National History Day 2026: Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History
About this object James Johnson Jr. came to Washington expecting to be the House's first African-American Page in the 20th century but was denied an appointment. Appalled, a coalition of five Representatives agreed to hire Johnson to work one day a week in each of their offices. The combined hours and pay enabled him to attend the Capitol Page School, where he graduated near the top of his class.
The 2026 National History Day theme is Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History. While this year’s contest coincides with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, applicable topics for this theme may range far beyond the American Revolution. To that end, this year’s suggested material from the History, Art & Archives website focuses on three periods:
To help students prepare contest entries involving these subjects, the Office of the Historian has prepared several collections using material from across this website. These collections are designed to explore cause and effect, change over time, and the impact and significance of historical actions on both an individual and federal level. Use these topics and selected resources from our website as inspiration for your project.