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| Sitting on a cannon at Historic Jamestowne |
Annie Muirhead
I am currently in my second year of graduate school at New Mexico State University, pursuing an M.A. in Public History. I hope to graduate in December 2013 upon the successful defense of my thesis. I turned to Public History in 2010 as a way to combine two of favorite things: the past and storytelling. Growing up as a "Third Culture Kid," my parents dragged me around the world to this historic site and that museum. I loved encountering these places and feeling the connection to people and events that came before me. Their stories had a place in the world that the characters in my novels never would.
As I grew older, my love of stories transformed into a passion for the theatre. I did it all: acting, lighting, costuming, stage managing, designing, and even little directing. I leaned how to shape the many aspects of production to form a cohesive story that would envelop the audience. At the College of William & Mary, I did not pursue a degree in theatre, but I stayed involved through student productions, summer jobs, the occasional course, and work in the department's costume shop. I graduated in 2009 with a B.A. in Russian/Post-Soviet Studies and Medieval/Renaissance Studies. Both programs forced me to approach each area through a variety of disciplines.I took courses in history, literature, language, religion, music, and art, constructing a well-rounded path to understanding each world. This approach survives in my ideas about Public History as I strive to present as complete and honest an interpretation of the past as possible.
Dear Annie,
ReplyDeleteI recently discovered your blog and was truly impressed by your dedication to preserving WWII stories. As someone who has made it her life’s work to bring history to life for others, I felt a deep resonance with your mission.
Allow me to briefly introduce myself — my name is Martina Gregorcova, and I’ve been a licensed official guide of Prague since 2007. My passion lies in WWII history, specifically the Czechoslovak resistance and the heroic story of Operation Anthropoid. I’ve been researching and guiding on this topic since 2002, and over the years, I’ve had the privilege of connecting with survivors' families, including relatives of paratroopers like Josef Gabčík.
I created a specialized experience called Operation Anthropoid Tours (https://www.operationanthropoidtours.com ) blending walking and vehicle-based routes that explore Prague’s resistance history from the ground up. What started as a niche interest has grown into something bigger — this year alone, I’ve welcomed not only private visitors from across Europe, but also school groups from Slovakia. In two weeks, I’ll be hosting 16 British seniors on a full-day WWII resistance program.
As someone born in Czechoslovakia, the story of resistance wasn’t part of my education growing up in newly independent Slovakia in 90s — I only learned about Operation Anthropoid after moving to Prague and studying to become a guide in 2000s. That’s why this work means so much to me. It’s not just a tour — it’s a mission to share forgotten courage, and I believe with the right collaborations, we can reach even more people.
I’d love to explore ways we could work together — whether through guest content, historical articles, resource sharing, or any other collaboration that fits your platform. Please let me know what’s possible on your side.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Warm regards,
Martina Gregorcova
https://www.operationanthropoidtours.com