The conference was formally organized, and officially recognized by the American Historical Association in 1928, and now has about 300 members. Its purpose is to advance the study of Latin American history in the United States, chiefly by making possible personal contact among those interested in the field at the annual meeting held jointly with the American Historical Association. This meeting is held during the last week in December each year and consists of a luncheon at which necessary business is conducted and a program of historical interest presented. A list of current members is usually distributed at the annual meeting, and in recent years the Conference has sponsored an afternoon reception at which distinguished members or foreign guests are honored. In addition, it has been customary for many years for the American Historical Association to include in its program a joint academic session of the Conference and the Association.
The Conference is responsible for awarding through its appointed committees the James Alexander Robertson Memorial Prize and the Herbert Eugene Bolton Memorial Prize. The Robertson Prize, an award of $100 from Conference funds, is given for the best article published in the HAHR during the year. Unpublished articles in English on any aspect of Latin American history will also be considered when submitted to the committee. The Bolton Prize, an award of $300 made possible by a grant from the Pan American Foundation, is given for the most worthy book on any aspect of Latin American history published anywhere during the year in English. Grace of style as well as sound scholarship are criteria which will be used in making the decision on both prizes.
Since 1954 the Conference and the Hispanic American Historical Review have been intensifying their relationship. The review is now published in cooperation with the Conference, and the Conference elects one member of the Board of Editors. The present Conference representative on the Board is Harry Bernstein, Brooklyn College.
Membership is open to all interested persons upon the payment of annual dues of $1.00 to the secretary-treasurer, Hugh M. Hamill, Jr., Department of History, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio.
The Constitution and By-Laws of the Conference were printed in the HAHR, XIX (1939), pp. 219-221. Various amendments are to be found, ibid., XXVIII (1948), pp. 146-147; XXIX (1949), p. 159; and XXX (1950), p. 143.
1961 Officers
John J. Johnson, Stanford University, Chairman.
Hugh M. Hamill, Jr., Ohio Wesleyan University, Secretary-Treasurer.
Committees
General Committee: (First year of two year term) Charles W. Arnade, State University of Iowa; Thomas F. McGann, University of Texas; (Second year of two year term) Edwin Lieuwen, University of New Mexico; Stanley Robert Ross, University of Nebraska; (ex-officio members) Chairman and Secretary-Treasurer; Previous Chairman, Irving A. Leonard, University of Michigan; Managing Editor of HAHR (Donald E. Worcester).
1962 Program Committee: John P. Harrison, Rockefeller Foundation, Chairman; Rollie E. Poppino, State Department; James R. Scobie, University of California, Berkeley.
Nominating Committee: Charles C. Griffin, Vassar College, Chairman; Milton Vanger, Sacramento State College; Clement G. Motten, Temple University.
Bolton Prize Committee; Manoel Cardozo, Catholic University, Chairman; Woodrow Borah, University of California, Berkeley; Stanley J. Stein, Princeton University.
Robertson Prize Committee: Harry Bernstein, Brooklyn College, Chairman; Robert L. Gilmore, University of Ohio; Mario Rodriguez, University of Arizona.
