Phi Alpha Theta is an honor society for undergraduate and graduate students and professors of history. Founded on March 17, 1921, at the University of Arkansas by Nels Cleven, the society aims to promote the study of history through research, good teaching, publication, and the exchange of learning and ideas among historians. Members are elected to the society based on their academic excellence and dedication to the field of history. With over 400,000 members and 970 chapters across the United States, Phi Alpha Theta hosts conferences, publishes a scholarly journal, The Historian, and supports various academic and professional activities related to historical scholarship.