LOS ALTOS, CA (March 31, 2026) – Los Altos History Museum will host “A Conversation between Historians on Partition and Memory,” on April 15 from 5:30 – 7:00 pm., exploring how personal stories continue to shape our understanding of the 1947 Partition of India.
Historian Madihah Akhter joins the Museum’s executive director, Anna Toledano, to discuss how oral histories deepen our understanding of the Partition decades after the event, which displaced millions across South Asia.
“Without capturing the voices of people who experienced Partition as children, we wouldn’t know the details of how it was lived—how people were forced to leave their homes, families, and possessions and begin again,” said Akhter.
The conversation will also examine the role of memory in shaping identity, family narratives, and community understanding.
Madihah Akhter received her PhD in History from Stanford University and has over 15 years of experience teaching modern South Asian history. Her work has been supported by a Fulbright Doctoral Fellowship.
Anna Toledano holds a PhD in the History of Science from Stanford, and an MA in Museum Anthropology from Columbia.
The program ties to the 1947 Partition Archive’s exhibit 10,000 Memories: Partition, Independence, and WWII in South Asia, on display in the Museum’s main gallery through May 24.
Admission is $15 per person and free for members. For more information, visit losaltoshistory.org/PartitionMemory.
Los Altos History Museum began in 1977 with the opening of the historic J. Gilbert Smith House, built in 1905 on 14+ acres of apricot orchards planted by Mr. Smith. In 2001, Los Altos History Museum opened the modern building next door, which houses the Museum’s collections, permanent and changing exhibits, store and administrative offices. The Museum and its grounds are available for rent during evenings and weekends. Its collections are owned by the City of Los Altos and are managed by an independent nonprofit organization, whose staff and volunteers are responsible for all programs and operations.
The Museum is open Thursday through Sunday, from noon-4pm. Admission is free. Tours of the J. Gilbert Smith House are available during open hours. The outdoor agricultural exhibit, gardens and picnic area are accessible beyond Museum hours. For more information, visit: losaltoshistory.org, email hello@losaltoshistory.org, or phone 650.948.9427 x14.
Media Contact: Marketing@losaltoshistory.org
Los Altos History Museum: Diane Holcomb, 650.948.9427 x14, dholcomb@losaltoshistory.org
