Utah Endowment for the Humanities, decided to support the Utah History Fair an additional year. Since its inception in 1980, the Utah History Fair has continued to grow and turn thousands of Utah’s kids into historians.
The program was transferred to the Utah Division of State History (now Utah Historical Society) in 2013, and the name changed to align with the National History Day brand. As the state's official National History Day affiliate, NHD Utah has operated continuously since 1980, serving students in urban, suburban, and rural communities statewide.
To listen to the story of the “Founding of the Utah History Fair,” visit the “Beehive Archive”. “Beehive Archive” is a program of the Utah Humanities Council, formerly the Utah Endowment for the Humanities.
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