History Colorado has named University of Colorado Boulder history professor William Wei the Colorado state historian for the second time.
Wei is a faculty affiliate in CU Boulder’s Center for Asian Studies and his work focuses primarily on modern China, with research interests in Asian Americans.
“It is a great honor to be appointed the Colorado state historian again,” Wei said in a release. “I remain committed to ensuring that Coloradans receive an accurate and comprehensive portrayal of the Centennial State’s history. This commitment naturally extends to Colorado’s marginalized communities, whose stories have often been neglected, overlooked and forgotten.”
History Colorado was established in 1879 and is a state organization under the Department of Higher Education. It provides Coloradans access to 11 museums and historical sites and offers educational programming.
History Colorado has a State Historian’s Council made up of five interdisciplinary scholars and rotates the state historian position every year. Wei is a member of the council, and his first term as state historian was from 2019 to 2020.
“William brings a broad global perspective alongside an encyclopedic interest in Colorado to the role of State Historian,” Jason Hanson, chief creative officer and director of interpretation and research at History Colorado, said in a release. “He is passionate about how historical perspective can help us see the present more clearly and in ways that can truly improve people’s lives. I am excited for him to share his knowledge and passion with the people of Colorado as the state historian once again.”
Wei was the founding editor-in-chief of the online Colorado Encyclopedia and has held various national and international fellowships. His book “Asians in Colorado: A History of Persecution and Perseverance in the Centennial State,” was a finalist for the 2017 Colorado Authors’ League Award for General Nonfiction. He received the Asian American Hero of Colorado Award from the Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network in 2022.
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