About Eric Salmonsen

Eric Salmonsen is a social studies educator, public historian, and creator of the Everything is a Primary Source (EPS) method, an inquiry-driven framework developed over 18 years in the public high school classroom.

Designed to simplify planning while deepening rigor, EPS centers primary sources, media, and material culture as foundations for analysis. Students and public participants alike learn to decode artifacts in order to understand historical context with precision and clarity.

In 2021, Eric launched The Everything is a Primary Source Podcast, now nearing 250 episodes. Since 2022, he has brought the project into public spaces — from diners and festivals to museums and conferences — recording live oral histories and facilitating interactive “Your History Through Pop Culture” sessions. The EPS framework continues to expand beyond the classroom through portable learning kits such as EPS To Go!, designed to bring hands-on primary source analysis directly into schools and community spaces.

Eric also partners with cultural and informational organizations seeking to deepen their presence in the educational space. He identifies educational value in artifacts, archives, and brand heritage that others overlook, translating them into meaningful, standards-aligned learning experiences that resonate in today’s evolving humanities landscape.

Through classroom practice, public engagement, and national initiatives tied to America 250, his work bridges scholarship, media, and civic storytelling. Eric’s work is rooted in the belief that historical insight is not confined to archives. From institutional collections to overlooked artifacts of everyday life, he identifies and elevates materials that reveal how culture is created, consumed, and remembered.