Barbara Walden, MA

Barbara Walden’s formal education includes a master’s degree in museum studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program (State University of New York at Oneonta), a bachelor’s degree in history from Graceland University, and is a graduate of the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) Seminar for Historical Administration (SHA).

Her passion for researching and preserving Community of Christ history includes having authored and co-authored a number of books and articles on a variety of 19th and 20th century church history topics. Barbara served as president of the John Whitmer Historical Association and on the Mormon History Association Board of Directors. In addition, she has served on the editorial board for the Journal of Mormon History and John Whitmer Journal. Barbara has co-authored three books: Community of Christ: An Illustrated History, House of the Lord: An Illustrated History of the Kirtland Temple, and In Pursuit of Peace: Community of Christ’s Journey.

Her museum and historic sites experience involves work at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Women’s Rights National Historical Park, and Kirtland Temple where she served as site director from 2002-2009. Her community outreach and public education experience at the historic site in northeast Ohio is highlighted in “Like a Good Neighbor: Community Advocacy for Small Museums,” featured in The Small Museums Toolkit Series and “Kirtland Temple: Creating Sacred Space for Pilgrimage,” in Interpreting Religion at Museums and Historic Sites. Barbara is a founding committee member of the AASLH Religious History Affinity Group and past member of the History News editorial board.

In addition to leading classes at the Community of Christ Seminary, Barbara serves as the executive director of the Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation, an organization that supports six historic sites located across Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Ohio. Her position offers the opportunity to travel the country raising resources, awareness, and appreciation for Community of Christ historic sites.