The Internet offers an unprecedented bounty of historic sound recordings, and the opportunity to listen in on the past has never been greater. But online sound archives also present new challenges. Public history websites must recover the meaning of sound as well as sound itself, and thereby engender a historicized mode of listening that tunes modern ears to the pitch of the past. The Roaring ’Twenties website attempts this via an interactive multimedia environment of sounds, images, and texts, recreating for its listeners the sonic culture of New York City circa 1929, a place and time defined by its din.

This special issue of the Public Historian explores issues relating to the management of public history programs in New York State. State history is something that continues to be worthy of preservation, management, study, and analysis because of the distinctive historical development and traits of each state and the role of state history as a portal to national history. New York's history is complex because of its size, ethnic diversity, cosmopolitan character, and the rapid pace of its historical development. What might be termed its “historical infrastructure”—the totality of programs to manage its history—is also complex. State government history programs include the State Archives, State Museum, and Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. There are large organizations with statewide programs and influence such as the New York State Historical Association, dozens of state historic sites, and several hundred local historical societies and historical museums. Issues include lack of funding, inadequate public support, fragmentation of effort and need for better coordination, and need for more robust use of information technology. Each of the seven essays represents its author's insights and perspectives on accomplishments, issues, and needs.