2nd Annual Contra Costa County History Conference at DVC a Success!

For Immediate Release

Martinez, CA The Contra Costa County Historical Society in Partnership with Diablo Valley College held their second annual History Conference at the Pleasant Hill Campus on April 17, 2025. The event took place in the Community Conference Center and was open to both students and the public.

The day began with an Exhibit Hall full of local historical organizations and exhibits. The second half of the day was filled with speakers giving students and community members tangible examples of how history degrees (and degrees in related fields) translate to real-world jobs while highlighting interesting work being done in their very own neighborhoods.

Students and community members came away with a better understanding of the local historical resources that can help them in the History Field as well as the internship/work-study opportunities within the museums and historical societies of the Contra Costa History Alliance.

“Hearing from John Fiedor from the Chevron Corporation has definitely inspired me into looking at the history of the organization that I work for, and how I can help reserve its history” stated community member Richard Blue. “I currently work for a hospital, and John answered my question as best he could on how to gain support from the parent organization for such a project, and how to create a framework for such an endeavor.”

Thank you to this year’s speakers and participants:

Exhibit Hall Participants:

• Contra Costa County Historical Society

• El Cerrito Historical Society

• Port Costa Museum and Archives Project

• Pittsburg Historical Museum

• Delta Protection Commission & Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area

• Lindsay Wildlife Experience

• CA State Parks Relevancy History Project

• Mapping Prejudice

• Anza Trail Foundation exhibit brought by DAR

• Richmond Historical Society

‍Panel 1: History Makers:

• Deborah Lee, California State Park, Relevancy and History State Park Interpreter

• Sariah Rushing, Lindsay Wildlife, Natural History Collections Specialist

• Jenni Shaw, Lindsay Wildlife, Curator of Education

• John Fiedor, Archivist, Chevron Heritage Center

‍Panel 2: History in the Community:

• Donna Graves, Public Historian, Mapping Prejudice

• Blake Roberts, Program Manager, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage

Area, Tribal Liaison

• Carol Jensen, public historian

For information about speaking or exhibiting at the 2026 Contra Costa County History Conference, please contact the Contra Costa County Historical Society at 925-229-1042 or info@cocohistory.org.