WHO WE ARE
“NHD is a great opportunity for anyone interested in history, research, storytelling, or civics. NHD was an overwhelmingly positive experience for me and it not only encouraged me to complete a project, but pushed me farther than I thought I could go.”
– 2023 NHD Philly Student Participant
NHD Philly is the local affiliate competition of National History Day, an award winning academic program that helps develop lifelong critical thinking skills and civics participation.
NHD Philly Is Unique
Participation in NHD Philly is free. We do not charge any registration or contest fees. In fact, NHD Philly provides free project materials to all participants and helps facilitate access to any necessary equipment. We also help provide funds (for registration, travel, and lodging) for Philly students who qualify for the state-wide and national-level competitions; our students already went the distance–we just help them get there!
Who Can Participate?
NHD Philly is for all Philadelphia students in grades 6-12. Whether from clubs, classes, or entering as individuals, are all welcome to participate!
Collaboration in the City of Brotherly Love
From its homebase at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, NHD Philly represents a network of over a dozen Philadelphia world-renowned cultural institutions, archives, and museums. Our partners are dedicated to providing access to their resources, collections, and expertise.
NHD Philly has found the perfect home at HSP, nestled between its vast archival material and long-standing commitment to education. As the primary steward of NHD Philly, HSP is responsible for providing materials and support for participating students, as well as raising the funds necessary to support those students through every level of the competition. Please help us continue to ensure that every students who wants to participate in NHD Philly can participate.
Learn more about what your support means here.
2026 Partners
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania
- The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- National Constitution Center
- Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books, and Manuscripts at the University of Pennsylvania
- American Philosophical Society
- Pennsylvania Abolition Society
- Drexel University Legacy Center Archives and Special Collections
- Girard College
- Independence Seaport Museum
- Museum of the American Revolution
- Stenton
- Arch Street Meeting House
- National Liberty Museum
- Temple University Libraries
- Villanova University – The Albert Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest
- WHYY
- 1838 Black Metropolis
- Science History Institute
Support When and Where You Need It
Our team offers virtual and onsite project and research help to all of our participating students and teachers. See more ways NHD Philly can support our teachers and students.