History Matters: Look Back to Look Ahead

As cause communicators, we’re never starting from scratch. The social change, the reforms, the redress, the justice, the advancements, and the new solutions we are working for all have historical context.

History reminds us where and why our cause began. History acknowledges the people, the experiences, and the actions that have helped, harmed, and complicated our causes. History gives us a way to go back, to dig deeper, to learn more, and to revise when needed. History isn’t remembered or experienced the same way by everyone. History can feel daunting, and it can fuel momentum.

True visionaries understand the past so they can take on the future.

Know the larger history of your cause

Your focus may be civil rights, education, mental health, sustainability, democracy, or some other social mission. Who was thinking about and acting on the issues you care about before your organization came on the scene? Is your organization one of the original pioneers? Are you a recent arrival bringing new breakthroughs? Historical context can shine a light on what sets your organization apart, where you have the most impact, as well as possible allies. Seeing your mission as part of a continuum can inspire your team and your champions. This bigger picture can also bring more urgency to your call to action.

Research your past to chart the future

Your organization has its own history, too. Learning from that history is essential to charting a course forward. Quantitative, qualitative, primary, and secondary research reveals the impact past practices and attitudes have on your current efforts. Research can show you where you’re succeeding and where you can do better. Research is necessary to establish a baseline for measuring future success. Mission-driven organizations often shy away from conducting research thinking it will be too costly or complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Our Communications Toolkit includes several low-cost research methods.

Acknowledge uncomfortable history

Some history — both at the issue level and specific to your organization — may be hard to face and accept. History can’t be changed, but if we ignore it, we can’t learn or build from it. As Ronald A. Crutcher, president of University of Richmond, writes in his book I Had No Idea You Were Black: Navigating Race on the Road to Leadership, “acknowledging uncomfortable history can lead to conversations that point the way forward.” Crutcher cites installations in German towns and cities with the names and fates of Holocaust victims. They are a consistent reminder “that physically forces pedestrians to remember the past.” Accountability and authenticity are essential to communications that advance the common good. We can’t build trust with people if we ignore the history we share.

Keep track of the history you’re making

We’re all standing on the shoulders of others. When we respect what’s been tried before and the advocates and trailblazers who came before us, we build. We acknowledge the work even when we move on from it. Let’s remember, too, that the work we do today will be tomorrow’s history. As communicators, we are writing history daily – shaping the stories that not only propel future action but will also one day capture a moment in time. So whose voices and experiences are we centering in those histories? Are we telling those stories ethically and with respect for the communities we serve? How are we recording the successes that will become our organization’s history? Cause Communications offers several tools to evaluate your current practices, measure results of new work, and track your impact.

Whether it’s years, decades, or centuries old, every cause has a history. When we know where we’ve been, we have a far better chance of getting where we want to go.